I see that there are 11 conferences in major college football. I simply take the conference champion from each conference plus one at-large berth. The at-large berth can be decided by using the current BCS standings. Using the BCS standings, I will seed the teams 1-12. Below is how this would look:

1. Ohio State Buckeyes (Big 10 champion)

2. LSU Tigers (SEC champion)

3. Virginia Tech Hokies (ACC champion)

4. Oklahoma Sooners (Big 12 champion)

5. Georgia Bulldogs (at-large berth)

6. USC Trojans (PAC-10 champions)

7. West Virginia Mountaineers (Big East Champion)

8. Hawaii Warriors (WAC champion)

9. BYU Cougars (Mountain West Champion)

10. Central Florida Knights (Conference USA champion)

11. Central Michigan Chippewa’s (MAC conference champion)

12. Florida Atlantic Owls (Sun Belt conference champion)

In this scenario, I have seeded the teams based on BCS rankings. I feel that this eliminates the guesswork of who is ranked better. After all, this is the playoff and the best team will prevail. The top four seeds earn first round byes. In the first round, the higher seeded team will be the home team. This is how it will look: 

Florida Atlantic @ Georgia (12 Vs. 5 game). Central Michigan at USC (11 vs. 6 game). Central Florida @ West Virginia (10 vs. 7 game) and BYU at Hawaii (9 vs. 8 game).

The winners will advance to next week’s quarterfinals. I simulated the games on NCAA football 2008. The format will be the number one seed will play the lowest surviving seed. For illustration purposes, this is the quarterfinal match up.

BYU at Ohio State, West Virginia at LSU, USC at Virginia Tech and Georgia at Oklahoma.

The following Saturday, can be called semi-final Saturday. I will throw in the “television contract” factor, both games will be aired live For example, Georgia at Ohio State and USC is at LSU, the winners will play for the national title game, January 4 at New Orleans.

The positive thing about my playoff proposal is that this can take 3 weeks. Consider the 2007 season—conference championship games were played on December 1, 2007. Starting December 8th the playoffs start. December 15, the quarterfinals take place; December 22^nd the semi-finals take place. On January 4, 2008 the national championship takes center state. It eliminates the unnecessary layoff teams have to endure before playing their game. Second positive is that team are rewarded for a successful season by playing at home. This means additional revenue for the school and fans can enjoy their team. Third positive is that I think this proposal satisfies the bowl games. There have been many criticisms that bowl games lose their tradition. For example the Rose Bowl game--under my proposal, why can’t the second place team from the Big 10 and Pac 10 conferences earn a trip to Pasadena? How about the Sugar Bowl has the runner up from the SEC play a team for instance Kansas? I can apply the same to the Fiesta where Missouri can play Texas? The Orange Bowl can select The ACC or Big East runners up and play.

It is here where I feel a Bowl selection commissioner can be inserted to provide good quality matchups for teams that do not qualify for the playoff round. I find it hard to stomach viewing the Independence Bowl between 6-6 Colorado and 6-6 Alabama. In my view, those two teams deserve to be at home. If I was the selection team, I would install a rule that teams must be 7-5 or better to become “eligible”. Having said that, I would eliminate some of the lesser bowls because of poor fan base, TV ratings or poor attendance—Bowl games should be a reward for a good season, not mediocrity in a BCS conference. As an example here is a suggested bowl menu.

Rose—Arizona State vs. Michigan.

Sugar-Tennessee vs. Kansas

Fiesta—Missouri vs. Tulsa

Orange—Boston College vs. at-large team

I mention that with this system, I feel it reduces the bowl tie-ins. I don’t have an issue with a third place Big 10, Pac-10 etc team. I have a big concern where teams like Cincinnati and Tulsa have to play in smaller bowl games where also-rans in BCS conference play in the Chick-Fil-A, Sun, and Emerald bowl games. I know that this proposal can use some adjustments. I will be adjusting it and forwarding to Dr. Myles Brand the president of the NCAA for his review. I think it is time that the NCAA pulls it’ head out of the sand and work on a fair, equitable post-season playoff and bowl system.