Story by Tony Barnhart and Jeff D'Alessio
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
April 27, 2006

An all-out, NFL-style playoff still seems unlikely, but
NCAA decision-makers might be willing to strike a future
compromise when it comes to college football's
controversial championship format.

Of 10 university presidents and chancellors contacted this
week by The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, all but one,
Miami's Donna Shalala, said they'd at least be willing to
consider the so-called "plus one" model, in which a
national title game would be held a week after the major
BCS bowls are played.

"I would rather see us move to an eight-team playoff
system, but this could be a good first step, so I'm in
favor," Florida State President T.K. Wetherell said. "Why
wait?"

The current Bowl Championship Series contract runs for four
more years, which could prevent drastic changes in the near
future, BCS coordinator Mike Slive said Wednesday as
college football officials ended three days of meetings in
Phoenix.

While Florida President Bernard Machen, a "plus one"
proponent, said he doesn't think it will take four years to
change the system, Slive was less optimistic.

"We have this format, and we're committed to it for the
next four years," Slive said. "It is our job to do
everything in our power to make it successful."

College football will alter its postseason format this
season by adding a fifth BCS bowl, to be played at the same
site as one of the four traditional ones--the Fiesta,
Orange, Rose, and Sugar--a week later.

But what if that, as other things the BCS has tried, is a
public-relations failure? What happens four years down the
road?

"What I think you should know is that I'm not wedded to any
particular format," said Slive, who doubles as commissioner
of the SEC, which had a 12-0 Auburn team shut out of the
BCS championship game after the 2004 season.

"I think I have an open mind about this," Slive added. "If
there is a better format out there that we haven't
explored, then I think we need to have that conversation."

BCS officials had the same conversation two years ago. A
version of the "plus one" format was first pitched by ABC
in April 2004, when the network and the BCS were discussing
their new contract.

The plan had some support among BCS conference
commissioners, particularly because ABC was willing to kick
in an additional $60 million for changing the format. But
the members of the BCS presidential oversight committee
rejected it, feeling it was a baby step toward a playoff,
which many university leaders adamantly oppose. That led in
part to ABC ending its contract with every BCS bowl but the
Rose, and the Fox network jumping on board.

Georgia President Michael Adams said this week he is
"generally opposed to extending an already too-long
season," especially with the NCAA's recent approval of a
12th regular-season game for Division I-A teams. "At the
same time, I'm always willing to listen to opposing ideas."

"I am not sure what the best football postseason format
would be," Southern Miss President Shelby Thames said.
"However, I would be interested in a format that would
equal the promotion college basketball gets from March
Madness."

Fox officials, who spent $320 million for four years of BCS
broadcast rights, said this week they have no plan for
bringing the "plus one" model back to the table.

"[But] if the format needs to change, then we'll adapt,"
said Ed Goren, president and executive producer of Fox
Sports.

"If you're in the game, you have a better chance of getting
a hit," added Larry Jones, Fox Sports' chief operating
officer.

With the BCS adding a fifth game and extending the bowl
season by a week--to Jan. 8--the current structure would
work if the "plus one" were adopted in one form or another.

"What you can say is that the calendar has been changed
that will allow consideration of other formats if that need
arises," Slive said.

If it gets past the presidents, the biggest obstacle toward
adopting a "plus one" format could be the Rose Bowl and its
traditional relationship with the Big Ten and the Pac-10. A
"plus one" model would further decrease the probability of
a Big Ten vs. Pac-10 matchup. The Big Ten feels it already
has made enough concessions by agreeing to the current BCS
format, which doesn't always pit teams from the two leagues
against one another.

When BCS officials testified before Congress in December,
Big Ten commissioner Jim Delany made it clear that if the
BCS chose to go with the "plus one" format in the short
term, his conference was prepared to pull out of the BCS
and go back to its traditional Rose Bowl matchup with the
Pac-10.

The Big Ten and Pac-10 have an eight-year contract to send
their champions to the Rose unless they are ranked No. 1 or
2 and are in the BCS final. Their contract with the BCS
lasts four more years.

"Any [versions] of the 'plus one' concept that have been
bandied about in the media would not satisfy the test that
the Big Ten presidents and chancellors have applied when
addressing our relationship with the Rose Bowl," Delany
said at that December hearing.

http://www.ajc.com/news/content/sports/stories/0427BCS.html



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