(Update: the new college football playoff system has an official name, and it’s “college football playoff”)
So they went literal. To the point. No frills. Short terse direct prose. Like an Ernest Hemingway novel.
Like the book: “Death to the BCS ,” and it’s officially here as the University presidents announced approval of a 4-team seeded playoff for college football last summer.
The committee will select teams based on conference championships and strength of schedule, beginning with the 2014 season when the college football playoff.
There will be 6 bowls to be utilized as part of the semifinals, likely including the 4 BCS bowls in the college football playoff. The title game will be bid out to cities just like the Super Bowl. One city you’ll see for sure in the mix is Indianapolis.
Everyone raved about the Super Bowl in Indy, how everything was so centrally located for it, and perfectly situated in the circle city- just like they did with the Big Ten championship. The capital of Indiana just seems perfect for hosting these kind of events so I’m guessing they’ll have the college football playoff title game some time soon.
The Cotton Bowl will be the fifth bowl in rotation probably, as for the 6th? Who knows? The Gator Bowl? Whatever the hell the Citrus Bowl is called today? That stadium in Orlando is getting it’s badly needed renovation, so they will be a player too. Let the college football playoff bidding begin.
Big Ten Commissioner Jim Delaney, arguably the most powerful man in college sports, talked about the plan.
“We were supportive of what we had, we understood it was under a lot of criticism…but we also think the method for selecting teams is more rational, it’s got fewer conflicts, it’ll be more transparent, so when I look at the whole situation, I think the Big Ten is well served, I think college football is well served, so we’re real excited about it.”
The college football playoff proposal definitely got it right: a regular season that is stronger than ever; the bowl games are still all in place; and a true champion to be decided on the field.
It’s a 12-year deal for the college football playoff. At an estimated $500 million a year for the semis and title game, that’s likely a $6 billion TV deal.
“There’s a great sense of satisfaction, I was delighted last week and I’m more than delighted today after a great conversation with our presidents, and they endorsed this proposal, it’s the culmination of a lot of years,” SEC Commissioner Mike Slive said.
The SEC title game becomes a de facto elite 8 game now, as does at least one other conference championship game each year. So in a sense you have 8 already, not just a final four in the college football playoff.
So how long until we get to a 16 team model? A true “December Delirium” to rival march madness in college basketball?
Paul M. Banks is the Owner of The Sports Bank.net. He’s also a regular contributor to Chicago Now, Fox Sports, MSN, Walter Football and Yardbarker
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