Frohnmayer, whose full time job is serving as Oregon's president, gave us the same regurgitated horse-shit that the lack of a playoff creates a more compelling regular season and that it would be unfair to ask the student athletes to play a couple extra games. Although, no one ever complains about the FCS and lower division playoffs, but i guess those kids don't need to go to class as much as Miami students, right?
Regardless, I'm a realist when it comes to this issue. There will never be a playoff in college football until college football becomes irrelevant in this country and it needs to spice things up, and we all know that will be a long time coming. The best we can really hope for is a plus-one system, but even that seems years away.
So for this year, under this BCS system that we all have to deal with what is the best case scenario from the fan's perspective?
Of course there will be regional biases, but I think it is safe to assume that the most agreed-upon top 4 teams in the nation are in the SEC and the Big 12: Alabama, Texas Tech, Florida, Texas. Therefore, the best thing that can happen nationally is for Texas Tech to win out and for Alabama or Florida not lose until they play each other in Atlanta - effectively creating one half of a national semi-final.
The SEC, for as much as my buddy, Drunk, likes to make fun of it is undoubtedly the best or closely second best conference in the country, and it's champion will be the best or second best team in the country as it marches into Dolphin Stadium in the second week of January. What happens though if an unbeaten Tech loses to twice-beaten and probable division champion Missouri in that conference's title game?
Who do you send? Big 12 Champion Missouri? Once-beaten Texas (who beat Missouri, but couldn't win its own division)? Once-beatens Penn State or USC? An undefeated non-BCS conference team?
For once, I actually trust the voters in the BCS. I really do think that they will pair the Big 12 and the SEC in the championship game. Even if that means placing a division title-less Longhorn squad or a twice beaten Missouri team.
Everyone was holding their breath waiting to see if Penn State would lose after four really poor showings in the BCS by Big Ten teams - OSU in the last two NC games, and Michigan's and Illinois's decimation at the hands of USC in the last two Rose Bowls. The Bug Ten was really exposed the last couple years and that will keep its champion from being in the NC (that and a loss to Iowa).
This leaves USC as the only real threat to break through, and their lack of anyone notable on their schedule after their terrible loss to Oregon State left them without a chance to redeem themselves.
Seeing either USC or Penn State in the NC would be sickening, and it would only be appropriate to see the champions of the two conferences that are the most ardent advocates of not creating a playoff be left out in favor of a two loss team or a team that couldn't even win its division.
Have fun in your overhyped Rose Bowl. Sure people will still watch, but they'll be sorry they did afterward when USC beats another Big Ten team by at least 4 touchdowns.
Leave the National Championship for the big boys, even if Texas Tech can't win out. All we want is the best two teams to play each other for the title and the only way to assure that is to hav ethe SEC play the Big 12.
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