College Football's Flaws: Part One

It's a joyous occasion for college football fans across the country: Week One Saturday, which features a horde of competitive matchups. LSU vs. North Texas. Arkansas vs. the Gamecocks of Jacksonville St. In fact, we get all of TWO ranked vs. ranked games this weekend! Weak non-conference scheduling is the least of the problems, though, when it comes to college football.

It's simply a corrupt industry. Every day you hear about so and so from USC or Ohio State or whatever school receiving gifts from boosters or recruiters, or a story that surfaced about former UNC standout Julius Peppers regarding academic fraud or classes created for athletes to get by. Cam Newton, the guy you just took with your second round pick in your fantasy draft, got paid thousands to play for Auburn but got no penalty because his dad orchestrated it, or so he said. As any casual college football fan knows, these types of things go on at almost every large football school. Pressuring teachers to change players' grades. Preferential treatment to the players, in all aspects by the school, since they generate revenue. What do I mean? I'm not just talking about the free ride, but rather such things as additional academic help not available to other students just to keep players eligible, and having the football program bail its players out from trouble with school's police.

Fans simply look away during bowl season when corporate sponsors take advantage of college kids' talent in moneymaking schemes. Take the Tostitos Fiesta Bowl, for example. The financial corruption was endless (check the hyperlink for details). This is all centered around an amateur sport.

Boise St. vs. BCS

It seems that how ever many times Boise St. goes undefeated in the regular season, they won't get a chance to play for the BCS National Championship. In the wake of another undefeated season, they find themselves behind Oregon and Auburn (as well as TCU, another mid-major, who is 3rd) in the BCS standings, which is perfectly expected. This is because of the mid-major power's strength of schedule, their biggest wins over then 10th-ranked Virginia Tech and then 24th ranked Oregon St, neither of which are still ranked. So it makes sense they are behind, however, not necessarily fair. Because it's not entirely Boise's fault they don't get powerhouse opponents such as an Oregon or Alabama, but, rather, that these teams are basically scared to face the Broncos, fearing a loss to a mid-major that will remove their team from the championship hunt. TCU is in the exact same situation as Boise, but both will likely have to settle for the same situation as they did last year, in a BCS Bowl, but not the one everyone will have their eyes on. Last year they duked it out for a close Boise win, but the fans of these schools and mid-majors in general, wish they'd get a shot against a power BCS school.
   
Of course, there is another solution that only makes too much sense for college football to implement, a playoff. Or we could just watch two 6-6 schools play it out in the EagleBank Bowl so college football can have more sponsors. Why they can't switch to a playoff, like every other sport, is beyond me. The format doesn't even matter at this point. But what does matter, is that every deserving team gets a shot at a college football, not BCS, title.