IT IS TIME FOR A PLAYOFF - Chapter 3 - Jim Ruppert's Bowl Schedule

Very similar to the first article. Consider how fantastic and compelling these matchups would be! The difference is that Jim Ruppert is saying use existing bowl games which would mean more travel for more teams than if the top seeded teams played on their home field for the first three rounds...

Jim Ruppert: Ruper Bowl would eliminate BCS mess

Jim Ruppert, SJ-R.com sports editor
THE STATE JOURNAL-REGISTER -
Springfield, Illinois
Posted Dec 08, 2008 @ 11:03 PM

The Bowl Championship Series has spoken. Florida and Oklahoma will play Jan. 8 in Miami for the heavyweight football championship of the world.

No less of an authority than President-elect Barack Obama has let the world know he thinks there should be a playoff to determine college football’s national champion. Enough of this Harris Interactive stuff. The USA Today coaches’ poll is good for generating conversation but not suited for determining the best football team in the land. And computers? What qualifies a computer to assess the heart of linebacker with a sprained ankle trying to play for his teammates?

A playoff is the only answer. For the past five years or so, this space has been devoted to keeping the NCAA and college football from messing with the current bowl system while also putting a playoff system in place.

... We use the top 16 teams in the final BCS standings that were released Sunday. We match them up in tournament fashion, 1 vs. 16, 2 vs. 15, etc.

The first round would be played Dec. 20, eight games in all. Then we’d have the four quarterfinal games on Dec. 27. The semifinals would be played Jan. 1 for old-time’s sake. And the national championship game would be ready to go Jan. 8 as advertised.
There would little or no missed class time because just about every school in America is on winter break on or around Dec. 15.

And the rest of the 33 bowl games that are out there, they can have their choice of any of the remaining schools in America. Take one that’s eliminated from the Ruper Bowl if you want. There’s plenty to go around.

So, in the first round, the lower eight of the sixteen teams have an opportunity to prove the pundits wrong. You could have four of the games on Saturday and the other four on Sunday. The NFL could actually take two week off, giving the players and staff a Christmas break. Assuming the top eight teams survive the first round, there would be some very compelling round 2 matchups: Oklahoma vs. Penn State, Florida vs. Texas Tech, , Texas vs. Utah and Alabama vs. USC. Again, split this between Saturday and Sunday.

Assuming that the top four seeds win again, now it's Oklahoma vs. Alabama, and Florida vs. Texas for the semifinals. Rather than New Year's Day, I'd put these games on the nest weekend. Whoever wins these two games play for a real National Championship on the next Saturday. Who wouldn't want to see this?

IT IS TIME FOR A PLAYOFF - List of Articles (with links)

Chapter 1 - Background
Chapter 1A - Background, Part 2
Chapter 2 - Example of Problem
Chapter 3 - Jim Ruppert’s Bowl Schedule
Chapter 4 - Another Point of View
Chapter 5 - Case Against 8 or 16 teams
Chapter 6 - Congress Gets Involved
Chapter 7 - Alternative 16 Team Plan
Chapter 8 - And More…
Chapter 9 - As I See It