Will the NCAA ever adopt a playoff system for football?

[Poiuyt]

Arguably, the best three weeks in all of sports is March Madness basketball playoff. How can the NCAA have things so right for basketball and so screwed up for football?

[Angleae]

1. $$$$$$

It's all about money. Each team int the Rose/Fiests/Sugar/Orange bowls gets 17 million. The two in the BCS title game get it think 23 million. Even low tier bowls are 6 figures.

[trotsky]

2. And the conferences of the BCS participants get money, too.

The lowly 1-11 U of MN Golden Gophers will get a nice paycheck from OSU's participation in the title game.

[Captain Hilts]

5. The money is obscene. nt

[Brotherjohn]

13. Yes. "NCAA Football Final Four". With those 4 Bowls being Quarterfinals.

Rose/Fiesta/Sugar/Orange, seeded as now, if you like. Or (I can't remember if it's like this now) seed the Top 8 in the BCS in those 4 Bowls... I think Rose'd have to agree (eventually they will).

Then a two-weekend "Final Four". The 4 winners of those games play the first weekend; the two survivors play the second weekend.

You'd only be adding ONE week to the season. You'd accomplish an 8-team playoff with that. And each of the major bowls would get AT LEAST as much moolah, since they'd be quarterfinals in a playoff; and will always have a direct impact on the national championship. As it stands now, none of them ever get any say in the national championship (at least not the BCS National Championship).

[RL3AO]

3. Yes. Because people are starting to turn against the bowl system.

I've heard so many say it this year. They want to know what would happen if USC played Georgia. They want to know what would happen if WVU played OSU/LSU. And they will never know.

[Captain Hilts]

4. The college football season is TOO LONG. They used to play 10 games. nt

[Poiuyt]

7. What I don't like is the big gap between the end of the regular season and the start of the bowls

This is especially bad for the northern schools like the Big 10. Ohio State has almost a 2 month break before the bowls begin. You can't tell me that the dynamics of a team won't change with that time off.

[Captain Hilts]

9. Agreed. That gap is INSANE! nt

[Awsi Dooger]

6. I'm confident they won't

Bowl games are phenomenal. I'm even enjoying Bowling Green/Tulsa. Those games are defined by so many fascinating variables like contrasting styles of play and regional strength and conference reputation and pride. The only screwup was eliminating the old conference tie-in system. In that case so many of the bowls would have been pivotal to the title this season, just like the old glory days. BCS fixed something that was never broken. Now you've got one arbitrary game.

March Madness is spectacularly overrated. The main interest point is not the Final Four, but the opening round. That totally defeats the theory that everyone is interested in deciding a title on the field of play. Garbage. They are intrigued by the spectacle of game after game in an elimination format in a short period of time. Go to sports bars or Las Vegas sportsbooks or anywhere you choose. The opening round is where you'll find the most number of people and the highest level of intensity and interest.

[fishwax]

15. I agree with that

I like the bowl system just fine (though I wouldn't mind a +1, I suppose). Besides, picking the top 8 wouldn't solve the problems that people have with the process by which they pick the top 2.

And the opening weekend of the tournament is by far the best of the three. All those games wall-to-wall, spectacular finishes and unforeseen upsets, fans of 64/5 different teams still living on hope--it's great stuff. The final four can't compete with it, and an 8-team football playoff wouldn't come close.

[El Supremo]

8. Will they ever eliminate the Electoral College?

No and no.

[MrSlayer]

10. They do have a playoff system everywhere but in division one football.

And no they'll never adopt it there. It's all about the cash.

[Bill McBlueState]

11. (to be nitpicky, there is a division one playoff)

App. State won it again.

But yeah, there are already three NCAA football championship tournaments, and those are really exciting. It's not like they have to invent the wheel to do it at the top level.

[MrSlayer]

14. Ah yes, the subdivisions. I-AA, I-AAA.

I should have said division I-A football. And I agree, it would be much better but the reason they won't is obvious.

[jakefrep]

12. No

Because the people who would make that decision - the college presidents - don't give two shits about what the fans or the sports media talking heads want. Which is a good thing.