NCAA Football Playoff System

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NCAA Football Playoff System

Thesis: The Bowl Championship Series (BCS) formula has been used to determine the top twenty-five teams in NCAA Division I college since 1998. Many think this system is inadequate and should be changed. The alternative is a playoff system that would give more of the top teams a chance to be named the NCAA football National Champion.

I. BCS formula

A. Computers

1. Where they’re from

2. How they work

B. Polls

1. Where they’re from

2. How they work

C. Schedule strength

D. Team losses

E. Putting the formula together

II. Why the BCS formula should be changed

A. BCS is inadequate

1. How it’s unfair

2. Problems within

B. Give top teams a chance

C. Fans, players, and coaches views

III. Playoff format

A. Determining teams playoff seed

1. BCS formula

2. Conference leaders

B. How playoff would work

1. 8 team playoff

2. 16 team playoff

C. Why a playoff would be better

The end of the NCAA Division I college football seasons is near and there are still five undefeated teams in the nation, how can five teams play for top honors in the sport? The answer is easy, a football playoff system to crown the champion. The Bowl Championship Series (BCS) formula has been used to determine the top twenty-five teams in NCAA Division I college since 1998. Many think this system is inadequate and should be changed. The alternative is a playoff system that would give more of the top teams a chance to be named the NCAA football national champion. A playoff system would give the NCAA Division I football postseason a little more than twenty meaningless bowl games and a national championship game to wrap up the season, but to get to that I should first explain how the Bowl Championship Series (BCS) formula works to determine the top twenty-five teams in the nation.

First there are eight computers that are used in the BCS computer system today to determine this part of the ranking system. Out of the eight computers only the seven highest rankings are used for one team, then the seven rankings (worst ranking dropped) are averaged out respectively. All of these computer rankings are determined through eight newspapers and sports specialists. These computer rankings are how these eight sources rank the top twenty-fi...

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...eight-team or sixteen–team playoff would incorporate properly into the college football season. A playoff would give top teams that are not ranked number one or number two an opportunity at winning the desirable title of NCAA Division I national football champions. With the BCS system in operation until 2006 the college football playoff system will have to wait a few years until it can be initiated into the world of the NCAA.

“Works Cited”

Brewer, Breck. “It’s Time to Bring on the Brackets.” n. pag. 4 Apr 2003. .

Edwards, Brad. “figuring Out the BCS isn’t as hard as it looks.” 15 Aug 2002. n. pag. 8 April 2003. .

Giles, Alex. “The Proposed Marriage of the BCS and a Playoff Format.” 19 Nov. 2002. 4 sections. 8 Apr. 2003. .

Kerkhoff, Blair. “Special Report: College Officials Say Yes to Playoffs.” Kansas City Star. n. pag. 8 Apr. 2003. .

Rosenblatt, Richard. “Playoff Looming, But BCS Viable Despite its Flaws. Chicago Tribune. 10 Jan. 1999:5.

Sherman, Ed. “NCAA Football Playoff Arrives At ‘Study’ Stage.” Chicago Tribune. 22 Jan. 1994:1.

Vilona, Bill. “College Football Playoffs Not in the Picture.” Pensacola News Journal. 23 Jul. 2000. n. pag. 4 Apr. 2003. .

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