WASHINGTON (CNN) – Details of President-elect Barack Obama’s multi-billion dollar economic stimulus plan might still be murky, but his position on the hottest topic in the world of college football certainly is not.
“We need a playoff,” Obama told reporters after being asked about Florida’s 24-14 victory over Oklahoma in Thursday night’s BCS Championship game. "If I'm Utah, or if I'm USC or if I'm Texas, I might still have some quibbles.”
Florida, Oklahoma and Texas all finished the season with one loss. Texas actually handed Oklahoma its one defeat in October on a neutral field. When the BCS computer system put Florida and Oklahoma in this year’s national championship game, the annual back and forth over whether to have a college football playoff system was reignited. Utah was the only college football team to finish the season undefeated but its conference is considered less competitive and therefore was put at a statistical disadvantage in the BCS.
Friday was not the first time Obama stated his preference for a playoff system.
Related: BCS is a political football in 2009
"It would add three extra weeks to the season," Obama said in a interview on CBS’ 60 Minutes just after the election. "You could trim back on the regular season. I don't know any serious fan of college football who has disagreed with me on this. So, I'm going to throw my weight around a little bit. I think it's the right thing to do."
The night before Election Day both Sen. John McCain and Obama made brief appearances during Monday Night Football. “I'm fed up with these computer rankings and this that and the other. Get eight teams - the top eight teams right at the end. You got a playoff. Decide on a national champion,” he said then.
From CNN Politics
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Our country is in the middle of a crippling recession and the President-elect is concerned about the BCS? If this is any inkling to his future concerns, we are in for a very bumpy ride during the next four years.
hey, i kind agree with Mrs.president.
BCS stinks. A bowl game is just another useless exhibition game.
I agree with Obama on this.
Utah is penalized for being in less competitive conference. They played like champions this season. Playoff is the best solution.
Mr president. just a FYI... politics and sports dont mix.. last thing i want to do is to go to espn and read about what our president said about the system.
This guy just cannot help himself from attempting to let government invade every aspect of the private sector.
Really. Where does he stand on one-ply versus two-ply toilet paper?
CNN, you are a joke.
I'm a serious fan and agree! PLAYOFF!!!! Settle it on the field and not by computers.
Guess I'm not one of those "serious fans of college football"...
I am so glad to hear this! This is so important! I was getting tired of all that nasty Gaza violence in the news.
Yes I am being sarcastic.
It might be nice if Obama had a concrete opninion on Gaza and his support of Israel, as he promised there in Israle during the campaign trip.
Football is more exciting that golf because it does have cheerleaders. Football is more exciting than bowling because anything is more exciting that bowling. Finally, let me say that the restaurants and movies are not crowded during the Super Bowl, so the wife and I always take in a movie and dinner on Super Bowl Sunday.
While I can say those positive things about football, I do not want a longer football season. So far this year, I have missed several Simpson re-runs and some good Law and Order episodes were pre-empted by football as well. That is just not right.
Now this is one subject I can agree with Obama.
I couldn't agree more. It makes no sense to have some computer program pick who will play the championship. Have a playoff and let the true champion be determined!
If there was a playoff, there would still be complaints about the teams selected and the opponents scheduled.
The BCS is not perfect, but the bowl results this year seem to all were in the right bowl for including Texas luck to win against Ohio State..
I reseerve the right to make my own conclusion about the best team This year in am split between Florida & USC.. The people who think that they can create an infallable system are kidding themselves.
At least he has priorities straight...
Oh, well I'm sure it will all be resolved now that Obama has given his opinion. Now about Hamas.....
I am all for it and love the fact that he is so well rounded.
Southern Cal would knock the snot out of either of these teams and Utah as well – this from a Notre Dame fan, too!!!
Man is there nothing tis guy isn't right about? Seriously I am sure there is but this in change we can really believe in.
This is yet another issue I agree with President Obama on! The BCS farce is a money making ponsi scheme for the conferences involved so they don’t have to share corporate profits with the schools that, in their opinion, “don’t deserve it.” It steals opportunity away from schools such as Utah and its athletes, who deserve a chance at a title, but will never get it under the current system. Every other NCAA sport has a playoff and the lowering rankings of football even have a playoff, but not the payoff.
Instead, we are treated to the same overhyped and undeserving schools, like Ohio State, that go to these games every year and lose…but make a boatload of free cash to do so. It is a system rooted in greed and corruption, not in the national interest of determining a real national champion.
Please, we have to stop using the current, idiotic BCS formulas and move to playoffs.
Go Get 'em Obama!!!!... but please make sure I still have a job to come to first please.
Gee, I wish he would have gone into sports instead of politics so he could stick with something he knows.
Save us Barack! Oh lawdy, save us from the BCS!
Mr. President Elect:
You've got much bigger fish to fry. After we have our foreign and domestic policy straightened out, and medical care is affordable, then maybe we can worry about children's games. OK.
Best of luck to you, President-Elect Obama. But keep the main thing the main thing.