Lucas Gebhart
Sports Editor
The College Football Playoff, (CFP) has caused what used to be the BCS bowl games like the Fiesta Bowl or the Rose Bowl to become irrelevant.
The New Year’s Six feels like consolation games and furthermore, other bowl games feel like the two teams are just competing for participation ribbons.
Both Ohio State and Stanford could have given this year’s national champion, Alabama, a run for their money. But, instead, they sat at home because the CFP only takes the top four teams in the country.
Ohio State was one field goal away from going undefeated and inevitably making the CFP, but because only four teams make the playoff, the Buckeyes missed out.
Ohio State was a team that in my opinion could have won the national title. However, with the loss to Michigan State, and Iowa going undefeated in the regular season, it was virtually impossible for Ohio State to make the CFP.
Why not implement a playoff system where every team in the country has a chance at winning a national title?
I propose that the NCAA implement a similar playoff system that the FCS uses.
A 24 team playoff with the top eight seeds receiving a first round bye.
All conference champions, including the best independent team, (this year was Norte Dame), receives an automatic bid. The rest of the teams are filled in by a committee.
This means that based on the final ranking of the playoff committee, Clemson, Alabama, Michigan State, Oklahoma, Iowa, Stanford, Ohio State and Notre Dame would have all received first round byes.
Teams like San Diego State, Arkansas State, Western Kentucky and Bowling Green, all conference champions, would also have a chance to play for the ultimate prize.
Any given team can win on any given day, so why narrow the pool? If Alabama is truly the best team in the country, prove it by beating all the other best teams in the country.
If the playoff system would have been implemented this season, here is what the bracket could have looked like.
