NCAA Endzone

Listen up people. Florida is not the national champion. Neither is Boise State, despite being the only undefeated team in the country, ditto for Wisconsin, Louisville or any other team for that matter.

There can’t be a true number one until the NCAA, college presidents, athletic directors and some coaches wake up and realize that a playoff is the only way to determine a true national champion.

The BCS doesn’t work, just like every other poll or system tried before failed. The only way to have a real number one is to decide it on the field. Not by sportswriters, coaches, broadcasters or computers - mano e mano - on the gridiron.

Yes Florida was impressive against Ohio State on Monday, but how can anyone decide that the one loss of the Gators is better than the one loss of Louisville or Wisconsin? And let’s not forget the Broncos either.

Of 119 Division I-A college football teams only one, just one, beat every team on its schedule and achieved perfection. That team was Boise State. And I don’t want to hear comments like “they’re small school” or “Boise State doesn’t play a hard enough schedule.” That’s a load of bull.

You can’t argue facts and the facts state that the Broncos beat back every challenge thrown at them and were the only team to do so - not Ohio State, not Florida, not USC, no one.

I’m reminded of Susan Powter, the diet guru of the eighties who got famous for the catch phrase - stop the insanity.

If the playoff is done right, the NCAA, the bowls and the BCS could have a factor in the equation. It’s real simple.

Keep the BCS, AP and all those other fun rankings in place during the regular season to determine the bowl bids. Do away with the extra game and keep the BCS bowls - Orange, Sugar, Rose and Fiesta. These bowls would count as the quarterfinals.

After the bowl games are played, extend the season and extra two weeks and have the four major bowl winners compete in a Final Four with the true national championship game following a week later.

Do that and everyone is happy - the BCS, the polls, the bowls and the fans.

Another way would be to create a 16-team playoff like they do in Division I-AA. Have your eight conference winners get automatic berths with the other eight slots at-large bids.

Unfortunately, everything will stay the same because the good old boys in charge fear change and a loss of power. We’ll continue to have a flawed system that doesn’t work and never has. And this time next year a true national champion will once again be just a dream.

Stop the insanity!

NCAA, BCS, playoffs