The ScooterBlog

In looking back at the blog, I posted about how Michigan potentially got screwed back in 2006 regarding their standing for a National Championship game. My how things have changed! But, for all the things that have, one remains the same; a playoff system should happen. My thoughts on how it should go have changed slightly from the last incarnation, and in this way.

• 8-Team playoff system (same as before)
• First round games should be home games (that’s new)
• The teams chosen should be the six BCS conference champs, and two at large teams.
• At-large team order would be non-BCS undefeated teams or independents (Notre Dame) in the Top 10 of the BCS rankings. It pains me to have a Notre Dame provision, but it should be there if they are good)

With this in mind, and assuming favorites win this weekend, the playoff should be like this:

#1 Alabama (SEC Champion)
#2 Oklahoma (Big 12 Champion)
#3 USC (Pac-10 Champion)
#4 Utah
#5 Penn State (Big 10 Champion)
#6 Boise State
#7 Cincinnati (Big East Champion)
#8 Boston College or Virginia Tech (ACC Champion)

Should Missouri win, they would be seeded at #7, with the other rankings adjusting. A Florida win would likely cause them to just swap spots with Alabama, or be the #2 seed. Texas would still have a very legitimate case that they were screwed on this one, but that is a conference issue, not a BCS issue. That all said, let’s look at how cool some of these matchups would be.

• Alabama hosting ACC Champion – As a 1-8 game should be, this would of course be the most lopsided, but still a pretty darn good game. Just the ferver of an SEC school hosting a playoff game is worth the mention.
• Oklahoma, as fate has it, would get CIncinnati at home one more time. I am thrilled that Cincy won their conference, but Oklahoma would win this one.
• USC hosting Boise State would be a blast. I do believe this would be a close game, and just like the Fiesta bowl, would be an entertaining offensive showdown.
• Utah hosting Pann State. This is the only format where it’s plausibly possible for a non-BCS school to legitimately have a national title shot, but also host a playoff game.

Play the semifinal games at bowl sites (and determine who goes where the week before based on traditional allegiances when possible, and the sites rotate). Have a third place game and a national championship game to ensure that four bowl sites get a play.

So why this methodology? It’s the one way to ensure that every regular season game matters, because one loss can still easily knockyou out of the playoffs, and winning your conference is of paramount importance. It gives the top teams incentive to impress even when they are in for sure with the home game. With so many good teams left over, there is still plenty of room for bowl games as well to be played inbetween these playoff games for teams who did not make it. The economy is likely slated to knock the bowl schedule down a bit, which is not a bad thing. That and this setup would ensure that the best play for the title, and the rest still have a quality game and trip ahead for the fams to enjoy.

I mean, let’s be honest, the GMAC Bowl is just as important under this system as it is under the current system. It’s not, except for advertising and fan service! If nothing else, maybe EA will have the stones to add a playoff system as a possible option in their video game at some point, or we can get whatifsports.com to run a simulation on such a playoff.

How would you change this? How would you see the seedings go with other upsets? What other changes could be made to ensure this is fair? Post those here!