Note to the NCAA: Implement a playoff system now.

With three weeks remaining in the college football season, it’s time to bring up the annual debate over whether Division I-A football is better off with a playoff system rather than the current Bowl Championship Series (BCS). 

As it currently stands, the BCS holds four bowl games (Rose, Orange, Fiesta and Sugar) matching the top teams from the so-called “BCS Conferences,” which include the ACC, Big 12, Big Ten, Pac-10, SEC and Big East. Aside from the four bowl games, the top two teams in the BCS rankings, which are composed of computer rankings as well as the Associated Press (AP) and the Coaches Poll, face each other to determine the national champion.

Every year, the BCS seems to stir up some sort of controversy. In 2003, LSU, Oklahoma and USC all entered the bowl season with one loss apiece. Despite being ranked No. 1 in both the AP and the Coaches Poll, USC was ranked  No. 3 in the BCS standings and was excluded from the championship game. USC eventually won their bowl game and was named “co-champion” with LSU, who beat Oklahoma in the title game.

In 2004, Auburn, Oklahoma and USC were all undefeated at the conclusion of the regular season. Auburn was the odd team out, and USC ultimately defeated Oklahoma in the championship game. Auburn went on to win their bowl game, which left Auburn and USC both undefeated. In addition, Utah, out of the Mountain West Conference, also finished their season undefeated. However, since Utah is considered a “mid-major,” they were not allowed into the BCS party.

Finally in 2006, another mid-major, Boise State of the Western Athletic Conference, was denied a chance to play Ohio State, the only other undefeated team in the nation, in the BCS championship game. Ohio State lost in the championship game while Boise State beat Oklahoma in the Fiesta Bowl, and that left Boise State as the only undefeated team in the nation. Yet the Broncos were slighted the National Championship.

This brings me to the current season. If there was ever a season where a playoff system in Division I-A football is needed, it would be this year. Alabama and Texas Tech currently sit at the top of the AP Poll. Alabama and Texas Tech are both undefeated, and the next five teams all have one loss. Throw in undefeated mid-majors Utah, Boise State and Ball State, and there is a whole slew of teams who have an argument to not only play in a BCS game, but to have a shot at playing for the National Championship.

An article on BCSfootball.org states “…trust the process, and we will get it right 80 percent of the time.” Are you kidding me? That means they make an error 20 percent of the time, which is totally unacceptable.

What I don’t understand is why the NCAA refuses to use a playoff system. Division I-A football is the only sport that doesn’t go through a playoff system to crown a champion. Supporters of a playoff system have suggested ideas of an eight or 16-team playoff or a “plus-one” system. However, I believe this still leaves numerous deserving teams out of the playoff, especially with an eight-team or “plus-one” playoff. That’s why I propose a 32-team, single-elimination tournament.

Now BCS advocates will have two issues with my proposal. First off, they’ll say this playoff will extend the season too long. However, that is not the case. The BCS National Championship is played on Jan. 8. Assuming only one round is played a week, the playoff will require five weeks to determine a champion. If the first round of the playoff were scheduled the week immediately following the last week of the regular season, the championship game would be held the same week as the BCS national title game.

A second issue with my proposal is the BCS games would lose a lot of money because the four BCS bowl games would no longer be played. But what if the round consisting of the final eight teams, which is four games, were each held at a BCS site? That way, each site would still host a game, and the round of the final four, as well as the national championship, would rotate yearly among the four BCS sites.

Now 32 teams seems like a lot for a college football playoff, especially considering the Division I-AA playoffs are composed of only 16 teams. But if you’re like me, you’ll be thrilled with the idea of as much college football as possible. Imagine a March Madness type atmosphere, but with college football.

Also with 32 teams, basically all of the deserving teams will have a shot at being national champions. Eleven of the 32 spots would be reserved for the conference champions of the 11 Division I-A conferences. The remaining teams in the field would be determined by the BCS rankings. In other words, excluding the conference champions, you would go down the BCS rankings and put the top teams in the playoffs. Keeping the BCS rankings is important because this enables the regular season to retain its importance.

I believe this playoff system is legit. If this playoff system, or any other playoff system for that matter, had been in place in 2003, 2004 and 2006, controversy could have been avoided.

In the end, the truth is we are all too far away from any sort of playoff system in Division I-A football. Controversy will never be completely eliminated, and many may consider my idea of a playoff system absolutely absurd. Whatever type of playoff system is decided, I just hope the NCAA one day realizes a playoff system is necessary. 

After all, we all deserve to see a true national champion crowned in the right way, and that is by beating the best of the best.