changes ahead for the BCS

[smazza]

Coordinator Tranghese says formula for selecting teams to play in national championship game will be amended to avoid split championship

Commissioners representing the six bowl championship series conferences emerged from a Saturday meeting saying there will a significant change in the way college football's champion will be determined next year.

"Without question," BCS coordinator and Big East commissioner Michael Tranghese said.

The only question left is how the system will be amended.

The six-year BCS erupted into controversy last year when USC finished No. 1 in the Associated Press writers' and ESPN\USA Today coaches' polls but ended up No. 3 in the final BCS standings, a complex ratings formula that incorporates polls with computer and strength-of-schedule components.

USC had to play Michigan in the Rose Bowl while Oklahoma and Louisiana State, the top teams in the BCS standings, met in the Sugar Bowl.

The situation produced split national champions, the very thing the BCS was trying to prevent.

The BCS commissioners are leaning toward a change that would use the computer component only if the human polls are in disagreement.

If a team is ranked No. 1 in both human polls, as was the case last year with USC, it would automatically qualify for one of the top two BCS spots.

This new plan would be a compromise to eliminating computers from the BCS process, which some have proposed.

Commissioners on Saturday also discussed plans to implement a fifth BCS bowl game beginning in 2006. The additional bowl game was approved by college presidents last February as a means to improving access for the five "non-BCS" conferences.

Presidents from "non-BCS" schools argued the BCS was a monopoly and violated anti-trust laws.

While the formal BCS agreement has not been signed, the parameters for increased access have been set.

With a fifth BCS game providing two more major bowl slots, a school from a "non-BCS" conference will receive a major bowl bid if it finishes 12th or higher in the final BCS standings, as opposed to sixth or higher under the present plan.

Also, should a BCS conference champion not finish among the top 16, a non-BCS conference champion would qualify for a BCS game if it ranks 16th or better.

The new access agreement would take effect after the BCS contract expires following the 2005 season.

Tranghese said several bowls have expressed interest in becoming the fifth BCS game. The BCS commissioners hope to finalize BCS changes by June 1.

[Papa_Bull]

BCS has fifth bowl in works

By Mark Blaudschun, Globe Staff, 4/4/2004

SAN ANTONIO -- Representatives of the Bowl Championship Series met here yesterday and began to put together a formula that will incorporate a fifth BCS bowl by the 2006 season.

 

"It's important to have the process established first," said Big East commissioner Mike Tranghese. "We can then decide who the fifth bowl will be."

BCS sources suggested each of the six conferences that are guaranteed a BCS bowl berth would be linked to one of the bowls.

The most likely setup:

Rose Bowl: Pacific-10 champion vs. Big Ten champion (except when the Rose Bowl hosts the BCS title game).

Sugar Bowl: Southeastern Conference champion vs. at-large team.

Fiesta Bowl: Big 12 champion vs. at-large team.

Orange Bowl: Atlantic Coast Conference champion vs. at-large team.

Fifth BCS Bowl: Big East champion vs. at-large team.

The Gator Bowl, which would eagerly accept the Big East conference champion as its anchor team, could be the leading contender for the fifth BCS bowl. At-large slots would be awarded to conference champions that finish in the top 12 in the BCS standings. Another way to get a BCS slot for a non-BCS team would be to finish in the top 16. If that happened, and a champion from a BCS league was lower than 16th, the non-BCS team would also be guaranteed a slot.

The rotation of at-large teams at BCS bowls is still undetermined. The Rose Bowl has created its own deal of having the Pac-10 champ play the Big Ten champ every year it does not host the national championship.

Not surprisingly, some bowls are reluctant to take an at-large team from a non-BCS league rather than a runner-up from a more high-profile conference.

Tranghese said the impact of the BCS computers would be lessened so it would be impossible for a team ranked No. 1 in either of two human polls to be excluded from the championship game.

"There can still be problems if you have five teams with one loss or three undefeated teams, that the computers would have to be used to make the final call," said Tranghese. "But if the two human polls are in agreement as to the top two teams, that will be the game."

[smazza]

funny, i would think tampa  more of an attraction than jacksonville

[Ricky the Bull]

I think it's because Jax is within driving distance of some very big college football states (GA, SC, AL, TN), in addition to the fans in this state.

I've been to several Gator Bowls and, despite whether there is a FL team or not, it's always full or nearly so.  That's the main reason the NFL came to town.

[smazza]

RTB- good point

but i do think tampa has more to offer

[bulls96go]

with the BE tie in and usf in the BE,

as long as usf meets potential and grows our fan base

outback will be intrested

also if the ceo from outback becomes our AD then its a done deal

[smazza]

having tampa host  a bcs game would be a further boost to recruiting and make usf a nationally known school alot quicker

[namuh-bull]

SEC and Big 10 schools as a rule travel very well.  If I was on the Outback Bowl committee, it would take a lot of thought before I would want to change.  

BCS bowls have big payoffs.  Would Outback (the company) have to come up with more cash to sponsor a BCS game, or is the difference made up with TV revenue?

[BullDoug]

SEC and Big 10 schools as a rule travel very well.  If I was on the Outback Bowl committee, it would take a lot of thought before I would want to change.  

BCS bowls have big payoffs.  Would Outback (the company) have to come up with more cash to sponsor a BCS game, or is the difference made up with TV revenue?

About the SEC vs B10, ya hit the nail on the head.  Big time consideration needs to be made.  Yes, ABC puts up most of the $ for the BCS.