The first round of BCS Standings are out and it’s time for a weekly feature I will release every week for the next two months: my NCAA mock playoff bracket.

The truth is, there is no solution for the argument we have been having for years: Should a playoff system replace the bowl system, or at least the BCS bowls?

The majority of people involved seem to have enough brain cells to understand that a computer system should not determine who has the right to play for college football’s national championship. So why can’t we get it done? Well, quite simply, those that run the sport have enough brain cells to realize the bowl system creates an incredible amount of revenue for not only the NCAA, but also the individual conferences and even the cities that host the games.

Still, I find it hard to believe we can’t develop a system that would include a playoff (which would culminate in a championship game only dwarfed by the Super Bowl), while also keeping the bowls around to maintain the tradition of playing a semi-important postseason game in a city that can benefit financially off the game.

Last year I ran an experimental six-week mock playoff bracket to test my system, which I believe compromises the situation in the best way possible. Here’s how it works:

• It’s a 12-team playoff bracket (like the NFL) put together by our current BCS Standings. Most seem to favor an 8-game playoff bracket, but critics say that would create just as much controversy over title-worthy teams as the current system. I agree. However, I also agree with critics of a 16-team playoff system which claim such a bracket would reduce the importance of late-season games for the nation’s top teams. My solution? A 12-team bracket, which last season included every title-worthy team, while also forcing the nation’s top teams to play hard at the end of the season to assure themselves of a bye week.
• The six BCS conference winners earn an automatic playoff berth, but are still seeded based on their BCS ranking at the end of the season (i.e. if the Big East Champion was ranked No. 20 in the BCS, they would earn a berth in the playoffs but would be seeded No. 12).
• The top four seeds receive a first round bye. Considering we are talking about the possibility of playing a total of 16 games in a season, this bye would be very important to play for late in the season.
• The semi-finals and National Championship games would be played at neutral BCS bowl sites on a rotating basis. The Rose Bowl would still host this year’s title game with the semis being played at either the Sugar Bowl, Orange Bowl or Fiesta Bowl.
• The rest of the bowls would still exist, with conferences continuing to keep their ties with those bowls. For instance, the Rose Bowl would still host the Big Ten’s top non-playoff team vs. the Pac-10’s top non-playoff team. Why would anyone complain about that? It means the Big Ten might actually have a chance of winning the game.

Based on this week’s BCS Standings, here is our first mock playoff bracket (ties in conference standings go to team with higher BCS ranking):

First round

No. 9 LSU at No. 8 TCU

No. 12 Virginia (ACC Champion) at No. 5 Cincinnati

No. 11 Pittsburgh (Big East Champion) at No. 6 Iowa (Big Ten Champion)

No. 10 Oregon (Pac-10 Champion) at No. 7 USC

Byes: No. 1 Florida (SEC Champion), No. 2 Alabama, No. 3 Texas (Big 12 Champion), No. 4 Boise State

Sorting out the bracket

If you are wondering to yourself, “How the hell is Virginia in the playoffs?,” it’s a very valid question. The reality is that Virginia is the only ACC team without a loss in conference play and since we can’t simulate the ACC Championship game, that makes Virginia the ACC Champion for this mock bracket. Trust me, in the final mock bracket, the deserving ACC Champion will be in the playoffs, but the reality is, that team could be Virginia. If the Cavs make it, then good for them. Any team that wins one of the six BCS conferences deserves the chance to play for it all.

While still early, Pitt is the current Big East Champion and since they are ranked higher than Virginia in the BCS they grab the No. 11 seed. Oregon, which is actually ranked No. 11 in the BCS, gets a rare bump up to No. 10 in the seeding because of the automatic berths.

Bubble teams

Based on this week’s standings, both Miami (Fla.) and Georgia Tech, ranked No. 10 and 12, respectively, would be in the playoffs if it weren’t for the automatic berths. Both teams have their fate in their own hands. Win the ACC and they are in. Penn State and Oklahoma State both have good chances of sneaking in if they continue to win.

Proof that the playoffs work

The biggest question these days is whether or not Boise State is deserving of a National Championship Game berth if the Broncos win out and Florida, Alabama and Texas end up losing a game. Well, the playoffs solve that problem by letting Boise State play for that chance against the nation’s best. Also, despite a very weird, rare scenario where Virginia sneaked into the playoffs, all the teams who haven’t already shot themselves in the foot still have a chance to win it all. Finally, take a look at our possible future matchups and tell me you wouldn’t be excited:

2nd Round

No. 8 TCU at No. 1 Florida

No. 7 USC at No. 2 Alabama

No. 6 Iowa at No. 3 Texas

No. 5 Cincinnati at No. 4 Boise State

Continuing the Boise State argument, experts keeping questioning whether an undefeated Cincinnati team would leapfrog an undefeated Boise State team because the Bearcats play in a BCS conference. Well, looky here. They get to play for it, as it should be. Meanwhile, how about that USC-Alabama matchup?!? And you still have the feel-good Hawkeyes with a chance to upset Texas and a possible Cinderella story with TCU.

Semi-finals (to be played at neutral BCS bowl sites on yearly rotation)

No. 1 Florida over No. 4 Boise State

No. 2 Alabama over No. 3 Texas

Right now, the computers probably have it right with Florida and Alabama as the top two teams. So why not make them prove it on the field?

National Championship

No. 2 Alabama over No. 1 Florida

I still think the Crimson Tide is better. We shall see.