Here is the problem Red. In the highly successful NCAA basketball tournament, the NCAA can reward and include many smaller, lesser schools that have had good seasons at their level, in the smaller conferences. These school have little to no chance of winning the whole thing, but when one of them knocks off one of the big boys, a larger, more talented school in the first of second round, well that is what is so special about March Madness.

Apparently the NCAA wants to duplicate that with football, providing a path for teams from lesser conferences, rewarding them for a good season against lesser competition. The problem is there is not 64 or 68 slots like basketball. There is 12. So when a Boise State who has had a great season, with a great running back under consideration for the hielaman, against lesser completion is given one of the few 12 spots, it means a much better school like a Tennessee will be left out. They really have to decide, do they want the 12 best schools to compete for the championship or do they want to create a path for smaller schools, rewarding a good season against lesser competition.

Even more extreme....what if Army gets in? They are NOT one of the top 12 schools. They are not one of the top 25 schools. BUT they have had a really nice season against lesser competition. Should they be rewarded for that or should it be the best 12 teams competing for the college football championship. THAT is what the NCAA is going to have to decide next.

In my mind it should be the 12 best college teams, but that would shut the door on 80% of college teams that play football. But you just can't duplicate what basketball can do with 64, or now 68 slots available when you only have 12 slots like football. And if you add more teams to the tournament, you will be playing college football past the superbowl, right up until March madness time.

Unfortunately for you Red, Tennessee is one of the best 12 teams, but damn it they lost some games. They have nothing to cry about. They had a path. They lost some games including one they had no business losing.

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