The only GOOD college football playoff system?

Question

First of all the regular season matters in college football so maintain that importance with the playoff format. The field consists simply of the Four Highest Ranked Conference Champions with one exception. If either Notre Dame or a minor conference team like Boise State or Utah is ranked higher than one of the four conference champions then they earn that spot instead. If you don't win your conference then you don't belong in the playoffs for a National Championship, end of story!

This in no way changes the value of the regular season for what it is right now under the BCS. Besides the biggest flaw with college football, despite being the greatest sport in the world, is the schedules are so unbalanced that you cannot accurately compare teams from different conferences. Every year the Pac-10 is better than it's stereotype and the SEC and Big 10 are not as untouchable as their stereotype.

Decide it on the field with a FOUR team only playoff!
Any more than Four and its ruined

Answer 1

I think it is a good Idea for years like we had this past season, but I think there should be exceptions made when it is something like 2 years ago with USC and Texas, where it was clear who was 1 and 2. Plus the Big ten just proved they were the most overrated confernece in football by their two howlers of performences they call the Rose bowl and championship game.

Answer 2

If I was in charge, then I would take the consensus top eight teams after the bowl games were over and have #1 play #8, # 2 play #7, #3 play #6, #4 play #5. Then the four teams that won would play again with the highest ranked team playing the lowest ranked team. Then the final two teams would play for the national championship. All bowl games would still be played, and the regular season wouldn't need to be shortened. A football playoff system can't be as extensive as a basketball playoff, and it shouldn't be since you can only play one game per week. There's no need to abandon the traditional bowl format either. If anything the bowl games would become more important since a win should get you into the playoffs and a close loss might not be fatal. Those are my thoughts anyways.

Answer 3

I think you are close. I'd have four teams designated to play semifinal games on New Year's Day in major bowl games. You might have arguments about the identities of all the teams, but you probably would get the best team out of that mix in most circumstances.

Then, a week later, I'd have the winners play in another bowl. Sample -- Florida-Ohio State in the Fiesta Bowl on Jan. 1, Southern California-Syracuse in the Orange Bowl on Jan. 1, the winners in the Rose Bowl on Jan. 8.

The month of December is still good for exams, so the kids wouldn't miss much class time. Two teams would only miss one extra week, and they probably would be off then anyway, and the money generated would be enormous.

Answer 4

There is a slight flaw with your system, because Boise State was still ranked lower than the other conference leaders, even though they were undefeated. Maybe six teams, with conference leaders, based on overall records instead of rankings, because ranks are objective anyway.