Trackwell, pretty good system. But I think you could make it one week early. Round one (at top 8 seeds), about Dec 8-11, Round 2 (at top 4 seeds places), about Dec 15-18. These reduces a lot of travel prior to the bowls and gives incentives to be a top 8 and top 4 seed). Then 2 weeks later for the semifinals they are held on New Years day (two BCS sites get playoff games, two sites get "consolation games" using the traditional bowl system as does earlier playoff losers). Than one week later you have the championship game at one of the sites that got one of the consolation BCS game that year.
I disagree on the $ part. I think they would make more money. You can use the existing bowl games. Those bowl games would make much more money, IMO. You can still have the lesser bowls for those that didn't qualify for the playoffs.
The one issue with the playoff system is the extra time it would take because each round would take up a week. These are student athletes, not professional athletes that get paid. Do you think they are as willing to tack on extra games to the season taking up all of their winter break? The season would have to be shortened or started earlier.
I disagree. Everyone uses this arguement and it is terrible! A couple of weeks are not going to kill these young men. For most of them, this would be the greatest thrill of thier lives. Its a once in a life time deal. They would be able to work it out. If the players had to do some makeup work in late December or early January then that would be fine. I hate when people say that. That has nothing to do with anything. I would understand if it were every team every year missing a couple of weeks of shcool, but its not everyone. Just the select few the made it to the big show. That is NOT the reason they don't play. That is not even part of it, just an excuse! It's all about the money.......
Of course. There are other college sports with longer seasons that cross semesters. In fact it isn't even about total money, because a mini playoff combined with the Bowl system would generate more. It is however about money distribution and control of format (if it is an official playoff the NCAA has more rules), and to a few other conference big wigs trying to feel locked into self-importance. Getting 1 loss teams like USC and OSU not in the picture with other 1 loss teams could help. Or if voters had put Auburn vs OU about 5 years back while USC had watched that would have been good for the breakup.
