DOC PEDRO’S SOLUTION TO THE BCS
Doc Pedro takes a break from less important matters, like medical school, to surface again and give us his diagnosis of how to fix the BCS.
Let me start out by saying that Virginia Tech’s loss this weekend did more to hurt the BCS then help it. How can this be you say. Well, Miami showed that the best team at the end of a season is not necessarily the best team at the beginning of the season.
So next you say we need a committee to decide who plays in the championship game. Nope that doesn’t work either people are subjective and inherently full of bias for one reason or another. ie. Take a look at this week’s AP poll with a one loss Miami ahead of an undefeated Alabama. Objective computers that factor human components are the way to go. The problem with the BCS is that it does not select enough teams; thusly not allowing teams to settle the National Championship on the field.
What I am proposing is a BCS playoff system, using the current BCS computer ranking systems. What makes me “Doc Pedro” qualified to make a grandiose proposal of this nature: nothing really other than a lifetime of love for college football, an Ivy League degree with a graduate specialty in the study of systems and their related outcomes.
Read through the whole proposal and how the system would play out if it were in place this year and then let me know what you think.
BCS Playoff System Structure:
First: Mandate that all major BCS conferences have a championship game on the first weekend in December.
This will include the Big 10, Big 12, Pac 10, SEC, ACC, and Big East (if you can still call them a major conference). Then take the 4 highest ranked teams not involved in a championship game, using the traditional BCS formula, and pair them up in match-ups on this same weekend. These games will be played at the conferences designated championship sites; with the four at large teams playing at two of BCS bowls, rotating on a yearly basis. (There are currently 4 BCS bowls ROSE, SUGAR, FIESTA, and ORANGE)
This will serve as round one of the BCS playoffs. The highest watched weekend of Sports in US history, generating revenue previously unfathomable to TV executives and University presidents. At the same time attracting a whole new audience and demographic of college football fans.
Note: Teams that lose in this round will still be eligible to play in late December bowl games such as the Peach, Outback, and Citrus bowls.
Bye Weeks: Two week bye period allowing students to prepare for and take final exams. This could be a one week bye period depending on the calendar of the particular year.
Second: Round two will be played at the higher ranked schools home campus. Generating boat loads of money, hype and recognition for universities and their respective conferences as well as for college football itself.
Also on this weekend traditional bowl month would begin. Meaning games that are traditionally around this time would be played. This weekend will correspond with the beginning of traditional winter break allowing teams and their fans to travel to the games.
Third: Round three of the playoffs will be played at the site of the other two BCS bowls. These games will be played on New Year’s along with other traditional Bowl Games.
The Championship Game: Once and for all pitting the best two teams in the country. Crowning perhaps the first true College Football National Champion in this nation’s proud history. This will be the most highly watched single sporting event in the US, eclipsing March Madness, the World Series, NBA championship and even the Super Bowl.
Here is how it would play out if the BCS playoff system were in use this year. Using the traditional BCS formula and BCS standings from this current week.
Round 1: December 3rd, 2005
16 teams (12 conference leaders and 4 at large teams)
SEC: Georgia vs Alabama….Georgia Dome (Atlanta, Georgia)
Big 12: Texas vs Colorado….Reliant Stadium (Houston, Texas)
ACC: Florida State. vs Miami….Alltel Stadium (Jacksonville, Fl)
Big 10: Penn State vs. Ohio State …. Soldier Field (Chicago, IL)
PAC 10: USC vs Oregon….Qualcomm Stadium (San Diego, Ca)
Big East: West Virginia vs. USF….The Meadowlands “Giant Stadium” (East Rutherford, NJ)
At Large: Notre Dame vs. Florida Virginia Tech….Orange Bowl (Miami, Fl)
At Large: LSU vs. Virginia TechTexas Tech….Sugar Bowl (New Orleans, La) this year (Atlanta, Ga)
Note: The at large bids will allow teams from non major conferences to qualify for the playoffs if they are ranked high enough. ie. Utah 2004 or Tulane 1999; This football season does not have a non BCS conference team of this caliber. Spots were based on this weeks BCS Rankings: 1. USC 2. Texas 3. Alabama 4. Miami 5. Penn State 6. Virginia Tech 7. LSU 8. Ohio State 9. Georgia 10. Oregon 11. Notre Dame 12. Texas Tech 13. Florida 14. West Virginia 18. Colorado 19. Florida State NR USF
Bye Weekends: Dec 10th 17th
Round Two: December 24th
8 teams
Match ups based on BCS seating with the four highest ranked BCS teams having home games
Round Three: December 31st
4 teams
Games played at the BCS bowls that were not used in round one.
The eventual championship game will be played at one of these bowls. Allowing fans from that team to remain in the city for the entire week. Also rotating from west coast to east coast on a yearly basis that way you do not have fans flying all over the country. ie. One year round three will be played Sugar and Orange with the one of those two stadiums hosting the championship game…and then the next year Rose and Fiesta with one of those two hosting the championship game.
Rose Bowl (Pasadena, Ca):
Fiesta Bowl (Phoenix, Az):
Championship Game: January 7th
Rose Bowl Pasadena, Ca
2 Teams the Two Best teams in America. Squaring off head to head. No doubts no controversy. One True Champion!
Note: At most four teams would play one more game than the current college football season is structured for. Two teams would play two more games than the college football season is currently structured for.
If you eliminate the 12th game that the NCAA voted to add in for all future seasons, only two teams would be playing one extra game.
This is how I think the BCS playoff system should take form. The dates will vary slightly from year to year, but this should allow student athletes adequate amount of time to study for finals and complete the football season before the start of the second semester. Also, allowing for so many great match-ups that we may otherwise never see; most importantly allowing for the creation of a true National Champion.
I’d like feedback on this idea and if you like it lets spread it around to the almighty ESPN/ABC, CNNSI (which published this suggestion), Coaches, and University Presidents and see if we can pick up some momentum for this BCS playoff system.
Doc Pedro
This is how we will all feel if the BCS Playoff system goes into place.
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1
Doc P says:
One Mistake the at Large games Should have been
Notre Dame vs Virginia Tech (Orange Bowl, Miami)
LSU vs Texas Tech (Sugar Bowl, Atlanta)
Not Florida who is currently ranked behind Texas Tech
November 8th, 2005 at 8:54 am
2
Nico says:
1) Can you imagine how few people would show up at The Meadowlands for West Virginia vs. USF?
2) Are you Cuban Doc Pedro?
November 8th, 2005 at 10:04 am
3
Jason Fowler says:
I like it. I came up with something similar after last season, but mine did away with championship games to get a perfect championship. I hated to do that, but I could come up with nothing better. Yours rocks though. That’s what the BCS should do.
November 8th, 2005 at 10:05 am
4
Pace says:
I really like the way you layed it out. However, the problem is not that there’s not a good scheme, its about control of the money.
As of right now, the confederacy of BCS schools can hoard the money to themselves. If it goes to an NCAA playoff then the BCS ADs lose control of the money and it gets distributed widely (like in basketball).
At least thats how I understand it.
November 8th, 2005 at 10:52 am
5
Dan says:
This is a fine playoff system if you like that kind of thing. Personally, I’m one of the few who like the system just the way it is. The playoff games noted would definitely generate enthusiasm and interest for the 15 games noted, however, the system would detract from every other game played throughout the year. College football is the greatest sport on the planet because every damn game counts. Every time Temple straps it on against a zero or one loss team, it’s playing in a playoff game. Yeah they probably won’t win, but every 10 years there’s that 40 point dog that pulls one off. Then there are the non-conference games. In this scenario, if Miami plays FSU to start the season or FSU plays Florida late in the regular season, who cares about the result? The two teams are vying for the conference crown, thus eliminating any significance of the game. And then our beautiful institution becomes nothing more than college basketball, where if you lose a game in the scrimage season (aka the “regular” season), who the hell cares? I’ll take 3 months of bliss over one month of “madness” every time.
November 8th, 2005 at 10:53 am
6
mayday says:
Amen, Dan. This undisputed national champion stuff mystifies me with how it bewitches people. Who the hell cares. Split national champions just mean that twice as many fans get to celebrate. I do feel bad for Auburn but they sealed their own fate with their horrifying out-of-conference schedule. Anyway, it’s good fodder for arguments, and arguments are why we love college football.
November 8th, 2005 at 5:31 pm
7
Jim K says:
Are you telling me that UNC v. Duke doesn’t matter? Rivalry will still be as potent as ever. For the elite teams, each game is still going to be crucial. We have to remember that these few spots require high quality records. Of course, some teams will sneak in, but for the most part, the Temples of the world will still be playing spoiler to Miami’s playoff spot hopes. There are only a dozen or so football games anyway. In college they play like 30, so the regular season has to have a diminished significance. Take the NFL, for example. Every game counts in that league, but not because third parties vote for who’s the best. Games matter because there are only so many playoff spots to go around. Bad teams will still get to ruin seasons, big games will still be big games, and we’ll get a steady supply of famous victories and heroes and goats. The more glory the better.
November 8th, 2005 at 5:49 pm
8
mayday says:
But that mystifying loss to Wake Forest doesn’t really hurt Miami unless they’ve already got a loss or two on the resume. If they come into the game top-10 they can withstand the loss and still chase the conference title; if the fluky loss knocks them out, then they weren’t a worthy national title contender anyway. The current system puts premier value on every game, because even after you know you don’t have a realistic championship shot, you still hope to sneak into a New Year’s bowl, a BCS at-large slot, or at least some bowl game that’s not held in a dome or in sleet. With a four-round playoff going on, that made four times as many teams think they had a chance of qualifying for “the dance,” NOBODY will care about the non-BCS bowl games.
Really, I’m not making this up: Every year, if Michigan drops out of Rose Bowl contention, I don’t give up on the season: I start desperately hoping that Michigan can hang on to a New Year’s Day slot, rather than sink into the mire of San Antonio and Nashville. Then, when that ignominy is avoided, I’m pleased and look forward to the Citrus or Outback Bowl with anticipation. Under your system, any failure to make the generously large 16-team field would make the season look like a complete flaming disaster for Michigan.
November 8th, 2005 at 6:33 pm
9
Flann says:
Pretty good set-up. It would certainly be an improvement. I would put the first round on campus first Saturday in December. SEC, ACC, Big 12, Pac-10 and Big 10 Champs get home games. Conferences can decide Champs however they want, including championship games Thanksgiving weekend. Notre Dame and other non-BCS teams get a guaranteed home game if they are in the top 8. Other wise next three highest ranked teams get a home game. I couldn’t agree more that this would be a huge sports weekend; much bigger then the NCAA basketball tournament’s first weekend.
Eight games, on campus, staggered throughout the day, based on current BCS rankings:
Saturday December 3rd
Texas Tech (12) @ Penn State (5) 12:00 ET
Georgia (9) @ Ohio State (8) 1:00 ET
West Virginia (14) @ Alabama (4) 2:00 ET (1 Central)
UCLA (15) @ Texas (2) 3:00 ET (2 Central)
Florida (13) @ Miami (3) 7:00 ET
Notre Dame @ Virginia Tech 8:00 ET
Oregon (10) @ LSU (7) 9:00 ET (8 Central)
Wisconsin (16) @ USC (1) 10:00 ET (7 Central)
Eight Winners play in the four BCS games on New Years Day (January 2 this year).
Four winners play on campus at the higher ranked team in two games, Friday January 13 (to avoid NFL playoff conflict)
Championship, Saturday night January 21.
November 9th, 2005 at 10:49 am