Setting here in a hotel room in Phoenix, Arizona watching the FCS football playoffs. Watching North Dakota State, the four time defending champion, play northern Iowa. One thing that occurs to me the football game is not played with any more passion or expertise than it is at this level.

The players may be smaller, and slower, but they play just as hard as those and Alabama and Notre Dame. Thinking back to the days when Boise State was a Division I AA team and played in the same tournament. One of the highlights of my broadcasting career was the year the Broncos made the national championship game against Youngstown State. That was the season the Broncos had a six game win streak, lost a game, and followed that up with a seven game win streak.

The fan bases are just as passionate as they are at the big schools. Fans in places like Fargo North Dakota, Missoula Montana, and back in the day Boise Idaho show just as much passion and feeling for the game as those at bigger schools.

Every time I watch these playoffs, I can’t help but think that the big schools should also have an eight team playoff.