Hey, Occupy Wall Street, why don’t you occupy the BCS?

Maybe you should take your efforts
elsewhere, like the BCS

Every day on my walk home from work I pass the band of misfits who deem themselves Occupy Chicago. They are part of the larger movement known as Occupy Wall Street that has taken the national media by storm. Now, some of them might be protesting for a greater cause yet there are some, the long haired, tub pounding, unemployed, who are just there to join the party. I ask this crew of the 99% to take their cause elsewhere, to the BCS system, where a modification is actually needed.  


This is where we need change, a change that Obama promised and has not delivered on (Let’s see if he gets my vote next year). Now, I did not write this article because the Badgers lost and we need a playoff (other than sheer chaos) to make the NCG. No, I have always hated the BCS system and no matter where you are in the country and what team you root for, you should have beef as well.


The BCS system is everything that is wrong with college football these days. The opposition might tell me that the BCS system makes for the most exciting regular season in all of sports. And I agree, however, it does not mean that we do not need a playoff. The system I would install would not diminish any of the luster the current regular season provides us. But let’s first expose some flaws.


Of course, I am going to start with the Badgers. Now as awful as Saturday night was, we lost on a play that happens in meaningful games about once every 30 years. Due to this fluke, we will not have a chance at the national championship. We also dropped 8 spots in the BCS standing, down to number 15, one spot below Nebraska, a team we man-handled. The average computer ranking for the Badgers is 21, two of the computers don’t even have us in the top twenty five. Most analysts will say this is due to our strength of schedule; Houston is ranked 14. Take a look at their schedule and then get back to me.

Will Stanford be snubbed by the BCS this
year even with an undefeated season?

To prove I am not bias, let’s look at Stanford. Andrew Luck and Co. did what they had to do on Saturday and steamrolled Washington 65 – 21. Apparently, one of the computers did not think that this was up to par for the Trees and dropped them from 12 to 21 in the rankings. This gave them an average score of nine, which was two less than the average score for the Sooners. In case you didn’t hear, the Sooners not only lost to a 28 point underdog, they lost at home which has not happened in 39 games. 

I could look at a number of scenarios proving the BCS system is a joke. Yet I will save that for later in the season as I can guarantee this is not my last post on the dreadful system. The change that is needed from the current system is an eight team playoff. There are currently five major conferences in college football. The champion of these leagues would get automatic bids into the playoffs. The remaining three teams would receive at large bids. The top three teams in the BCS rankings who did not win their conference championship are awarded an at large bid into the playoffs. The only catch is that no conference can have more than two teams in the eight team playoff. The rest of the seeding would also be decided on the BCS standings, still giving the computers some say.


I do not see how this system would not be a win – win for everyone. Any possible complaints? The BCS bowls are concerned about their money; there would be two extra games to reap profits. The regular season would not matter. No it would, you still have to put yourself in a position to play for your conference title which already presents challenges. What about the other bowls? What about them, it would be business as usual at the Papa Johns.com Bowl. A longer season for college players - I do not think they would complain for a chance at the crystal ball.


For the benefits, well I think that is obvious. First off, it would allow teams who suffer one heartbreaking loss a chance to still play in the national championship game. TV ratings would be through the roof for a playoff system that would rival March Madness. Conference Rematches (UM vs OSU, LSU vs Alabama). Boise State would finally have the opportunity to play for the NCG, ending the six years of endless nuisance. The Fat Cats who control the BCS bowls (Rose, Fiesta, Sugar, Orange) can rotate every other year in hosting a $econd BC$ game. Plus the many more reasons that are bound to emerge throughout the season. 

So, Mark Cuban, Occupy Wall Street Protesters, anybody, please help us change this system. Sports fans across the entire country can benefit from a CFB playoff. Duck fans should not have to lose hope of redemption because of a week one loss to the best team in the country. After all, it’s only a matter of time until your team is also snubbed by the BCS.