Expand the playoffs

Now that the BCS is dead and gone we can debate whether or not the playoff system is big enough. By big enough I simply mean: Is the format big enough? Four teams? Really? Now I'm not advocating we go to a format of 64 like the NCAA basketball tournament, but a more modest format of eight or even twelve teams.


Now I know some people will say that expanding it will take away from the education of the athletes. I highly doubt that because these college football players are already being asked to do quite a bit for their university. These student/athletes are not in school on Friday when they travel and don't get back in town after an away game until very early the next morning if they played a night game or late that evening if the game was during the day. The following day they will typically have film sessions or meetings. Expanding the playoff is not going to take away anymore than the usual time away from their studies. This larger playoff format adds MAYBE two or 3 weeks to the season if the NCAA decides to go past the typical first week of January with these games. I say instead of going past the first week of January, use those weeks before Christmas to play these games and have it culminate in the first week or two of January.


Somehow the NCAA should find a way to use the bowls as different rounds of the playoffs. I don't think it would be that difficult. Use the four big bowls (Rose, Fiesta, Orange, and Sugar) as the early rounds of the playoff. Then from their choose two of the sites for the following week, then once those games are done choose one of the four sites to host the National Championship game. Rotate the site of the National Championship like they did for the BCS. That way everybody gets a fair shot at the money, and lets face it, that is what all this is about. Right?


If the NCAA figured out a way to run a playoff system at the lower levels, then quite simply they can figure out an equitable way of running a playoff system at the division one level. The NCAA makes money, hand over fist with the basketball tournament. Just think how much money they would make off a playoff system with this countries favorite sport! Then they could trickle that money down to the athletes... oops, different topic, for a different day. Expand the playoffs... just saying.