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 2003-2004 season:
Rose Bowl - Thursday, January 1
3 USC (11-1, Pac-10 Champion) vs 4 Michigan (10-2, Big Ten Champion)
Orange Bowl - Thursday, January 1
7 Florida St. (10-2, ACC Champion) vs 9 Miami (10-2, Big East Champion)
Fiesta Bowl - Friday, January 2
5 Ohio St. (10-2, At-Large) vs 10 Kansas St. (11-3, Big 12 Champion)
Sugar Bowl (National Championship Game) - Sunday, January 4
1 Oklahoma (12-1, AQ) vs 2 LSU (12-1, SEC Champion)
Passed over: 6 Texas (10-2), 8 Tennessee (10-2)
Using my BCS Playoff System:
Selection Order:
Tier 1: Orange, Rose, Sugar
Tier 2: Cotton, Fiesta, Peach
Semifinal #1 - Saturday, December 30
3 USC (11-1, Pac-10 Champion) @ 2 LSU (12-1, SEC Champion)
Semifinal #2 - Saturday, December 30
4 Michigan (10-2, Big Ten Champion) @ 1 Oklahoma (12-1, AQ)
Rose Bowl - Monday, January 1
14 Purdue (9-3, At-Large) vs 16 Washington St. (9-3, At-Large)
Sugar Bowl - Monday, January 1
5 Ohio St. (10-2, AQ) vs 6 Texas (10-2, AQ)
Orange Bowl - Tuesday, January 2
9 Miami (10-2, Big East Champion) vs 10 Kansas St. (11-3, Big 12 Champion)
Cotton Bowl - Wednesday, January 3
7 Florida St. (10-2, ACC Champion) vs 8 Tennessee (10-2, AQ)
Fiesta Bowl - Thursday, January 4
13 Iowa (9-3, At-Large) vs 17 Boise St. (12-1, At-Large)
Peach Bowl - Friday, January 5
11 Miami, OH (12-1, MAC Champion) vs 12 Georgia (10-3, AQ)
National Championship Game - Monday, January 8
Semifinal #1 Winner vs Semifinal #2 Winner
Analysis:
For only the second time in history, a non-conference champion makes the playoff. Again a Big 12 team pulls the feat, Oklahoma is also the first non-champion to get the #1 seed.
Tier 1 starts out a little differently this season. Rule 6 states that the #5 vs #6 should happen if the two teams are not in the playoff, so the Sugar or Rose must take 5 Ohio St. and 6 Texas. Since the Rose wants its tradition Big Ten-Pac-10 match-up, they hand this money game to the Sugar. That leaves the Orange with 9 Miami, as ACC Champion Florida St. went there last season. Big 12 Champion Kansas St. is the perfect opponent.
For Tier 2, the Cotton selects Florida St. to matchup with Tennessee. The Fiesta Bowl takes 13 Iowa. The best remaining candidate for the other spot is actually an at-large non-AQ school in 17 Boise St. While this is a repeat match-up, these fans will flock to the game and Boise St. did win its conference. That leaves 11 Miami, OH to face 12 Georgia in the Peach Bowl.
Past BCS Redo Seasons:
2002
2001
2000
1999
1998
Thursday, May 28, 2015
BCS Redo: 2002
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 2002-2003 season:
Rose Bowl - Wednesday, January 1
6 Oregon (10-2, Pac-10 Champion) vs 7 Oklahoma (11-2, Big 12 Champion)
Sugar Bowl - Wednesday, January 1
3 Georgia (12-1, SEC Champion) vs 14 Florida St. (9-4, ACC Champion)
Orange Bowl - Thursday, January 2
4 USC (10-2, AQ) vs 5 Iowa (11-1, At-Large)
Fiesta Bowl (National Championship Game) - Friday, January 3
1 Miami (12-0, Big East Champion) vs 2 Ohio St. (13-0, Big Ten Champion)
Passed over: None
Using my BCS Playoff System:
Selection Order:
Tier 1: Sugar, Orange, Rose
Tier 2: Fiesta, Peach, Cotton
Semifinal #1 - Saturday, December 29
3 Georgia (12-1, SEC Champion) @ 2 Ohio St. (13-0, Big Ten Champion)
Semifinal #2 - Saturday, December 29
6 Washington St. (10-2, Pac-10 Champion) @ 1 Miami (12-0, Big East Champion)
Rose Bowl - Tuesday, January 1
4 USC (10-2, AQ) vs 5 Iowa (11-1, AQ)
Sugar Bowl - Tuesday, January 1
7 Oklahoma (11-2, Big 12 Champion) vs 9 Notre Dame (10-2, AQ)
Orange Bowl - Wednesday, January 2
14 Florida St. (9-4, ACC Champion) vs 15 West Virginia (9-3, At-Large)
Fiesta Bowl - Thursday, January 3
13 Colorado (9-4, At-Large) vs Boise St. (11-1, WAC Champion)
Peach Bowl - Friday, January 4
8 Kansas St. (10-2, AQ) vs 12 Penn St. (9-3, AQ)
Cotton Bowl - Saturday, January 5
10 Texas (10-2, AQ) vs 11 Michigan (9-3, AQ)
National Championship Game - Monday, January 7
Semifinal #1 Winner vs Semifinal #2 Winner
Analysis:
For Tier 1 bowls, the Sugar is up first and gets Big 12 Champion Oklahoma. Since there are no SEC teams ranked close-by, Notre Dame makes for the perfect opponent here. The Orange must take the ACC Champion, 14 Florida St. To keep the ACC-Big East match-up alive, 14 West Virginia is chosen. The Rose Bowl is handed a perfect pair of opponents in $ USC and 5 Iowa, keep its traditional ties and holding up Rule 6.
For Tier 2 bowls, Boise St. is handed to the Fiesta Bowl based on proximity. For the other spot, Colorado is chosen. The Peach Bowl takes Penn St. and its massive fan base for its first selection. Kansas St. gets the nod over Texas to protect the Cotton Bowl, which gets a monster first-time match-up in Texas vs. Michigan.
Past BCS Redo Seasons:
2001
2000
1999
1998
What we saw in the 2002-2003 season:
Rose Bowl - Wednesday, January 1
6 Oregon (10-2, Pac-10 Champion) vs 7 Oklahoma (11-2, Big 12 Champion)
Sugar Bowl - Wednesday, January 1
3 Georgia (12-1, SEC Champion) vs 14 Florida St. (9-4, ACC Champion)
Orange Bowl - Thursday, January 2
4 USC (10-2, AQ) vs 5 Iowa (11-1, At-Large)
Fiesta Bowl (National Championship Game) - Friday, January 3
1 Miami (12-0, Big East Champion) vs 2 Ohio St. (13-0, Big Ten Champion)
Passed over: None
Using my BCS Playoff System:
Selection Order:
Tier 1: Sugar, Orange, Rose
Tier 2: Fiesta, Peach, Cotton
Semifinal #1 - Saturday, December 29
3 Georgia (12-1, SEC Champion) @ 2 Ohio St. (13-0, Big Ten Champion)
Semifinal #2 - Saturday, December 29
6 Washington St. (10-2, Pac-10 Champion) @ 1 Miami (12-0, Big East Champion)
Rose Bowl - Tuesday, January 1
4 USC (10-2, AQ) vs 5 Iowa (11-1, AQ)
Sugar Bowl - Tuesday, January 1
7 Oklahoma (11-2, Big 12 Champion) vs 9 Notre Dame (10-2, AQ)
Orange Bowl - Wednesday, January 2
14 Florida St. (9-4, ACC Champion) vs 15 West Virginia (9-3, At-Large)
Fiesta Bowl - Thursday, January 3
13 Colorado (9-4, At-Large) vs Boise St. (11-1, WAC Champion)
Peach Bowl - Friday, January 4
8 Kansas St. (10-2, AQ) vs 12 Penn St. (9-3, AQ)
Cotton Bowl - Saturday, January 5
10 Texas (10-2, AQ) vs 11 Michigan (9-3, AQ)
National Championship Game - Monday, January 7
Semifinal #1 Winner vs Semifinal #2 Winner
Analysis:
For Tier 1 bowls, the Sugar is up first and gets Big 12 Champion Oklahoma. Since there are no SEC teams ranked close-by, Notre Dame makes for the perfect opponent here. The Orange must take the ACC Champion, 14 Florida St. To keep the ACC-Big East match-up alive, 14 West Virginia is chosen. The Rose Bowl is handed a perfect pair of opponents in $ USC and 5 Iowa, keep its traditional ties and holding up Rule 6.
For Tier 2 bowls, Boise St. is handed to the Fiesta Bowl based on proximity. For the other spot, Colorado is chosen. The Peach Bowl takes Penn St. and its massive fan base for its first selection. Kansas St. gets the nod over Texas to protect the Cotton Bowl, which gets a monster first-time match-up in Texas vs. Michigan.
Past BCS Redo Seasons:
2001
2000
1999
1998
BCS Redo: 2000
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 2000-2001 season:
Rose Bowl - Monday, January 1
4 Washington (10-1, Pac-10 Champion) vs Purdue (8-3, Big Ten Champion)
Fiesta Bowl - Monday, January 1
6 Oregon St. (10-1, At-Large) vs 11 Notre Dame (9-2, At-Large)
Sugar Bowl - Tuesday, January 2
3 Miami (10-1, Big East Champion) vs 7 Florida (10-2, SEC Champion)
Orange Bowl (National Championship Game) - Wednesday, January 4
1 Oklahoma (11-0, Big 12 Champion) vs 2 Florida St. (10-1, ACC Champion)
Passed over: 5 Virginia Tech (10-1), 8 Nebraska (9-2), 9 Kansas St (10-3), 10 Oregon (9-2)
Using my BCS Playoff System:
Selection Order:
Tier 1: Orange, Rose, Sugar
Tier 2: Cotton, Fiesta, Peach
Semifinal #1 - Saturday, December 30
3 Miami (10-1, Big East Champion) @ 2 Florida St. (10-1, ACC Champion)
Semifinal #2 - Saturday, December 30
4 Washington (10-1, Pac-10 Champion) @ 1 Oklahoma (11-0, Big 12 Champion)
Rose Bowl - Monday, January 1
10 Oregon (9-2, AQ) vs 11 Notre Dame (9-2, AQ)
Sugar Bowl - Monday, January 1
7 Florida (10-2, SEC Champion) vs 8 Nebraska (9-2, AQ)
Orange Bowl - Tuesday, January 2
5 Virginia Tech (10-1, AQ) vs 6 Oregon St. (10-1, AQ)
Cotton Bowl - Wednesday, January 3
12 Texas (9-2, AQ) vs 14 TCU (10-1, WAC Champion)
Fiesta Bowl - Thursday, January 4
15 Clemson (9-2, At-Large) vs Purdue (8-3, Big Ten Champion)
Peach Bowl - Friday, January 5
9 Kansas St (10-3, AQ) vs 13 Georgia Tech (9-2, At-Large)
National Championship Game - Monday, January 8
Semifinal #1 Winner vs Semifinal #2 Winner
Analysis:
Year 3 of my playoff system goes smoothly, as 4 conference champions are in the top 4. The only chink in the armor is that we experience our first rematch of the playoff system in 2 Florida St. vs 3 Miami.
The Orange gets the first pick of the Tier 1 bowls, selecting 5 Virginia Tech. Due to Rule 7, 6 Oregon St. also gets chosen. The Rose picks next, and with the Pac-10 champion in the playoff and Big Ten champion being ranked so low, it grabs 10 Oregon and 11 Notre Dame to create a money match-up. The Sugar gets its desired match-up of SEC vs Big 12 in 7 Florida vs 8 Nebraska.
In Tier 2, the Cotton brings back an old SWC rivalry in 12 Texas vs 14 TCU, who is also the highest-ranked champion from a lesser conference. Since the Rose passed on Purdue, that team falls to the Fiesta, getting matched against 15 Clemson. The Peach gladly takes an ACC representative in 13 Georgia Tech to face the last AQ on the board, 9 Kansas St.
Past BCS Redo Seasons:
1999
1998
What we saw in the 2000-2001 season:
Rose Bowl - Monday, January 1
4 Washington (10-1, Pac-10 Champion) vs Purdue (8-3, Big Ten Champion)
Fiesta Bowl - Monday, January 1
6 Oregon St. (10-1, At-Large) vs 11 Notre Dame (9-2, At-Large)
Sugar Bowl - Tuesday, January 2
3 Miami (10-1, Big East Champion) vs 7 Florida (10-2, SEC Champion)
Orange Bowl (National Championship Game) - Wednesday, January 4
1 Oklahoma (11-0, Big 12 Champion) vs 2 Florida St. (10-1, ACC Champion)
Passed over: 5 Virginia Tech (10-1), 8 Nebraska (9-2), 9 Kansas St (10-3), 10 Oregon (9-2)
Using my BCS Playoff System:
Selection Order:
Tier 1: Orange, Rose, Sugar
Tier 2: Cotton, Fiesta, Peach
Semifinal #1 - Saturday, December 30
3 Miami (10-1, Big East Champion) @ 2 Florida St. (10-1, ACC Champion)
Semifinal #2 - Saturday, December 30
4 Washington (10-1, Pac-10 Champion) @ 1 Oklahoma (11-0, Big 12 Champion)
Rose Bowl - Monday, January 1
10 Oregon (9-2, AQ) vs 11 Notre Dame (9-2, AQ)
Sugar Bowl - Monday, January 1
7 Florida (10-2, SEC Champion) vs 8 Nebraska (9-2, AQ)
Orange Bowl - Tuesday, January 2
5 Virginia Tech (10-1, AQ) vs 6 Oregon St. (10-1, AQ)
Cotton Bowl - Wednesday, January 3
12 Texas (9-2, AQ) vs 14 TCU (10-1, WAC Champion)
Fiesta Bowl - Thursday, January 4
15 Clemson (9-2, At-Large) vs Purdue (8-3, Big Ten Champion)
Peach Bowl - Friday, January 5
9 Kansas St (10-3, AQ) vs 13 Georgia Tech (9-2, At-Large)
National Championship Game - Monday, January 8
Semifinal #1 Winner vs Semifinal #2 Winner
Analysis:
Year 3 of my playoff system goes smoothly, as 4 conference champions are in the top 4. The only chink in the armor is that we experience our first rematch of the playoff system in 2 Florida St. vs 3 Miami.
The Orange gets the first pick of the Tier 1 bowls, selecting 5 Virginia Tech. Due to Rule 7, 6 Oregon St. also gets chosen. The Rose picks next, and with the Pac-10 champion in the playoff and Big Ten champion being ranked so low, it grabs 10 Oregon and 11 Notre Dame to create a money match-up. The Sugar gets its desired match-up of SEC vs Big 12 in 7 Florida vs 8 Nebraska.
In Tier 2, the Cotton brings back an old SWC rivalry in 12 Texas vs 14 TCU, who is also the highest-ranked champion from a lesser conference. Since the Rose passed on Purdue, that team falls to the Fiesta, getting matched against 15 Clemson. The Peach gladly takes an ACC representative in 13 Georgia Tech to face the last AQ on the board, 9 Kansas St.
Past BCS Redo Seasons:
1999
1998
CFP Redo: 2014
This will be an ongoing sequel series to my 16-part BCS Redo series. I will compare what the CFP actually gives us over the next few 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 rankings used are from the CFP rankings of the time, not my preferred formula. The CFP rankings are created solely from a selection committee, which is why they aren't exactly what my formula entails. Until I can crunch the numbers, this gets a close look at my true system. Also, the American Athletic Conference is no longer a member of the "Power 5 Conferences," meaning its champion has no automatic bid to the big bowl games.
What we saw in the 2014-2015 season:
Peach Bowl - Wednesday, December 31
6 TCU (11-1, Big 12 Co-Champion) vs 9 Mississippi (10-3, At-Large)
Fiesta Bowl - Wednesday, December 31
10 Arizona (10-3, At-Large) vs 20 Boise St. (11-2, Mountain West Champion)
Orange Bowl - Wednesday, December 31
7 Mississippi St. (10-2, At-Large) vs 12 Georgia Tech (10-3, At-Large)
Cotton Bowl - Thursday, January 1
5 Baylor (11-1, Big 12 Co-Champion) vs 8 Michigan St. (10-2, At-Large)
Rose Bowl (Semifinal) - Thursday, January 1
2 Oregon (12-1, Pac-12 Champion) vs 3 Florida St. (13-0, ACC Champion)
Sugar Bowl (Semifinal) - Thursday, January 1
1 Alabama (12-1, SEC Champion) vs 4 Ohio St. (12-1, Big Ten Champion)
CFP National Championship Game - Monday, January 12
2 Oregon (13-1, Rose Bowl Champion) vs 4 Ohio St. (13-1, Sugar Bowl Champion)
Using my BCS Playoff System:
Selection Order:
Tier 1: Sugar, Orange, Rose
Tier 2: Fiesta, Peach, Cotton
Semifinal #1 - Saturday, December 27
3 Florida St. (13-0, ACC Champion) @ 2 Oregon (12-1, Pac-12 Champion)
Semifinal #2 - Saturday, December 27
4 Ohio St. (12-1, Big Ten Champion) @ 1 Alabama (12-1, SEC Champion)
Rose Bowl - Thursday, January 1
8 Michigan St. (10-2, AQ) vs 10 Arizona (10-3, AQ)
Sugar Bowl - Thursday, January 1
5 Baylor (11-1, Big 12 Co-Champion) vs 7 Mississippi St. (10-2, AQ)
Orange Bowl - Friday, January 2
12 Georgia Tech (10-3, AQ) vs 11 Kansas St. (9-3, AQ)
Fiesta Bowl - Saturday, January 3
15 Arizona St. (9-3, At-Large) vs 20 Boise St. (11-2, MW Champion)
Peach Bowl - Monday, January 5
13 Georgia (9-3, At-Large) vs 14 UCLA (9-3, At-Large)
Cotton Bowl - Tuesday, January 6
6 TCU (11-1, Big 12 Co-Champion) vs 9 Mississippi (9-3, AQ)
National Championship Game - Monday, January 8
Semifinal #1 Winner vs Semifinal #2 Winner
What we saw in the 2014-2015 season:
Peach Bowl - Wednesday, December 31
6 TCU (11-1, Big 12 Co-Champion) vs 9 Mississippi (10-3, At-Large)
Fiesta Bowl - Wednesday, December 31
10 Arizona (10-3, At-Large) vs 20 Boise St. (11-2, Mountain West Champion)
Orange Bowl - Wednesday, December 31
7 Mississippi St. (10-2, At-Large) vs 12 Georgia Tech (10-3, At-Large)
Cotton Bowl - Thursday, January 1
5 Baylor (11-1, Big 12 Co-Champion) vs 8 Michigan St. (10-2, At-Large)
Rose Bowl (Semifinal) - Thursday, January 1
2 Oregon (12-1, Pac-12 Champion) vs 3 Florida St. (13-0, ACC Champion)
Sugar Bowl (Semifinal) - Thursday, January 1
1 Alabama (12-1, SEC Champion) vs 4 Ohio St. (12-1, Big Ten Champion)
CFP National Championship Game - Monday, January 12
2 Oregon (13-1, Rose Bowl Champion) vs 4 Ohio St. (13-1, Sugar Bowl Champion)
Using my BCS Playoff System:
Selection Order:
Tier 1: Sugar, Orange, Rose
Tier 2: Fiesta, Peach, Cotton
Semifinal #1 - Saturday, December 27
3 Florida St. (13-0, ACC Champion) @ 2 Oregon (12-1, Pac-12 Champion)
Semifinal #2 - Saturday, December 27
4 Ohio St. (12-1, Big Ten Champion) @ 1 Alabama (12-1, SEC Champion)
Rose Bowl - Thursday, January 1
8 Michigan St. (10-2, AQ) vs 10 Arizona (10-3, AQ)
Sugar Bowl - Thursday, January 1
5 Baylor (11-1, Big 12 Co-Champion) vs 7 Mississippi St. (10-2, AQ)
Orange Bowl - Friday, January 2
12 Georgia Tech (10-3, AQ) vs 11 Kansas St. (9-3, AQ)
Fiesta Bowl - Saturday, January 3
15 Arizona St. (9-3, At-Large) vs 20 Boise St. (11-2, MW Champion)
Peach Bowl - Monday, January 5
13 Georgia (9-3, At-Large) vs 14 UCLA (9-3, At-Large)
Cotton Bowl - Tuesday, January 6
6 TCU (11-1, Big 12 Co-Champion) vs 9 Mississippi (9-3, AQ)
National Championship Game - Monday, January 8
Semifinal #1 Winner vs Semifinal #2 Winner
Analysis:
In real life, the selection committee's rankings where questionable and controversial to say the least. How is an undefeated "Power 5 Conference" school have a lower ranking than two 1-loss teams? How does TCU win by 52 points and drop 3 spots in the poll? How did both Baylor and TCU get left out of the top 4? And, lesser hyped but still puzzling, how does Michigan St. -- a team that lost only to the #2 and #4 teams in the nation -- drop a spot in the final week in favor of Mississippi St. -- who lost to the #1 and #9 teams -- while both teams are on a bye? (Since the Orange Bowl is obligated to take the highest-ranked non-champion in the Big Ten or SEC, or Notre Dame, it seems even more sketchy as to why this switch happened -- $$$.)
Still, using my playoff plan, we are guaranteed more bowl games, but not necessarily better match-ups, as the biggest blow-outs remain intact (Oregon-Florida St, Oregon-Ohio St, TCU-Mississippi). The rankings were flawed, but it's all I have to work with.
First order of business deals with Baylor and TCU. Normally, we try to shoot for #5 vs #6, but we avoid rematches and having conference opponents play one another -- which this game would fit under. However, with the Cotton Bowl available, the teams' designation of "Big 12 Co-Champions," and the closeness and controversy of their regular season game, a rematch is very compelling and would be a money maker. As good as it sounds to finally find out who was the "One True Champion," the Big 12 would not go for this at all, and it would guarantee that conference a bowl loss. We'll shy away from it here.
With that said, Tier 1 is pretty simple. The Big Ten and Pac-12 have their second-best teams face off in the Rose Bowl. The SEC sends 7 Mississippi St. to the Sugar Bowl to face Big 12 co-champion 5 Baylor, who gets the nod with a higher ranking than, and head-to-head victory over, 6 TCU. 12 Georgia Tech replaces 3 Florida St. for the Orange Bowl bid. The bowl is backed into a corner for the other spot, as 6 TCU is ranked too high, a rematch with either 13 Georgia or 17 Clemson is off the table, and the remaining schools are some distance apart. It comes down to 11 Kansas St, 14 UCLA, 15 Arizona St, or 16 Missouri, with Kansas St getting the benefit of the doubt that its fans will travel.
For Tier 2 bowls, the Fiesta grabs 20 Boise St. In staying with Rule 6, the selection for an opponent is limited, so 15 Arizona St. makes the most sense. The Peach gets 13 Georgia and 14 UCLA, which guarantees a sell-out. The Cotton gladly takes 6 TCU and 9 Mississippi. While the Peach Bowl has a higher priority than the Cotton Bowl in this year, it only makes sense for TCU and Georgia to go to bowl that are close to home.
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