The introduction of the 12-team College Football Playoff (CFP) was meant to bring fairness, access, and democracy to the process of crowning a national champion. But, instead of achieving its goal, it has left many fans frustrated and disillusioned. Why? Because the CFP Selection Committee has become a puppet of the SEC and Big Ten, prioritizing traditional blue-blood schools over others. This has resulted in a playoff system that feels biased and unfair, to the point that fans of teams outside of the SEC and Big Ten often feel cheated and overlooked.
The CFP system is overwhelmingly influenced by subjective factors like “the eye test” and media narratives, leading to a preference for a few select programs. But what if we could remove the bias from the equation altogether? What if there was a way to decide the playoff teams without relying on human opinions or agendas?
The current College Football Playoff Selection Committee has a glaring issue: bias. Year after year, we see the same handful of SEC and Big Ten teams getting preferential treatment. While fans of these programs are thrilled, the vast majority of college football fans — especially those whose teams don’t come from these conferences — are left feeling alienated.
The problem isn’t just about which teams are selected. It's about the perceived fairness of the entire system. When decisions are made based on factors like prestige, reputation, and media influence, the process becomes inherently flawed and leaves little room for smaller schools and mid-major teams to make their case.
The solution is simple: let’s remove human bias from the equation. College football has done this before. Between 1998 and 2013, the Bowl Championship Series (BCS) relied on computer-based rankings to determine which teams would compete for the national title. While it wasn’t perfect, the BCS did have one significant advantage: it minimized human bias. Computers didn’t care about tradition, conference affiliations, or public opinion. Instead, they used a formula based on measurable data — results, strength of schedule, and overall performance.
While no system is without its flaws, the BCS proved that a data-driven approach is a step in the right direction. Now, with advancements in technology and analytics, it’s time to bring back a ranking system that emphasizes fairness and transparency.
In a world where sports are increasingly dominated by media narratives and political influence, the need for a fair and objective system has never been greater. College football deserves a playoff process that rewards teams based on their actual performance — not their conference affiliation or historical reputation. Fans across the country deserve to feel that their teams have a legitimate shot at the title, regardless of where they play or who they play against.