I know I am beating a dead horse with this column, but somebody has to hear me.  I remember hearing a motivational speaker once say that if you go apply for a job that you really want, and go back every single day until they hire someone, they will more than likely hire you.

With that thought in mind, I will keep begging the NCAA to come up with a better system than the B(C)S that we have now.

There is no doubt that at least half of the football fans in this state are completely satisfied that Alabama will be playing Texas for the National Championship.

But what about TCU fans?

Boise State fans.

And more importantly, Cincinnati fans.

You won’t get an argument from me that the SEC is the best college football conference in the country.  

I agree.

On any given Saturday, I firmly believe every single SEC team would have a chance over the majority of the teams from across the country.

But let’s think about it for a moment.

This year, we have five, count ‘em, FIVE, undefeated teams. Alabama will battle with Texas in the BSC title game, TCU with Boise State in the Fiesta Bowl, and Cincinnati playing Florida in the Sugar.

So what do we know? We will still have two, possibly even THREE undefeated teams when all is over and done with.

Who will be number one if Alabama, TCU and Cinci all win?  Will there be a clear cut, National Champion?

NO!

The reason college basketball is so exciting is because, during the month of March, the top teams battle it out for the championship.

College baseball is the same way.  I don’t care who is playing, I like to watch it knowing that, when it is over, the best team, one team, is left standing.

In college football, we really have no way of knowing. And how sad is that?

I even have a problem with who is playing in the “big game” this season.

Oh, there is no doubt that Alabama vs. Texas is a more attractive game then say TCU vs. Boise State. But I think the team that is truly getting the shaft this season is Cincinatti.

Here is a team that, over the course of the season, has beaten seven teams that have spent some time in the Top 25.

Texas’ schedule included Central Florida, UTEP, and Louisiana Monroe.

Alabama, as a member of the SEC, has a tough conference schedule, no doubt, but also played teams like Florida International (who they struggled with), North Texas and Chattanooga.

So, why aren’t the Bearcats in the Championship game?

Let’s play a little “what if” for a second.

What IF Alabama had lost to Auburn (they were 1:37 from doing so) and what IF Texas had lost to Nebraska (they were one second away from doing so)? Who THEN would be playing in the BCS Championship game?  TCU vs. Cinci?  Boise State?

This truly is madness.

The sad part about the situation at hand is that, when all is said and done, there will still be two undefeated teams in the country and there WILL BE controversy.

It could all be taken care of by a simple adjustment to the schedule.  Take one game off of the regular season, have an 8-team playoff that would require all of three weeks, and let these teams play it out. Just like they do in college basketball, college baseball, volleyball, tennis, and tiddlywinks.

They do it in high school football.  They do it in the pros.  It is crazy that in 2009, we still have do deal with this.

I know that the almighty dollar has a firm grasp on how these things work, but for sports fans, we just want a playoff – if it’s not too much to ask.

-Hit ‘em straight

Dale Jones is a staff writer for The Islander. Reach him at djones@gulfcoastnewspapers.com.