Bowl Wandering

The second year of the College Football Playoff is almost complete.

What follows are the errant thoughts of one fan trying to stay interested to the end.

• The four-team playoff last year brought the biggest ratings in cable TV history. But those were just cable ratings – and it was basically the first time cable ever aired major championship games.

• One key element lost in the playoff system is the potency of the regular season. Simply put, before the Playoff, it was two-and-a-half months of playoff atmosphere for the regular season. Now, it's gone from you-better-not-lose-once to you-better...