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[HuskerCoug]

So should a bowl game be used to determine a national champion? One could say LSU should be the most upset team, because they have to prove twice that they are better than 'Bama.

I don't disagree with you. It stinks for LSU but it is better to have an Alabama win a controversial champshionship with a game split against LSU that say an Arkansas winning a 16 team playoff because LSU or Bama have a bad game somewhere along the way.

 

[Formo]

Not supporting a playoff doesn't necessarily mean you support the BCS or vice versa. In fact, quite a few people here don't support either. Include me in that camp.

Me too.

Here are my arguments against playoffs:

A) Too many teams. How would one determine who made the playoffs? Can't have too big of a spread because it would force teams to play an NFL-like season, and too little would still eliminate the 'little guys' (what every pro-playoff person wants to eliminate in the first place).
B) Every other league/division in college and pro sports use the playoff system. FBS football is the one thing that's unique, lets keep it that way. If you want to watch playoffs, there's March Madness or the NFL playoffs. They both are awesome, enjoy them.
C) I hate the idea of a team that basically 'backed' into playoff eligibility and get hot at the right time and end up running the table and winning the NC trophy. Read: The regular season with the playoffs mean far less than it would with bowl bids instead. I love the idea that it's almost guaranteed that the National Champion will only have 1 loss at most.

annnnnnnd,
D) I'm selfish and I love bowl season, no matter what level of bowl game it is.

 

[Porkchopexpress]

I don't disagree with you. It stinks for LSU but it is better to have an Alabama win a controversial champshionship with a game split against LSU that say an Arkansas winning a 16 team playoff because LSU or Bama have a bad game somewhere along the way.

Just for argument sake, why is it so horrible to have this happen in a playoff scenario, but not in the regular season? You have a bad game in the regular season, and people have no sympathy for that team. Yet, it's seen as a horrible injustice if a team has a horrible game in a playoff, keeping them from winning a title. If the season is the playoff, like people believe, then shouldn't we say that 'Bama backed into playing for the title? Afterall, they had to rely on other teams having a bad game (on top of their own bad game).

 

[escalarte]

I am not saying the Bowl system is perfect though obviously there has been improvements since 1994. While most other major sports use a playoff system, it doesn't mean the best team wins it. Do you really think Giants were a better team than the Patriots in 2007 (better team not better for one game). Heck in 1997 Arizona won the National Championship in basketball after finishing 5th in their own conference. I am not saying the BCS is better than playoff but I think the best overall team is more often the champion than in other sports. Despite a pontential controversial champion I love the importance it places on an entire season. It makes a Labor Day weekend game between Boise St. and Georgia much more meaningful.

Thanks, a very close summary of my opinion as well.

 

[Deleted member 328]

Have we come to the conclusion that playoffs should never be considered, RP is always right and that the old way was better?

 

[Bones]

I think we've come to the conclusion that we will never have complete agreement! ...and I'm OK with that too.

 

[Formo]

Just for argument sake, why is it so horrible to have this happen in a playoff scenario, but not in the regular season? You have a bad game in the regular season, and people have no sympathy for that team. Yet, it's seen as a horrible injustice if a team has a horrible game in a playoff, keeping them from winning a title. If the season is the playoff, like people believe, then shouldn't we say that 'Bama backed into playing for the title? Afterall, they had to rely on other teams having a bad game (on top of their own bad game).

Great point. The thing is, to get a shot at the NC game, two teams are 'judged' by the their whole body of work throughout the season (and in many cases, preseason expectations). Adding a playoff format would certainly water down the body of work throughout the season of many teams, but also give them almost a 'second' season in which to win the NC. As far as your scenario goes with 'Bama, I absolutely agree that they 'backed into' the NC game. The thing is with voting systems, there'll always be controversy with them. Especially when you have 2 parties vying for 1 spot and they are gaining votes almost evenly. One will always win that battle, but there will be a very vocal 'minority' that will cry foul. It happened with OSU this year. It'll happen again in future years, and it happens all the time in the political arena.

Is it a travesty that some teams don't get bowl invites because they just didn't get enough votes or rankings or whatever? Sure. Not more of a travesty than the '07 Patriots' season though. In my eyes, going to a playoff system because the BCS rips off some smaller teams isn't enough reason. We'd be going from one semi-flawed system to another.