With the passion exhibited by players and fans alike each Saturday, it is fair to say that college football just might be the most captivating sport in America today. Bowling Greenís recent success certainly would support that argument for local fans.
However, amidst all the excitement surrounding the Falcons, some age-old questions about college footballís post-season (or lack thereof) are rising to the surface again.
Sure, BG is on the verge of breaking into the top 25 of the Bowl Championship Series rankings, but how much will it take to stay there?
The BCS is based around strength of schedule, on-field production and even the opinions of writers and coaches. It may come close to determining which team is the most talented or respected, but in the end, it does not give everyone a fair shot.
As popular as college football is, it will never rival the late season drama of the NFL, Major League Baseball or college basketball until an annual, standard play-off system is established. Just look at the way March Madness transforms the college basketball post-season into a nationwide obsession. It succeeds because even fans in schools like Gonzaga or Kent State know that, however bad the odds, they have a chance to pull off a miracle and win it all. Sure, football cannot send 64 teams into a tournament. It would never end. However, there are other options, in which the bowl system could stay loosely in tact, the National Champion would be undisputed and teams like BG would get their rightful shot at a miracle.
First, make the conference championship mean something. Right now, itís more a matter of pride than anything. At seasonís end, have a Conference Championship week, much as basketball does. You could televise the games throughout the week, as the ten major Division I-A conferences would have their top two teams square off for the title, and these games would mean a lot.
The conference champs would automatically advance to the 16 team National Championship play-offs. Some may argue about stretching the season out that long, but considering the revenue involved, and the fact that only two teams will end up playing four extra games, it seems logical to finally make December a big college football month (rather than a break before bowl games).
Along with the ten conference champs, six wild card teams would be added to the field, much as in the case of basketball. This is where the BCS could still play a role.
In the bracket system, stronger conferences (Big Ten, SEC, Pac Ten, Big East, Big 12) would have first round matches with wild cards or smaller conference champs (WAC, Conference USA, the good old MAC). This is where the fans would get to see the games they never thought theyíd see, and itís where some classic upsets could take place (BG over Nebraska, anyone?).
Finally, emerging into the round of eight and the football version of the Final Four, the beloved bowl games could play their part. With the play-offs going four weeks through December, the bowl season could begin, as it already does, around Christmas, with late round play-off matches automatically assigned specific locations and sponsors. Then, on New Yearís Day, the surviving squads would meet in that seasonís designated Championship Bowl (be it the Rose, Orange, Cotton, etc.), with traditional parades still included.
With all the wasted weekends, meaningless bowl games, and pointless all-star games that seem to drain the life out of college football at yearís end, itís about time the excitement level actually increased after the regular season. Even more importantly, itís about time that wins and losses mean more than rankings, and the BGís of the world get their chance to shine on a national stage.
