THE PLAYOFF IS COMING...THE PLAYOFF IS COMING! *UPDATE*

You now have a chance

*UPDATE*
Last night, after meeting in The District, the conference commishiners and the university presidents that starting for the 2014 season, there will be a 4-team playoff, selected by a committee with an emphasis on strength of schedule and conference champions. 

The two semi-final games will be rotated between 6 bowls, presumably the 4 BCS bowls and two others, with some speculation considering the "Champions Bowl" in Dallas and one other New Year's bowl such as the Citrus or maybe the Cotton.  The championship game will go to "the highest bidder" similar to the NFL championship.  That leaves a lot to be desired, but it will all get figured out, and if Ohio State is playing in San Diego or in some dome in the first week of Janurary, I will watch (and hopefully go).  I would like to see 3 bowls involved for the final four and championship game, but truth be told, they are all fields and the two best teams will be playing for a true, college football championship.

Another part of this playoff machine is the committee.  I can't wait to see twitter kill itself when the committee is announced.  If Mark May, Trev Alberts or Craig James are in the parking lot of the building that is holding the selection room, I'll move to Canada.  If they wanted the four best teams, take each bookie for the major sportsbooks in Vegas and let them decide, beacuse they are right. Every time. 

I'm sure everyone will be able to bitch about someone in the committee, but whatever, I nominate myself.  Here are a few of my rules:

1) Only one SEC team
2) Ohio State always gets in
3) Wisconsin needs to be undefeated and have a passer over 2,000 yards
4) Notre Dame never gets in, ever. Period
5) Clemson gets bonus points for being in the discussion
6) Let me see the coaches' wives, please
7) Let me see your student section (Sun Devils, Texas, any SEC team)
8) Adidas schools get docked.  You better have double-digit wins.  Under Armour, same deal.
9) Let me see your student section again.
10) Let me see your losses.  Oh, you lost to a 6-6 team?  OUT

There you go.  The perfect system is far away, but at least we have a system that involves a playoff and the "best" teams playing each other to get to the championship.  Life could be worse.  Oh and if you're the 5th best team and you're left out, SHADDDDDDUP (see no. 10 above).

Whichever the details, the fact that a president of a university mentioned playoff and that they have signed off on it is a win for college football.  And America.
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Looks like 2013 will be the last season of the BCS.  Let me write that again.  After the 2013 season, there will be no more BCS.  There will be a 4-team playoff, with two of the "BCS Bowls" hosting the semi-finals, and the final game to be bid on like the Super Bowl.  Their will be a committee who chooses the final four teams, which will set off another huge debate...but don't lose sight of the fact that there will be a champion crowned in college football, that came from teams playing each other.  How we get the 4 teams is all details and will not be perfect, but whatever...there will be 4 teams playing for one championship.

I personally didn't have a problem with how the BCS rated the two teams or why they would need to come up with a new formula or super secret committee in a bunker in New Mexico to come up with the 4 best teams after 14 weeks.  If you lose to a sub-.500 team, you're out.

When it comes to protecting the regular season, instead of only two sports, there are now 4 sports, so now 2 more teams and everyone they have/will have played matter.  The regular season now has more games that matter.  Instead of one loss in October and having no more November games mattering, there are more games in November that matter.  Beat who you should, and no undefeated teams will be left out, which is part of the goals.  Give the undefeated TCUs or Boises the chance to play the big boys in December for a chance of the crown.

Another issue is the bowls...what happens to the ones that don't matter?  Let me tell you something, none of the bowls really matter outside of the BCS Title game anyway, so who cares?  They are only 4 teams in the playoffs.  Every other bowl-eligible team will be able to play in their bowl, just like they do now, and the 2 BCS bowls who are not in the semis will still get the other best teams and make a lot of money and all that jazz...The only thing that changes is that instead of 2 teams are put into the title game, with 1 or 2 other teams that could get in as well, now all have a chance.

There is no doubt that the 4 team will be turned into 8 team down the line, but for right now, this is a great thing for college football.  The details will take care of themselves and the 5th and 6th teams will always be pissed, but there is a playoff.  We are here, a lot sooner than 2020 when I thought it would happen.  Let the games begin!