COLUMN: A perfect year to start college football playoffs

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by David Gordon

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Nobody could have predicted how this season has gone. Texas A&M University, the University of Miami and Penn State University have fallen upon hard times.

Schools that haven't graced the Top 10 in recent memory have shot through the polls. Northwestern University, the University of Kansas and Kansas State University have surpassed the traditional powers such as the University of Southern California and Notre Dame University.

Just when I thought everything was going great for college football, a situation that occurs every year has come back to haunt the sport like an obsessed old girlfriend (or boyfriend) that won't go away.

You know what I am talking about. It's that playoff controversy.

This week the University of Nebraska leapfrogged over Florida State University to claim the number-one spot in both major college football polls.

The problem is that Florida State did not have a game last Saturday. It was idle. Nebraska defeated the University of Colorado 44-21.

I can honestly say that I have absolutely no idea who the better team is. However, I do know is that something needs to be done with the current polling system.

Florida State has won convincingly in every game this season, racking up 70 or more points three times.

Apparently, Florida State has been penalized for not playing strong opponents.

They play a full eight-game ACC schedule that is set in stone.

Its two non-conference victories this season have come against weak in-state opponents, Central Florida University and Miami. However, Florida State has no idea how tough its opponents are going to be when they schedule the games three or four years in advance.

Nebraska has the current advantage of playing a Big Eight schedule that is filled with four or five tough games, including Kansas, Kansas State and the University of Oklahoma.

If all goes according to plan, the national championship game will be decided Thanksgiving weekend when the Seminoles travel to Gainesville for their annual game with the University of Florida. The winner will go on to face Nebraska in the Fiesta Bowl.

This leaves the only other undefeated team in the country, Ohio State University, out in the cold.

The Buckeyes have rolled over everything in their path, including Penn State and Notre Dame.

Their only blunder was to respect their opponents. Yes, in this day and age, they actually showed some sportsmanship.

They jumped out to a 56-0 lead over the University of Iowa. Nothing could stop them except for taking their starters out of the game. And that's exactly what they did.

Iowa scored 35 second-half points while holding the second and third-string Buckeyes scoreless. The result was a solid but not overwhelming victory.

The Buckeyes have as much right to claim a share of the national title as Florida, Florida State and Nebraska. However, they must accept the fact that they will never get that chance.

I have heard all of the arguments on each side of the issue. Most opponents of the playoff system claim that it is not possible for teams to play more games in each season.

This is absolutely ridiculous.

The games, like the current bowl system, would be played when school is not in session. Also, the players would probably be the ones most wanting to play the extra games.

Obviously, a six-game, 64-team tournament that the NCAA currently uses for its basketball championship would not work. I propose a two-game, four-team playoff would.

It would only mean one extra game (subtract one for the current bowl game). Think of it as a collegiate Super Bowl, possibly played on the Saturday before the Super Bowl.

The four teams would be decided using the current system. A combination of the USA/CNN Coaches' Poll and the Associated Press Poll would decide which four teams would participate.

The top-rated team would play the fourth while the second and third teams face off. If teams have played each other already during their regular season, they would be exempted from a first-round matchup.

This would almost ensure that we won't repeat last season.

Penn State, due to its Big 10 membership, was forced into playing Pac 10 champion Oregon, only ranked number 10, in the Rose Bowl.

Nebraska drew top-five Miami in the Orange Bowl.

Is it possible to judge between Nebraska and Penn State based on their performances against two different teams? This is what the pollsters do every week.

If there was a situation that proponents of the playoff system could use to prove their point, this year would fit the bill. I would love to see Ohio State, Nebraska, Florida and Florida State square off. So would every other football fan.

This item appeared in the Sports section of the November 3, 1995 issue.

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