NewMexAg, we can't postulate what would be the attraction if the "little" schools got to play the "big" schools head-to-head in post-season because it is so uncommon.

What we know is that the Tangerine (now Citrus) provided MAC champion vs. Big Name school match-ups and became so successful that it now matchs big names. We know that the Fiesta matching the WAC against big names grew into a major event. We know that the Independence matching the Southland champ against big names is now a million plus pay-out bowl. We know that the Holiday matching WAC against big names (including a national title) grew to where it is all big names.

The little guys gave those bowl games their start and they were successful and that success led to bigger tv contracts, higher ticket prices and in turn "safer" contracts with the big names locking out the small names. Miami of Ohio might be good enough to play in the Citrus but if I want to keep the sponsors and TV execs happy I've got to take the safe route and take a name so they can justify future payments equal to what I was able to do with the little guys. Taking the WAC or CUSA champion isn't safe. Last year TCU was the marketable choice in CUSA but they messed it up by losing head-to-head to Southern Miss.

The college football fan has been told and believes a number of lies. 1) Anything outside the BCS is inferior to the BCS. 2) Anything outside I-A is inferior to I-A. 3) I-A membership is a meritocracy or at least should be. While Richmond might deserve a chance to take on the best in the NCAA Tournament by meeting the stringent requirement of having 14 sports and playing a Division I schedule, they cannot be allowed to taint I-A football unless they add two more sports, 20 football scholarships and average 15,000 paid attendance every year.