The Bowl Championship Series has received much criticism over the past two years. There have been many questions about the bowl pairings and even more calls for a playoff system.

As an Ohio State fan, I have little reason to complain about the current system, which has placed my team in the title game for the past two seasons.

Here’s the thing though: I still support a playoff system, but only if the playoff formula includes the mid-major champions of the MAC, WAC and Conference-USA.

In my four years at NIU, I have realized the quality of teams and the quality of athletes in these conferences are good enough to compete for a national title. Even here in our own conference, the MAC, we have NFL-quality players who very rarely, if ever, get to showcase their talent and skill on a national stage.

Imagine Larry English getting a chance to take the Huskies to the BCS playoffs. Imagine NIU earning millions of dollars more for making the BCS than they would for the Motor City Bowl, or no bowl at all.

The MAC deserves a chance to compete with the top-tier opponents of the NCAA and give its players a chance to be visible to the national audience and media.

A playoff formula that includes these conferences would do that, and it would only benefit the NCAA and the BCS.

A playoff system would greatly improve the quality of play when the BCS giants face the mid-major teams, or “cupcakes.” Instead of assuming a win and moving on, the giants would actually have to play with heart and a desire to win.

Already this season, we have seen evidence that the MAC can compete with BCS-level opponents. In week one of the season Bowling Green unseated No. 24 Pittsburgh, and just last week Ohio University was one-half away from upsetting No. 3 Ohio State.

I have trouble believing that these ranked teams were playing with 100 percent focus on their opponent.

A playoff system would fix this easily, as these MAC teams could very well show up again in the playoffs. So why not figure out how to beat them the first time around?

A playoff would also gain more attention for MAC teams from the national media. More team attention would mean the top players in the conference would get a chance to show the national media what they have.

One little known fact – Central Michigan quarterback Dan LeFevour rushed and passed for more yards than Heisman winner Tim Tebow last season, with only nine fewer touchdowns.

Because CMU and the MAC don’t factor into the BCS, despite facing Kansas and Clemson in 2007, LeFevour did not garner any Heisman talk.

It’s my strong belief that MAC players would get more respect from the media if they were to factor in the BCS and the national championship, just like Colt Brennan, who faced lesser opponents than LeFevour last season.

So here’s my challenge to BCS: Include these mid-major teams and give them a shot at raising the Coaches’ Trophy at the end of the season. Give them exposure and the chance to reap post-season awards to bolster an NFL resume.

It would be a media frenzy if a team like Eastern Carolina won it all, or if Dan LeFevour won a Heisman Trophy.

Sure there would be some backlash and criticism, but for the most part it would be pure jubilation that the usual suspects didn’t win.

Just remember how much the media and fans loved it when Boise State beat Oklahoma.

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