Ahh, humpday. A day of the week that’s so good, they had to put in a naughty reference. My hope for today is that you are using it to its fullest. You know, bowls are just upside-down humps. Mmmm…bowling.

Time to Bring Your Bowl Game

OK, so earlier in the year, I defended the progress the BCS had made in its criteria for selecting teams to play in a national championship game.

I do have another suggestion that might help out, though. Get rid of those computers.

I know humans have fallacies, but anyone can see that Colorado is more deserving of a shot at the title than Nebraska ,despite the Huskers having an 11-1 record to the Buffs 10-2 mark.

People are always talking about changing the system to a playoff format, which would get rid of the annual bowl tradition. While this would be fun, I see one problem. How will this change the selection process for the better?

I could definitely see a trend that follows the basketball tournament, awarding big-name schools who play in tougher conferences. Plus, where would the line be drawn on criteria for a team to get into the postseason?

These are just the first in many questions to be answered by the powers that be if this system comes into effect. However, I’d like to take a shot at proclaiming how the playoffs should be put together.

The field would be a 32-team free-for-all with each team amassing at least seven wins.

The field would be made up of three teams from each of the six “major” conferences, two out of every “mid-major” (there are five of those) and four at-large squads. Now for the fun. From the second round on, the games would be played at bowl sites. Here’s how it would work:

Round of 32: Games played at campus sites.

Round of 16: Games played at the sites of the Bluebonnet, Citrus, Gator, Holiday, Independence, Raisin, Salad and Sun Bowls.

Quarterfinals: Games played at the sites of the Fiesta, Liberty, Peach and Sugar Bowls.

The semifinals and National Championship would be set in a three-year rotation, with the Cotton, Rose and Orange Bowls sharing National Championship duties.

This would also bring back three defunct bowls in the Bluebonnet, Raisin and Salad. The Bluebonnet was in existence from 1959 to 1987 in Houston, which would be a prestigious site. And come on, who wouldn’t want to play in the Raisin or Salad Bowl?

Healthy teams for healthy bowls. What a concept.

Absurd Predictions

With one game just out of the memory banks, this week will bring an onslaught of games and matches. Of course, I’m talking about the Iowa State-Iowa rivalry that will explode next week. With all of the contests here, there will be a lot of Cardinal and Gold pride on the line. These are games that could make or break a season. We’ll start with the obvious first.

Wrestling: These are two of the best, hands down. Iowa looks to get back up to the top, while Iowa State tries to establish itself in the upper echelon. This should be sweet for Cael Sanderson and Joe Heskett, who will take the win as a starting point for the Cyclones’ first national crown in 15 years. (ISU 23, UI 16)

Men’s Basketball: The Cyclones were stunned at Hilton Coliseum on last Saturday. Will they even be up for the big bodies of the Hawkeyes? Tough one to call. However, I see both Larry Eustachy and Steve Alford yelling at each other so much, they’ll find a way to get into the game, if even just to slap each other around. (UI 83, ISU 71)

Women’s Basketball: The Cyclones have a little better talent in this matchup. I see the Hawkeyes as another bump in the road towards the Cyclones first Final Four berth. (ISU 76, UI 68)

Women’s Swimming: That’s right, women’s swimming. The Cyclones are coming off of two dual wins this past weekend. The Hawkeyes competed at the U.S. Open in New York. Both should be coming in with some confidence. Here’s the kicker. The U of I squad finished in fourth place a few weeks ago at the Minnesota Invitational, an event in which Iowa State took sixth. Advantage: Hawkeyes. (UI 143.5, ISU 117.5)

Hey, it’s a wonder I’m predicting this one at all.

Jonathan Lowe is a senior in meteorology from Kansas City, Mo.