Here's a thought: Buckeye fans should be some of the most vocal playoff proponents.

Ohio State has gotten a bad rap lately, as SMQ has pointed out so eloquently on the main page. It has been to 3 of the past 6 BCS title games, and has one of the highest winning percentages of the decade.

However, thanks to two bad losses in the last two BCS title games, they're equated with the early '90s Buffalo Bills. You know who else has two bad losses at that level in the past two years? UCLA men's basketball. The Bruins lost badly to Florida in the past two Final Fours, but instead of being a national joke they're held up as an example of a great program. Sure, there's pressure on them to win it all this year, but no one is calling them the Bills.

The difference is that UCLA made its way to those bad losses via a playoff. Ohio State got voted in to the title games, and there were definite questions last year surrounding the team given the national negative perception of its conference. Plus, they basically backed into the contest because following a bad loss to Illinois they won a nondescript game over Michigan and watched the national carnage propel them back up.

If we had a playoff the last two years, it's entirely possible the Buckeyes could have lost without even making the title game. However, if they did make it there both years the public perception would be that they earned their way there, and they just happened to get caught in a bad matchup both times. It's also entirely possible that a playoff-forged matchup between the Buckeyes and Gators in 2006 would have made OSU take UF more seriously and everyone would be talking about 2 titles in 5 years instead of invoking Scott Norwood's team when talking about them.

Ohio State's fans should be in favor of a playoff for this very reason. Vocally so. After all, an 11-1 Ohio State team with only a road loss to USC would have a powerful case for going to the national title game in any year this decade, but if there's 2 other 11-1 teams I can't help but feel that people will vote OSU #3 based on perceptions made from the last two years. But, when opinion polls and beauty contests rule the postseason system, these are the things that could happen.

Stand up Buckeyes. It's time you made a real playoff push.

Disclosure: I am a Florida Gator, and even run Florida-centered blog.