Playoff Far From Perfect

Tyler ScottTHE SANTA CLARAJanuary 15, 2015

[dropcap]W[/dropcap]e got what we wanted. College football implemented a four-team postseason this year after 15 seasons of the Bowl Championship Series and the victor has been crowned.

Congratulations to the Ohio State University Buckeyes. They are the “Undisputed Champs,” according to the official championship t-shirts they received after demolishing the University of Oregon Ducks 42-20 on Monday. But with only four teams in the playoffs, are they really?

I believe the only way to have one true champion is to expand the playoffs to eight teams. This way, the five “power conferences” each get their winner into the playoff as well as three at-large teams.

Last month, Texas Christian University steamrolled the University of Mississippi in the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl, 42-3, behind their star quarterback Trevone Boykin and their ferocious defense. Ole Miss was a Southeastern Conference stronghold and the drubbing by the Horned Frogs surprised many.

Ohio State third-string quarterback Cardale “12-Gauge” Jones blasted the Ducks in the championship game after already shocking the University of Alabama in the semifinal Allstate Sugar Bowl. The No. 4 seed Buckeyes almost didn’t even make the playoff because they played in a weak Big Ten Conference this season. So, we got what we wanted, right?

Wrong. The world wanted to see a champion crowned who didn’t possess an inkling of a doubt, but TCU and Baylor University didn’t even get a chance to compete.

There was much debate leading up to the final playoff rankings.

The Horned Frogs held the No. 3 spot in Week 15, but despite winning their final game against Iowa State University, 55-3, Ohio State and Baylor jumped them in the final rankings and both TCU and Baylor were left out. All three teams won their final games, but while at least two of the three deserved to make the playoffs, only one was selected, highlighting the problem.

The Buckeyes’ surprising path to a championship behind their third-string quarterback and a lackluster conference to win the first College Football Playoff shouldn’t have any doubts to it. But it does.

Who’s to say TCU or even Baylor couldn’t have beaten any or all of the four teams that made the playoffs?

Nobody should have to. Too often with the BCS, things were decided by votes and computers. That’s still happening. With eight teams vying for the title, we find out who the best team was this year. Not taking anything away from OSU, but as one sign spotted on the sidelines said, “Winner Plays TCU.”

Wouldn’t that have been something?

Tyler Scott is a junior marketing major and the editor of the Sports section.