Final Eight would be better than Final Four

According to the College Football Playoff selection committee, which has total autonomy, if the college football season ended today the playoffs would have Clemson playing Notre Dame and Alabama playing Ohio State (a repeat of one of last year's first-round games).

That would mean the Fighting Irish and the Crimson Tide, with one loss each, would be in and undefeated Iowa and Baylor or Oklahoma State would be left out.

There would again be no representative from the Big 12, and this year the Pac-12 would join them in the Up The Creek Without a Paddle Club.

It would be hard for anyone to take exception with Alabama being in the playoffs. Its one loss was to Ole Miss on a day when the Tide suffered five turnovers that the Rebels converted into 24 points in a 43-37 victory.

Notre Dame, the mightiest independent in the country, has one loss (24-22 to No. 1 Clemson) and some quality victories, so it belongs too.

But so does Iowa, Baylor or Oklahoma State -- the Bears and Cowboys play each other Nov. 21 -- if they win out. If Houston finishes undefeated it would deserve some consideration as well.

The selection committee will have a hard time moving anyone in front of this week's Final Four if they don't lose, which makes a case again for expanding to an eight-team playoff. When they do that -- and economics (or in simple words, the urge for more wealth) will dictate they will -- that should be the cap.

By going to eight teams it would add one glorious Saturday, presumably the one before Christmas or earlier if Christmas falls on a Saturday or Sunday, for football fans all over the world.

The playoffs are still light years better than the old BCS format, but that doesn't mean it is perfect.

Jeff Long, Arkansas' athletic director and chairman of the selection committee, does a good job of explaining the poll, but there could be some very upset undefeated teams in early December.

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Watching the second half of the LSU-Alabama game it wasn't surprising to hear a TV announcer say that perhaps there should be a new Heisman Trophy front-runner, meaning that he thought Alabama running back Derrick Henry should move ahead of LSU's Leonard Fournette because Henry had a better game and the Tide won.

The Heisman Trophy is supposed to be based on a player's performance over a season, not for a single game.

Both are having good seasons. Henry is No. 5 in the country with 1,244 yards on 218 carries, but Fournette is No. 1 with 1,383 yards on 196 carries. The third favorite at this time is also a running back, Ohio State sophomore Ezekiel Elliott, who has 1,244 yards on 193 carries.

Alabama is the only team this season to slow the Tigers' sophomore, and the Crimson Tide might have the best defensive front seven in the country.

Admittedly, some voters wait until the Sunday or Monday after the conference championship games to cast their vote, but yours truly votes the week after the regular season ends so emotion isn't a factor.

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LSU might have a mild distraction, but nothing serious, this week while it prepares for the Arkansas Razorbacks.

LSU is investigating the possibility Fournette's family tried to cash in on his name during his freshman year.

The family and a manager -- don't all families have managers? -- had a website established to sell purple and gold hats and T-shirts with the words "Buga Nation" on them.

That was the slogan that became associated with Fournette when he played in high school. NCAA rules prohibit family members from profiting from an athlete's likeness or image. The website was up only a few hours before it was taken down.

Fournette will play Saturday.

Sports on 11/12/2015