It’s Official: College Football Has Its Play-Off

After 100 years of controversy, College Football at last has its play-offs, starting in 2015, the NCAA has said.

The four-team play-off will start in 2015, and the first ‘Final Four’ will be chosen by Selection Commiteee – and teams will be ranked on Win-Loss record, strength of schedule, head-of-head and then if a team is conference champion, USA Today reporter Nicole Auerbach tweeted. She added that the make-up of the selection committee is still to be decided.

Virginia Tech president Charles Steger told a press conference: “I am delighted to report our endorsement of a four-team seeded play-off”, and added that they will be taking fan suggestions for a new replacement name for the BCS, which has caused so much controversy during its existence.

The first new National Title Game will be on January 12th, 2015. Six BCS Bowls will be used as semi-final places with the Rose, Sugar and Orange Bowls absolute certainties. It was also tweeted by @TheUpset  – quoting ESPN’s Joe Schad – that the remaining BCS Bowls would also be chosen by the Committee, in essence enlarging the Committee’s decision-making agenda. SI’s Andy Staples simply said about the matter: “They don’t know yet”.

Joe Schad reported via Twitter: “Big 12 commish Bob Bowlsby says he sees a 15-member selection committee”.

The play-offs will happen over 12 years, and the most important thing for the conferences – the money – hasn’t been decided on yet. Neither has the TV network that will show the games, although all the major networks are thought to be in the running. SportingNews.com said that it could make the Kings of College Football $5bn.

SEC Commissioner Mike Slive said that an eight or 16-team play-off (which some fans were rooting for) didn’t fit into the academic calendar.

 BOTTOM LINE: It took a while, but we’ve got a play-off! Why couldn’t we start this year? CBS Sports Bryan Fischer noted: “Selection committee will look at W-L first and foremost. If Boise State or any other team goes undefeated, 99.9% chance they’re in playoff.” That’s good news for smaller schools.