by Travis Montera

Created on: November 19, 2008

Every year as Thanksgiving approaches the debates and pleas about a college football playoff system ensues between reporters, talk show radio hosts, and average college football fans. The passion expressed is fierce, but always fizzles out by the time the cold winds of February hit and football is swooped away until next season.

The frustration of the current system is daunting and unfair. Ask Auburn how fair the current system is after an undefeated 2004 season and they weren't even given the opportunity to compete for the National Championship. This season could prove to be an even bigger farce with the possibility existing of seven one loss teams and two undeafeated teams from the WAC and Mountain West conferences.

The BCS chairmen and even some television commentators will tell you this current system makes for the "MOST EXCITING REGULAR SEASON IN SPORTS". I will tell you this is a statement to make them more money and leave the college football world in a state of "What If?" after each and every season. The BCS was mainly established to declare a clear cut National Championship Game. Notice I did not say National Champion. In other words a way to make more television and sponsership dollars.

In 1996, I was a walk-on defensive back for Florida State University and was blessed to be apart of the 1997 Sugar Bowl. Before that game started we were ranked number one in the country after knocking the University of Florida from the top spot in our final regular season game. Arizona State was ranked number two and Florida was ranked number three. Florida had fallen further than that in the polls after we beat them, but because Nebraska lost it's conference chamionship game to Texas the week after, they were able to make their way back into the top three. Here is where things got interesting. There was no BCS system in 1996. By rule the PAC-10 champion (Arizona State) and the Big Ten Champion (Ohio State) had to play in the Rose Bowl. NO QUESTIONS ASKED. To top it off the Rose Bowl and Sugar Bowl were played on the same day. In fact, I remember getting back to the hotel from our defeat to Florida and watching the ending of the Rose Bowl hoping ASU would pull it out just so Florida couldn't win the National Chamionship. They did end up losing, Florida won the National Championship and take a look at the final top 8 in the poll that year:

1) Florida 12-1 2) Ohio State 11-1 3) Nebraska 11-2 4) Florida State 11-1

5) Arizona State 11-1 6) Penn State 11-2 7) Colorado 10-2

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