Okay, we all agree. The BCS sucks. It doesn't determine the true two best teams. And no measurement can accurately determine the two best teams year in, year out.
So how shall we improve the method to determine a college football national champion? Maybe replace it with a classic bracket. How about add one more game? Perhaps we simply leave the BCS alone. Or something completely outrageous?
There's only one way to find out. Let's see if the BCS can be overcome the opposition by using the contender's core postseason mechanism: the seeded bracket.
THE SEEDS
1. BCS
As I've said, I like the system because of the Global Thermonuclear War chaos it causes. And without it, we don't have a magical 2007 Fiesta Bowl.
2. 8-team playoff
The most sensible number of playoff entrants. Beyond that you're often looking at three-loss teams.
3. "Plus-one" game
A bit ridiculous, because in a year such as this one you have more than four legitimate national championship arguments, but it's one of the more talked about — and even more important, realistic — solutions.
4. 16-team playoff
Now you're getting into more of a December Madness feel. Plus it mirrors the Championship Subdivision almost perfectly. Sixteen teams also enables the chance for a team from each conference...
5. 32-team playoff
...Whereas a system with thirty-two teams enables the chance for Michigan to participate every year.
6. One team per conference
And none more, which would likely eliminate teams like Georgia, Kansas, Missouri, Arizona State. Plus, it's only 11 schools — 12 if you want to include the top indie team. So there are first round byes.
7. No championship game
You know, before the BCS, we just had bowl games. That wasn't so bad in hindsight, now was it?
8. 64-team playoff
UTTER MADNESS! Also, if it must mirror the NCAA basketball tournament, I'm not opposed to Appalachian State-Delaware being the play-in game.
Article comments
1 - Tuffy
The plus-shaped football field system gets its championship shirts from Lane Bryant.
2 - Druxxx
I like the reality TV vote off.
I think there are 119 teams in Division 1A.
We play 118 weeks, one team is voted off each week.
So what if that takes over 2 years. The BCS makes no sense, so why should the new system.
Plus everyone says how much they love college footballs "regular season." This just makes it over 100 weeks longer. And college football would become year round.
3 - RJ Elliott
10. World Cup-Style Pool
Sixteen teams in four pools. Everyone in a pool plays each other. Top two teams advance to the final eight. Plus ... international referee scandals! That always sweetens the entertainment. Stipulation: games have to be played at 5 a.m.
Hilarious!
4 - Jordan
Oh please, anything but #9. With Mark May and Lou Holtz running things we'd have a USC-Notre Dame title game for eighteen years in a row.
5 - Jordan
Actually, scratch that: #9 and #16 are the exact same thing.
6 - The other anonymous
Round 1 winners:
USC wins every time
ESPN's 10 team bracket
X-Box 360
97 team playoff
8 team playoff
no championship game
Reality TV vote-off
Plus 1 game
Round 2 winners:
USC wins every year (same as the ESPN picks)
X-Box 360
No championship game
plus 1 game
Round 3 winners:
X-Box 360
No championship game
GRAND CHAMPION:
NO CHAMPIONSHIP GAME!!!
College football returns to the 80's