I'm talking about the old bowl system, predating the BCS or the Bowl Alliance, back when the Southwest Conference still existed and the Big 8 and Big 10 only had 8 and 10 teams, respectively. How would this year's post-season be shaping out?
The rankings would probably be skewed more favorably for undefeated teams, because people didn't talk about strength of schedule as much back then (and there weren't any computer models applying metrics to such things.
So the top 10 might look something like this:
1. tOSU
2. Clemson
3. Iowa
4. Oklahoma State
5. Baylor
6. Alabama
7. Notre Dame
8. Stanford
9. LSU
10. Florida
We'll make a few assumptions. Iowa and tOSU would both win out, and end the year as co-Big 10 champions. Iowa would get the Rose Bowl by virtue of having a longer absence from the game. We'll assume Clemson and Baylor also win out to claim the ACC and Southwest crowns (Baylor would only have TCU to contend with). The winner of the Oklahoma-Oklahoma State game would win the Big 8. And Alabama would win out to claim the SEC title. The Stanford-Notre Dame game would be irrelevant for the most part, as Stanford would win the Pac 10 regardless.
For those who don't remember, the old bowl tie-ins had the Rose taking the Big 10 and Pac 10 champs; the Sugar taking the SEC champ; the Orange taking the Big 8 champ; and the Cotton taking the Southwest champ.
So for bowls, the following would be locked in:
Rose: Iowa vs. Stanford
Sugar: Alabama vs. at-large
Cotton: Baylor vs. at-large
Orange: Oklahoma/Oklahoma State vs. at-large
That would leave the Fiesta Bowl free to grab both tOSU and Clemson, setting up a quasi-national title game.
It would also leave Iowa (as well as Baylor and possibly Okie State) on the outside looking in, stuck in the Rose Bowl against Stanford, with a chance to go undefeated but no chance at a national title.
I guess what I'm saying is that although it's not perfect, I'm glad the current playoff system exists.
The rankings would probably be skewed more favorably for undefeated teams, because people didn't talk about strength of schedule as much back then (and there weren't any computer models applying metrics to such things.
So the top 10 might look something like this:
1. tOSU
2. Clemson
3. Iowa
4. Oklahoma State
5. Baylor
6. Alabama
7. Notre Dame
8. Stanford
9. LSU
10. Florida
We'll make a few assumptions. Iowa and tOSU would both win out, and end the year as co-Big 10 champions. Iowa would get the Rose Bowl by virtue of having a longer absence from the game. We'll assume Clemson and Baylor also win out to claim the ACC and Southwest crowns (Baylor would only have TCU to contend with). The winner of the Oklahoma-Oklahoma State game would win the Big 8. And Alabama would win out to claim the SEC title. The Stanford-Notre Dame game would be irrelevant for the most part, as Stanford would win the Pac 10 regardless.
For those who don't remember, the old bowl tie-ins had the Rose taking the Big 10 and Pac 10 champs; the Sugar taking the SEC champ; the Orange taking the Big 8 champ; and the Cotton taking the Southwest champ.
So for bowls, the following would be locked in:
Rose: Iowa vs. Stanford
Sugar: Alabama vs. at-large
Cotton: Baylor vs. at-large
Orange: Oklahoma/Oklahoma State vs. at-large
That would leave the Fiesta Bowl free to grab both tOSU and Clemson, setting up a quasi-national title game.
It would also leave Iowa (as well as Baylor and possibly Okie State) on the outside looking in, stuck in the Rose Bowl against Stanford, with a chance to go undefeated but no chance at a national title.
I guess what I'm saying is that although it's not perfect, I'm glad the current playoff system exists.
