Even though this college football season turned out to be a super exciting one, and the playoff system appeared to be successful, I am proposing a major change to the system.                

College basketball’s March Madness is, consistently, one of the most exciting sporting events. The abundance of upsets and a ridiculous amount of games in such a short period of time makes the tournament interesting for all types of fans. Any team can win any given game throughout the entire tournament.              

What I suggest is that college football’s season is altered to be one big tournament where the winner is crowned the champion of college football. Preseason ranks and the previous season’s success will determine the placement of each time. The Power 5 conferences would gain more respect in the rankings and get the benefit of playing easier teams in the beginning of the tournament. To account for a 12 game season and eliminate the chance of a team, like Alabama, getting knocked out early the tournament would be double elimination and there would be a consolation bracket. 

The team that wins the tournament would then be crowned the champion of college football. The third and fourth place teams would play in the Rose Bowl, or something similar, like the Orange Bowl. The remaining teams would funnel into bowl games that would have been similar to their placement with the old system. Therefore, the bowl games don’t lose their significance and still maintain a source of revenue from the college football postseason.              

Besides the initial tournament rankings, the tournament is able to play itself out without the need of an automated computer system with complex algorithms, or a selection committee that has the potential to be biased based on previous college ties. The winner of the new college football tournament would, undoubtedly, be the best team in the nation. Every upset would be magnified, and every game would have the utmost importance. 

In the NFL, playoff football is the best football played all season as the intensity is at its peak. College football already has more thrills because of the high caliber offenses being run throughout the country. Combining the atmosphere of college football, with the intensity of a playoff mindset would create something never seen before by football fans. A March Madness-like tournament would change the landscape of college football for the better.