March Madness and the Dream for a College Football Playoff

  My NCAA bracket has taken the stomping of a lifetime this year. As I anticipate tonight's game, I can't help but think about how great this tournament has been. Any number of games would have had a different outcome if one shot had been hit or missed. I remember all the analysts talking about who they thought would win and why. And I've become a fan of Charles Barkley bringing those analysts down a notch or two. If anyone knew who would be national champs before the tournament started then we should've carved out the trophy and given it to them right off the bat.

  I know the idea of a playoff in College Football is nothing new, but I think that it could be done. I think that it should be done. I also think that it could be done in conjunction with those precious BCS Bowl Games that bring in the BIG money to any school that makes the cut. And it seems like there are more of them every year.

  So in the spirit of unlikely events (like No. 8 Butler playing No. 3 UConn for a national title) I would like to outline my idea for a Bowl Game/Playoff hybrid.

  Over the past few years the problem with the BCS system hasn't been a concern for anyone except maybe the top 3 or 4 teams. I would like to see AT LEAST the top 3 teams, but no more than the top 5, compete in a playoff. The 2 and 3 teams (and 4 and 5 teams) would play each other early on in the Bowl Season. In the event that there is a tie for any of the top 5 spots those tied teams would play each other for that rank. The winner of that (those) game(s) (which could still be called bowl games and even the losing schools would still get a chunk of cash for) would have a while to rest and prepare for the national championship game against the number one team.

  In between this playoff game (or games) the traditional bowl games would be played. The schools would still have the financial benefits of the Bowl games and there would be little or no room left for the 3rd ranked team to say that they should have had a shot at the title. Football is a different beast and there would be no way to play a basketball type of playoff where the top 5 or so would play each other down to the last two standing so the BCS system would still play a role.

  I would gladly hear any counterpoints to this theory.