SMQ: What if four teams got into a playoff during the BCS era?

2006

(1) Ohio State v. (4) LSU

(2) Florida v. (3) Michigan

FIRST TEAM OUT: USC

Ohio State came out and collapsed against Florida in the BCS championship game. In a playoff picture, the Buckeyes would have been paired against a different SEC team. Rather than the Gators, Jim Tressel’s team would get a battle against SEC West champion LSU. Heisman winner Troy Smith would have been pitted against a different dominant southern defense.

The big debate of 2006, though, wasn’t the Buckeyes but rather who they would face. In a two-team picture, the debate was between SEC champion Florida and a Michigan team the Buckeyes took down in an instant classic during the regular season. The Wolverines would have been a deserving opponent to get a rematch, as Alabama would five years later against LSU, and in a playoff situation they would have a shot to set that up.

Rather than debating the cases of Florida and Michigan, a playoff would have let the two teams settle matters on the gridiron. The Gators under Urban Meyer would have taken on Lloyd Carr‘s Wolverines for a shot at the national title.

Staring in from outside the field would be Pac-10 champion USC. The Trojans would have been in the title game if not for a 13-9 loss to rival UCLA on the final weekend of the regular season. That loss would have been costly even in a four-team playoff field.