Congratulations are in order for the University of Florida football team and their victory in the BCS title game Thursday night (Jan. 8, 2009).
Now, let’s have the next playoff game.
Oops. My bad. This is a one-and-done deal.
But as I was watching the game, I couldn’t help but think, “How would Southern Cal do against these teams?”
Utah fans no doubt will tell me I should have been wondering how the Utes would do against Oklahoma and Florida.
Florida’s defense impressed me more than its offense last night. Sure, Percy Harvin is something, but those defensive players for the Gators are quick, powerful and explosive.
I also thought the Oklahoma defense did a pretty good job of shutting down the Florida running game in the first three quarters. But the goal-line stand by Florida in the first half put the Gators in position to win the game.
You can second-guess Bobby Stoops for not taking the field goal there, but I think the end justified his decision. The Sooners needed more than three points in that situation, which would have given them a 10-7 lead, to win the game. Maybe Stoops knew they needed touchdowns. Maybe he just wanted to try to break the Gators spirit in the first half.
Anyway, congrats to the Gators. Winning the BCS title game in two of the past three seasons is no easy feat.
Still, I wonder how Southern Cal would do against these teams. And if I’m wondering about the Trojans, someone else probably is wondering how Texas would do against Florida. Texas beat Oklahoma in the regular season.
How would Texas do against Southern Cal?
This is a season when even the “plus-one” playoff plan wouldn’t work. I think Texas and Southern Cal are just as good, maybe even a bit better, than Florida and Oklahoma.
I could be wrong. It would not be a new experience, trust me on that.
If one purpose of the BCS system is to generate conversation and keep college football in the minds of millions for as long as possible, it’s working.
People will debate whether Southern Cal and Texas should have been in the BCS title game until the start of the 2009 season.
I’m not big on debates. I’d rather see all this settled on the field. That’s why I’d now like to see Florida play the winner of the game between Southern Cal and Texas. Then, we could talk about a true national champion.
And I haven’t even discussed Utah. The Utes were undefeated. They beat Alabama in the Suger Bowl. If anybody has a complaint equal to that of Texas and Southern Cal, it’s Utah. If there was a playoff system, we’d have a better idea of where Utah ranks among the elites of college football. In a playoff system, it wouldn’t surprise me to see Utah in the championship game.
We’ll never know because there’s no playoff system now, and there will not be one for years and years.
The Utah attorney general is investigating whether the BCS violates anti-trust laws.
You go, guy. Somehow, I think his quest will come up short. But he’s on the right track. It is going to take legal or congressional action to bring about a college playoff. The vested interests in maintaining the BCS are to ensconced to give up the system that is in place.

Wouldn’t a playoff be nice?