This is a continuing look at what my design would look like for this year and will walk backwards one year per week, until the dawn of the BCS era. For other years and a better look at my design look here.

In light of my previous post, the title of this series (especially today) seems a little ... presumptuous.

I have rarely let that stop me before, why start now?

Qualifying teams

Oklahoma, LSU and USC would have been selected for being the top group of teams. This includes all undefeated teams.

Tournament

USC would play LSU in the Wild Card Game for the opportunity to play Oklahoma in the National Championship Game.

Possible BCS Bowls

Rose: Michigan vs. Washington State
Orange: FSU vs. Miami(FL)
Fiesta: Kansas State vs. Miami(OH)
Sugar: Tennessee vs. Ohio State

Teams in bold would have been tied to that berth, italics indicate a BCS berth would have been guaranteed. 

#16 Washington State would become eligible because not enough teams in the top 14 would have been eligible since conferences are limited to three teams. After the field was expanded Boise State and TCU would also have been eligible, but Florida would not have been. Georgia, Iowa and Purdue would have been eligible had a second team from their conference not already been selected or if conferences could qualify a third team if no other conference has a team ranked high enough to qualify.

What actually happened and a tier based plus one next.

What actually happened

This year was prior to the seperation of the championship game from the four traditional BCS bowls and the improved formula design.

BCS Games

NCG-Sugar: LSU 21 Oklahoma 14
Rose: USC 28 Michigan 14
Fiesta: Ohio State 35 Kansas State 28
Orange: Miami(FL) 16 FSU 14

Texas, Tennessee, Miami(OH), Georgia, Iowa and Penn State were BCS eligible
but not selected.

Under the current rules Miami(OH) would have earned an automatic qualification.

Controversy

Oklahoma was #1 in the BCS standings despite being #3 in both polls and having lost the Big 12 Championship Game. Oklahoma proved to be a dud by losing to LSU while USC demolished a respectable Michigan team. The result was a split title that led to massive changes in the standings and eventually more inclusion for the at-large conferences.

A Tier Based Plus-One

Semifinals

Oklahoma would have played Michigan and LSU would have played USC in the semifinals.

Direct Participants

FSU and Miami(FL)would have earned a direct berth into the BCS bowls as the highest ranked automatic qualifying conference champions.

Miami(OH) and Kansas State would have been guaranteed a spot in the first round games.

Remaining Teams Eligible for a Second Bowl

Boise St., California, Louisville, Iowa, LSU, Tennessee, Texas, Toledo and Wisconsin would have been eligible for a second bowl game.

Boise State, TCU, Georgia, Ohio State, Tennessee, Texas, Iowa, Louisville, Minnesota, Mississippi, Nebraska, North Texas, Northern Illinois, Purdue, Southern Mississippi, Utah and Washington State would have been eligible for a second bowl game.

Possible first round games

Mid-West: Kansas State vs. TCU
North: Miami(OH) vs. Ohio State
South: Tennessee vs. Louisville
West: Boise State vs. Georgia

An Improvement

It is hard to have a split title when all the parties are in a tournament now, isn't it?