College Plus One Format

For all of those arguing for a plus one format to the bowl season, I ask who you would put in that extra game. Even though the BCS Bowl games are not complete, I think you would find yourself arguing over which two teams would deserve to the chance to play in a plus-one Championship game. For instance, lets assume that Florida and Oklahoma is just another BCS Bowl game in a plus-one system. At this point Utah and USC have proven they are worthy of a chance at the national championship. If Texas beats Ohio State, then they too will have a decent argument. That leaves Texas, USC, Utah and the winner of the Oklahoma/Florida game with very good arguments to being in the plus-one championship. Would there really be any difference in a plus-one championship between two of these four teams than just using the current BCS format, in terms of crowning the worthy national champion?

I argue that it would not. Of course some years it would most definitely help. For instance when Auburn was screwed out of the national championship game a few years back, a plus-one game would have been perfect there. In years like this though it would not work. Only an 8 team playoff or 4 team playoff after the bowls may work and we all know the problems a playoff system like this holds for the NCAA.

My solution, then is a rather unique one. I say that there should be an option for a plus-one game every year. They should revert back to the old system where they rotate a national championship game to each of the BCS bowl games. The national championship would be New Years Day. Unless, a BCS comittee decides that when selecting the BCS Bowl games there are more than 2 worthy National championship finalists, in this case if the committee determines there are 4 worthy teams then they will have two semi-final games at two of the BCS Bowl Games on a rotational basis. If the Rose Bowl wants a Pac 10 vs. Big 10 match-up then they can get every semifinal game that pits a team from both of these conferences and not be a part of the rotation when their are not a team from both conferences in the semi-finals. In this system the championship game would be held about a week and a half after New Years Day at a site that would be considered neutral to the two schools. As I said before this plus-one format would be optional to the BCS committee, if their are only two worthy schools then they will hold a one game national championship at one of the major BCS Bowls on a rotational basis as well. I would also want the BCS committee to not use the plus-one format if their are more than 4 worthy teams of the chance at the championship. If the committee decides there are more than 4 teams worthy of the chance, than they will use the current BCS rankings to determine the two finalists to play in the Championship game. This season would be a year that I would want the BCS comittee to use the current system and not a plus-one, because a plus-one system as shown above would not work this season.