2003/2004 College Football Bowl Season [R]

[CrewToon]

Will the Mike Stoops factor (not calling the defensive shots for the Sooners) be the difference tonight?

[Sykotyk]

Here's my proposal:

Playoffs and Bowls.

1) Keep every bowl you have right now.

2) Instituting the playoff:

A) Only let in conference champions (and independents with 80% winning percentage against I-A opponents, with at least 10 games against I-A opponents).

B) Every conference _must_ be able to produce an undisputable conference champion. *1

C) The first round of the playoffs would start the first weekend of December. The second round would be the second weekend of December. The semifinals would be the following week. And the national championship game would rotate amongst the four main bowls to be played the first Saturday or Sunday in January (generally, 1/3, 1/4 or 1/5).

D) All eleven conference champions make the playoffs. The BCS conferences are seeded, not by result, but rotating yearly. There are no wildcards. *2

E) The non-BCS champions must be able to produce their champion by the first weekend of December (i.e., MAC title must be held the final weekend of November.

F) The first round would pit the 5 non-BCS champions alongside _one_ of the BCS champions (not based on merit, but rotating yearly) *2

G) The six participants in the first round are seeded #1 through #6. #6 plays at #1, #5 at #2, and #3 at #4. The seedings can be BCS standings (it can be useful).

H) The winners advance to the second round with the five other BCS champions. Then all eight remaining teams are reseeded #1 through #8 (based on BCS rankings). All games are played on home fields of the top 4, unless they agree to move it (but can't move it to the lower seed's home). Opponent swapping can happen if it's to eliminate a very late season rematch, but has to be agreed by all affected.

I) The top four advance to the semifinals. The four teams would be seed #1 through #4 and #4 at #1 and #3 at #2. Again, rewarding teams that have done better throughout the season, but not completely cutting off those that didn't make it in the computers but still won their conference.

J) It'd be about a two week break for the title game at one of the four BCS bowls. The top two remaining teams play.

3) The bowls work into this now:

Take every current bowl that is tied to a conference champion or the BCS bowls. Strip the tie to the conference champion direclty, and instead let them pick one of the 'playoff participants based on round'. All other tie-ins would be the same.

So, the bowls affected would be New Orleans, GMAC, Liberty, Fort Worth, Rose, Fiesta, Sugar, and Orange. Now, for 2003-04, the Sugar would get the teams remaining after the semifinals.

For instance, the BCS could divy up four of the other spots (Oklahoma and Ohio State already get BCS bowl berths, but this time Orange and Fiesta), while the bowl two ahead of the championship game (this year the Rose), gets the first two picks from the playoffs (meaning they can pick the first two teams they want, from the first round, second round, or wait to take the teams from the semifinals. Or one from one round, and one from another, entirely thier choice). Then the Orange and Fiesta would get the next picks after the Rose either picks or passes (per round). Then the Liberty Bowl would get two picks (after they others pick or pass), the Fort Worth Bowl would get the next pick, and the New Orleans Bowl would be stuck with the worst first round loser (most likely North Texas), although theirs would have to be the first round loser since their game is December 16.

But, you get the idea, I hope.

Now, as for the exceptions/conditions:

*1 - Obviously, the BCS teams with conference championship games can't play in the first round as their championship games would be the first weekend of December. So their champions can only begin in the second round. Now, the other conferences must have some set way of determining a champion. Either by a conference title game (a strict head-to-head tie-breaker), or the ability for an impromptu championship game the first weekend of December for Iowa-Ohio State circumstances where they didn't play that season.

Either way, there'd be 11 undisputed champions in that the schools themselves agree that it is how they are going to determine their champion and will stand by it.

*2 - Each year, the conferences would rotate who plays in what round. Starting next year, the ACC, Big XII, and SEC would then automatically begin in the second week. So, the Big Ten, PAC-10, and Big East (if they're still BCS), would rotate each season so that one conferences is always at the bottom and forced to play with the non-BCS teams. the rotation is not based on that specific season performance.

The first round would let all BCS teams host a first round game if they're forced to play. With the other conference champions seeding #7-#11. Then all 8 remaining teams are seeded based on BCS standings.

But, then you can have the bowls, the playoffs, the regular season matters since only conference champions make it ('01 Nebraska, '03 Oklahoma... good bye).


==============================================

An example:

So, this year, let's say the conference rotation is:

Big XII (exempt)
SEC (exempt)
PAC-10
Big East
Big Ten
ACC

And the conference champions are USC, Miami (FL), Michigan, Florida State, Boise State, Southern Miss, North Texas, Utah, and Miami (OH) in no particular order.

The first round would be:

#6 Florida State
#7 Miami (OH)
#8 Boise State
#9 Utah
#10 Southern Miss
#11 North Texas

So, the first round would be:

Big Twelve Championship Game
SEC Championship Game
USC (BYE)
Miami (FL) (BYE)
Michigan (BYE)

#11 North Texas at #6 Florida State
#10 Southern Miss at #7 Miami (OH)
#9 Utah at #8 Boise State

So, let's just assume FSU, M-OH, and Boise State win.

Now, bowl seedings (hypothetically).

The BCS passes on the three first round losers. And the Liberty Bowl takes Southern Miss and Utah (CUSA and MWC champions). The New Orleans Bowl would automatically get North Texas. The GMAC Bowl has to wait a week.

The next round includes:

Kansas State, LSU, Miami (FL), USC, Michigan, Florida State, Miami (OH), and Boise State.

The rankings (by end of season BCS rankings {yes, this standing is a little construed since I used end of season BCS rankings for the first round as well}):

#1 LSU
#2 USC
#3 Michigan
#4 Florida State
#5 Miami (FL)
#6 Kansas State
#7 Miami (OH)
#8 Boise State

So, the second round would be:

#8 Boise State at #1 LSU
#7 Miami (OH) at #2 USC
#6 Kansas State at #3 Michigan
#5 Miami (FL) at #4 Florida State

Now, if KSU, Mich, M-FL, and FSU agreed, you could swap the two road teams. But lets assume they don't.

The winners, for argument sake, are LSU, USC, Michigan, and Miami (FL).

That means the Rose, gets first pick. They pass, holding out. The Orange takes Florida State (vs. Oklahoma), and the Fiesta takes Kansas State (vs. Ohio State). Then, the Fort Worth gets a pick and takes Boise State (vs. TCU), while the GMAC gets stuck with Miami of Ohio (vs. Louisville). Nice that you can match these up in retrospect....

The only two open spots are the two Rose Bowl spots, which means the two semifinal losers are going to the Rose while the winners go to the Sugar.

I'm not going to speculate on who'd win this thing, but that way you could keep the bowls, have a playoff, have regular season meaning, and only 'inconvenience' eleven teams with playoffs that'd be on campus (close alums would _love_ this), you'd keep the BCS happy because they'd still have a big advantage, but the little guys would be happy because at least they have a chance to prove themselves, something that is all they want now. So they lose, big deal. It would at least be proven on the field.

And who's to say Florida State really isn't just lurking in the shadows and could really contend? Or any other team? In this setup, all 117 teams are potentially eligible. Just win your conference or be a superior independent (9 wins in 11 games).

Also, if you want, tie the payout to the performance in the playoffs. So much to the conference for participating in the first round, so much for making the second round, so much for the semifinals, and so much for the championship. Plus, bowl revenue.

Sykotyk

[DoctorJones24]

Skyotyk, that certainly would be great tv and competition. For one thing, your plan would get rid of this bogus inflation that the top conferences have bestowed upon themselves. Don't you love how Bowling Green goes 11-3, beats Purdue AWAY, and ends up in all three polls between 4-10 spots below them. Sweet Mary. BG's only 3 losses cames AWAY to Ohio State (which they almost won), and twice to Miami, Ohio and the best player in the country.

[boffo]

I agree with Dr Jones. Clearly the MAC was shafted this year. How is it that Conf USA gets five to bowls, but N Ill can't get a bid as the third MAC team? Problem is, there is way too much money tied up with the current bowl structure. Perversely, the controversy this year boosted ratings which gives them even less incentive to restructure it radically. This is a problem especially for the MAC schools, and a major reason why they can't get additional bids, because the bowls want A) stadiums filled with tens of thousands and B) TV ratings. The MAC hasn't shown it can deliver either, even though it can deliver very good teams with very good skill players.

As for Skyotyk's suggestion, that seems reasonable, but I think one big objection would be the number of games it would add to seasons that are already long. You'd have to convince all schools to cut down their seasons by a game or two (that means no more I-AA matchups, KSU!) in order to make room in the semester for the conference champions to continue on with as many as 3-4 extra games in the playoffs. Problem is, on average they'd lose more revenue than they'd gain as a result. Ultimately, that's what this comes down to.

[fidlerre]

Originally posted by DoctorJones24
AWAY to Ohio State (which they almost won)

:rolleyes: