Who would have finished No. 1 had a 16-team playoff format been in effect in 1984?
All 16 chosen probably would have cast ballots for themselves.The mythical playoff scenario was based on rankings and in that sense, it was easy to project Brigham Young University No. 1 since that's where the Cougars ranked at the end of the regular season and after the bowls had been played.
Even that noted sports magazine of authority, Sports Illustrated, agrees the Cougars would be the team to beat.
Wrote John Underwood in the Jan. 15, 1985 issue:
"BYU not deserving of No. 1? Stuff and nonsense. BYU not good enough to beat Oklahoma, or USC, or Washington, or Nebraska, or even black sheep Florida, probably the best of them all by season's end? Humbug, why BYU is probably even good enough to beat Doug Flutie."
Because of bowl agreements, BYU faced a 6-5 unranked Michigan in the Holiday Bowl, defeating the Wolverines, 24-17. The Cougars defeated the team that finished No. 2, Washington, a year later in Provo, 31-3.
Conspicuous by their absence are the schools from the Pac-10 and Big 10. Those conferences don't belong to the College Football Association (CFA) and as such are not part of a proposed playoff system or the main bowl alliance. The Rose Bowl is what keeps them apart from the CFA as it guarantees about a $7 million payout per team.
Circumstances, of course, could change that. But for now, they're left out of the scenario.