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USA Today
2 days ago
- Sport
- USA Today
Big Ten coach calls out anti-West Coast bias in College Football Playoff system
Big Ten coach calls out anti-West Coast bias in College Football Playoff system The first season of the 12-team College Football Playoff certainly created plenty of controversy. While ultimately, most people felt as though the selection committee took the correct 12 teams, the process of getting there was anything but smooth. This week, a Big Ten head coach called out the committee for alleged bias against West Coast schools. Interestingly, however, the coach in question is not in charge of a West Coast program himself. Rather, the man behind the comments, was, of all people, Penn State head coach James Franklin. "There's a lot of challenges," Franklin said, via CBS Sports. "You've got East Coast people voting on this, and they haven't watched enough of the West Coast games based on the time. All the different rankings that are out there. In my mind, a formula makes the most sense because it takes the bias out that we all have." Franklin's proposed solution to the matter was going back to a BCS-style formula to determine the rankings. "It's funny, because I think there's all these complaints about the BCS, but then we go to this, and I think it goes back to really, my answer is, the problem is, everybody voting and everybody involved in the process—whether you want to be biased or not, we all are biased. I think in a lot of ways, you could make the argument a formula could be better. But we didn't love the formula. So we went to this other system." USC fans know all too well, however, that leaving the rankings to the computers does not always work out. After all, back in 2003, the Trojans infamously got screwed out of the BCS Championship Game despite being ranked No. 1 in both the AP and Coaches Polls. However, Franklin's point about the current system having major issues is certainly a valid one. Perhaps one day, college football will be able to come up with a method of selecting a postseason field that will not inevitably make people mad. Right now, however, that day feels like a long way in the distance. As for Franklin, his comment was not entirely altruistic. Given that Penn State plays in the same conference as four West Coast schools, USC, Oregon, Washington, and UCLA getting more national respect could certainly help the Nittany Lions' resume in seasons to come.
USA Today
3 days ago
- Sport
- USA Today
James Franklin suggests a fix to one of College Football Playoff's problems
James Franklin suggests a fix to one of College Football Playoff's problems Penn State head coach James Franklin has always had thoughts and opinions on the current state of college football. With the talks about the future direction and decisions being made with the College Football Playoff, it is no surprise Franklin has voiced some concerns about where the postseason is heading. Talks of possible expansion and comments from rival coaches like Ohio State's Ryan Day about how many teams from the Big Ten should be in the playoff have not gone unnoticed by Franklin. And he once again has shared his concern about how the whole operation conducts itself. "It's funny, because I think there's all these complaints about the BCS, but then we go to this, and I think it goes back to really, my answer is, the problem is, everybody voting and everybody involved in the process whether you want to be biased or not, we all are biased," Franklin said in a recent offseason press conference. "I think in a lot of ways, you could make the argument a formula could be better. But we didn't love the formula. So we went to this other system." Judging by his comments, Franklin is prepared to stump for the return of the old BCS formula to eliminate as much of the potential bias as possible in the selection process for the College Football Playoff. And he is fair to point out this concern, and he is not alone in that line of thinking. The BCS was created with the intent of guaranteeing a. true national champion in college football, a sport where a matchup of the top two teams in the rankings was not guaranteed at the end of the season due to bowl partnerships. Penn State is well aware of the flaws of the old style with championship-caliber seasons ultimately going unrewarded in the history books. The BCS was not a perfect system, but it ultimately did more to improve the championship issue than not. The College Football Playoff was the natural progression in college football's postseason format, but the move to the playoff removed the BCS-style formula from the picture. It replaced the BCS computer rankings with a selection committee, a decision that was questioned from the beginning by some. The selection committee is tasked with being as well-educated on all of the developments in the sport on the field throughout the season at all levels, from the Big Ten and SEC to the Sun Belt Conference and MAC. But even with that responsibility, Franklin echoes the concerns that even that is not necessarily enough to ensure a break from any bias in the process. "In my mind, a formula makes the most sense because it takes the bias out that we all have," Franklin said. At this point, the removal of the selection committee in favor of a return to a BCS-style formula is highly unlikely. The College Football Playoff's broadcast partner, ESPN, has invested far too much into the product and has created weekly appointment watching in late fall with the weekly selection committee rankings show as part of the package. Removing the selection committee drama and debates would not be in ESPN's interest from a ratings perspective. And perhaps that is the larger concern with the current state of college football. Penn State is coming off its first College Football Playoff appearance in the playoff era. The Nittany Lions reached the semifinal round after a home victory over SMU in the first round and a Fiesta Bowl victory over Boise State in the quarterfinal round. The College Football Playoff has already adjusted how the seeding will be done in the playoff beginning next season by rewarding the top four seeds of a first-round bye regardless if they are conference champion or not. Under the updated seeding procedure, Penn State would have had a first-round bye in the 2024-25 College Football Playoff. Helmet sticker to CBS Sports / 247Sports. Follow Kevin McGuire on Threads, Bluesky, Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook. Follow Nittany Lions Wire on X, Facebook, and Threads.
