Let’s start by recognizing that this isn’t an argument about fairness.

No one is claiming the BCS is more virtuous or unbiased than the NCAA tournament when deciding a national champion. Giving 68 teams an equal(ish) chance at playing in a title game is obviously a more judicious solution compared to a selection committee known for its subjectivity, corruption and priorities placed on nonfootball criteria.

Yet while the principles of the BCS are undoubtedly flawed, the end result is repeatedly the right one. The most compelling games are the ones in which the end result is truly up in the air, when a competition is all but guaranteed to come down to its final seconds. I want to watch a game truly not knowing who is going to win, and that happens with much greater regularity via the BCS than the NCAA tournament.

Oftentimes in the NCAA tournament, such as this year’s Wichita State-Louisville Final Four matchup and even Michigan-Louisville in the title game, the underdog — Louisville’s opponent on both accounts — had an uphill battle. It was an accomplishment for the teams to just make the games interesting and avoid blowouts. And then they pointed their focus on actually trying to win the game.  

I want the clock to strike midnight on the Cinderellas by the time the Elite Eight is decided. By then, the charm of the underdogs has been lost and it’s time to see the Goliaths battle it out — especially with the watered-down version of college basketball in its current form.

Yes, the NCAA tournament’s entertainment value as a whole is superior to that of the BCS. I am little concerned with whether Florida State or Northern Illinois will win the Orange Bowl. But deciding matchups for supplemental bowl games isn’t the BCS’ main priority. It’s to decide which two teams are most deserving to play for a national championship, and that is continuously done successfully.

The same cannot be said of the NCAA tournament.

Those who cite 2010’s Butler-Duke admittedly phenomenal title game must also concede that Butler versus Connecticut the following year was equally putrid.

And sure, Alabama rocked Notre Dame in this year’s BCS National Championship, but that was because the Crimson Tide held a substantial advantage over every other team.  

Yes, Michigan against Louisville resulted in an entertaining NCAA tournament finale. But all No. 1 seeds in the Final Four and Indiana versus Louisville would have forced me to gravitate toward my TV with a much stronger pull.

Texas’ win over USC in the 2006 Rose Bowl did that for me. The outcome was unknown, and the game was one of the greatest sporting events in recent memory. It was played because the two teams earned the right to play each other after a grueling regular season.

The importance placed on college football’s regular season serves as its own playoff. How often are the two best teams actually in question following the completion of college football’s regular season? 

Perhaps a vote for the BCS is a vote against the idea of sports in general. Why even bother playing the games if you’re just going to let computers and committees decide? 

But once again, it’s not about fairness.

Jeff is a senior in Media. He can be reached at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @jkirsh91.