Oct. 20, 2014
Brandon Applehans
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It’s the best time of year. College football is upon us. This means goalposts will be ripped down, fans will storm the field, and this year, there will be playoffs.
In the new era of college football, only four will compete for a championship. For longtime football fans, the new system is much overdue.
A committee will decide the teams based on schedule strength, rankings and a team’s overall record. Before the playoff system was put into place, the Bowl Championship Series relied heavily on computers picking the “best statistical teams.”
Now, the committee is an integral part of the decision making process. The benefits of the new system will include human activity and knowledge of the game of football.
This program should have been implemented years ago.
The panel of judges is stacked with experience and accolades. It includes a former coach of Nebraska, the former commissioner of the Big East and five athletic directors from the top conferences.
During the season, the college playoff committee will meet and discuss their rankings. On Dec. 7, after the final regular season games, the committee will determine the top four teams. The semifinal games will rotate between traditional games such as the Rose Bowl and Orange Bowl. With the new playoff system, the teams will have a greater respect for the decision because there is a human element.
The revenue that this new system will bring in will support more universities than the BCS system.
But no, the system will not be perfect in the first year.
The biggest controversy comes down to the number of teams allowed to compete and picked for the playoffs. Two teams from the same division could show up in the playoff.
In the past five years, only once has the Southeastern Conference had only one team ranked in the top four. In the last two years, three teams have eased their way into the top four, primarily Auburn and Alabama.
This is a problem.
Satisfied college football fans, as well as player and coaches, will soon run out. The system will record hiccups. I think 16 teams would simply be better than four.
Multiple college football analysts predict the expansion for college playoffs. Every college game carries weight and has a deciding factor to show that any team, with the right schedule and record, can make it to the semifinals.
But as college athletes, they couldn’t have that large of a tournament without compromising academics.
The new college playoff system just feels right. When a good thing is broke, simply fix it. The system will take the best elements of both the bowl games and the playoff system.
The playoff system is set to be a jam packed week of games. College football will hold playoffs in the form of a tripleheader. The semifinal playoff game, as well as the four other bowl games, will be played on both New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day.
The championship will always be played on a Monday similar to the National Football League. When the lights come on, one might even say it’s fi nally the Superbowl of college football.