College football needs a final 4, your thoughts?

Question

With the issues that the BCS always has, what's wrong with a football final 4. NCAA basketball has it, why not football? End the BS in the BCS once and for all.

Answer 1

Yes and No

What it needs is a 8 - 12 team playoffs. You could still keep the traditional bowls just have them be the quarterfinals (gator, cotton, holiday, insight. yada yada yada) bowls, then the semi's could be the other "bcs" bows (rose, sugar, fiesta and orange) and then the championship game could be at a different spot each year (just like they do now).

Division IA football is the only major college sport that rely's SOLELY on it's voters and computers to decide the (national championships/who get's to go to a championship game). How rediculous is this?

The NCAA is way to scared to try and disrupt the bowl system but they could still keep it intact.

Shorten the regular season, get rid of the conference championship games (BIG 12, SEC, ACC didn't even have championship games 10 years ago, big 12 wasn't even around 11 years ago!)

What it all comes down to (big suprise) is money. The conferences don't want to give away their big money they receive via sponsorships (Big 12 & Dr. Pepper). Also the smaller teams in these conferences (Kansas, Baylor) require the money distribution it receives from the championship and bowl games. However, you could construct a viable monetary distribution system with the playoffs and remaining bowls (because only 12 teams will actually get into the playoffs - the remaining would play in regular old-school bowl games) and still make everyone happy.

The regular season would be even more important because it would count on it to get into the playoff and more teams would have a legitimate shot of possibly wining the national championship. Mr Boston College, a playoff helps you out the MOST! Most college coaches (AP writers votes do not count towards BCS score) do not think boston college has a legitimate college football team. LIke Pete Carroll said earlier this year, he doesn't even pick the teams. He just goes off of name recognition. So, with a playoff system devised w/o the use of a computer and solely on AP writers and Coaches votes you could have a larger pool to pick the playoff competitors from.

Answer 2

I understand your points. There are advantages and disadvantages of each.

BCS
1. Allow many teams to make postseason.
2. Still determines a champion.

Playoff System
1. Makes it more interesting, and more competitive.
2. Less confusion.
3. Less contreversies.
4. NCAA Basketball has it (as you said).
5. What's the point of having teams make the playoffs because of what sports writers think. Basically, what I'm saying here, is that teams get to certain bowl games because of their RANKINGS not their RECORD, and SCHEDULE, which should count. Who cares what the people desiding the rankings think anyway. The rankings should determine who plays who in the playoff system, but not for who is the best, and the worst.

Overall, I do agree with you, but I think a playoff system way would probably not get my team, the Boston College Eagles, as far as the BCS would.

Answer 3

It's the BCS that makes the regular-season games so interesting. The championship race was directly affected by the three Thursday-night Big East games in the past month. The USC-Notre Dame game was big. The Ohio State vs Michigan game was the biggest it has ever been...and that's saying something. Even the games in October were big. Implement a playoff system and these games mean nothing. Ohio State, Michigan, Notre Dame and USC would be locks for the playoffs. They might even rest their starters in anticipation of the playoffs.

Answer 4

I heard of an idea that keeps all the BCS bowl games, and maybe add one more. Then, out of the winners of those 5 or 6 bowl games, the BCS chooses two teams to play for the National Championship. This way, there is a smaller number of teams for the BCS to chose from and there would be less controversy. This would keep the bowl system that is currently in place as well as adding a slight playoff feel.

Answer 5

Agreed. The BCS is a real joke. Just take a look at Florida this year. There a deserving team, and there going to be on the outside looking in. Abolish the BCS immediately.

Answer 6

Yes. I can go for that. They need a play-off system of some sort. Maybe the top 8 or 16 team play-off. That, I think, would work a lot better then the BCS.

Answer 7

No. the BCS doesn't know what it's doing but it does have a little structure. Bcs is a better alternatie than finaly four.

Answer 8

Excellent idea!