BCS Redo: 2003

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