The one thing that no one can ever adequately explain is why a playoff system works at every other level of football (including college!). It works in middle school, it works in high school, it works in the pros and it works at all other levels of college play. It really doesn’t seem that hard to figure out does it?
The talk this week has been how an SEC team can wiggle its way back into the title game after Alabama was upset by Texas A&M. You see, the SEC is so beloved by the powers that be and the four-letter sports network, that there really can’t be a national title game (mythical or otherwise) without at least one SEC team involved. Heck, if two are involved then all the better, but we can’t have a title game (remember the word mythical) without the SEC being involved.
We reached critical mass a season ago when Alabama, which didn’t even win its half of the SEC, was put into the title game. Certain people figured if they said “Alabama and LSU are the two best teams” enough times then we would believe it. As much I am a die-hard football junkie, this so-called national championship game from a season ago was a complete farce. In a one-fan protest, I did not watch one play of that game, which was supposed to make us believe major college football had a true national champion. In the land of reality, we know that without a playoff system, there can only be a mythical one, regardless of whether they lift a trophy high in the air.
So who will be in the mythical title game this year? Kansas State? Oregon? Notre Dame? Alabama? Georgia? Florida?
Florida you ask. College football expert Tim Brando said if Kansas State, Oregon and Notre Dame all slip up and lose (two of the three already have) then the winner of the Alabama-Georgia SEC title game could actually face Florida for the national title. Are you kidding? Seems so and don’t bet against it happening.
A move to a 32-team playoff system is needed in the worst way. The credibility of one the best spectator sports continues to be damaged each year until it happens.
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As a side note, something also needs to be done in the SEC about how division champs are decided. Once again this year, South Carolina was shafted. Despite beating Georgia, the Gamecocks will not be making the trip to the Georgia Dome for the title game.
Yes, I know South Carolina has two conference losses and Georgia has one, but the Bulldogs did not play Alabama, LSU, Mississippi State or Texas A&M this year. Meanwhile South Carolina beat Georgia and also had to play LSU and Florida on the road.
Steve Spurrier was correct in saying a team’s division record should only be compiled against opponents in your division. Indeed.
Chris Bridges is sports editor of the Barrow Journal. You can reach him at cbridges@barrowjournal.com.
