Georgia House passes resolution calling for NCAA football playoff

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USAToday.com (http://www.usatoday.com/sports/college/football/2008-02-01-resolution-playoff_N.htm)


ATLANTA (AP) — The Georgia House voted 151-9 Friday in favor of a resolution urging the NCAA to create a playoff system for college football.


"The only major sporting event without a playoff system to identify its true champion that I know of is NCAA Division 1 football," said state Rep. Quincy Murphy, D-Augusta.

The resolution, which now goes to the Senate, calls the BCS system "the greatest disappointment of the 2007 college football season."


"The only sensible way to determine a national champion in any sport is to develop a playoff system that allows teams to meet on the field," the resolution reads. "The fans of college football deserve a true national champion to be crowned after winning the title on the field of play and not in a popularity poll."

[appchuck]

Maybe if more states would go something like this, maybe the NCAA will listen. But I must say, I really love the FCS playoffs.

[Eyes of Old Main]

I guess every little bit helps, but I doubt it does much good. I'm glad they are trying, though.

[tribe_pride]

Good to see that the legislature is working on something that is relevant to the state's well-being. xrolleyesx

[OL FU]

Good to see that the legislature is working on something that is relevant to the state's well-being. xrolleyesx

Football in the south, nothing is more relevant xsmiley_wix xthumbsupx

[ButlerGSU]

This is ridiculous, states have no business with their hands in college football. This is an issue for University presidents.

[ngineer]

Good to see that the legislature is working on something that is relevant to the state's well-being. xrolleyesx

Agreed. Typical legislative sicophants spending taxpayers time and money on things that really matter.xeyebrowx

[JohnStOnge]

This is ridiculous, states have no business with their hands in college football. This is an issue for University presidents.

Presidents of public universities...and most BCS league schools are public universities...are state employees.

The Georgia thing is ridiculous though. They didn't make it into the SEC championship game.

Another thing: By the "average" rankings at http://www.mratings.com/cf/compare.htm , the top two FBS teams going into the Bowl season were LSU and Ohio State. You can see that by hitting the "Last Week" link...which brings you to the rankings as of December 1. Georgia had an "average" ranking of 8. Having them in the title game would've been a complete travesty.

And the human polls have very little impact on those rankings. So LSU and Ohio State weren't rated the top two at the time because of any games the pollsters were playing.

The correct two teams were in the championship game. Those were the two teams that, obectively, had had the two most impressive performances as of the end of the regular season.

[ngineer]

Presidents of public universities...and most BCS league schools are public universities...are state employees.

True. But it's still in their baliwick and not an area upon which a state legislature should be wasting its time....

[JohnStOnge]

True. But it's still in their baliwick and not an area upon which a state legislature should be wasting its time....

Agreed. Plus, all this grandstanding by Georgians over not making the BCS championship game is really bad. The Bulldogs didn't belong in it. In addition to the fact that LSU won the conference they're in, the Tigers had a better record against the two teams' common opponents (6 - 1 vs. 5 - 2). They have no case at all.

[brownbear]

Agreed. Plus, all this grandstanding by Georgians over not making the BCS championship game is really bad. The Bulldogs didn't belong in it. In addition to the fact that LSU won the conference they're in, the Tigers had a better record against the two teams' common opponents (6 - 1 vs. 5 - 2). They have no case at all.

Yes, but why should Ohio State have been in the national championship? What you end up with is that the top 5 teams in the country never played each other. Georgians aren't arguing they should have been ahead of Ohio State, they are arguing that there should have been a playoff (What about USC, West Virginia, Kansas, Missouri). They all should have had a legitimate shot at the title. You can keep saying that Georgia shouldn't be in because they lost to Tennessee, and WVU shouldn't be in because they lost to Pitt, but even though LSU was undefeated in regulation, they still lost two games, just as any of these other teams had done. It's all a popularity contest, and the Big Ten comes on top once again.

By the way, the Georgia Legislature doing this means nothing. They have ZERO power over the issue, so I wouldn't worry about this. Now what could be done is for UGA next year, if they are in position to claim a title, is to make a stand against it. If you end up at the top and don't accept the title, then people will begin to listen. However, I don't think Georgia has the guts to do such a thing. I think they would be cowards like every other title winner and just take it saying "it's the system we have, it can't be changed."

[813Jag]

Georgia could have easily solved this issue by beating Tennessee and going to the SEC Championship game. Beat LSU and you're in.

[JohnStOnge]

Georgians aren't arguing they should have been ahead of Ohio State, they are arguing that there should have been a playoff (What about USC, West Virginia, Kansas, Missouri).

I don't think it's a stretch to say they wouldn't be making the argument without the underlying implication that they should've been in the title game. During the 2007 SEC summer meetings Florida's president made a FBS playoff proposal and Georgia's president was reportedly in the forefront of shooting it down.

[Baldy]

This is ridiculous, states have no business with their hands in college football. This is an issue for University presidents.Well, the Georgia General Assembly did pass a resolution honoring Jayson Foster's accomplishments, so its a double edged sword. xwhistlex