Playoffs still unlikely for college football

The world of sports loves the underdog. The 1980 U.S. Olympic hockey team’s upset of the Soviet juggernaut is the classic example. While fans may live for such games and teams, we do so because they are rare.

That brings us to Boise State football, the current reigning “David.” The Broncos’ win against Oklahoma State this bowl season has upped the decibel level for a college football playoff system.

First, Boise State is not in the same league as the major conferences such as the Big Ten and the SEC. It’s a great story and worthy of much praise, but let us be realistic.

On the Sagarin football rating system, they rank 100th in strength of schedule. They did not play a top-10 team this year but did go 2-0 against teams in the top 30.

The NCAA lists them as 50th in their strength of schedule listings that are done based on the records of opponents. Boise State’s opponents were a combined 60-60 on the year.

Boise State is the only team in the top 60 NCAA toughest schedule rankings that did not play a schedule where the opposition’s combined record was above .500.

Second, with or without the Boise State story, there is not going to be a college football playoff system any time soon.

On Dec. 31, Pete Thamel wrote a story in the New York Times that brings all this playoff hoopla back to earth.

In that article, Mike Tranghese, the Big East commissioner, said, “We would never do anything to destroy the bowl system. The controversy is debilitating and wearing. You get tired of it all.”

The best hope is the “Plus One” model that would continue the BCS bowl games and then have two teams selected from those winners play in an additional game. The hoots and hollers about who would get selected under that system would be just as loud as those now roaring about no playoff.

Penn State president Graham Spanier says Big Ten presidents are almost unanimously against any playoff system.

As always, television is driving the engine for the playoffs. They may someday present the offer you can’t refuse, but not yet.

Fox’s rights to the BCS bowls runs through 2010. ESPN’s rights to the Rose Bowl run to 2014. Nothing other than the Plus One model has a chance through those years.

Even acceptance of that model is iffy because the college presidents are hearing the cries from Congress about the ridiculous rise in football coaching salaries that are placing boosters in charge of athletic programs. Any playoff system will only heighten that frenzy.

There is also the worry that all this playoff discussion only detracts from the meaning of the regular season, as has happened in just about every other sport, pro or college.

So, for the foreseeable future, enjoy the regular season and the bowl games. It is not likely to change soon.

Old Town native Gary Thorne is an ESPN and ABC sportscaster.