Sports are always exciting and unpredictable. The key figures who get to decide the course are often sources of controversy.
When it comes to college football, the method of selecting teams could make or break a season. So, it’s no surprise that the current method of choosing teams for the playoff playoff, unlike the Bowl Championship Series (BCS) system, has sparked a controversy. This change has caused undefeated teams, such as the Florida State Seminoles, to be left out this season.
The creator of the BCS, Roy Kramer, believed that computer rankings should be part of the process to avoid subjective bias. Through some trial and error, the BCS did bring a decade of controversy-free competitions, but this was replaced by a less transparent committee-based system. It’s easy to wonder if that was a mistake.
This year, the Florida State Seminoles clearly stand out with an impressive 13–0 record. As an ACC member, their road to the top was not easy. Despite their undefeated status, they were snubbed from the playoff due to the “expert” committee’s decision.
It’s leaving plenty of fans and analysts questioning if the sport made the right choice by moving away from the BCS’s clear process. If the BCS was still the method used today, would the Seminoles have made it into the playoff? based on what we’ve seen, it leans towards a resounding “yes.”