The Bowl Championship Series: A System in Need of Reform

The Bowl Championship Series has become an inferior system, providing a postseason that lacks the excitement and competitiveness of a genuine playoff bracket. College presidents are prioritizing profit over providing a quality education, and the BCS system has become a cause for debate and dissatisfaction among fans. A four-game playoff featuring the traditional bowls and leading to semifinals and a title game could provide a more engaging and meaningful championship experience.

Key Takeaways:

• The Bowl Championship Series has been criticized for being inferior to a proposed playoff bracket and even the archaic bowl system it replaced.
• College presidents are charging high prices for education, leading to graduates working at entry-level jobs.
• The current BCS system is determined by polls, Ouija Boards, and other arbitrary methods, creating doubt and debate.
• A true eight-team playoff would create seven do-or-die games, potentially challenging the NFL's all-time high TV ratings.
• Even a four-game playoff would create a more meaningful national gauntlet for determining a true national champion.
• The NFL is the model for marketing and packaging its dramas, but the college football playoff system fails to provide the same level of excitement.

Statistics:

• The BCS system determines the national champion via polls and Ouija Boards.
• The proposed eight-team playoff would create seven do-or-die games.
• The NFL's all-time high TV ratings were achieved during the playoffs.
• 6 major college football bowl blowout winners (Georgia, Missouri, West Virginia, USC, Kansas, and the LSU-OSU victor) would participate in a hypothetical playoff system.

Sources:

• Jim Souhan, Staff Writer, Star Tribune
• National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA)