The editorial staff at The Columbus Dispatch thought it was necessary to run a several paragraphs on their page, you know the one in Section A, entitled “Decide on the field.”
Now this staff consists of Shannon Gilchrist, Phil Rudel, Rick Woodruff, Mary Ann Edwards, Mary Morgan Edwards, Mary Kate Olsen and Ashley Olsen, and they feel that “playoff system is only fair way to determine college football champ.”
Well la-de-freakin’-dah! This has been known for quite some time now, even though the president of The Ohio State University, E. Gordon Gee, doesn’t think so.
But why is the editorial page of a major newspaper using up ink on college football? Shouldn’t this space be reserved for more important issues like the economy, gas prices, the war in Iraq, and President Bush?
In reality, the current system of choosing who should play in the BCS National Championship game is not much better than how the National Basketball Association figures who should get the overall No. 1 pick in their draft, by using ping-pong balls.
Every level of college football, except for Division I-A (FBS), uses a playoff system.
Mount Union College, in Alliance, Ohio, was one of the 32 teams that qualified for the Division III playoffs after finishing the regular season with an unblemished record of 10-0, winning the Ohio Athletic Conference.
The Purple Raiders played four playoff games before reaching the Division III national championship game known as the Stagg Bowl, losing to Wisconsin-Whitewater in the title game.
So here are the Purple Raiders playing for a national championship, just like the Buckeyes, and they played 15 games while Ohio State played only 13.
Division II selects what they feel are the best 24 teams in their classification, and Valdosta State won the D-II crown after going 9-1 in the regular season, finishing with an overall mark of 13-1.
Everybody’s favorite Division I-AA (FCS) school, the Appalachian State Mountaineers, had overall mark 13-2 en route to winning their third national title in three years after defeating Delaware, 49-21, in a 16-team playoff.
There has been a lot of talk that the biggest obstacle in having a playoff for major college football is that you have to extend the season. But if the lower divisions can play that many games, why can’t the likes of LSU and Ohio State play that many?
It all comes down to the university presidents who favor the bowl system and their payout, plus playing as many as eight home games per season.
While it doesn’t make sense, it comes down to dollars. Maybe though, the end is near.
