Rapture’s coming!

As much as it pains me to say it, I think that proponents of a playoff for D-1 football have good reason to be optimistic that it’s coming. The BCS powers that be didn’t make any moves this year, but it’s becoming apparent that there is some general sentiment building towards the implementation of a “plus-one” playoff formula.

The Fiesta Bowl president thinks so.

Mike Slive says they’ll talk about it next year.

Probably most important – the networks want it and are willing to pony up to get it.

Nevertheless, there are still plenty of issues to address.

Sure, it settles the 2003 and 2004 BCS “problems”. But it creates others. For example, check out Dennis Dodd’s playoff matchups from last season, using the “plus-one” set up:

• Rose: USC vs. Ohio State
• Fiesta: Oklahoma vs. Boise State
• Orange: Wake Forest vs. Louisville
• Chick-Fil-A in Atlanta (previously Sugar Bowl): Florida vs. Michigan
• Cotton Bowl: LSU vs. Notre Dame

For the sake of argument, let’s say that Ohio State, Boise State and Florida all emerged victorious from their games. Is there any combination of two schools that would be selected for the national title game that wouldn’t prove controversial? So what’s been gained here with a “plus-one”, other than a different dispute?

I suspect that with a pool of ten that isn’t seeded and from which only one game emerges afterwards this wouldn’t be an infrequent occurrence. Which means that the “plus-one” won’t be stable enough to be a final solution.

Which means we’ll wind up with an extended playoff when the dust settles.