Watching college football isn't always fun.
The games are long, there's pressure from people everywhere to make the game drastically safer and the business of the NCAA is shady — at best.
So why the hell not? Let's do it.
Put Western Michigan in the College Football Playoff.
Maybe it's because I want to see Western Michigan play Alabama more than I want world peace or maybe it's because I'm trying to put off the inevitable, that the Crimson Tide are destined for yet another title. Do they have parades of sports achievement for college teams?
But I think we've lost sight of what exactly sports should be — fun. Now, it's difficult to throw the word fun around when millions of dollars, and frankly future lives and earnings, are at stake. People have worked their entire lives for a chance at a title.
To me, Western Michigan has earned that right. The Broncos are undefeated.
The fact of the matter is that unless you're named Houston or Boise State, your chances of making the College Football Playoff are zero. Don't let anyone tell you differently, Western Michigan could go 13-0 with 10, 35-point wins and there would still be a two-loss SEC or Big Ten team in the top slot ahead of a Mid-American Conference school.
Honestly, I don't think the Broncos are a top 20 team in the country, talent-wise. Alabama, Ohio State or even Washington would whoop them like they stole something.
That's why this year hasn't shown a specific issue, but a general overarching problem of college football. A Group of 5 school that's not well-known will never make the playoff.
That relates back to money, the selection committee knows where its bread is buttered. Ohio State will draw more than, say, Louisville, let alone a MAC school from a place 99 percent of Americans couldn't point out on a map.
I guess my argument isn't a "put Western Michigan in the playoff," but rather a "college football needs reform" argument.
It's ridiculous that a team that runs the table and has more Big 10 wins than Michigan State, Purdue and Rutgers, can be left out of the a New Year's Six bowl. In the most recent poll put out by the selection committee, one-loss Boise State was ranked 20th, Western Michigan 21st.
Meaning, Western Michigan would probably find itself at the Dollar General Bowl or the Idaho Potato Bowl against Colorado State or Arkansas State instead of at the Cotton Bowl against Penn State or Oklahoma.
My roommate who loves MAC football more than any person should, has always said the Group of 5 needs to have its own championship, and at first I thought he was moronic. The more I watch, however, the more I think he's right.
Theoretically, MAC schools are on the same playing field as Alabama, Notre Dame and USC. Take a hard look at it, and that "fact" falls apart pretty quickly.
I'm completely aware of the fact that the ceiling for a MAC school is a conference title, the New Year's Six tie-in and maybe a few years down the line, a call from the Big 10 or the Big 12.
But it's a shame that when one team does break through and shows it can compete with the the heavyweights of college football, not only is it ignored, but also it isn't even given a chance.
