BCS Redo: 1999

This is a 16-part series. I will compare what the BCS actually gave us over the past 16 years with what we could've seen if my BCS Playoff System was used instead. This will also give an outlook as to why this system would be best for college football's future. Note - the Big East counts as an automatic qualifier here, and has a main tie of the Orange Bowl. Also, the rankings used are from the BCS standings of the time, not my preferred formula.

What we saw in the 1999-2000 season:

Rose Bowl - Saturday, January 1
7 Wisconsin (9-2, Big Ten Champion) vs Stanford (8-3, Pac-10 Champion)

Orange Bowl - Saturday, January 1
4 Alabama (10-2, SEC Champion) vs 8 Michigan (9-2, At-Large)

Fiesta Bowl - Sunday, January 2
3 Nebraska (11-1, Big 12 Champion) vs 5 Tennessee (9-2, At-Large)

Sugar Bowl (National Championship Game) - Tuesday, January 4
1 Florida St. (11-0, ACC Champion) vs 2 Virginia Tech (11-0, Big East Champion)

Passed over: #6 Kansas St (10-1)

Using my BCS Playoff System:

Selection Order:
Tier 1: Sugar, Orange, Rose
Tier 2: Fiesta, Peach, Cotton

Semifinal #1 - Friday, December 31
3 Nebraska (11-1, Big 12 Champion) @ 2 Virginia Tech (11-0, Big East Champion)

Semifinal #2 - Friday, December 31
4 Alabama (10-2, SEC Champion)  @ 1 Florida St. (11-0, ACC Champion)

Rose Bowl - Saturday, January 1
7 Wisconsin (10-1, Big Ten Champion) vs 11 Penn St. (11-1, AQ)

Sugar Bowl - Saturday, January 1
5 Tennessee (9-2, AQ) vs 6 Kansas St. (11-1, AQ)

Orange Bowl - Monday, January 3
9 Michigan St (9-2, AQ) vs 10 Florida (9-3, AQ)

Fiesta Bowl - Tuesday, January 4
15 Texas (9-4, At-Large) vs Stanford (8-3, Pac-10 Champion)

Peach Bowl - Wednesday, January 5
8 Michigan (9-2, At-Large) vs 12 Marshall (12-0, MAC Champion)

Cotton Bowl - Thursday, January 6
13 Minnesota (8-3, At-Large) vs 14 Texas A&M (8-3, At-Large)

National Championship Game - Monday, January 10
Semifinal #1 Winner vs Semifinal #2 Winner

Analysis:

In Year 2 of my playoff plan, the top 4 teams are all conference champions, and thus they all make the playoff. The plan is off to a great start.

For the Tier 1 bowls, the Sugar gets the first pick. The Big 12 vs SEC tie gets to stay put, as it also provides a 5 vs 6 match-up in Tennessee vs Kansas St. The Orange gets the next pick. Since both the ACC and Big East champs are in the playoff, and Georgia Tech is the only team from either conference that is likely in the BCS Top 20 (still only a BCS Top 15 is released), the Orange avoids GT for a second straight year. The Orange grabs 9 Michigan St. and 10 Florida to ensure a sellout and even match-up (8 Michigan was skipped over to allow its massive fan base to help another bowl). The Pac-12 Champion, Stanford is not ranked. Because of this, 7 Wisconsin of the Big Ten gets the spot. The only teams within 5 spots are the 5 Tennessee, 6 Kansas St, 8 Michigan, 9 Michigan St, 10 Florida, 11 Penn St, and 12 Marshall. The 5 vs 6 match-up must happen, and there can be no rematches, so only Florida, Penn St, and Marshall are left. Marshall gets scratched off due to the travel distance and fan base size. By moving Florida to the Orange, a long chain of events takes place due to how close the Big Ten teams are ranked, making it difficult to keep the teams within 5 spots of each other. Meanwhile, even though Penn St. and Wisconsin are from the same conference, they didn't play each other this season. This game would sell very well, and would ease the process for the other bowls, so it gets the okay here.

For the Tier 2 bowls, the Fiesta starts things off by selecting Pac-10 Champion Stanford. It is difficult to see exactly where Stanford would've ranked in a BCS Top 25 (even with a #22 rank in the AP Poll), so the Within 5 Spots rule gets potentially broken by selecting 15 Texas as the opponent. Stanford has a small fan base, so a large fan base that travels well is needed here, and Texas is the only program within a potential BCS Top 20 that fits the bill. The Peach quickly grabs 8 Michigan, with 12 Marshall as the only option left. Finally, the Cotton Bowl adds a local team in 14 Texas A&M to go along with 13 Minnesota. Other notable teams within the AP's Top 25 that are left out consist of Mississippi St, Southern Miss, Georgia Tech, East Carolina, Georgia, and Miami.

While there would have likely been controversy over the Rose Bowl game, this list is comprised of money match-ups through and through. Instead of being passed over for a second straight year, Kansas St. gets included again. Another lesser (undefeated) conference champion would be included in Marshall.

Past BCS Redo Seasons:

1998