44°
WESTCHESTER COUNTY, N.Y. College football's Bowl Champion Series presidential oversight committee met Tuesday in Washington, D.C, to discuss a proposal for a four-team Division I college football playoff to name a national champion. It would replace the current system of polls and bowl games to determine the best team. According to reports by ESPN, the 11 BCS commissioners from the major conferences and a representative of Notre Dame, an independent football power with national television contracts, will present their plan for a playoff starting with the 2014 season. Former NFL player Bob Hyland, who owns the Sport Page pub and restaurant in White Plains, said the idea of a college football playoff was fine as long as the players are protected and not overburdened in an already demanding sport. "A four-team playoff is fine for football fans because we would have no arguments about the champion as we do with the current system," said Hyland, an Archbishop Stepinac graduate who was a lineman at Boston College before going on to an 11-year career with the Green Bay Packers, Chicago Bears and New York Giants. "My concern would be whether the incentive for college football to make more money will be physically tougher on the players. With a 12-game season, we don't want to add any more games to the college season." While fans disagree over which is the best college football team each season, the 11 major conferences control hundreds of millions of dollars that are supported by an ever-growing number of postseason bowl games. Currently, the BCS poll determines the top teams in football, and the top two play in the BCS championship bowl. Division II and III college football teams have a playoff system. Hackley School star football player AJ Wolf, who is headed to Duke University to play his college ball, likes the idea of a playoff. "I think it would be a great idea because it gives teams a chance to prove themselves if they are among the top four instead of the top three or four teams not being able to play for a national championship," Wolf said. Eastchester High School senior quarterback Greg DiCarlo wants to see the best teams have an opportunity to win a title and not depend on a poll vote."I think it's a good idea," he said. "It gives the top teams more of a chance to get there instead of just the top two [polled teams]," DeCarlo said. "It will allow the right team to earn a spot to play for the championship."Hyland understands the enthusiasm of young players and the emotional investment of the millions of college football fans, but he warns of the motives."If we want to find a true college football champion on the field, a playoff is the best way to do it," Hyland said. "But college football is big business. Playing too many extra games is a problem. We have to protect the players first."
Click here to follow Daily Voice White Plains and receive free news updates.
