If you couldn’t tell by the many mentions during games, or the thousands of commercials, college football will implement a playoff system at the end of the season.
The long overdue two-game playoff will pit the top four teams against each other, and the four teams will be decided by a selection committee consisting of 13 members from all walks of college football to help ensure teams are given an equal chance.
The system solves nothing, however.
I’m glad college football realized a playoff system was needed to give more chances to equally deserving teams, but in what sport does finishing third in a particular season essentially earn you nothing? If college football has taught us anything, it’s nothing can be expected. This past week in college football did nothing to clear up the top 10, let alone the top four.
In this week’s Associated Press Poll, seven teams ranked in the top 10 have one loss, as do eight more outside of the top 10. Four teams are undefeated, including mid-major and playoff longshot Marshall, which beat Ohio earlier this season.
A four-team playoff quite frankly isn’t good enough. Yes, the Bowl Championship Series was long overdue to be changed and the new playoff system is a breath of fresh air, but no true champion can be decided by winning two playoff games.
If the playoffs started today, the selection of the fourth team would invoke riots on campuses across the United States. Although Mississippi State, Ole Miss and Florida State would likely make it, there’s no clear fourth team.
Notre Dame lost to Florida State, but is a team that should be undefeated (in no way was that play at the end of regulation offensive pass interference). The Fighting Irish would make a strong case, as would Alabama, whose only loss comes from No. 3 Ole Miss.
The playoff could cause more headaches than it solves. Although the title winner this season will most likely be the best team in college football, it’d be nice to see them earn it.
The playoff committee, designed to give teams from all across the country a chance, has stated it would like to see conference champions compete. If that’s the case, there’ll be a lot of angry southerners clamoring “Roll Tide” or “War Eagle.”
If the playoff takes only conference champions, then it has defeated its own purpose. As terrible as it is to say, at least two of college football’s best, at this moment, appear to be coming from the Southeastern Conference.
The human element also plays a big factor, involving current situations. What if Jameis Winston is suspended after his team’s final game? Would the likely undefeated Seminoles make it?
Each committee member has bias toward an individual team or conference. A southern member, will likely vote for a second SEC team to make the playoff, believing it’s the strongest conference. However, a Big Ten member may believe their conference should be represented instead of two SEC schools. It will surely be a mess the likes of which collegiate sports have never seen.
College football this season will be decided on what people’s opinions are, and that is no recipe for success.
Andrew Gillis is a freshman studying journalism and a sports writer for The Post. Do you think the college football playoff isn’t good enough? Let him know @AGill072 or by email at ag079513@ohio.edu
