‘Top Line’ — Should Congress Kill the BCS?

ABC News’ Rick Klein reports: There’s at least one issue that’s bringing together Democrats and Republicans on Capitol Hill, at last during college football season: Obliterating the Bowl Championship Series that governs the postseason in NCAA football. On ABC’s “Top Line” today, we spoke with Matthew Sanderson, a Washington attorney who recently co-founded Playoff PAC — a new political action committee dedicated to replacing the current BCS system with a playoff structure.

“The only pressure point that has really worked is congressional pressure. So what we’ll be doing is ratcheting up that pressure so that the BCS responds to the public,” said Sanderson, who worked as a lawyer on Sen. John McCain’s presidential campaign last year. The BCS’ critics in Washington extend from President Obama — who has said he wants a playoff system in college football — to Rep. Joe Barton, R-Texas, the top Republican on the House Energy and Commerce Committee, who has sponsored a bill that would force the BCS to come up with a playoff system.

Said Sanderson: “This is not Afghanistan, this is not health care. But this involves enormous amounts of money, and it’s run by tax-exempt institutions. And we think that Congress should have some say in that, and speak on behalf of their constituents.” Like many of those who feel strongest about a playoff system, Sanderson’s favored team has a beef with the current system. Twice in recent years, his alma mater, the University of Utah, went undefeated but did not have a chance to play for the national championship. Watch the full interview with Sanderson HERE. (We invited the BCS to send a representative to debate Sanderson on the program; officials there declined.) Also today, we checked in with The Washington Post’s Dana Milbank on the latest in the health care reform push, including the goodies included at the last moment for on-the-fence senators. “They’ve created this bizarre perverse incentive here,” Milbank said. “Who’s going to ever agree to anything from now on when they all want to be that 60th vote, no matter what the legislation is. And they’re going to hold out for some hospital or some highway to be named after them or, you know, get a post office at least.” Watch the segment with Dana Milbank HERE. (And if you haven’t seen Milbank try to crash the White House press party, you can see that video HERE.)