As NCAA football, unlike other sports, uses a ranking system to decide a champion, there has been much controversy surrounding the idea to drop the Bowl Championship Series and adopt a bracket-style playoff system.

The U.S. House of Representatives heard arguments on May 1, 2009, after Texas Rep. Joe Barton introduced legislation which would prevent the NCAA from declaring a game a national championship game unless it was the result of a playoff system. He stated that the BCS system was like communism, as it was only tied to money. BCS supporters argued a playoff system would take away from the prestige of the annual bowl games.ESPN.com: House Committee Hears BCS Official

On February 9, 2009, the Utah Senate passed a resolution, which it intends to send to President Barack Obama, that urges the BCS to adopt a playoff system. this comes after the 2008 Utah Utes completed an undefeated season, yet was not selected to play in the BCS Championship Game.ESPN.com: Utah senate adopts playoffs resolution

In December of 2008, Joe Barton, a Republican congressman from Texas, announced his intentions to pass a bill prohibiting "the marketing, promotion, and advertising of a postseason game as a 'national championship' football game, unless it is the result of a playoff system," saying that a violation would be in breach of the Federal Trade Commission Act as a deceptive business practice.ESPN.com: Congressman Takes Aim at Bowl Championship Series

This debate intensified in 2008, when then President-elect Barack Obama spoke publicly about his desire to eliminate the BCS and move to an eight-team playoff. Just days before winning the 2008 election, Obama discussed his opinion on introducing a playoff system during an interview with ESPN's Chris Berman on Monday Night Football, stating that he might consider using his influence to change the current system if elected.

He later reiterated his opinion during a television interview with Barbara Walters on 60 Minutes, stating "I think any sensible person would say that if you got a bunch of teams who played throughout the season and many of them have one loss or two losses, there's no clear decisive winner and that we should be creating a playoff system."New York Times: Sorry, Mr. Obama, College Football Isn't Sensible

• The Tampa Tribune: It's Not Life And Death, But BCS National Champ System Stinks (December 10, 2008)

• StatesmanJournal.com: BCS Produced Good Matchup, but... Needs a Playoff (December 10, 2008)

• Donklephant: Time for BCS Playoff (December 1, 2008)

• CNBC: How Much For A BCS Playoff? (November 20, 2008)

• ESPN.com: Swofford: We 'Welcome Dialogue on... for College Football' (November 18, 2008)

• Los Angeles Times: BCS to Discuss Modified Playoff (January 8, 2008)

• Fansite: BCS Playoffs Now

• Dailymotion Video: Obama discusses the BCS on 60 Minutes (Time: 1:04)

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