Playoff Is The Only Solution to BCS

The BCS is a joke.

You've heard it said many times, many ways but this year was concrete proof that college football is in dire need of a playoff system. You had four teams (LSU, USC, Georgia, West Virginia) that all had possible claims to the national title when the dust settled. Isn't there some thing inherently wrong with that?

Eric Bischoff wrote a book called "Controversy Creates Cash", and maybe he was right. Attendance has been up across the country and some point to the discussion about how truly flawed the BCS is as one of the contributing factors.

You know what also would create cash? An eight team playoff. I think it works for that group of 65 in March, wouldn't you agree?

Since the inception of the BCS in 1998, there has been one controversy free season, 2005-06, which featured USC and Texas in a thrilling Rose Bowl. Here is a list of BCS controversies.

• 1998-99: Kansas State finishes third in the BCS with one loss but is not invited to a BCS bowl while fourth ranked Ohio State and two loss Florida. Kansas State was invited to the Alamo Bowl and lost that game to Purdue.
• 1998-99: One loss Arizona, ranked seventh, was invited to the Holiday Bowl, even though the Orange Bowl featured two lower ranked teams (Florida and Syracuse)
• 1999-00: Kansas State was again snubbed by the BCS after being ranked sixth. Eighth ranked Michigan took their place.
• 2000-01: 12-1 Florida State was chosen over 11-1 Miami for the national title game after Miami had beaten Florida State in the regular season and their only loss came to Washington, who also had only one loss. Florida State lost to Oklahoma and Miami and Washington both won their bowl games.
• 2001-02: Nebraska was invited to the national title game, despite the fact they were ranked fourth and not even winning their conference. Miami destroyed Nebraska in the title game while one loss Oregon beat two loss Colorado (who beat Nebraska to win the Big 12) in the Fiesta Bowl.
• 2003-04: In this season three teams (USC, Oklahoma, and LSU) all had one loss. USC was ranked first in the AP and Coaches poll. Oklahoma lost to Kansas State which dropped them to third in both polls. This moved LSU into the second spot in both polls. However, the BCS chose Oklahoma and LSU and LSU and USC both won their games and there was a split national title.
• 2004-05: This season featured five undefeated teams (Oklahoma, USC, Auburn, Utah, Boise State). USC beat Oklahoma in dominating fashion while Auburn and Utah both won their BCS bowls, leaving three undefeated teams at season's end.
• 2006-07: Going into the last poll of the year, undefeated Boise State and one loss Louisville, Michigan, Florida and Wisconsin all had claims to the last spot in the title game. Florida eventually took the spot by a .0101 points and went on to win the title while Michigan lost to USC in the Rose Bowl.
• 2007-08: In what was arguably the craziest college football season in recent memory, the BCS did not disappoint. In the final two weeks of the season the top two teams lost both weeks. LSU lost in triple overtime to Arkansas and Missouri beat number two Kansas to take the top spot in the BCS. The next week, Missouri lost to Oklahoma in the Big 12 title game and West Virginia lost to Pitt. This took originally fifth ranked Ohio State to first and the national title game. LSU won the SEC title game over Tennessee and that win pushed them over higher ranked Georgia and into the title game. Undefeated Hawaii was not given a spot in the title game as well. Georgia went on to dismantle Hawaii in the Sugar Bowl and LSU won the national title. In a shocking twist, Kansas was given an at large bid despite losing to Missouri.

The only way to solve this is a playoff, eight teams, three weeks, one champion. There would be no debate, no complaining and no controversy. The way I would set it up is this.

Six BCS conference winners (Ohio State, LSU, Oklahoma, USC, West Virginia, Virginia Tech
Mid Major (If applicable, this year, Hawaii)
At-Large team (Georgia)

Then you seed the teams.

1. Ohio State vs. 8. Hawaii
2. LSU vs. 7. Georgia
3. Virginia Tech vs. 6. West Virginia
4. Oklahoma vs. 5. USC

You can hold the first round at the four major bowls (Rose, Orange, Sugar, Fiesta) and then hold the later rounds can rotate which sites would host. It just makes so much more sense than what we have. Some are calling for a Plus-One format but that wouldn't have solved anything because USC and Georgia would have been on the outside of a Plus-One. The current BCS contract run until 2010 and hopefully the powers that be can cut through the politics and stubborn nature of some of the involved parties to give the people what they want and deserve; a college football playoff.