Down with the BCS: Presenting, a Playoff System that Will Work

College football's Bowl Championship series has created some fine messes, but this year is by far the messiest. With eight teams that can make a case for the championship game, it is clearer than ever that college football needs a playoff system. It's a sports argument that will never go away.

Those blinded by tradition will argue that college bowl games are sacred and would be tainted by a playoff system. Who's to say there isn't room for both? An eight team, seven-game playoff would be a perfect way to settle the national champion and leave plenty of room for other bowl games.

The eight teams should be let in by this order:

1) Any undefeated Division 1 team. This year's lone undefeated, Hawaii, would qualify.

2) Any BCS conference champion. This would yield playoff births for USC, LSU, Ohio St., Oklahoma, West Virginia and Virginia Tech.

3) Any remaining slots would be at-large bids determined by BCS rating. This year's lone at-large spot would go to Georgia.

4) The remaining bowl eligible teams that didn't make the playoffs could go to the second-tier bowl games (Cotton, Holiday, etc.).

The eight playoff teams should then be seeded according to their BCS rating. The top two teams would get a first round home game; the other five games would take place at the BCS bowl sites. With the top two teams receiving a home game, you preserve the season-long drama of 'Who's number 1 and 2?"

This year's match-ups would be:

1) Ohio St. vs. 8) Hawaii in Columbus, OH.

2) LSU vs. 7) West Virginia in Baton Rouge, LA.

3) Virginia Tech vs. 6) USC at the Fiesta Bowl.

4) Oklahoma vs. 5) Georgia at the Sugar Bowl.

The semifinals would occur at the Rose and Orange bowl. You could get marquee match-ups, such as Ohio St vs. Oklahoma and USC vs. LSU. Then, of course, you'd have the National Championship game in New Orleans.

This system would keep the regular season as exciting as ever because the conference championships would have an enormous value (a likely playoff birth). It would make the non-BCS conferences exciting, if one of their teams could go undefeated. All other teams would strive to stake their claim to a possible at-large birth.

This system proves there can be a playoff and keep every game meaningful. Take a look at the ACC this year. The conference championship game between Virginia Tech and Boston College would have essentially been a play in game.

The only team left feeling burned by this system would be the Missouri Tigers. They would have fallen just short of Georgia for the only at-large spot available. As a college football fan, Missouri feeling shunned is much better that a half dozen teams feeling shunned. Missouri would still get to go to a nice bowl game to as recognition for their great season.

This system would have provided many thrilling moments this season and cleaned up the current mess of the BCS. The regular season excitement would not have been compromised it would have been enhanced. It is a shame that such an exciting sport can be ruined by a disastrous system. The sport that brings us so much joy from September to December needs to find a way to spare us the bitter sweetness that comes to us in January. A playoff is the only way to do that. This proposed system may not be the best, but it is far superior to the BCS.