What Does A Four Team Playoff Mean For Mid-Majors
What most people, who are not part of the “Big Six” conferences, are afraid of happening to a four-team playoff system.
I’ve spent quite a bit of time thinking about the new four team playoff system that has been given the okay by University Presidents recently. This was begged for by many fans and sports pundits on television. But how will this impact schools like the South Alabama’s and the Boise State’s (prior to joining the Big East)?
Well clearly it opens their opportunity up from a shot at one of two spots in the BCS National Title game to a shot at one of four spots in a four team playoff. But will that actually mean a mid-major school will actually be selected for one of those open spots?
Only time will actually answer that question. What we do know is that it will be a selection committee but we do not know who will make up that committee. Can you get impartial people to truly serve what is best for the sport? Or will they have some sort of bias for one team over another if they are close?
Will it ever come down to criteria that is not on the field? Would a team be selected for the number of tickets they sell if the on-the-field statistics are basically equal? Would this be bad?
Obviously there is a lot of unanswered questions that may continue to go unanswered for quite a while yet. Coach Jones thinks its good for the game and for South Alabama. Our opportunity has increased. But also as Coach Jones said, they have to go out and show that they can beat teams like NC State, Mississippi State and Hawaii before those questions will be answered.