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Dick Harmon: Flawed BCS is exposed again

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bcs is stupid | 12:33 a.m. Jan. 3, 2009
the love of money .. oh how you make me sick!
Another Eye Poke for the BCS | 12:30 a.m. Jan. 3, 2009
Ain't it just great. Hopefully Obama will fix this mess too!!! Happy New Year... Utah IS number one as far as the citizens in this state. CONGRATULATIONS!
Paul Dayton | 12:40 a.m. Jan. 3, 2009
Amen Dick!
Comments continue below
What College Football Needs | 12:41 a.m. Jan. 3, 2009
is a playoff.

ANYBODY with a brain knows that.

(There's the problem...the BCS rulers don't have brains....)

- 10 game regular season

- 16 team playoff system using either the poll's top 16 teams or play the conference champions and a few conference #2s as the 16 teams....starting with 16 teams gives the 2 teams playing the championship game a 14 game season

- single game elimination

- one week between games except for the championship when each team gets 2 weeks to prepare (football ain't like basketball; players need more time to recuperate.....plus the media would love the hype 2 weeks would give)

- ROTATE THE BOWL GAMES so EVERY bowl game sees a playoff (though some of the small ones might need to skip a year) and the major bowls get the big games

- thoughts?
BlueBoy | 12:42 a.m. Jan. 3, 2009
The BCS isn't going away any time soon, in spite of what Utah did to Alabama.

However, if a playoff system is finally reached, it'll only be an 8-team affair, again small enough to keep out the riff-raff, like Utah et al.

If you don't think the BCS-minded pollsters won't keep a non-BCS school out of the top 8, you're dreamin'.

It was fun to watch Utah wallop Bama. Now, it'll be more fun to see how the talking heads try to diminish Utah's win, like saying Bama was missing key offensive players most or all of the game, even though their defense couldn't stop Utah from scoring 34 on them. Heh. It'll be fun, but they'll get away with it because these talking heads own the airwaves.
From: BamaMag @ Scout Compare 19 | 12:54 a.m. Jan. 3, 2009
"Consider that Utah, after taking 12-1�now 12-2�Bama to the woodshed, has an A-list non-conference win to accompany its sensational in-conference conquest of TCU, which will close the 2008 rankings in the top 10. If one were to compare the 2008 Utes to the 1984 Brigham Young team that won the national title, the credentials of Kyle Whittingham's kids are far better than those offered by their instate rival from Provo." GUESS THAT BOUT SAYS IT ALL! WAY TO UTES!
Not to Mention | 12:59 a.m. Jan. 3, 2009
The Ole Miss team that beat Florida, which also trounced Texas Tech, the same TTU team that beat Texas that allowed OU to play for the national title.
Mr. Harmon | 1:02 a.m. Jan. 3, 2009
Tell me true - did you borrow a red U. sweatshirt for the game? Glad to have you on the U. side, even if it is only for one night.
smutz | 1:39 a.m. Jan. 3, 2009
Before anyone continues to panic over the fact that USC is in fact the dominate factor in college football, also remember that Pete Carol seems to be very disappointed with the BCS system. In fact, with a playoff system, USC would likely have two more BCS titles--if not three.

For all those BYU fans who have found devine intervention in some of BYU's great football game endings, why is BYU where it is now and Utah where it is now? Maybe the Lord is far more interested in starving, sick children in devastated Africa and literally not so interested in the tossing of a pig skin around a field on a Saturday afternoon.

Time to... | 1:41 a.m. Jan. 3, 2009
burn down the BCS house. And Utah lit the match tonight with their win over Alabama.

This isn't just a sports argument, this is also a money argument, and when the BCS is running a virtual monopoly, they are violating the Sherman Anti-trust act. Utah's win over Alabama give those who want to take this argument to the courts the ammunition they need.
nechochwen | 1:41 a.m. Jan. 3, 2009
I say that a playoff should only involve the conference champions - and only take the top eight of the twelve champions. I don't know how to determine that - polls?

Playing the 1-8 ranked teams makes winning the conference championship less important. Make the season and the post-season actually rewarding like it used to.

This is apparent in basketball. It drives me nuts that a "mid-major" team can win 20+ games and their conference championship, but lose on a bid because they f'd up in a tourney. Yet a fourth-place ACC team can get an at-large bid and possibly win the Big Dance. Awesome regular season...
nechochwen | 1:47 a.m. Jan. 3, 2009
SO, keep the big bowls, but now they're the first round of the playoff. Rose can have the PAC and Big 10 champs. Fiesta can have Big 12 and MWC champs. Sugar can have SEC and Conference USA champs. Orange can have Big East and ACC champs. NO AT LARGE TEAMS. The bowls can rotate conference affiliations. A higher-ranked champ (or independent?) can replace them if that champ was better that year (aka WAC champ instead of PAC champ). Or even rank the champ according to conference rank, not just individual play.

You can still have the other bowls for non-champs.

Many questions on logistics, but at least you can declare a champ honestly.

Congrats to the Utes. I loved the whooping...
True red | 2:03 a.m. Jan. 3, 2009
Years back, the excuse was that it would take the players out of school for too long if there was a playoff. Yet, school starts up again next week and there are still several games to be played, with the NC game one week away. Seems that it doesn't matter that much any more. Playoffs could be worked in the same time frame. New year's day could become meaningful again. If the power conferences were as good as they're touted, they wouldn't need to worry about keeping out a lesser team, since they would rout them out early in the playoffs. MWC has just as much right as the ACC for an auto-bid. Another threat of anti-trust investigations of the BCS is needed to truly bust it. It was that threat in the past that got it to open the way for Utah to even get in to begin with. As it is, teams like Bama can blame their lack of enthusiasm for opponents like Utah for their losses. A playoff would rectify that, since the winner would have the motivation to move on to the next bracket, where bowls' stagnant nature can actually dishearten a good team's motivation.
Ernesto de Bajo | 2:22 a.m. Jan. 3, 2009
I'd like to see the NCAA show some backbone. It should organize a playoff. The playoff should be completely under NCAA authority and should ignore the bowl games completely.

Initially, this would result in a situation similar to college basketball where there were two post-season tournaments, the NIT and the NCAA, with the NIT, the non-NCAA tournament, being the big brother. This has evolved to today's reversed roles where the NCAA basketball tournament is the legitamate championship tournament and the NIT is a consolation tournament.

Eventually, the NCAA football playoff would surpass the Bowls in significance. This is the day that we are looking forward to!
Andre Smith was out!!! | 3:07 a.m. Jan. 3, 2009
Andre Smith was out, so that is why Utah was able to win. Blah blah blah. Part of the game is having a brain in your head larger than a pea. If you are too dumb to get caught breaking rules or laws, well then that is your own problem. Utah's players could have also been suspended for myriad reasons, but were smart enough to avoid this. So spare me this sorry excuse.
Non-BCS crybabies | 3:18 a.m. Jan. 3, 2009
Please, give it a rest already. We went through this garbage two years and four years ago. Non-BCS teams just aren't as good as BCS teams. Utah was better that Bama tonight no doubt about it, but Bama is not Oklahoma, USC, Texas, or Florida.Neither was Boise or the 2004 utah team. This writer tries to dismiss strength of schedule as if that doesn't matter, but when you're toughest games are at home against decent Byu and Tcu teams then you can't really hold a candle to oklahoma or florida. Teams who have to play at Georgia, LSU, Texas, Tech, Miss., and Bama every week. They don't have a Wyoming, Unlv, sdsu, or eber state to take the week off against. Utah beat bama, congrats on a great season, but give them Oklahoma or Florida's schedule and they end up at best 8-5 just like any other bcs wannabe from the mwc, wac, cusa, or whatever.
beagal | 3:33 a.m. Jan. 3, 2009
Can anything good come out of Utah?
Absolutely!
Theeyepatch | 4:10 a.m. Jan. 3, 2009
Utah will never get the respect it deserves, I mean the Utes are not even the favorite team of the state. Why should any outside team give us respect! All we can do is beat-down every team that comes our way and let the program speak for itself. We didn't even have much of a running game and the Utes defense was crushing. That was 'bama, I'm not impressed and they gave #1 Florida a hard time. These teams from the East are crowned at the beginning of every year, well it's time to look at Utah a different way and I think after tonight maybe we will get the respect that's deserved. The two ex-Cowboy coaches that hosted the pre-game gave us no chance especially the one that won the Super Bowl by inheriting the other coach's team [J. Johnson] in case you didn't know? GO Utes see you next year!
beagal | 4:41 a.m. Jan. 3, 2009
"Can anything good come from Utah?
Absolutely!
Congrats | 5:28 a.m. Jan. 3, 2009
I tip my hat to the U of U. Once again they have done their job and have done justice to the state, the MWC, and the West. I agree with BlueBoy that the BCS isn't going away any time soon. However, maybe the BCS will wake up and put the MWC as an automatic invite someway and somehow.
3 and 1 | 5:56 a.m. Jan. 3, 2009
Non-BCS schools are now 3-1 in BCS bowl games. If I were a BCS conference, I'd be trying to keep BCS teams out of my bowl games too.
BCS is Good | 5:59 a.m. Jan. 3, 2009
Just tweak the current BCS system, by giving the MWC an automatic bid. Better yet, forget automatic conference bids, and go by the final season poll of top ranked teams.

There are very good things about the current BCS system. The regular season MEANS SOMETHING and EVERY game is important. When you have a playoff, the regular season is diminished and only determines where a team will be seeded. The main season is the playoffs.

In the current BCS and bowl system, half of all the participating 60 plus teams end the season as winners. In a playoff, all teams return home as losers, except one.

Big time college football teams need a three week break between the regular season and bowl games to rest and recover. Football is not like basketball, which requires little rest time.

The BCS is NOT all about money. A playoff system would bring in much more money.

No system is perfect. Just "fine-tune" the BCS and it will be just about right.
Cougar | 5:57 a.m. Jan. 3, 2009
I can't understand where the presidents of the universities are in all of this. The presidents are supposed to be running the NCAA, not the power brokers for the BCS and not ESPN or other TV networks. Can't these presidents see how corrupt the BCS is? Can't these president show some backbone and guts? Can't they stand up for what's right?
Playoff Options | 6:17 a.m. Jan. 3, 2009
The playoffs aren't coming soon, but they ARE coming...

When they arrive, it CAN'T be a "plus one" system where the best two teams after the bowl game are paired. This won't solve anything! For example, the likely scenario after this year is that Utah, Texas, USC, and the Florida / Oklahoma winner are all worthy of another game. A couple of other teams might also make a pretty good case for inclusion.

My own favorite is a 12 team playoff, with the top 4 seeds being given a bye in the first game. My next choice is 16 teams, and by far my last choice is 8 teams. Anything less than 8 would be a disaster, and as BlueBoy pointed out earlier, 8 teams still leaves the BCS schools too much in control of the outcome..
Cougar Sandy | 6:16 a.m. Jan. 3, 2009
Utah is the NC - well done Dick Harmon except one error. I am no proof reader for any newspaper co. I double check before saying anything - it is not Monday for the final stage - it is Thursday Jan 8th 2009.
Yes it is sad that bcs is such a flawed and same for those medias jokers. And Berry Switcher (sp) is putting his foot in the mouth again!
NCBYUFAN | 6:47 a.m. Jan. 3, 2009
"IF"...and I mean "IF", the MWC should be invited to participate in the BCS, it would be "poetic just" for the MWC to say "thanks, but no thanks". Perhaps it is time for someone to throw integrity into this rotten process.
metamoracoug | 7:10 a.m. Jan. 3, 2009
Again . . . Great win by the Utes. My cougar hat is off to you.

After TX demolishes Ohio St, they'll also have a legitimate gripe about not being in the natioal championship game. That is exactly what will bring the demise of the present BCS system. Potentially, 3 teams (Utah, USC, TX) who could argue that they should be national champs. It may be about big money for the BCS, but for players, coaches, and fans of these teams it's still about a title.

Sooner or later, the public will complain and the system dumped because I'm willing to go the step Harmon is not. The BCS isn't just flawed. It's fraud.
Lorz B. | 7:12 a.m. Jan. 3, 2009
I'm a lifelong BYU fan, but kudos to Utah. They always come to a bowl game ready to play. That is something BYU needs to learn from the Utes. The very least Utah proved is that the MWC deserves an automatic bid. I'm so sick of the elitism of the "major" conferences--they just don't know what to do when a "mid-major" hands them their heads on the field. That is where it SHOULD be decided. Every year it is proven what a joke the BCS is, maybe this will be the year they finally decide to fix it. By the way, you'd think that idiot Barry Switzer would learn. I know this was a long time ago, but running his mouth got him into trouble the year BYU won the national championship & his Sooners lost their bowl game. He said just as many stupid things about Utah last night and by association the MWC. POOR coverage by FOX.
RE: What College Football Needs | 7:18 a.m. Jan. 3, 2009
I'm all for it! If only it would become a reality?
WOW! | 7:30 a.m. Jan. 3, 2009
I think I just watched the REAL National Champions play! Utah was AWESOME! This Utah team given time to prepare, would beat any team in the nation, period! They have my vote for #1. This from a BYU FAN!
Greg | 7:43 a.m. Jan. 3, 2009
I am a BYU fan and can't stand Utah in a way that a good and heated rivalry requires. But I have yet to be pursuaded by an argument that says Utah is not number 1. That was tough to write and I have to go wash 7 times in the Provo River now.
Predetermined Champions | 7:45 a.m. Jan. 3, 2009
Only 15-20 teams in college football are "storied" enough and have enough "tradition" to be national champions.
These teams will automatically be ranked in the preseason top 10-15, and without a rank in the top 10-15 in the preseason, NO team with EVER win a NC!
Duke and Vanderbilt will NEVER do this, neither will most Big East schools.

Preseason polls need to go away. No ranking until week 5-6!!!
Scott | 7:56 a.m. Jan. 3, 2009
A playoff system would take some of the spice out of college football.... Look at the pro game, does anyone talk about who is the best after the super bowl? Heck no. In the college game, fans talk about who was the best years later. 2008 will be talked about 10, 20 years from now. That is one of the things that makes the college game unique and exciting. By comparison, the pro game is really boring. Keep the polls. College football does not need a playoff system.
Whatev. | 7:59 a.m. Jan. 3, 2009
The argument that Utah is better than USC because Utah beat OSU who beat USC does not make sense. Oregon also beat OSU. Take Utah to OSU's field and they might not have had the chance to make the last second field goal. So, I guess if Oklahoma wins and Texas wins then Texas is the national champ because they beat Oklahoma. Nope. Utah had an amazing year, great team. You can run in circles with who beat who but you won't get anywhere. It is what it is, a flawed system. Congrats to the Utes on the great season.
Print your own banner | 8:06 a.m. Jan. 3, 2009
Just print your own "National Champions 2008" banner and hang it up in Rice-Eccles stadium anyway. With such a flawed system, who could really argue against it? The selection of a football national champion is obviously very subjective. If we had enough schools printing their own "National Champions" banners, it would probably force changes to the current system.
True Colors!! | 8:19 a.m. Jan. 3, 2009
Utah deserves a share of that National Championship. Utah has done more in this defeat than any of the previous BCS berths. Think about it. Utah 2004 beat a crappy Pitt team, Boise St beat a two loss Oklahoma team and of course Hawaii could not even compete against Georgia. However this team took it to a team that almost beat Florida in the SEC championship. Utah belongs and if I were a voter, I would vote Utah as a National Champion. Even if it was a shared national championship. Also, us BYU fans can even see those colors and Utah deserves it. Way to go Utah. I loved the game and it was fun seeing Barry Shwitzer squirm on national TV. Utah the true "Quest of Perfection".
MizzouBlue | 8:19 a.m. Jan. 3, 2009
Way to go Utes! This Cougar believes the Utes could beat any of the top-ranked teams this year and has earned the right to be ranked #1. Unfortunately, the "Biased Championship Series" will go to the winner of Oklahoma-Florida.
The so called experts have never gotten over BYU receiving the #1 ranking in 1984 and will do whatever it takes to keep teams from non-BCS schools out.
Again, congrats to the Utes. We're proud of you.
Austin Cougar | 8:18 a.m. Jan. 3, 2009
I agree with you entirely, but as much as UT at Austin would like to believe it, the National Championship game isn't on Monday (Fiesta Bowl), it is on Thursday.
Jeff R | 8:21 a.m. Jan. 3, 2009
Yep, to all those that said Utah was a fraud and was going to get beat by at least 3 touchdowns. Now a 16 team playoff should make sense to everyone in the country. That would bring in more revenue for those schools that make it to the playoffs. Instead of having 32 of the most worthless bowls. And having teams that are 9-4 in a so called BCS game, even the V Tech beat Cinci. Just goes to show how flawed this system is. Utah did all the Non BCS teams a favor last night. And let us hope and pray that change is on the way. Lets hope we can do it again next year, who ever busts the BCS.
Gretzky | 8:30 a.m. Jan. 3, 2009
did any of you watch the 1-AA championship game (the one weber state almost made it to)? if you noticed, there was only an NCAA logo on the field. no beer ads or posters, no aflac commercials, no allstate field goal netting, no nothing else. THAT is what the BSC is all about....MONEY being pumped into the NCAA coffers via ads and on-field logos AND at the same time avoiding any impropriety with Title IX rules. plain and simple, the NCAA would rather have the money to fund all other sports programs with playoffs and true titles than to lose money and thus the other sports programs. this is why the NCAA is held hostage. Sure, the NCAA would love to crown a football div. 1-A champ but they would lose too much money and too many other programs would be cut under title IX.
Sanko | 8:49 a.m. Jan. 3, 2009
BCS has one too many letters. Take out the "C" and you have a good description of the system.
Ohio Ute | 8:53 a.m. Jan. 3, 2009
The BCS was really banking on an Alabama win. They knew better than to put the Utes against a weaker opponent like they foolishly did in '04 against Pittsburgh. So there was no way Utah would play OSU, VTech or Cincy. The BCS wanted Alabama (#1 for 5 weeks)to squash Utah so they could claim non-BCS teams do not deserve a shot at the NC and can't play with larger programs. Well, it obviously back fired. The U has such a complete and cohesive team. Definitely a team of destiny. It also goes to show the MWC is far superior, at least, to the ACC and Big (L)east. Non-BSC schools are now 3-1 in BCS games. I hope that the U, along with BYU, TCU, and BSU keep on collectively shoving it to the illegal BCS system and their supporters. Go Utes!
Pee Wee | 8:54 a.m. Jan. 3, 2009
That Brandon Johnson is a pretty good QB, right Dirk?
Henry Drummond | 9:01 a.m. Jan. 3, 2009
Its a case of wanting to have your cake and eat it too. They want to keep their automatic bowl berths in big money games but they want to be respected as true national champions. The powerhouse schools is going to have to give up one or the other. So far they have been giving up the chance to have the National Championship decided by athletes. Certainly there can and should be a playoff system. Then Utah and USC and Texas can settle this on the field not inside computers.
Cory | 9:01 a.m. Jan. 3, 2009
Doesn't it occur to some of you people calling for a playoff that if there were a playoff this year, the odds are Utah would not have been in it? The only reasonable number for a playoff is eight and the most likely playoff format would have had the six major conference champions (ACC, SEC, Big 10, Big 12, Big East and Pac 10) along with two others, in this case most probably Texas and Alabama. Utah would not have had the chance to show what they could do. Altho Utah doesn't have a realistic chance to win the National Championship, if anything this enhances their stature and makes a better case against a playoff system.
wer | 9:03 a.m. Jan. 3, 2009
Last night on TV, none other than Barry Switzer said before the game that Bama hadn't recruited any players on the Utah team. (Implying that none of the Utes were good enough to play for the Tide.)

After the network replayed his comments during half time and the announcers had a good laugh (including Barry), he stated that Bama wanted to be in the national championship game while Utah was happy to be in the Sugar Bowl.

He may have stated a truth that nobody else has postulated. Nonetheless, with all the veiled excuses about Bama's loss of OL starters, etc., clearly Utah belongs in the NC game and the so called "Big" 10 will continue to embarrass themselves (along with the ACC and "Big" East) on national TV.
Need change | 9:10 a.m. Jan. 3, 2009
It isn't about the competition, it is about the money. Maybe you should pressure Gordon Gee, a former Utahn who is the President at Ohio State and a proponent of the BCS, to change his stance. The BCS system badly stinks, is hypocritical and bad for the student-athlete.
To Smutz | 9:12 a.m. Jan. 3, 2009
Utah just won one of the greatest games and I am proud they are from Utah. Your post was just plain idiotic. This had nothing to do with BYU or the Lord and starving children. You beat BYU and you beat them good. Was that not enough? Do you really need to show how stupid you are? Get a life
A Joke | 9:19 a.m. Jan. 3, 2009
This BCS system is not going away anytime soon for two reasons. 1) Even though a playoff system would generate more money for the NCAA, it could risk the BCS leagues getting their guaranteed millions every year. The NCAA is not going to want to mess with the BCS leagues. 2) Even though there are tons of complaints about the BCS, TV ratings are good and the money keeps flowing in. Why change something that is keeping the BCS leagues happy and bringing in milions and millions of dollars.

I just wished the automatic bids would be reduced. The matchup for the Orange bowl was pathetic. If there can't be a playoff, the I would at least like to see 5 interesting matchups.

Greed is in charge of NCAA football. It's a joke.
Sammy | 9:22 a.m. Jan. 3, 2009
If the top 4 teams in the country are paired in the BCS then that leaves only 2 teams at the end of our current system who have a claim to the title.

Let them play. Winner take all.

We don't need a play off. The bowl game is the reward for a successful season for the teams getting there.

We only need to add one game to decide who is the National Champion.

In this case Utah will most likely play Florida.

Let's get it scheduled now.

Go Utah!!!

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