This season, college football moves into a brand new world. The Bowl Championship Series is now the College Football Playoff. The poll-selected championship is gone and a 4-team playoff is in. The 5 big-money bowl games (Rose, Fiesta, Sugar, Orange, and National Championship Game) now have 2 more brothers (Cotton and Peach). The polls and computer rankings are now meaningless, as a 15-member selection committee will now be in charge of ranking teams. The complex system of selecting 10 teams for 5 games is history, with the selection committee now choosing the 12 teams it wants.
And yet I am not very excited about these changes.
Did the BCS always get things right? No, and that is okay. Were there controversies? Plenty, but they usually amounted in changes to the system that helped perfect it.
My biggest question is this: why couldn't a 4-team playoff have been ADDED to the BCS instead of creating an entirely new system that contains much less structure?
What I will now present in detail is the playoff plan I have been sitting on for a couple years. I truly believe this would be a better system than what we will see this season and what we've seen in the past.
The BCS Standings
The BCS Standings shall be comprised of 4 equal parts:
25% - AP Poll
25% - Coaches Poll - Every FBS coach votes and every ballot is revealed each week
25% - Computer Average (No margin of victory) - The average of 4 formulas (6 total formulas, minus the highest and lowest rank, then averaged). Every formula is transparent. Margin of victory is not included (just like in the 16 years of the BCS) to ensure teams aren't running up the score as bad as they could.
25% - Computer Average (With margin of victory) - The average of 4 formulas (6 total formulas, minus the highest and lowest rank, then averaged). Every formula is transparent. Margin of victory is included here to give a better balance to the computers rankings.
The BCS Selection Committee
The BCS selection committee shall consist of the 10 FBS conference commissioners, 1 Independent representative, and the BCS President. The selection committee is setup to create the 6 BCS Bowl match-ups based on the criteria listed below. The selection committee has absolutely nothing to do with the BCS Playoff.
The BCS Playoff
The following rules will determine the playoff:
1. Top 4 conference champions ranked in top 6 automatically qualify for the playoff.
2. Independents ranked in top 4 automatically qualify for the playoff.
3. Any holes are filled by the highest ranked At-Large team in the Top 4.
4. The 4 teams are seeded 1-4 based on their final ranking and play at the home sites of the higher seed.
5. Alternately, if the bowl locations did host the playoff games, they would rotate as following: Year 1- Fiesta & Peach, Year 2- Cotton & Orange, Year 3- Rose & Sugar, and then repeat. Preference would go to the highest seeded teams. Also, these are bowl locations, not the actual bowl games.
The BCS Bowls
The 6 BCS bowls consist of the Rose, Fiesta, Cotton, Sugar, Peach, and Orange. The rules of selection follow:
1. Champions of the ACC, Big 12, Big Ten, Pac-12, SEC, and highest-ranked of the Group of Five automatically qualify
2. Teams ranked in top 12 automatically qualify, if there are enough spots.
3. Teams ranked in top 20 are eligible for At-Large selection.
4. The bowls follow a 2-tier prioritization plan
3. Teams ranked in top 20 are eligible for At-Large selection.
4. The bowls follow a 2-tier prioritization plan
-Year 1: Rose, Sugar, Orange for Tier 1; Peach, Cotton, Fiesta for Tier 2.
-Year 2: Sugar, Orange, Rose for Tier 1; Fiesta, Peach, Cotton for Tier 2.
-Year 3: Orange, Rose, Sugar for Tier 1; Cotton, Fiesta, Peach for Tier 2.
-Year 2: Sugar, Orange, Rose for Tier 1; Fiesta, Peach, Cotton for Tier 2.
-Year 3: Orange, Rose, Sugar for Tier 1; Cotton, Fiesta, Peach for Tier 2.
5. Unless a listed rule prevents it, the Rose must prioritize a Big Ten-Pac-12 match-up, the Sugar a Big 12-SEC match-up, and the Orange an ACC-At-Large match-up.
6. Each bowl must have teams ranked no more than 5 spots apart.
7. If BCS #5 and BCS #6 are included in the playoff, #3 vs #4 must be featured in a Tier 1 Bowl.
8. Proximity and fan-base travel history must be strongly considered for how each match-up is affected.
8. Proximity and fan-base travel history must be strongly considered for how each match-up is affected.
9. The best 6 possible match-ups are prioritized, rather than focusing on each bowl individually.
The BCS Schedule
While a college football purist would like to see both semifinals take place on Day 1, the Tier 2 BCS Bowls on Day 2, and Tier 1 BCS Bowls on Day 3 over the 5-day span of 12/29 - 1/2, it is just not feasible for the TV networks. Instead, here is the schedule that would provide the highest ratings:
BCS Semifinals - The last Saturday of December. In years where Christmas is the final Saturday in December, these games will take place on the final Friday of the month. Time: 3pm for the #2 vs #3 matchup. 7pm for the #1 vs #4 matchup.
Rose - 3pm on 1/1. In years where 1/1 is a Sunday, the game will take place on 1/2.
Sugar - 7pm on 1/1. In years where 1/1 is a Sunday, the game will take place on 1/2.
Orange - 7pm on 1/2. In years where 1/2 is a Sunday, the game will take place on 1/3.
Fiesta - 7pm. In Year 1, this bowl is the day after the Orange. In Years 2 and 3, this bowl is the day after the Peach. Sunday will be skipped
Cotton - 7pm. In Years 1 and 3, this bowl is the day after the Fiesta. In Year 2, this bowl is the day after the Orange. Sunday will be skipped.
Peach - 7pm. In Years 1 and 2, this bowl is the day after the Cotton. In Year 3, this bowl is the day after the Orange. Sunday will be skipped.
BCS Championship - 7pm on the 2nd Monday of January.
Conclusion - Why is this better than what we have now?
Transparency - A selection committee choosing teams for a playoff is too limited. While many of the members on the committee are respected individuals, everyone has biases that will need to be overcome. Plus, it's hard to believe these folks are going to be able to watch every meaningful game. There is absolutely no transparency in this system, as we don't know what will impress the committee. My system, however, is 100% transparent. Each week, every vote is revealed and we would know exactly what each BCS computer formula consisted of. This makes things run much more smoothly. Also, unlike in the current form of the Coaches Poll, every coach gets a vote (rather than half of them), and the ballots are revealed to keep them honest. If there are repeated incidents of highly questionable rankings, that coach may be suspended from the poll, or lose his vote altogether.
Better Games - The high priority placed on winning a conference championship rather than overall record will open up the regular season for better out-of-conference (OOC) games. No fun comes of watching your team dominate, struggle with, or even lose to an FCS "cupcake." In the past system, overall record was a priority, which discouraged more than 1 tough OOC per season, and if that for some schools. Better match-ups all season long is an awesome start, but this would also give everyone a clearer understanding of which conferences are better than others throughout the season. Right now, conference championships are not required for inclusion to the playoff, while the committee is quiet on its selection criteria and what it emphasizes. Better OOCs are on the way, but my system would yield even more, which is a win for the fans.
More BCS Bowls - The past BCS system had 5 big-money bowl games. The current system has 7. My system would actually have 9 high-quality games. Currently, the 2 semifinal match-ups will take place in actual bowl games (Rose & Sugar in 2015, Cotton & Orange in 2016, Fiesta & Peach in 2017, then restart). Since asking fans to travel to 2 bowl games (possibly in addition to a Conference Championship Games, depending on the team and conference) in a 2-week span is a little ridiculous, I believe this will eventually get changed to home sites somewhere down the road. But the playoff is just starting, so why not do it now? They use excuses of "not enough hotel rooms" or "trying to protect the top bowls." Well, guess what? I'm pretty sure there are enough hotel rooms near each CFB stadium, and the bowls can be protected with the right amount of effort.
Better BCS Access - In the past system, the 6 conferences automatically qualified for selection in one of the 10 spots. Notre Dame had a special clause to gain automatic status. The top-ranked champion of a lesser conference would automatically qualify by being ranked in a certain spot. Also, BCS #1 and #2 were guaranteed spots if they were non-champions. The finals slots were filled At-Large selections, that were rarely selected for on-field performance, as opposed to TV ratings and fan base size Presently, there are 5 conferences that have a guaranteed spot. Notre Dame has a special clause. Also, the highest ranked champion of the lower conferences are now guaranteed a spot. After that, no rules or structure. My system is structured. There are 16 spots. The top 10 teams automatically qualify. The 5 champions and the highest of the lesser conferences are guaranteed spots. Then #11 and #12 automatically qualify if there is enough room. Teams have to be ranked in the top 20 to be eligible for any remaining spots. There is no more #3 Kansas State being skipped over like in 1998.
Better BCS Bowls - So, in addition to 2 extra bowl games that are now freed up, we get better match-ups. My system tries its best to protect history, but at the end of the day, the match-ups are what sell. To start off, each Tier 1 bowl is guaranteed at least 1 of its conference ties, though not necessarily the champions of those conferences. The BCS Selection committee chooses the first team for the bowl with the first selection. Then it has to find an opponent ranked within 5 places of the first team selected. They follow this process through the remaining 2 Tier 1 bowls, trying to create the best match-ups possible and sticking with traditional tie-ins. After they have their 3 best games chosen, the follow the same procedures through the Tier 2 bowls.
A Better Playoff - The past system had no playoff. The current system will openly allow non-conference champions in its 4-team playoff. When there are 5 major conferences and only 4 spots, champions should be valued, especially in the subjective world of college football. Some people wanted the top 4 champions to automatically qualify for the playoff. The SEC schools and commissioner were firmly against it and wanted the top 4 teams. Other conferences wanted a selection committee. I created my idea in the early winter of 2012, with Big Ten Commissioner Jim Delany also mentioning something similar later that year. I truly believe that this system is the best of all 3 worlds. You want to ensure that conference championships are put at a premium? Check. You want to ensure that the 4 teams will be of the very best in the nation? Check. You want a selection committee? Check, even though their job will be stripped a bit. My approach makes sure that no team ranked under #6 is included in the playoff. It gives access to non-champions if there are not enough quality champions. It allows not only Notre Dame, but any independent a spot in the playoff if ranked in the top 4. This system is balanced.
Conclusion - Why is this better than what we have now?
Transparency - A selection committee choosing teams for a playoff is too limited. While many of the members on the committee are respected individuals, everyone has biases that will need to be overcome. Plus, it's hard to believe these folks are going to be able to watch every meaningful game. There is absolutely no transparency in this system, as we don't know what will impress the committee. My system, however, is 100% transparent. Each week, every vote is revealed and we would know exactly what each BCS computer formula consisted of. This makes things run much more smoothly. Also, unlike in the current form of the Coaches Poll, every coach gets a vote (rather than half of them), and the ballots are revealed to keep them honest. If there are repeated incidents of highly questionable rankings, that coach may be suspended from the poll, or lose his vote altogether.
Better Games - The high priority placed on winning a conference championship rather than overall record will open up the regular season for better out-of-conference (OOC) games. No fun comes of watching your team dominate, struggle with, or even lose to an FCS "cupcake." In the past system, overall record was a priority, which discouraged more than 1 tough OOC per season, and if that for some schools. Better match-ups all season long is an awesome start, but this would also give everyone a clearer understanding of which conferences are better than others throughout the season. Right now, conference championships are not required for inclusion to the playoff, while the committee is quiet on its selection criteria and what it emphasizes. Better OOCs are on the way, but my system would yield even more, which is a win for the fans.
More BCS Bowls - The past BCS system had 5 big-money bowl games. The current system has 7. My system would actually have 9 high-quality games. Currently, the 2 semifinal match-ups will take place in actual bowl games (Rose & Sugar in 2015, Cotton & Orange in 2016, Fiesta & Peach in 2017, then restart). Since asking fans to travel to 2 bowl games (possibly in addition to a Conference Championship Games, depending on the team and conference) in a 2-week span is a little ridiculous, I believe this will eventually get changed to home sites somewhere down the road. But the playoff is just starting, so why not do it now? They use excuses of "not enough hotel rooms" or "trying to protect the top bowls." Well, guess what? I'm pretty sure there are enough hotel rooms near each CFB stadium, and the bowls can be protected with the right amount of effort.
Better BCS Access - In the past system, the 6 conferences automatically qualified for selection in one of the 10 spots. Notre Dame had a special clause to gain automatic status. The top-ranked champion of a lesser conference would automatically qualify by being ranked in a certain spot. Also, BCS #1 and #2 were guaranteed spots if they were non-champions. The finals slots were filled At-Large selections, that were rarely selected for on-field performance, as opposed to TV ratings and fan base size Presently, there are 5 conferences that have a guaranteed spot. Notre Dame has a special clause. Also, the highest ranked champion of the lower conferences are now guaranteed a spot. After that, no rules or structure. My system is structured. There are 16 spots. The top 10 teams automatically qualify. The 5 champions and the highest of the lesser conferences are guaranteed spots. Then #11 and #12 automatically qualify if there is enough room. Teams have to be ranked in the top 20 to be eligible for any remaining spots. There is no more #3 Kansas State being skipped over like in 1998.
Better BCS Bowls - So, in addition to 2 extra bowl games that are now freed up, we get better match-ups. My system tries its best to protect history, but at the end of the day, the match-ups are what sell. To start off, each Tier 1 bowl is guaranteed at least 1 of its conference ties, though not necessarily the champions of those conferences. The BCS Selection committee chooses the first team for the bowl with the first selection. Then it has to find an opponent ranked within 5 places of the first team selected. They follow this process through the remaining 2 Tier 1 bowls, trying to create the best match-ups possible and sticking with traditional tie-ins. After they have their 3 best games chosen, the follow the same procedures through the Tier 2 bowls.
A Better Playoff - The past system had no playoff. The current system will openly allow non-conference champions in its 4-team playoff. When there are 5 major conferences and only 4 spots, champions should be valued, especially in the subjective world of college football. Some people wanted the top 4 champions to automatically qualify for the playoff. The SEC schools and commissioner were firmly against it and wanted the top 4 teams. Other conferences wanted a selection committee. I created my idea in the early winter of 2012, with Big Ten Commissioner Jim Delany also mentioning something similar later that year. I truly believe that this system is the best of all 3 worlds. You want to ensure that conference championships are put at a premium? Check. You want to ensure that the 4 teams will be of the very best in the nation? Check. You want a selection committee? Check, even though their job will be stripped a bit. My approach makes sure that no team ranked under #6 is included in the playoff. It gives access to non-champions if there are not enough quality champions. It allows not only Notre Dame, but any independent a spot in the playoff if ranked in the top 4. This system is balanced.
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