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[Richard Forno]

Senate reviewing how college football picks No. 1

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5hV4mOJQgUsQthrydU_Vty4iVgC5gD9759GG00

By FREDERIC J. FROMMER – 18 hours ago

WASHINGTON (AP) — Everyone from President Barack Obama on down to fans  
has criticized how college football determines its top team. Now  
senators are getting off the sidelines to examine antitrust issues  
involving the Bowl Champion Series.

The current system "leaves nearly half of all the teams in college  
football at a competitive disadvantage when it comes to qualifying for  
the millions of dollars paid out every year," the Senate Judiciary's  
subcommittee on antitrust, competition policy and consumer rights said  
in a statement Wednesday announcing the hearings.

Under the BCS, some conferences get automatic bids to participate in  
series, while others do not.

Obama and some members of Congress favor a playoff-type system to  
determine the national champion. The BCS features a championship game  
between the two top teams in the BCS standings, based on two polls and  
six computer ratings.

Behind the push for the hearings is the subcommittee's top Republican,  
Sen. Orrin Hatch of Utah. People there were furious that Utah was  
bypassed for the national championship despite going undefeated in the  
regular season.

The title game pitted No. 1 Florida (12-1) against No. 2 Oklahoma  
(12-1); Florida won 24-14 and claimed the title.

The subcommittee's statement said Hatch would introduce legislation  
"to rectify this situation." No details were offered and Hatch's  
office declined to provide any.

Hatch said in a statement that the BCS system "has proven itself to be  
inadequate, not only for those of us who are fans of college football,  
but for anyone who believes that competition and fair play should have  
a role in collegiate sports."

In the House, Rep. Joe Barton of Texas, the top Republican on the  
Energy and Commerce Committee, has sponsored legislation that would  
prevent the NCAA from calling a football game a "national  
championship" unless the game culminates from a playoff system.

Copyright © 2009 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.