BCS Hope?

OK, so my first post of 2008 isn't about faith, but in some ways it is because I think it takes a great deal of faith to believe that the college football mess will ever be worked out. Before I go any further, let me say I am an Ohio State Buckeyes fan. I recognize that 7 or 8 out of 10 times the LSU Tigers would beat the Bucks and they clearly outplayed them in the National Championship game. With that being said, let me make a few points about the game and college football in general.

1. Ohio State is the only program to make it to the National Championship game in 3 of the last 7 years. (The Bucks won a title in 2002...most sports writers have forgotten that when they blast Jim Tressel for not being able to withstand the pressure of title games!)

2. There are 31 bowl games. That means 31 teams end the season with a win and 31 do not. 57 other teams don't even make a bowl. So, my question is would you rather win the Peach Bowl or lose the National Championship? I would rather be playing for a title than playing for pride any day.

3. Ohio State lost a Heisman Trophy winner and 4 NFL first-round draft choices on offense along with their top rusher. This was a "rebuilding year" yet the Bucks were still back in the title hunt. Only LSU and USC have even been in multiple National championship games under the new format. 99 teams have never played for a BCS championship.

4. This is the time of year everyone clamours for a playoff system in college football. Frankly, I would like to see it myself, but there is just no way to pull it off. As I was thinking about it, many scenarios have been offered to include the ever popular "plus 1" system where 8 teams would playoff and then add an extra week to the season. That means football players who make it to this game have 5 or 6 weeks off from football each year. Where is the priority on making them "student" athletes?? Ohio State made $26 million last year from athletics...yet, student-athletes can't get paid for the year long job they do for their school?

5. There won't be a playoff because too many schools would be left out and there would still be complaining. If you have a field of 8 people will complain that they deserved a shot. If you have a field of 88....same thing will happen. Like I said before, 31 teams go out winners and for some that is a very big deal compared to having only 1.

Congratulations LSU.....bah humbug, to all the writers who have blasted OSU for accomplishing what no other team has achieved and not giving credit to what it takes to make it to the title game 2 years in a row.