House panel passes college football playoff bill

[Esau.]

By FREDERIC J. FROMMER

WASHINGTON (AP) - A House subcommittee approved legislation Wednesday aimed at forcing college football to switch to a playoff system to determine its national champion, over the objections of some lawmakers who said Congress has meatier targets to tackle.

The bill, which faces steep odds, would ban the promotion of a postseason NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision game as a national championship unless it results from a playoff. The measure passed by voice vote in a House Energy and Commerce Committee subcommittee, with one audible "no," from Rep. John Barrow, D-Ga.

"With all due respect, I really think we have more important things to spend our time on," Barrow said before the vote, although he stressed he didn't like the current Bowl Championship Series, either.

The BCS selections announced last weekend pit two unbeaten teams, No. 1 Alabama and No. 2 Texas, in the Jan. 7 national title game. Three other undefeated teams - TCU, Cincinnati and Boise State - will play in a BCS bowl game, but not for the championship.

"What can we say - it's December and the BCS is in chaos again," said the bill's sponsor, Rep. Joe Barton of Texas, the top Republican on the House Energy and Commerce Committee. He said the BCS system is unfair and won't change unless prompted by Congress.

The legislation, which goes to the full committee, would make it illegal to promote a national championship game "or make a similar representation," unless it results from a playoff.

There is no Senate version, although Sen. Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, has pressed for a Justice Department antitrust investigation into the BCS.

Shortly after his election last year, Barack Obama said there should be a playoff system.

In a statement before the vote, BCS executive director Bill Hancock said, "With all the serious matters facing our country, surely Congress has more important issues than spending taxpayer money to dictate how college football is played."

The subcommittee chairman, Rep. Bobby Rush, an Illinois Democrat who co-sponsored the bill, said, "We can walk and chew gum at the same time."

Yet Barrow wasn't alone in criticizing his colleagues' priorities; Reps. Zach Space, D-Ohio, and Bart Stupak, D-Mich., made similar arguments. Space said that with people facing tough times, the decision to focus on college football sends the "wrong message."

The bill has a tough road ahead, given the wide geographic representation and political clout of schools in the six conferences - the ACC, Big East, Big 12, Big Ten, Pac-10 and SEC - that get automatic BCS bowl bids

The current college bowl system features a championship game between the two top teams in the BCS standings, based on two polls and six computer rankings. Eight other schools play in the Orange, Sugar, Fiesta and Rose bowls.

Under the BCS, the champions of those six big conference get automatic bids, while other conferences don't. Those six conferences also receive far more money than the other conferences.

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[Davey Boy 2.0]

it's certainly strange that this kind of thing has to be spurred on by legislation. any other country would work it out amongst themselves, the colleges under the NCAA kinda thing

[Esau.]

Not being a football fan in general, let alone college ball, I'm not really aware of any issues already about this. Has this topic been a big deal for sometime now? I don't mean the gov't involvement, but an issue for players, fans and the schools.

[Jaimoe]

Not being a football fan in general, let alone college ball, I'm not really aware of any issues already about this. Has this topic been a big deal for sometime now? I don't mean the gov't involvement, but an issue for players, fans and the schools.

There's been a groundswell for years reagarding the notion of installing a playoff system. The BCS was "supposed" to fix some of the problems associated with the non-playoff format. However, BCS is flawed. A major issue is money, of course. Bowls are huge revenue makers for schools and broadcasters. However, imagine how great the ratings and potential TV revenue would be if there was a big March Madness type of football playoff?

[Hal Johnson]

However, imagine how great the ratings and potential TV revenue would be if there was a big March Madness type of football playoff?

Im with ya, but I wonder how it would work. A playoff like that would take forever to finish. The season would have to be stretched out quite a bit.

[Jaimoe]

However' date=' imagine how great the ratings and potential TV revenue would be if there was a big March Madness type of football playoff? [/quote']

Im with ya, but I wonder how it would work. A playoff like that would take forever to finish. The season would have to be stretched out quite a bit.

I think they could work something out with a playoff with the Top 20-25 teams, including conference winners.

I don't think the minor bowl games would go away either. I couldn't live without the International Bowl.

[badams]

I've always thought they should keep most of the bowl games but just use them as playoff games. The major bowls could host the finals , semi finals etc. They could rotate it every year. Maybe take the top 32 teams and start with 16 games. That would take 31 bowl games to reach a final. I believe there are 34 bowl games so it wouldn't take a lot to make the schedule work.

Of course as always money talks so the pigs who run the bowls and the conferences who are tied to the bowls do not want to give up any of their cash.

[Jaimoe]

It's a good idea Brad. I've heard it before and it could work. The CIS playoffs were killer BTW.

[badams]

Yes, the CIS playoffs were fantastic and the good guys won

[Whitey]

BCS is flawed, but for the most part they get it right.

TCU and Bosie State are playing in the Fiesta bowl and Cincinnati is playing Florida in the Sugar Bowl. All 3 undefeated teams will get their national exposure, big payouts and a chance to play in one of the top four bowls.

Sure they are undefeated,but so are Alabama and Texas. And going on strength of schedule, they do not deserve to play in the National Championship game.

Just how it is. Congress isn't going to change this.

[Jaimoe]

Congress runs the US. We'll see how this plays out.

[badams]

BCS is flawed, but for the most part they get it right.

TCU and Bosie State are playing in the Fiesta bowl and Cincinnati is playing Florida in the Sugar Bowl. All 3 undefeated teams will get their national exposure, big payouts and a chance to play in one of the top four bowls.

Sure they are undefeated,but so are Alabama and Texas. And going on strength of schedule, they do not deserve to play in the National Championship game.

Just how it is. Congress isn't going to change this.

This is where I see that the current system does not get it right.

There could be 3 undefeated teams at years end. So basically 3 teams will declare themselves unbeatable and champions. Then a voting / computer system crunches numbers and spits out a winner.

Screw that... put it on the field. To me the BCS winner is a paper champion. Not nearly as fun as a playoff series.

[Jaimoe]

To me the BCS winner is a paper champion. Not nearly as fun as a playoff series.

Bang on.