BCS considering limiting 2014 playoff to conference champs ranked in top 6
CHICAGO -- Big Ten commissioner Jim Delany said Wednesday that one possible way of determining which teams advance to the four-team playoff in 2014 is a conference champion model that would be capped by the team's national ranking.
Delany, who met with CBSSports.com and other reporters on Wednesday in Chicago, said one proposal being considered is the conference champion only model, but that the conference champion would have to be ranked among the top six teams in the country to qualify.
If a conference champion was among the top six in the rankings, it would automatically qualify for the four-team playoff. The top four ranked conference champions among the top six would qualify and if less than four conference champions were among the top six teams then the remaining spots would be filled by the highest ranked non-conference champions or an independent (Notre Dame, BYU, Army or Navy).
The commissioners must determine whether the four teams are the four highest ranked teams or a "conference champion only" model. SEC commissioner Mike Slive favors the top four ranked teams because he it would involve the top four ranked teams.
Others, such as the Pac-12's Larry Scott, prefer including only conference champions, because it increases the importance and value of winning their conference. Even in a "champion only" model, there still would have to be access for Notre Dame or independents, BYU, Army and Navy, if they ranked among the nation's top four teams.
ACC commissioner John Swofford said he like's the simplicity of No. 1 vs. No. 4 and No. 2 vs. No. 3.
If the conference champion only format was in place last season a four-team playoff would have consisted of No. 10 Wisconsin (Big Ten) against No. 1 LSU(SEC) and No. 5 Oregon (Pac-12) against No. 3 Oklahoma State (Big 12).
Using the model that Delany said is being considered -- capping the conference champions among the nation's top six ranked teams -- No. 2 Alabama, as an at-large selection, would have replaced No. 10 and Big Ten champion Wisconsin. The national semifinals last year would have been No. 5 Oregon (Pac-12) vs. No. 1 LSU (SEC) and No. 3 Oklahoma State (Big 12) vs. No. 2 Alabama (at-large).
How to rank the teams for the 2014 playoff is something the commissioners must still determine -- whether it's to use the current BCS ranking system, come up with a new computer/voting model or use a selection committee. Delany said he prefers a selection committee, although he's not ruling out other ways of determining the four teams.
Another item that must be determined is dividing the revenue among the conferences. Without the AQ conference and non-AQ conference labels, I asked Delany how would the commissioners determine how much each conference receives without those AQ/non-AQ labels.
"It's a secret," he said.
Delany also said he's optimistic that when the commissioners meet June 20 in Chicago they will have the playoff model finalized to present to the Presidential Oversight Committee for approval.
Delany, who met with CBSSports.com and other reporters on Wednesday in Chicago, said one proposal being considered is the conference champion only model, but that the conference champion would have to be ranked among the top six teams in the country to qualify.
If a conference champion was among the top six in the rankings, it would automatically qualify for the four-team playoff. The top four ranked conference champions among the top six would qualify and if less than four conference champions were among the top six teams then the remaining spots would be filled by the highest ranked non-conference champions or an independent (Notre Dame, BYU, Army or Navy).
The commissioners must determine whether the four teams are the four highest ranked teams or a "conference champion only" model. SEC commissioner Mike Slive favors the top four ranked teams because he it would involve the top four ranked teams.
Others, such as the Pac-12's Larry Scott, prefer including only conference champions, because it increases the importance and value of winning their conference. Even in a "champion only" model, there still would have to be access for Notre Dame or independents, BYU, Army and Navy, if they ranked among the nation's top four teams.
ACC commissioner John Swofford said he like's the simplicity of No. 1 vs. No. 4 and No. 2 vs. No. 3.
If the conference champion only format was in place last season a four-team playoff would have consisted of No. 10 Wisconsin (Big Ten) against No. 1 LSU(SEC) and No. 5 Oregon (Pac-12) against No. 3 Oklahoma State (Big 12).
Using the model that Delany said is being considered -- capping the conference champions among the nation's top six ranked teams -- No. 2 Alabama, as an at-large selection, would have replaced No. 10 and Big Ten champion Wisconsin. The national semifinals last year would have been No. 5 Oregon (Pac-12) vs. No. 1 LSU (SEC) and No. 3 Oklahoma State (Big 12) vs. No. 2 Alabama (at-large).
How to rank the teams for the 2014 playoff is something the commissioners must still determine -- whether it's to use the current BCS ranking system, come up with a new computer/voting model or use a selection committee. Delany said he prefers a selection committee, although he's not ruling out other ways of determining the four teams.
Another item that must be determined is dividing the revenue among the conferences. Without the AQ conference and non-AQ conference labels, I asked Delany how would the commissioners determine how much each conference receives without those AQ/non-AQ labels.
"It's a secret," he said.
Delany also said he's optimistic that when the commissioners meet June 20 in Chicago they will have the playoff model finalized to present to the Presidential Oversight Committee for approval.
