Ryan ChartrandWith the recent election, it seems we can’t go anywhere without hearing how there needs to be change in America. Up until election day, the candidates pressed their messages for change in the economy, healthcare, foreign policy, energy independence – even college football. And for many, hearing something new in politics enticed our interest in the candidates again after a long campaign season.
Last Monday night I turned on the television to watch the Washington Redskins take on the Pittsburgh Steelers and wouldn’t you know, out popped the two presidential candidates making their cases for change.
McCain talked about steroid use in athletics (too serious of a topic, John, people are trying to relax and enjoy a game), while Obama opted to discuss the ridiculous Bowl Championship Series system (I don’t think anyone expected to hear this from Obama, but they liked it).
Obama has promised a lot of things, but his recent comment during a “Monday Night Football” halftime interview with Chris Berman before election day, laid out a plan for change, both conservatives and liberals can unite on: changing how it’s decided which teams play in the national championship game in college football.
“I think it is about time we had playoffs in college football… I’m fed up with those computer rankings,” Obama said in the interview. “Get eight teams – the top eight teams – right at the end. You got a playoff. Decide a national champion.”
For many of us college football fans and voters, it was music to our ears. If there is anything that can bring red states on board with blue states, it’s the idea of substituting bowl games with playoffs.
Election night showed that Obama’s strong message of change gave him the upper hand against his opponent in states where the economy is especially dire. It also probably wouldn’t have made a difference in states that were already leaning heavily Democrat. But who knows? Maybe if he mentioned playoffs in college football sooner in states like Texas, Oklahoma and Alabama where they live, breathe, sleep and eat football, he might have created a few more toss-up states and the night really would have been historic.
On election day, USC Trojans head coach Pete Carroll also expressed his long known desire for playoffs, but remained pessimistic that nothing can be done about the BCS system.
“I think it stinks. I don’t think it’s the way it should be,” Carroll said at a meeting with reporters. “But all we can do is keep talking about it.” The Trojans are now 8-1 for the season, and have no shot at the national title game with the current system.
However, Penn State Nittany Lions Coach Joe Paterno’s tone on the issue was that just talking about it was a waste. “I haven’t got the slightest idea what the BCS (is) – is it the BCS or the BSC? I don’t know,” Paterno said during a press conference that same day.
“They are going to do what they are going to do and it won’t make any difference what I say or comment on,” he added about the possibility of his team being left out of a national title game, even if it remains undefeated, assuming Texas Tech and Alabama also stay undefeated, which they did. And if you watched college football this Saturday, you know the No. 3 Nittany Lions lost their chance at the national championship game when they lost 24-23 to the unranked Iowa Hawkeyes.
Now there are six one-loss teams in the top seven and football fans want something done about the current system to put an end to ridiculous LSU and Florida routs over Ohio State in the national championship.
The Football Bowl Subdivision conference commissioners might not want this change, but what we have all seen from this historic election is that people can create change if they send a strong enough message. The parties will have to make compromises if they want to unite the country. Nonetheless, when it comes to playoffs in FBS football, a compromise will not be necessary, because the call will be unanimous: yes we can… have playoffs in college football.
Omar Sanchez is a journalism senior and Mustang Daily reporter.