An NCAA Play-off System?

Phil Miller at Market Power has a couple of interesting postings about developments in the BCS [Bowl Championship Series]. He correctly suggests that whatever happens to the BCS, the NCAA will be unlikely to move toward a play-off system, at least not in the short-run.

Keep in mind that the only reason a play-off system works in the NFL is that there are fewer teams and a longer season in the NFL as compared with the NCAA. And for the NCAA basketball playoffs, the games can be played more frequently, and the season is longer, allowing enough time for play-offs even if there are many, many contenders initially.

The only way I can see an NCAA football play-off system working is if the season is lengthened to allow several weeks for some play-downs. If that happens, the current bowls, themselves, would likely become meaningless, and we might likely see the season start a week earlier (long before some university fall terms begin).

And let's face it: all that uncertainty and ranting and raving about who is really the best makes for lots of discussion among the mediots.