NCAA Football: The Time For a Tournament is Now

Here we go again. Another football season ends with more than one undefeated team who are not playing each other in a bowl game.

We presently have five unbeaten squads entering the bowl season, and if Cincinnati beats Florida in the Sugar Bowl, we will be left with three undefeated teams to argue over.

This is no good fans. No good.

The FBS (Football Bowl Subdivision) needs to have a tournament similar to the FCS.

If there was ever a time for a serious public outcry for a tournament to choose the national title, this year is it!

Are we to think that because the coaches picked Alabama and Texas, first and second respectively, that these are the two best teams in the country?  I am sure fans in Cincinnati, Boise and Fort Worth would beg to differ. Gator fans would probably like to have another whack at the Crimson Tide as well.

I have been an advocate of a tourney for years. The plan I propose would be easily pulled off and very few people would have reason to cry.

Job one would be to select eight teams to participate, all undefeated teams would be included. Teams would not be able to include games from the FCS (Football Championship Subdivision, formerly known as Div. I-AA) on their schedule if they plan to participate in the new format.

The Major Bowl and Conference affiliations would be totally severed, they aren’t in good shape at any rate.

Week one of the playoffs would start the week after the scheduled games have been played. The bowls which I am using as an example are only that, they could be interchanged at will.

Round one would have the No. 1 team playing the No.8 team in the Sugar Bowl. The No. 4 squad would play No. 5 in the Cotton Bowl. No. 3 would play No. 6 in the Gator Bowl. The No. 2 team would play No. 7 in the Outback Bowl.  Coverage for television could split the games into two double-headers, maybe Friday night and then Saturday, or all four on Saturday.

The winners of Round one would advance the very next week to play in the National Semi-finals. The 1-8 winner would meet the 4-5 winner in the Fiesta Bowl, while the 3-6 winner would play the 2-7 winner in the Orange Bowl.

The winners would play the following Saturday in the granddaddy of them all, The Rose Bowl, for the National Championship, on New Years Day, or the day after. It is getting later and later into January to pin a prize on the national title winner.

The other bowl games could be played as they would see fit without disrupting the Championship Tournament.

This format could be completed in as little as three weeks after the season ends. A true, undisputed champion could be recognized. There would be no more than one undefeated team in the country and I can’t see why anyone would not be willing to accept this.

What do you say? Are you with me or against me?

Cliff Eastham is a Featured Columnist at Bleacher Report where this article was first published.