Hatch: Congress can’t ignore ‘fundamentally unfair’ BCS

Congress can’t simply ignore college football’s Bowl Championship Series (BCS) in its current form, Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-Utah) said Friday, defending hearings this week into the system.

Hatch, whose University of Utah Utes were undefeated this season but not allowed a chance to play for the national championship, argued that the BCS may have to be investigated by the Department of Justice for antitrust violations if they fail to reform their postseason system.

“I don’t think that Congress should ignore this just because it involves college football,” Hatch said in an appearance on the “Dan Patrick Radio Show” on Friday.

The Utah lawmaker also defended the hearings from criticism that Congress had more important things to do than focus on football. He said: “If they think that’s all I do around here, they’re nuts!”

Hatch said he’s “not itching” to get the Senate involved in college football, but said that the Justice Department may need to get involved to investigate what Hatch termed as a “fundamentally unfair” system.

He also urged television networks broadcasting the games to get involved, and commended President Obama’s past words in favor of a national playoff system to replace the BCS.

“My biggest concern with the BCS is that it creates inherent disadvantages for non-preferred BCS conferences,” Hatch said. “Not every team in the Big 10 or the PAC 10 is a national football power.”

This year’s BCS title match saw two perennial powerhouses, the Florida Gators and Oklahoma Sooners, face off, with the Gators winning the national championship.