Most Notre Dame football fans know that the College Football Playoffs format is far from perfect, but it’s giving the Fighting Irish a real chance at a National Championship this year. There would be no chance if the old format was around or if the BCS was still in play.
Marcus Freeman and company would be headed to a pointless bowl game despite possibly finishing the regular season with a 12-1 record. It turns out that there are plenty of the college football greats who also understand this format is better.
Count Charles Woodson and AJ Hawk among the many who prefer the College Football Playoffs over what used to be. And those aren’t guys who have any vested interest in Notre Dame football.
Legends say College Football Playoffs better than the BCS
“No matter how many teams you put in, I feel like there’s always going to be teams left out, that feel like they should be there,” Hawk said on Wednesday’s The Triple Option podcast. “But if we put in 12, and it’s a win-or-go-home situation, you can prove you’re the best team.”
“I think that’s always better than when a group of people votes on who the best team might be,” he added. “Like any time you can play for it, I am absolutely all in favor.”
“I’d say, yeah, just because it makes it more inclusive,” Woodson said on Wednesday’s The Triple Option podcast. “Before, you go back through the timeline, … we didn’t have an opportunity to play Nebraska, which was also undefeated. And I think a year later the BCS was implemented, and then it started with the best (two) teams or the best four teams.”
Obviously, the College Football Playoffs still have to be played out. Should Notre Dame football, or Boise State or some other team pull off an upset, there will be plenty of debate. But this format seems to work best.