Hatch endorses anti-BCS group

A new political-action committee launched a drive Monday seeking to dump the Bowl Championship Series of college football in favor of a playoff system, and Sen. Orrin Hatch was among those cheerleading at its kickoff.

The Playoff PAC is not yet saying exactly who is financing its anti-BCS efforts, but it said it is seeking money from fans and booster groups at schools, including the University of Utah and BYU.

"The BCS's days without daily, active and organized opposition are over," said the first news release from the Playoff PAC, released to coincide with release of the first BCS rankings of 2009 that determine who will play in the BCS championship game.

"We have a lot of plans in the works," PAC co-founder Matthew Sanderson told the Deseret News.

Sanderson, a Utah native and U. graduate, said that includes gathering and disseminating data to the media to rebut BCS arguments, donating to the campaigns of politicians who favor playoffs, commissioning polls and holding events that "spotlight the inadequacies and flaws of the status quo."

Its first shot in that battle was a news release announcing its formation, which included cheers from some members of Congress representing states where some colleges were excluded from national championship games despite records that were as good or better than those of bowl participants.

"I believe the BCS to be fundamentally unfair," Hatch said for the first news release. He had held a hearing earlier this year to highlight problems such as the undefeated U. being excluded from last season's championship game, while the game's participants each had one loss.

"Even after hearing the complaints of millions of college football fans, not to mention government officials, they (BCS officials) are apparently unwilling to make any significant changes," Hatch said, adding that he backs any reasonable effort to push for a playoff system.

Rep. Neil Abercrombie, D-Hawaii, said Monday, "Yesterday's release of the first BCS rankings for 2009 reminds us that selecting a major college football national champion is still arbitrary and anti-competitive."

The University of Hawaii was undefeated in 2007 and played in a BCS bowl, but did not play in the championship game where one participant had one loss and the other had two losses.

"The entire BCS system is a farce. It arbitrarily selects champions and reduces competition between conferences," said Rep. Joe Barton, R-Texas. "College football's postseason championship should be decided on the field, and that's why a playoff season is needed."

Barton also held House hearings on the BCS this year. Many at the University of Texas also felt the Longhorns should have had a shot at the championship game last season because their record matched those of the participants.