A Step Forward for the BCS

By: BUCKEYES for LIFE

It has come closer to being a reality: There actually might be playoffs (and new bowl games) in the NCAA College Football FBS system. As of right now, there are four conferences choosing how they want to settle the playoffs. The conferences are the Big Ten, Big 12, SEC, and the Pac-12.

Last year’s exiting of Nebraska and Colorado from the Big 12 was a sign of trouble for the conference. Nebraska, now part of the Big Ten, and Colorado, part of the Pac-12, left the Big 12 hard-pressed to stick together. During the last season, the Big 12 also lost Texas A&M and Missouri to the SEC. The Big 12 was able to acquire two teams from two different conferences: TCU from the Mountain West, and West Virginia from the Big East. Now, with all the hoopla out of the way, they have been in talks about a playoff system.

The Big 12 and the SEC have announced a game that will pit the SEC Champion and the Big 12 Champion against each other in a venue yet to be determined. The game will be played on New Year’s Day, which will start in 2014, and will be in effect for five years. If one or both league champions are selected to play in the playoff, another team would be selected for the Big 12 vs. SEC bowl showdown. For example, if Alabama wins the SEC, they will go to the Final Four (1 vs. 4, 2 vs. 3). Now, if LSU comes in second, they will most likely play in the new bowl game. They will pick the next best team.

The Big Ten and the Pac-12 are in the same situation, where they will play in the Rose Bowl. The two conferences did not want to lose that long tradition. For example, if Ohio State and USC win their conferences, they will be in the playoffs. If Northwestern and Washington come in second, they will most likely play each other in the Big East and the ACC are still in talks to have their own bowl game as well. With teams still changing conferences from the Big East to the ACC, they are a little behind, but will most likely get everything resolved by their leagues’ meetings this summer.

The BCS executive director Bill Hancock said, “11 conference commissioners and Notre Dame’s athletic director will present a ‘small number’ of options, two to seven configurations for the four team playoff.” That too will be held at the meeting (source: NCAA.com/The Associated Press).

This is a huge step for the BCS to change how a National Champion is determined, and who is worthy of playing in the National Title. Will this make everyone happy? No, there will be still some teams and conferences that will still say they deserve to get a chance to play in the National Title. They should not worry however, because if everything works out the way it’s planned, they might be able to slip in the playoffs and possible play for the National Title.

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