A mythical national tournament (we can dream)

Now that President-elect Barack Obama has mandated a playoff for Division I-A football, it’s only a matter of time before the hypocrites who run the game – the presidents and chancellors – fall in line and institute a postseason tournament. But being that we’re stuck with the Bowl Championship Series for this year and probably a few more after that, let’s have a mythical national championship tournament of our own.

 

We propose a 16-team playoff with the higher seeded teams playing host to first-round games. After that, the usual bowl sites would begin playing host to the final four games. A semifinal round and a championship game would ensue. So without further adieu, here is how a mythical national tournament would play out this year.

 

First round

 

No. 1 Alabama (projected SEC champion) vs. No. 16 Ball State (projected MAC champion)

No. 2 Texas (projected Big 12 champion) vs. No. 15 Florida State (projected ACC champion)

No. 3 Florida (at-large) vs. No. 14 Cincinnati (projected Big East champion)

No. 4 Oklahoma (at-large) vs. No. 13 Oregon State (projected pac-10 champion)

No. 5 USC vs. No. 12 Missouri (at-large)

No. 6 Penn State (Big Ten champion) vs. No. 11 Boise State (WAC champion)

No. 7 Texas Tech (at-large) vs. No. 10 Utah (Mountain West champion)

No. 8 Ohio State (at-large) vs. No. 9 Oklahoma State (at-large)

 

Second round

 

No. 1 Alabama vs. No. 8 Ohio State

No. 2 Texas vs. No. 7 Texas Tech

No. 3 Florida vs. No. 6 Penn State

No. 4 Oklahoma vs. No. 5 USC

 

Semifinal round

 

No. 1 Alabama vs. No. 4 Oklahoma

No. 2 Texas vs. No. 3 Florida

 

Championship game

 

No. 4 Oklahoma vs. No. 2 Texas

 

National champion

 

Texas 42 Oklahoma 31

 

Here’s my AP ballot for this week

 

1. Alabama
2. Texas
3. Oklahoma
4. Florida
5. USC
6. Penn State
7. Texas Tech
8. Ohio State
9. Oklahoma State
10. Utah
11. Boise State
12. Missouri
13. Georgia
14. Ball State
15. TCU
16. Cincinnati
17. Oregon State
18. Michigan State
19. Boston College
20. Oregon
21. Pitt
22. West Virginia
23. Northwestern
24. Florida State
25. Mississippi