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

2007

(1) Ohio State v. (4) Oklahoma

(2) LSU v. (3) Virginia Tech

FIRST TEAM OUT: Georgia

The chaotic season of 2007 would have been a perfect candidate for a four-team playoff. A slew of No. 1 and No. 2 teams fell during the course of the regular season. It seemed as though nobody really wanted a shot at the national title. That opened the door for Ohio State and LSU to play for the title that year, but it would have been even more exciting if an extra layer was added to the festivities.

In a four-team setup, Ohio State would face Oklahoma for the first time in over two decades. The Sooners and Buckeyes had last squared off in 1983. It would have been an incredible showdown of blueblood programs that rarely play one another.

Related Story: Looking back at the chaos of the 2007 college football season

The other semifinal would feature a LSU team that didn’t lose in regulation during the regular season. That is inevitable despite their two losses. Ranked at No. 2, the Tigers would get a shot at ACC champion Virginia Tech. The Hokies were unable to get into a two-team field, but they would have been a worthy adversary for the Tigers.

The first team out of the mix would be Georgia. What is interesting is that the Bulldogs didn’t even play in the SEC championship game, after losing out on the division tiebreaker to Tennessee. No system or selection committee would have put them in ahead of the four teams listed above them in the BCS standings.