Come on BCS, Get it Right

Over the next few weeks, the NCAA will crown champions in a variety of team sports: Lacrosse, Baseball, Softball and Tennis just to name a few.

In each case, the results will be decided through playoff systems. And, once again, we’re reminded of what college football does wrong.

Really people, is it that complicated? Take the top four teams, put them in a “Final Four” format and be done with it.

This has been bugging me for years, and apparently my life will not be bug-free any time soon since earlier this month BCS officials rejected any change to the current championship system until 2014.

The most common (and I believe “flawed”) arguments against a playoff system are: 1) The extra game(s) would lengthen the time students are out of the classroom and, 2) What happens to the existing Bowl Games.

Well ...

The schools in what was formerly known as Division 1-AA have been using a 16-team playoff system for more than two decades now… And somehow their student-athletes have managed to survive in the classroom.

As for the existing Bowl Games, why not just incorporate them into the playoff system? The national championship game – which is certainly an improvement over the past, at least now #1 actually faces #2 – currently rotates through the sites of the Rose, Sugar, Orange and Fiesta Bowls. And there’s no need to change that.

All that needs to happen is a little cooperation between these bowls, and a four-team (or even an eight-team) playoff could easily come into being.

Let’s say in year one the title game is in Pasadena (Rose). The semi-finals could then be held in Miami (Orange) and Glendale (Fiesta) with New Orleans (Sugar) waiting in the wings.

Then in year two, rotate the Rose Bowl out with the semi’s in the Sugar and Fiesta and the title game in the Orange.

Year Three: Title game in the Fiesta, semi’s in the Sugar and the Rose.

Year Four: Title game in the Sugar and semi’s in the Rose and Orange. From that point on, just continue the rotation starting with the first year’s format and so on…

Every other existing bowl game could remain in place, ensuring that the existing “We’re going to a Bowl Game” culture will continue.

Hey, in no way am I saying this is an enlightened plan. Others have proposed similar changes. But that’s the point: This is such an obvious solution.

But for now we’ll have to be happy with a one-game final in football.

And we can appreciate how well all the other NCAA sports determine their champions.