You’re probably wondering how ESPN will fill all its airtime without the game of the millennium to promote.

That’s easy. It can start promoting the rematch, right?

Sure it can, though not with quite the same fervor. Saturday’s Michigan-Ohio State game was televised by ABC, which, like ESPN, is owned by Walt Disney Company.

Do you really think ESPN would have devoted as much buildup to Auburn vs. Alabama if the two teams had been unbeaten and ranked first and second in the polls? Here’s a hint: Auburn-Alabama was telecast on CBS. Here’s another hint: Disney doesn’t own CBS.

Disney doesn’t own Fox, either. And Fox, not ABC, will televise this year’s BCS championship game.

Maybe it’s just a coincidence that the ESPN GameDay crew was opposed to Michigan-Ohio State II before Michigan-Ohio State I had been played. Maybe they really believe sequels aren’t in the best interests of college football or their fans.

I agree. But the BCS isn’t in the best interest of college football fans, either. And you’re stuck with that.

Never mind that Ohio State-Michigan was a great game. That doesn’t mean a rematch would be.

In 1959, LSU and Ole Miss were unbeaten and ranked Nos. 1 and 2 in the country when they played in Tiger Stadium. LSU won on an 89-yard, fourth-quarter punt return and a last-minute goal-line stand. The next week, it was upset by Tennessee, which set up an LSU-Ole Miss rematch in the Sugar Bowl. Ole Miss won 21-0.

In 1996, No. 2 Florida State beat No. 1 Florida 24-21 in the final game of the regular season. Florida won the national championship by routing the Seminoles 52-20 in a Sugar Bowl rematch.

One-sided sequels aren’t the biggest reason not to have a Michigan-Ohio State rematch. Not only is it unfair to Ohio State. It’s unfair to everyone else contending for a national title.

But what do you do about it? Rig the polls?

Suppose you’re a media-type voting in The Associated Press or you’re a sports information director voting for a coach in the USA Today poll. If you believe Michigan is the second-best team in the country, you shouldn’t drop it to fifth just to avoid a rematch.

That’s just another dilemma you could avoid with a national championship playoff involving all major conference champions and a couple of at-large teams. A playoff system wouldn’t prevent a rematch, but it would give other teams an opportunity to play for — instead of lobby for — a berth in the national championship game.

If Southern Cal takes care of business by beating Notre Dame and UCLA, it likely would bust up a Michigan-Ohio State rematch. The Trojans then would have victories over Arkansas, Nebraska and Notre Dame to add to a resumé that already includes a Pac-10 championship.

But suppose USC loses to Notre Dame on Saturday. If Notre Dame and Michigan finish 11-1, how could you put Notre Dame ahead of Michigan after the Irish lost to the Wolverines 47-21 in South Bend in the third game of the year?

With four teams ranked in the top 12 of the BCS standings and five ranked in the top 20, the SEC has lived up to its reputation as the nation’s strongest conference. So you could argue that either one-loss team — be it Florida or Arkansas — would merit consideration for the national championship game. But it would be much easier to make a case for Florida.

The Razorbacks lost their season opener to Southern Cal 50-14. Even if it finishes 12-1, how do you get past that score? Moreover, Arkansas’ other three non-conference opponents were Utah State (1-10), Louisiana-Monroe (2-8) and Division I-AA Southeast Missouri State.

Florida has more going for it. Its only loss was by 10 points to Auburn, which it faced at the end of a three-week run that also included Alabama and LSU. Do you have to be from the Southeast to figure out how tough that is?

If the Gators beat Florida State on Saturday and Arkansas in the SEC championship game, they would have nine victories against teams that have won six or more games. And they likely would have four victories against teams ranked in the top 25 after the regular season.

Michigan has beaten six teams that have won six or more games, and one of those is Central Michigan. It has beaten two teams that will finish the regular season in the top 25.

Florida also could get help from two division rivals, Georgia and South Carolina, on Saturday. In a best-case scenario for the Gators, unranked Georgia would beat Georgia Tech (ranked 16th in the BCS) and unranked South Carolina would upset Clemson (24th).

But in a best-case scenario for college football, none of this would be up for discussion. Instead, you would be looking forward to a championship playoff.

Sports editor John Adams may be reached at 865-342-6284 or adamsj@knews.com.