Unit 2 Proposal

Proposed topic: For this essay, I am planning to analyze the arguments surrounding the current BCS system in college football, specifically in the end of the 2009 season when both TCU and Boise State went undefeated. This is a debate that has been highly intensified over the past few years as many non-automatic qualifying schools (non-AQ's) are now finishing with better records than automatic qualifying ones yet not receiving the same recognition and bowl berths or a chance at the national championship. Due to the system of the BCS, there are no playoffs, which does not allow non-AQ's the chance to prove themselves in the post-season of college football and earn a spot in the national championship.

Primary sources: There are many opponents and proponents of the BCS system, which should provide me with enough primary sources to analyze the rhetorical arguments they make. The end of last season was pretty controversial as there were five teams that went undefeated (three were AQs, the other two were Boise State and TCU) but only two got to play for the national championship. Many of the commentators of this subject are sports analysts, so I will mostly look into articles written by correspondents of ESPN as well as local papers in regards to schools that this directly affects. I will also look into what different Athletic Directors and Chancellors of universities are arguing about the issue, because this is directly related to money that schools could be potentially receiving to due to bowl success and invitations.

Why I chose this topic: Being a student at TCU, this is an event that directly relates to me. Once again, we may finish the season in good standing but held out of potentially the national championship, even if we may be deserving of it. It will be interesting to analyze the different arguments that proponents and opponents of the current BCS system are making, as well as to see which side presents the strongest and most effective arguments.