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.
Thursday, November 27, 2014
BCS Redo: 2001
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 2001-2002 season:
Fiesta Bowl - Tuesday, January 1
3 Colorado (10-2, Big 12 Champion) vs 4 Oregon (10-1, Pac-10 Champion)
Sugar Bowl - Tuesday, January 1
8 Illinois (10-1, Big Ten Champion) vs 13 LSU (9-3, SEC Champion)
Orange Bowl - Wednesday, January 2
5 Florida (9-2, At-Large) vs 10 Maryland (10-1, ACC Champion)
Rose Bowl (National Championship Game) - Thursday, January 3
1 Miami (11-0, Big East Champion) vs 2 Nebraska (11-1, AQ)
Passed over: 6 Tennessee (10-2), 7 Texas (10-2), 9 Stanford (9-2)
Using my BCS Playoff System:
Selection Order:
Tier 1: Rose, Sugar, Orange
Tier 2: Peach, Cotton, Fiesta
Semifinal #1 - Saturday, December 29
3 Colorado (10-2, Big 12 Champion) @ 2 Nebraska (11-1, AQ)
Semifinal #2 - Saturday, December 29
4 Oregon (10-1, Pac-10 Champion) @ 1 Miami (11-0, Big East Champion)
Rose Bowl - Tuesday, January 1
8 Illinois (10-1, Big Ten Champion) vs 9 Stanford (9-2, AQ)
Sugar Bowl - Tuesday, January 1
5 Florida (9-2, AQ) vs 7 Texas (10-2, AQ)
Orange Bowl - Wednesday, January 2
6 Tennessee (10-2, AQ) vs 10 Maryland (10-1, ACC Champion)
Peach Bowl - Thursday, January 3
11 Oklahoma (10-2, AQ) vs 14 South Carolina (8-3, At-Large)
Cotton Bowl - Friday, January 4
12 Washington St. (9-2, AQ) vs 13 LSU (9-3, SEC Champion)
Fiesta Bowl - Saturday, January 5
15 Washington (8-3, At-Large) vs BYU (12-1, MWC Champion)
National Championship Game - Monday, January 7
Semifinal #1 Winner vs Semifinal #2 Winner
Analysis:
In Year 4 of my playoff plan, the top 4 teams all qualify for the playoff, which is always good news. We do experience something new, though, as Nebraska is the first team to not win its conference and be included.
For the Tier 1 bowls, the Rose grabs Illinois and Stanford to keep its traditional Big Ten-Pac-10 match-up alive. The Sugar can't follow Rule 6 due to 5 Florida already playing 6 Tennessee, but 7 Texas provides the Big 12-SEC match-up this bowl likes. The Orange takes 10 Maryland to complete the ACC tie, and with no ranked Big East teams available to choose from, gladly takes Tennessee.
The Peach grabs Oklahoma and South Carolina to kick off things for Tier 2 bowls. The Cotton must take SEC Champion LSU, and brings in Washington St. next. The Fiesta is left with a good selection as BYU (who is unranked solely because there were not 25 ranked teams at the time) and Washington should allow for a sell-out crowd.
Past BCS Redo Seasons:
2000
1999
1998
What we saw in the 2001-2002 season:
Fiesta Bowl - Tuesday, January 1
3 Colorado (10-2, Big 12 Champion) vs 4 Oregon (10-1, Pac-10 Champion)
Sugar Bowl - Tuesday, January 1
8 Illinois (10-1, Big Ten Champion) vs 13 LSU (9-3, SEC Champion)
Orange Bowl - Wednesday, January 2
5 Florida (9-2, At-Large) vs 10 Maryland (10-1, ACC Champion)
Rose Bowl (National Championship Game) - Thursday, January 3
1 Miami (11-0, Big East Champion) vs 2 Nebraska (11-1, AQ)
Passed over: 6 Tennessee (10-2), 7 Texas (10-2), 9 Stanford (9-2)
Using my BCS Playoff System:
Selection Order:
Tier 1: Rose, Sugar, Orange
Tier 2: Peach, Cotton, Fiesta
Semifinal #1 - Saturday, December 29
3 Colorado (10-2, Big 12 Champion) @ 2 Nebraska (11-1, AQ)
Semifinal #2 - Saturday, December 29
4 Oregon (10-1, Pac-10 Champion) @ 1 Miami (11-0, Big East Champion)
Rose Bowl - Tuesday, January 1
8 Illinois (10-1, Big Ten Champion) vs 9 Stanford (9-2, AQ)
Sugar Bowl - Tuesday, January 1
5 Florida (9-2, AQ) vs 7 Texas (10-2, AQ)
Orange Bowl - Wednesday, January 2
6 Tennessee (10-2, AQ) vs 10 Maryland (10-1, ACC Champion)
Peach Bowl - Thursday, January 3
11 Oklahoma (10-2, AQ) vs 14 South Carolina (8-3, At-Large)
Cotton Bowl - Friday, January 4
12 Washington St. (9-2, AQ) vs 13 LSU (9-3, SEC Champion)
Fiesta Bowl - Saturday, January 5
15 Washington (8-3, At-Large) vs BYU (12-1, MWC Champion)
National Championship Game - Monday, January 7
Semifinal #1 Winner vs Semifinal #2 Winner
Analysis:
In Year 4 of my playoff plan, the top 4 teams all qualify for the playoff, which is always good news. We do experience something new, though, as Nebraska is the first team to not win its conference and be included.
For the Tier 1 bowls, the Rose grabs Illinois and Stanford to keep its traditional Big Ten-Pac-10 match-up alive. The Sugar can't follow Rule 6 due to 5 Florida already playing 6 Tennessee, but 7 Texas provides the Big 12-SEC match-up this bowl likes. The Orange takes 10 Maryland to complete the ACC tie, and with no ranked Big East teams available to choose from, gladly takes Tennessee.
The Peach grabs Oklahoma and South Carolina to kick off things for Tier 2 bowls. The Cotton must take SEC Champion LSU, and brings in Washington St. next. The Fiesta is left with a good selection as BYU (who is unranked solely because there were not 25 ranked teams at the time) and Washington should allow for a sell-out crowd.
Past BCS Redo Seasons:
2000
1999
1998
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
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
Thursday, August 14, 2014
BCS Redo: 1998
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 1998-1999 season:
Rose Bowl - Friday, January 1
5 UCLA (10-1, Pac-10 Champion) vs 9 Wisconsin (10-1, Big Ten Champion)
Sugar Bowl - Friday, January 1
4 Ohio St. (10-1, At-Large) vs 6 Texas A&M (11-2, Big 12 Champion)
Orange Bowl - Saturday, January 2
8 Florida (9-2, At-Large) vs 15 Syracuse (8-3, Big East Champion)
Fiesta Bowl (National Championship Game) - Monday, January 4
1 Tennessee (12-0, SEC Champion) vs 2 Florida St. (11-1, ACC Champion)
Passed over: 3 Kansas State (11-1), 7 Arizona (11-1)
Using my BCS Playoff System:
Selection Order:
Tier 1: Rose, Sugar, Orange
Tier 2: Peach, Cotton, Fiesta
Semifinal #1 - Thursday, December 31
5 UCLA (10-1, Pac-10 Champion) @ 2 Florida St. (11-1, ACC Champion)
Semifinal #2 - Thursday, December 31
6 Texas A&M (11-2, Big 12 Champion) @ 1 Tennessee (12-0, SEC Champion)
Rose Bowl - Friday, January 1
7 Arizona (11-1, AQ) vs 9 Wisconsin (10-1, Big Ten Champion)
Sugar Bowl - Friday, January 1
3 Kansas St (11-1, AQ) vs 4 Ohio St. (10-1, AQ)
Orange Bowl - Saturday, January 2
14 Georgia Tech (9-2, At-Large) vs 15 Syracuse (8-3 Big East Champion)
Peach Bowl - Monday, January 4
8 Florida (9-2, AQ) vs 10 Tulane (12-0, C-USA Champion)
Cotton Bowl - Tuesday, January 5
11 Nebraska (9-3, AQ) vs 12 Virginia (9-2, AQ)
Fiesta Bowl - Wednesday, January 6
13 Arkansas (9-2, At-Large) vs Michigan (9-3, At-Large)
National Championship Game - Monday, January 11
Semifinal #1 Winner vs Semifinal #2 Winner
Analysis:
In Year 1 of my playoff plan, the playoff doesn't include the top 4 teams, but all 4 included are conference champions.
Because of this, Rule 7 comes into play, meaning 3 KSU must play 4 tOSU. Since Wisconsin is the Big Ten Champion, it automatically qualifies for the Rose Bowl. Selecting Arizona as its opponent is a no-brainer, protecting the traditional Rose Bowl matchup. The Sugar can select a Big 12 or SEC team, but the 3 vs 4 matchup is too great to pass up, so the Big 12 gets the nod. The Orange has to select Big East Champion Syracuse. For the 2nd choice, the options are the ACC's 12 Virginia and 14 Georgia Tech. GT is selected due to a closer ranking to Syracuse and its closer proximity to Miami.
For Tier 2, the Peach grabs the highest-ranked team available in 8 Florida. Due to Florida's close proximity to Atlanta and large fan base, C-USA Champion 10 Tulane's small fan base can be masked, yielding an excellent match-up. The Cotton quickly takes the last two AQ teams in Nebraska and Virginia. The Fiesta selects Michigan (the BCS Rankings only included a top 15 early on, but Michigan would've likely been #16) due to its massive fan base. 13 Arkansas is then selected as the final team.
I feel these are the best 6 match-ups possible and that all 6 would sell out.
What we saw in the 1998-1999 season:
Rose Bowl - Friday, January 1
5 UCLA (10-1, Pac-10 Champion) vs 9 Wisconsin (10-1, Big Ten Champion)
Sugar Bowl - Friday, January 1
4 Ohio St. (10-1, At-Large) vs 6 Texas A&M (11-2, Big 12 Champion)
Orange Bowl - Saturday, January 2
8 Florida (9-2, At-Large) vs 15 Syracuse (8-3, Big East Champion)
Fiesta Bowl (National Championship Game) - Monday, January 4
1 Tennessee (12-0, SEC Champion) vs 2 Florida St. (11-1, ACC Champion)
Passed over: 3 Kansas State (11-1), 7 Arizona (11-1)
Using my BCS Playoff System:
Selection Order:
Tier 1: Rose, Sugar, Orange
Tier 2: Peach, Cotton, Fiesta
Semifinal #1 - Thursday, December 31
5 UCLA (10-1, Pac-10 Champion) @ 2 Florida St. (11-1, ACC Champion)
Semifinal #2 - Thursday, December 31
6 Texas A&M (11-2, Big 12 Champion) @ 1 Tennessee (12-0, SEC Champion)
Rose Bowl - Friday, January 1
7 Arizona (11-1, AQ) vs 9 Wisconsin (10-1, Big Ten Champion)
Sugar Bowl - Friday, January 1
3 Kansas St (11-1, AQ) vs 4 Ohio St. (10-1, AQ)
Orange Bowl - Saturday, January 2
14 Georgia Tech (9-2, At-Large) vs 15 Syracuse (8-3 Big East Champion)
Peach Bowl - Monday, January 4
8 Florida (9-2, AQ) vs 10 Tulane (12-0, C-USA Champion)
Cotton Bowl - Tuesday, January 5
11 Nebraska (9-3, AQ) vs 12 Virginia (9-2, AQ)
Fiesta Bowl - Wednesday, January 6
13 Arkansas (9-2, At-Large) vs Michigan (9-3, At-Large)
National Championship Game - Monday, January 11
Semifinal #1 Winner vs Semifinal #2 Winner
Analysis:
In Year 1 of my playoff plan, the playoff doesn't include the top 4 teams, but all 4 included are conference champions.
Because of this, Rule 7 comes into play, meaning 3 KSU must play 4 tOSU. Since Wisconsin is the Big Ten Champion, it automatically qualifies for the Rose Bowl. Selecting Arizona as its opponent is a no-brainer, protecting the traditional Rose Bowl matchup. The Sugar can select a Big 12 or SEC team, but the 3 vs 4 matchup is too great to pass up, so the Big 12 gets the nod. The Orange has to select Big East Champion Syracuse. For the 2nd choice, the options are the ACC's 12 Virginia and 14 Georgia Tech. GT is selected due to a closer ranking to Syracuse and its closer proximity to Miami.
For Tier 2, the Peach grabs the highest-ranked team available in 8 Florida. Due to Florida's close proximity to Atlanta and large fan base, C-USA Champion 10 Tulane's small fan base can be masked, yielding an excellent match-up. The Cotton quickly takes the last two AQ teams in Nebraska and Virginia. The Fiesta selects Michigan (the BCS Rankings only included a top 15 early on, but Michigan would've likely been #16) due to its massive fan base. 13 Arkansas is then selected as the final team.
I feel these are the best 6 match-ups possible and that all 6 would sell out.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)