Monday, December 03, 2007

What Should Have Been

Let's say we had a 16-team playoff. Let's say the BCS was used for seeding 1 through 16. Let's go further and say they weren't manipulated much by human error or pressures/lobbying.

Here would be your matchups.

Round 1:
(1) Ohio State 11-1 v. (16) Florida Atlantic 7-5
(2) LSU 11-2 v. (15) Central Michigan 8-5
(3) Virginia Tech 11-2 v. (14) Central Florida 10-3
(4) Oklahoma 11-2 v. (13) BYU 10-2
(5) Georgia 10-2 v (12) Florida 9-3
(6) Missouri 11-2 v. (11) Arizona State 10-2
(7) USC 10-2 v. (10) Hawaii 12-0
(8) Kansas 11-1 v (9) West Virginia 10-2

Three teams from the Big 12 and SEC, two from the Pac-10, and one from the other eight conferences. Florida Atlantic and Central Michigan won their conferences in upsets for automatic bids under this system. The top two games might belopsided, but the other six would be very competitive (and 1-16/2-15 matchups are normally lopsided.)

I would rather see these games next weekend. I also happen to like that 5-12 matchup. Can't imagine why.......

Wouldn't you?

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Since Georgia has only beaten Florida 3 times in the past 20 or so years, I think it's safe to say they would not do it twice in a season! :-)

Interesting. Still too complicated though. You'd have nearly as many 2nd guessers as the current system.

After hearing all the analysis, I'm convinced something like this will never happen. If it doesn't happen in this crazy environment, when will it? Even my 8 team format now seems unrealisic.

Here's my best guess at the "tweak" (they love that wording) that actually has a shot at being made. Return the major bowl games to traditional conference tie-ins. The big 4 bowl games would take care of the champs of the 6 BCS conferences and 2 wildcards from wherever. Let all the teams play their bowl games just as they've always done. Now the money and tv aspect of it is still satisfied. Then you have a BCS vote after all the bowl games have been played to determine the two top teams selected to play for the title. It can be a rotating BCS championship game just like they have now. But let the teams be selected when we know the absolute most about them which would mean after the bowl games are played. This format is often referred to as the "and one" scenario.

It makes some sense. Go LSU!

APOSEC72 said...

I think +1 is the first step toward a playoff, which is why it hasn't been implemented yet.

Anonymous said...

Yes and no. In fairness, the current BCS system was actually the first step to a playoff. Remember how bad it was before? The days of regular co-national champs? The days when a Pac 10 or Big 10 team was undeafeated and so was a Miami or Nebraska and you knew in advance there could be no dream matchup.

The BCS mercifully did away with that. And it was a big step as it dragged in the Big 10 and the Pac 10 who really didn't want to go. Those guys have always been the ones standing in the way. So the BCS basically established a 2 team playoff. And it has had some real positive results -- i.e. it allowed for the exciting 2005 game (which otherwise wouldn't have happened due to a Pac 10 team) and also the glorious and wonderful 2006 game involving a previously off limits Big 10 team.

So the "and one" format would be the 2nd step. And hopefully after this year enough people in power will agree the time for it is here.

Baby steps...