By Nick Bond
I know, as a proud American, I know that all the problems associated with our nation's finest institutions (and Congress) have always been solved through compromise. With this in mind, it is my belief that problem ailing America's finest institution, College Football, should be resolved the same way. As it currently stands, the crowning of a national champion is viewed by many (not including myself) as very flawed, with the awarding of only a "mythical" national championship. I, for one, love the idea of co-champions and believe that conference championships are more important than a national one in the modern game. But, for those that prefer crowning a definitive national champion, there is away to do it the least controversial way possible.
No!
Not a 12-team playoff system!
That's a terrible idea!
Only a very silly person would think of that idea!
My idea, also known as the "Completely Correct and Exceedingly Reasonable" idea is a plus-one model in which the top four teams. The teams will be determined in the same way as they are now, and then play one another, with the number one team pitted against the fourth ranked team, while the second ranked team finds itself pitted against the third best team with the winners of those two games face-off in the actual "national championship game". Now, there will be those out there in the ether who will say things like "There will still be controversy over the teams involved!" and "How will the bowl sites be determined?" and "Buckeyes Rule, Baby!". Okay, well, maybe not the last one, but the first two will definitely be mentioned and rightfully so. To those that worry about the controversy that will come with the selection of the teams, I say, wouldn't there be controversy about the 11th and 12th teams in a 12 team playoff? Yes! Of course there would be. Why? Because drumming up idiotic things to debate about non-issues is what networks like ESPN do best. There is no way to get around a discussion about the teams involved, so who would you rather hear a debate about, Ohio State and Oklahoma or Hawaii and Virginia?
Exactly.
As for the second part, where the bowls will played, the twelve-team playoff involves a lot less interesting match ups in meaningless bowls like the in the We-Had-Some-Money-And-Decided-to-Sponsor-A-Bowl Bowl, while a plus one model would keep the bowls and have, in this season for example, West Virginia vs. LSU in the Sugar Bowl and Missouri vs. Ohio State in the Orange Bowl. There is clearly no competition between the qualities of the two systems in regards to guaranteed interesting match ups.
Which leads me to the final problem with the playoff system. In the plus-one model, you are guaranteed three solid games, while a playoff system runs the risk of Arizona State University facing Hawaii in a battle of mediocre teams that haven't beat anyone to determine the national champion.
At the end of the day, neither system will likely happen because of ridiculous politics, but if there is a ever a change of heart by college presidents, I hope they know enough to make the right decision, which is to stay away from the playoffs!