College football playoff still a good idea

Last month, I listed my plan for a college football playoff. After the bowl games so far, it still looks like a good idea to me.

The winners of the 11 major conferences would take the top 11 seeds, just like in the NFL. Then, 5 wild-card teams are added to the mix, making a field of 16. The seedings would be by BCS standards. Conference champs not listed in the the BCS ratings (Central Florida, Central Michigan, Florida Atlantic) would seeded by winning percentage.

Again, conference champions are seeded first, then the wild-card teams. This will produce some odd seedings, but we're giving added importance to winning a conference, just like in every other sport, at every other level.

Here are the seeds, with their conference, their record, and final BCS standings:

1. Ohio State (Big 10; 11-1; #1)
2. LSU (Southeastern; 11-2; #2)
3. Virginia Tech (Atlantic Coast; 11-2; #3)
4. Oklahoma (Big 12; 11-2; #4)
5. Southern California (Pacific 10; 10-2; #7)
6. West Virginia (Big East; 10-2; #9)
7. Hawaii (Western Athletic; 12-0; #10)
8. Brigham Young (Mountain West; 10-2; #17)
9. Central Florida (Conference USA; 10-3; NR)
10. Central Michigan (Mid American; 7-5; NR)
11. Florida Atlantic (Sun Belt; 7-5; NR)
12. Georgia (wild card, Southeastern; 10-2; #5)
13. Missouri (wild card, Big 12; 11-2; #6)
14. Kansas (wild card, Big 12; 11-1; #8)
15. Arizona State (wild card, Pacific 10; 10-2; #11)
16. Florida (wild card, Southeastern; 9-3; #12)

Now, what would have been the first round games?

• (16) Florida at (1) Ohio State
• (15) Arizona State at (2) LSU
• (14) Kansas at (3) Virginia Tech
• (13) Missouri at (4) Oklahoma
• (12) Georgia at (5) Southern California
• (11) Florida Atlantic at (6) West Virginia
• (10) Central Michigan at (7) Hawaii
• (9) Central Florida at (8) Brigham Young

Of those 8 games, 5 would have been good games. 3 would likely have been blow-outs. But this year, you never know.

After the January 1st games, some say that Georgia and Southern California made the case they should have played each other. Guess what? In my playoff setup, they would have.

I figure that in most cases, the higher seed would have won. Of course, I figure Georgia would beat Southern Cal. And maybe Kansas beating Va. Tech. Maybe. I'd have figured Florida over Ohio State, too, until they lost to Michigan.

And, if you don't like my seedings, you could have the BCS seedings take priority, but still put the 11 conference champions plus 5 wild card teams in the mix:

1. Ohio State (Big 10; 11-1; #1)
2. LSU (Southeastern; 11-2; #2)
3. Virginia Tech (Atlantic Coast; 11-2; #3)
4. Oklahoma (Big 12; 11-2; #4)
5. Georgia (wild card, Southeastern; 10-2; #5)
6. Missouri (wild card, Big 12; 11-2; #6)
7. Southern California (Pacific 10; 10-2; #7)
8. Kansas (wild card, Big 12; 11-1; #8)
9. West Virginia (Big East; 10-2; #9)
10. Hawaii (Western Athletic; 12-0; #10)
11. Arizona State (wild card, Pacific 10; 10-2; #11)
12. Florida (wild card, Southeastern; 9-3; #12)
13. Brigham Young (Mountain West; 10-2; #17)
14. Central Florida (Conference USA; 10-3; NR)
15. Central Michigan (Mid American; 7-5; NR)
16. Florida Atlantic (Sun Belt; 7-5; NR)

That would have produced:

• (16) Florida Atlantic at (1) Ohio State
• (15) Central Michigan at (2) LSU
• (14) Central Florida at (3) Virginia Tech
• (13) Brigham Young at (4) Oklahoma
• (12) Florida at (5) Georgia
• (11) Arizona State at (6) Missouri
• (10) Hawaii at (7) Southern California
• (9) West Virginia at (8) Kansas

Not as many good games, is it? Arizona State at Missouri would be good. So would West Virginia at Kansas. Florida at Georgia should be good, but the Bulldogs whipped the Gators soundly in November, so another 2-3 touchdown win isn't all that exciting, unless you're a Bulldog fan.

Either way, after the first round, you have nothing but good games. Even with upsets, an "even" match-up is replaced by a match-up between a good team and a surprisingly good team.

Oh, and first round losers still get to go to a bowl game. Lots of bowls would like having one of those teams in their game, I'm sure.

So, despite all the little things folks might not like about my playoff setup, it does have one redeeming factor:

When the last game is played, there's no doubt about who is the best team ... on the field ... in college football.