College football

Tuberville blasts lack of playoff system

'No reason ... why we can't have the best four and then play one more'

Rogelio V. Solis / AP file

Auburn coach Tommy Tuberville's team is 5-0.

msnbc.com news services

updated 10:38 p.m. ET Oct. 4, 2006

Auburn coach Tommy Tuberville blasted the lack of playoff format on Wednesday, saying he doubts any team from the Southeastern Conference can make the BCS national championship game without a playoff, ESPN said.

"I've about had it with this playoff deal," said Tuberville, whose Tigers are 5-0 but ranked third behind Ohio State and USC in the coaches and Harris Polls and second by the Associated Press. "We all understand in our conference how tough it is. In our conference, that's about the only chance we'd have to make it."

The SEC has five schools among the AP top 15, including Auburn (No. 2), Florida (No. 5), LSU (No. 9), Georgia (No. 10) and Tennessee (No. 13).

Auburn was 13-0 two years ago but were excluded from the national championship game.

"There is no reason on this earth why we can't have the best four and then play one more," Tuberville said. "That's the legitimate thing to do. We added a BCS game — for what in the world? — I understand we're avoiding lawsuits and making money. But let's take care of the players."

Tuberville said the time for excuses is over.

"The problem we have is you have 120 universities that are I-A and probably 25 would say they have a legitimate chance each year," he said. "And you have presidents that for some reason look at it more as for the money than having a national championship on the field. They keep coming up with lame excuses about academics. Football players miss fewer classes than anybody."