Anti-BCS folks hope to broaden their base

When Orrin Hatch chaired those Senate Judiciary hearings on the BCS back in July, it was evident something was missing.

Where were all the other committee members? Where were other congressmen who might ask questions or show they care? Well, having the meeting around Independence Day may have hurt.

Today, there's a new anti-BCS voice on the block, one that will launch a nationwide campaign starting Sunday when the first BCS poll is announced. It seeks for a college football playoff system to foster a more meaningful competition for a national champion.

It also seeks to attack the arrogant folks at the BCS with the only assault that seems to make them blink — pressure from government. To channel that federal power, you need numbers, and weeks to recruit key faces and pocketbooks.

Leave USC, Texas or Florida out of a title picture when they have a case, don't you think sugar-daddy boosters at those schools won't flip coin and their politician's squeal?

Plan it. Organize it. Focus. Broaden the effort.

This issue isn't as emotional around here, with BYU and Utah longshots to make a BCS bowl or dance in a title spotlight. But the issue remains valid for undefeated TCU or Boise State.

There's a political action committee now registered with the feds called Playoff PAC. Its sole purpose is to ratchet up political pressure to change college football. You can visit www.PlayoffPAC.com to learn more about the nuts and bolts.

"We feel it's entirely appropriate for this issue to fall within the political/government arena because of college football's financial and cultural significance," said Utah native Matthew Sanderson, a campaign finance lawyer who recently worked as counsel for presidential candidate John McCain.

This PAC has already recruited supporters and sponsors from states that are home to BCS schools in Georgia, Texas and California and will announce endorsements from elected officials in some of those states in addition to Utah, Idaho and Hawaii next week.

"Our ads start Sunday and our press releases begin Monday," said Sanderson.

The BCS spent $700,000 lobbying Congress while the Mountain West Conference, in wake of University of Utah successes in 2004 and 2008, has budgeted just $200,000.

This new movement seeks to up the ante.