Format for a playoff

College football approaches another controversial ending involving the Bowl Championship Series. The BCS is not going away, neither are calls for a Division I national championship playoff system. A common-sense solution would allow both to exist.

   First, the final BCS standings are used to seed the top eight teams in quarterfinal games played on the second Saturday of December. Losers receive automatic bids to BCS bowl games on New Year’s Day. Next, the winners advance to the semifinals played on the third Saturday in December. Semifinal losers meet in a BCS bowl played on the first Saturday after New Year’s Day. Finally, semifinal winners play in the BCS national championship game on the following Monday night.

   This plan keeps the existing BCS bowl lineup in place. It does not affect the other existing bowl games. The compromise with some tweaking allows for a more satisfactory conclusion to the college football season.

Michael Bradley

Spokane