The Front Row with JASON ELLIOTT Jan. 4, 2012

After watching the final moments of the Fiesta Bowl on Monday night, there was one thing for sure - a college football playoff may be a good next step.

Granted, it won't be anything like the March Madness that surrounds college basketball, but who can argue with a four-team playoff?

WITH THE championship game already determined a month ago, pitting LSU against Alabama, organizers of more than 40 other bowls had to find the best possible game.

Monday's game pitting Oklahoma State and Stanford could have proved to be a good semifinal matchup, if that was the system.

Oklahoma State's only loss came in overtime at Iowa State. The Cowboys beat rival Oklahoma, and had a few other teams opted to play in the Big 12 Conference, the Cowboys could have proved it in a title game.

Alabama didn't play in the SEC title game after losing to LSU earlier in the year, but by way of some other wins, wound up in the national title game anyway.

Stanford didn't end up in its title game either - but at the end of the season, these four were the top teams by the end of the year.

Regardless of what happens on Monday night, either Alabama or LSU should be the undisputed champion - even if some don't agree with it.

MEANWHILE, WHEN teams from Sam Houston State and North Dakota State kick off on Saturday for the FCS championship, it will be three weeks from the semifinals.

By the time LSU and Alabama take the field on Monday, it will be more than a month since they've played a game - even longer for Alabama, whose last game was played the day after Thanksgiving.

Whether teams are more focused on finals or a possible big-time bowl game - a month in most cases is too long to wait.

Just imagine if Coeur d’Alene and Eagle High agreed to wait a month to play the state 5A championship game in Boise — that could have been a lot different story.

WHILE THE girls championship game at the Coeur d’Alene Inn-vitational at North Idaho College featured a blowout win by the Coeur d’Alene Vikings, the boys title game between Davis of Yakima and Post Falls was anything but.

Entering the tournament, the Trojans were perfect, both in the four-year history of the tournament and on the season.

Once the buzzer sounded, Post Falls had finished off another run through the tournament field, even leaving a few wanting to change the name to the Post Falls Inn-vitational.

That probably won’t happen anytime soon — just like with a college football playoff.

Because no matter how exciting the conclusion of one playoff was, it doesn’t mean that will translate to college football.

The best two teams will meet for the title, just like the tournament at NIC.

Right now, the best thing to do is just sit back and watch.

Jason Elliott is a sports writer for the Coeur d’Alene Press. He can be reached by telephone at 664-8176, Ext. 2020 or via email at [email protected].