We have a four-team College Football Playoff this season. And while a 13-win Florida State team is excluded, the 2023 national title hunt is significantly less messy than it would have been under the bowl championship series (BCS) model.
Who would play in this season’s national championship under the BCS? Almost certainly, Michigan and Washington would take the top two spots. It’s uncertain if those are the two best teams in college football.
Under the BCS model, Texas could fall below both Alabama and Florida State to No. 5 despite defeating Alabama by double digits in Tuscaloosa. Vegas favors Texas over No. 2 Washington in the Sugar Bowl.
It is probably clear to many that the BCS would not adequately determine the national champion this season. The four-team playoff is an evident upgrade over the prior championship determiner. And while Florida State still sits on the outside, the four-team tournament does a much better job of finding a national champion.
College football has more parity than it has in a long while. All four playoff participants can win a national title. And while some bemoan the changes brought by the College Football Playoff, transfer portal, and name, image and likeness (NIL) era, the three have resulted in the most competitive push for a title in several seasons.
The playoff selection is imperfect, and there’s an argument that six teams deserved to be in this year’s tournament. Nevertheless, you’ll get a much better postseason than you would under the BCS.
Bowl season kicks off with seven games headlined by Texas Tech vs. Cal on Saturday, Dec. 16.