Sign in Subscribe
Football teams

The Flaw in College Football's Championship System: A Deep-Seated Mind-Set

Strategic Insights

— 1 min read

Penn State's championship chances may have taken a pivotal blow after allowing Indiana to score in the final minutes of a 35-29 victory, highlighting a deeper flaw in the college football championship system. Despite maintaining its first-place position in The New York Times's computer ranking, Penn State's margin over Nebraska is shrinking, and the voters' inconsistency is becoming a major issue. The season has been dominated by the concept of "Who-Have-You-Pounded-Lately," where teams are penalized for not delivering a perfect performance.

Key Takeaways:

  • The college football championship system is plagued by a mind-set that demands perfection and punishes teams for not delivering it, leading to inconsistency in voter polls.
  • Penn State's championship chances may have been severely impacted after allowing Indiana to score in the final minutes of a 35-29 victory.
  • Nebraska took over first place in both polls after a 45-17 victory over Kansas, with an edge of 27 points in the USA Today/CNN poll and 18 points in the Associated Press writers' poll.
  • The voters have been more inconsistent than the contenders, with 12 coaches switching their first-place votes from Penn State to Nebraska despite Nebraska's clear dominance.
  • Coach Joe Paterno acknowledges the importance of developing depth and recognizing the cumulative effect of mental and physical strain, but the voters seem to prioritize the "Who-Have-You-Pounded-Lately" concept.
  • Penn State's best chance at the championship may depend on the intensity of the Orange Bowl against Miami and the performance of undefeated Alabama against Auburn.

Statistics:

  • Nebraska's lead in the USA Today/CNN poll increased from 6 points to 18 points after a 45-17 victory over Kansas.
  • The Cornhuskers' lead in The Associated Press writers' poll increased from 6 points to 18 points, with Nebraska picking up 6 first-place votes.
  • Penn State maintained its first-place position in The New York Times's computer ranking by a shrinking margin of 0.002 over second-place Nebraska.
  • 12 coaches switched their first-place votes from Penn State to Nebraska despite Nebraska's clear dominance.

Sources:

  • The New York Times
  • USA Today/CNN poll
  • Associated Press writers' poll
  • The Associated Press
  • Coach Joe Paterno's quote in the New York Times article

Read more