Bcs Formula Breaks Down To A Mess

JERRY KELLAR
Wednesday, October 24, 2001 Page: 1B

I’m not even going to pretend to completely understand how the Bowl
Championship Series rating system works.

I do know that once you take the process out of the hands of the teams and
give it to computer geeks, the media and coaches who only see a limited number
of teams play, you’re going to have problems.
That’s why the men behind the BCS, for all of their good intentions, are
doing Division I-A teams a grave disservice while selling the sporting public
a bunch of baloney.

That the top rung of major college football remains the only level not to
hold a playoff is absurd.

If the BCS formula – comprised of polls, computer averages, quality wins,
losses and strength of schedules, etc. – is supposed to be the next best thing
to a playoff system – why just not have the playoff system?

The answer, of course, is money.

The NCAA makes a ton of cash from the postseason bowls, many of which are
one-sided affairs, and isn’t ready to give up its piece of the pie for the
good of anyone or anything.

In fairness, the BCS actually was a success the first two years, thanks
mostly to a great deal of luck. The system did not, however, work last year
(see Miami) and likely won’t again this season (again, see Miami).

For as deserving as Oklahoma, Nebraska and UCLA are to the top three slots,
it’s unfair to penalize the Hurricanes – the No. 1 team in both polls – for
issues beyond their control.

Miami had no way of knowing Penn State would be in the midst of a miserable
slump when the schedules were drawn up some five years ago. Nor should coach
Larry Coker’s squad be faulted for Florida State’s early season woes.

If the ‘Canes are indeed the fourth-best team in the land, the top three
must be hell raisers.

The arguments against the playoff system are as weak as ranking Miami
fourth.

Among my favorites:

A playoff would make an already long season longer.

Nonsense! An eight-team playoff would extend the season by three or four
weeks at most, including the bowls. What would be better than to have a
championship weekend, with the college title game on Saturday, followed by the
Super Bowl on Sunday? You think that would be a mega-moneymaker?

Athletes already miss too much class time.

Please! Many universities hold semester breaks during the holidays.
Besides, who misses more classes than basketball players, who are on the road
as much as twice a week during their season?

The postseason bowls are a college tradition.

Maybe so. But half of them are played in front of half-empty stadiums.
Understand, no one enjoys bowl week more than the newspaper writers and TV
“talent” who get to cover them. Bowls, even the second-tier variety, are a
blast. (Gee, I wonder if I’ll ever get to one again?)

Those who prefer a national playoff have no desire to drop this great
tradition. They, like everyone who loves big-time college football, simply
want a true champion.

Jerry Kellar is a Times Leader sports writer. Reach him at 829-7243 or