Simply put, the BCS is BS. My friends, how else do you explain Missouri being No. 1 in the nation on Saturday night, and a day later not being among the best teams in America and out of the BCS bowls?

Yes, I understand the concept of the BCS is to put the best two teams in America to play for the national championship. Not to take anything away from Ohio State, a well-coached team under Jim Tressel, and LSU, but this has been a wacky season. This year proves the need for a playoff system to be put in place.

In college athletics you have true champions crowned in everything from baseball, basketball, hockey, soccer, tennis and on and on. At lower levels, there is a playoff in college football that works very well and has for years.

What college football needs to do is an eight-team playoff. Take four bowl games to serve as the quarterfinals, two major bowl games for the semifinals and one major bowl for the championship game. You rotate these to keep everyone happy, the bowl system is in place and it is a win-win situation. I don't buy the academic reasons given. Missing class is an alibi and an excuse and it is ridiculous. These kids wouldn't miss much time in the classroom and they already skip a little time for bowl games.

It is sad that college football cannot get its act together. It is so, so obvious and I don't want to hear that it would hurt the regular season. Those games still have meaning because too many losses would cost you a shot at making the playoffs. Conference play has meaning, rivalries are very important. Give me a break.

For those who say college basketball games don't matter early in the season because of the big dance, I don't buy that either. It matters for seeding, for getting into the tournament, there is pride when you put on that jersey.

Go look at the scenario in the ACC. Tell North Carolina and Duke that every game isn't important. The champion there will likely have to go to Raleigh for the first two rounds of the NCAA, then to Charlotte for the Sweet 16 and Elite Eight. Tell me there isn't a lot at stake.

In any situation, there are positives and negatives. The positives involving a college football playoff far outweigh the negatives. The potential money that could be raised by having a playoff is staggering. Crowning a true champion would be more meaningful. As I said, win-win, baby!

College basketball is light years ahead of college football.

Dick Vitale coached the Pistons and the University of Detroit before broadcasting ESPN's first college basketball game in December 1979. Send him a question for possible use on ESPNEWS.