The truth about the College Football Playoff

When did the NCAA first attempt to have No. 1 and No. 2 play for a National Title?

The Associated Press began its weekly polling system in 1936. From 1936 until 1968, the Associated Press would choose its national champion before the bowl games.

In 1950 the coaches poll began. These two systems would declare a national champion until 1992. The polling systems’ flaw was the top two teams in the country rarely played one another in the postseason. In fact, the top two teams played one another only six times since the AP began polling in 1968.

In 1990 and 1991, the National Champion was split. In 1990, Georgia Tech and Colorado claimed a split title, and in 1991 Miami and Washington shared the title. This, of course, was not the first time schools had to share a National Title. In 1978, Alabama and USC split the title as well. However, the pressing issue was finding a way for the top two teams to play every season.

The Bowl Coalition: First effort for No. 1 to play No. 2. 

Following consecutive split National Championships, five conferences (SEC, SWC, Big East, ACC, Big Eight) and Notre Dame to form the Bowl Coalition. This was an effort to ensure that the No. 1 and No. 2 ranked teams play one another in for the National title.

Despite its best efforts, The Bowl Coalition had its flaws. Its fatal flaw was not having the Big Ten or the Pac-12 or the Rose Bowl participating in the coalition. Also, there still existed the possibility an undefeated team would not get to play for the National Title. This happened in 1993 to West Virginia.

The demise of the Coalition was a confluence of issues. The Southwest Conference decided to dissolve after the 1995 season after a decade of declining play. Notre Dame was also in a period of decline after their National Title season.  The Bowl Coalition would give way to the Bowl Alliance and ultimately the BCS.

The BCS: humans and computers

When the BCS held its first Championship game in 1999, there was already plenty of controversy over the six computer rankings algorithms. Supporters of the BCS argued there was a guarantee of No. 1 versus No. 2. Detractors of the rankings argued there should be a balance between the human and computer element in the rankings. It was the BCS that began serious conversations about a playoff of some sort.

Then 2003 happened, another split National title. The BCS crowned LSU its National Champion, the AP recognized USC. The Trojans were No. 1 in both human polls, but not the BCS rankings. There were also instances in 2001 and 2010 where undefeated teams were passed over for the BCS Championship game.

In 2014, a four-team playoff and committee were formed in yet another effort to find the best team in the country.