Enhanced Bowl Season vs. Bowl Championship Series

The Bowl Championship Series (BCS) is a tremendous step toward identifying the nation's best team. The BCS is able to annually pair two of the top teams in the country, something that happened only by chance in the old bowl system. Unfortunately, it has many flaws that have been frequently pointed out by universities, student-athletes, coaches, conferences, members of Congress, the media, fans, and many other interested parties.

Click on each symbol below (box will turn grey) to read the reasons for the specific rating.

- Yes

- Limited

- No

Criteria	EBS	BCS
Crowns a definitive and widely accepted national champion
EBS: A 12-team tournament ensures that under most circumstances all teams worthy of an opportunity to win a national championship are given that chance. The "playoff" (one element of the EBS) is consistent with the format used by every other NCAA team sport.
BCS: While the BCS has had successful years in matching up the two exclusive national title contenders (2002 and 2005), there have also been years of stunning failure. In no year was this more evident than 2003, when a split national championship was awarded to LSU and USC, the very occurrence the system was designed to eliminate. A year later, five teams completed the regular season undefeated, but three were denied a chance at the national championship. Such a system leads directly to controversy.
Ensures BCS conference champions play in premier bowl
EBS: All BCS conference champions are ensured a spot in the 12-team EBS tournament.
BCS: All BCS conference champions are awarded invitations to BCS bowls.
Maintains traditional bowl affiliations for conference champions
EBS: Teams receiving byes are placed in bowls based on traditional bowl affiliations. However, this allows for only one team to be placed per bowl and the conference champion must be one of the four bye teams.
BCS: While the BCS attempts to maintain traditional bowl affiliations, it is not always possible to do when a particular bowl loses teams to the national title game.
Provides access to non-BCS conference champions
EBS: The highest-ranked non-BCS conference champion is guaranteed a spot in the post season.
BCS: While non-BCS conference champions are not prohibited from being selected to participate in a BCS bowl, the qualifying conditions make it very difficult for such a team to do so.
Provides access to all teams worthy of a chance at a national championship
EBS: With all six BCS conference champions, at least one non-BCS conference champion, and potentially five at-large bids, it is very unlikely that a team deserving of a chance at the national title would be excluded.
BCS: With only two spots available for teams competing for the national title, it is very likely that a worthy team is excluded. In 8 of the 10 years (1998-2007), a team was excluded from the national championship game despite having a record on par with that of one of the participants.
Prevents unworthy teams from having a chance at a national championship
EBS: With the possibility of a weak conference champion and as many as five at-large bids, it is possible a team with several losses would be included in the tournament
BCS: With only two teams in the national title hunt, it is impossible for an unworthy team to compete
Maintains the importance of the regular season for teams with the same number of losses as the #1 ranked team (i.e., an undefeated team)
EBS: By making available first round byes, even teams who have sewn up an EBS tournament berth still need to maintain their standing as one of the top 4 teams.
BCS: For a team seeking one of the top two spots in the country, a late season loss could end any hopes of a national title.
Maintains the importance of regular season games for teams with one or two more losses than the #1 ranked team (i.e., one loss teams when the #1 team is undefeated).
EBS: Quality teams with only one or two losses to top teams are still very much in the hunt for the national championship. Although their path to a championship is deservingly more difficult, for these teams, their regular season is still “the most important regular season in collegiate athletics.” Another loss would eliminate them from the tournament.
BCS: Once a team no longer has hopes of attaining a #1 or #2 ranking, from a BCS perspective, that team’s season is over. While the season is still important to players and fans, and the possibility of winning a conference title is a worthwhile pursuit, these teams have no hope of winning a national championship and their participation in “the most important regular season in collegiate athletics” is reduced to spoiler.
Produces compelling matchups to attract a national TV audience in majority of bowl games
EBS: By the very nature of a national championship tournament and because of a lack of potentially lopsided matchups, all games are compelling.
BCS: The BCS has consistently produced compelling TV matchups. While occasionally one bowl of the four will be less interesting to a national audience, the majority of games have national appeal.
Advances the interest in minor bowl games
EBS: Because first round sites are hosted by minor bowls, these bowls can leverage this added interest to non-Tournament years. Non-tournament games get attention by taking place during "bowl week," sandwiched between the first round and the quarterfinals.
BCS: The BCS fails to respect vested interests of minor bowls.
Allows fans to enjoy the complete bowl experience
EBS: The byes and extended period between first and second round games allow fans to travel to bowl sites and enjoy extend stays. The later-round games will continue to be “destination events” where fans attend regardless of competing teams. In the current system, only about 1/3 of tickets for many bowls go to schools; rest are allocated to annual renewals, corporate partners, and local residents.
BCS: Fans only need to plan on attending one bowl game, allowing them to take extended vacations and enjoy the complete bowl experience.
Student-athletes not subjected to excessive number of games
EBS: Teams play at most four postseason games, but given the fact that the highest-ranked, and presumably best, teams receive a bye, teams expected to play in the championship game would play at most three postseason games. At most a team would play 16 games, similar to games played by national champions in Division I-AA (15 games), Division II (15-16 games), and Division III (14-15). Unlike these division, those at DI-A would benefit from a several week rest between the regular season and the postseason.
BCS: Teams play only one postseason game.