From plus-one to NCAA split, major change on college football horizon

SI ^ | 12-8-2011 | Andy Staples

[Dysart]

Maybe we won't need to cross our fingers and toes. The "plus-one" -- a four-team college football playoff -- is under serious consideration in conferences that previously stood firm against any idea of a bracketed tournament. How serious?

"I happen to agree with my conference colleagues about the plus-one game,"... "I think it's inevitable at this point."

....

• The plus-one is coming.

• The way we view the bowl hierarchy likely will change.

• The NCAA's approval of up to a $2,000-per-athlete stipend to offset the actual cost of attending a university is the first major step toward a separation of Division I's haves and have-nots, and it could be the first step toward a break from the NCAA by the wealthiest schools.

None of the athletic directors who spoke Wednesday voiced support for a full-fledged, NFL-style playoff, but they did acknowledge the possibility of a change that would allow four teams to compete for the national title at the end of the season. "I was vehemently against it initially," UCLA athletic director Dan Guerrero said, "but I'm a little more open to the discussion as it relates to a plus-one." The fact that two athletic directors in the Pac-12 -- a league long known for its resistance to a playoff -- would concede the possibility of a change is a major step. Monday, Big 12 athletic directors voted to throw their support behind the plus-one. The SEC and ACC supported a four-team playoff in 2008, but they were rebuffed by the other conferences.

That isn't the only major change in the works. The idea of BCS bowls may change as well. For the past few weeks, conference and school officials have hinted at the idea of taking away automatic qualifying bids to BCS bowls.

Read more: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2011/writers/andy_staples/12/07/img-forum-plus-one-ncaa/index.html#ixzz1fwgv6iQn

[Redmen4ever]

A 6-win Black Knights team would be an attractive team for a lot of bowl games.

The 6-win rule, I think, is 6 wins at least 5 of which must be against Bowl Subdivision schools.

Air Force went 7-5 but two of their wins were against Championship Subdivision schools (South Dakota and Tennessee State), so they just barely qualified.

Ball State got 6 wins, but it was not bowl eligible. This was because two of Ball State’s wins were against Championship Subdivision schools, so, they only had 5 qualifying wins.

Bowl Subdivision schools hurt themselves by scheduling more than one game against Championship Subdivision schools. Better to take your chances playing another Bowl Subdivision school.

[Dysart]

Well, in my forties now, and although my priorities were admittedly askew earlier in my youth, I now view sports as frosting or a brief escape from more weighty matters.

But I see your point— I do know people, and suspect you do as well based on your last note, that have decidedly warped notions of what is important in life. This(hopefully)changes with maturation.

Still there’s room for a little dessert in a big life.

[jagusafr]

Roger the dessert! I love to watch my Longhorns and Spurs play, but I don’t get all wrapped around the axle (like my BIL does) if I have to miss a game.