As the end of the 2011-2012 college football season approaches there is one thing sports fans want to know.
When is there going to be a legitimate playoff system for college football?
Every year, the same argument appears in this sport. Why is there a computer that judges who will be in the national championship game? Why can’t we see a team like Boise State or Texas Christian University in the national championship game?
The only answer to that, which seems to come up every year, is the money.
Yes, the cities that host Bowl Championship Series games make a substantial amount of money, and no one wants to take the tradition out of the Rose Bowl or the Orange Bowl. So why can’t there be a playoff system with 16 of the best teams fighting for the championship in different cities that bring in the most revenue come bowl season?
For six straight years, there has been a South Eastern Conference team in the national championship game.
According to Forbes magazine, the SEC has eight of the 19 most valuable teams in college football, leaving their combining value to be $688 million.
In some sports fans minds there is a tie between money and who gets to hoist the crystal football at the end of the season.
Almost every year since the 1998 season there has been a questionable championship game in which some believe certain teams weren’t deserving of playing in the final championship game.
Since the controversies, 21 of the 28 teams that have competed for a championship since the BCS started in 1998 According to Forbes are a part of college football’s most valuable.
So in short, it is all about the money. Teams like Boise State, who is the only undefeated team in the 2006 regular season, will continue to not play in the game because it simply doesn’t generate enough revenue.
Experts will continue to make up excuses for teams that don’t bring in enough revenue. Like the strength of schedule, or which loss was a greater loss, but the best teams should be recognized and should ultimately have a chance to play other elite teams for a chance to compete for a national championship.