Pac-10 to walk away from BCS regarding plus-one playoff

LOS ANGELES -- Pac-10 commissioner Tom Hansen, who supports bowl games and opposes a playoff system, told Sporting News Thursday his league will walk away from the BCS if the plus-one playoff model becomes a reality.

This offseason alone, conference commissioners from the SEC, ACC, Big 12 and Big East have said they are intrigued by the plus-one model -- which would provide a championship game between the two highest-ranked teams after the bowl games -- and might be open to implementing such a plan when the new television contract is negotiated sometime over the next year.

The model, however, will go nowhere without Pac-10 and Big Ten support.

"Our presidents have no interest whatsoever in a plus-one model -- none," Hansen says. "It's a little annoying that my colleagues continue to float this idea as though it has merit. If they continue to push it, and try to push us into a corner ... "

Will the Pac-10 walk away from the BCS?

"Yes, no question."

Hansen's comments are the strongest yet from Pac-10 or Big Ten officials. He says Pac-10 university presidents are more concerned about protecting the sanctity of Rose Bowl than further tweaking the current system, which dilutes the Rose Bowl with a double-hosting model. Hansen says "many" officials within the league and within the powerful Rose Bowl committee want the game once again to pit the Big Ten champions against the Pac-10 champions -- with no BCS strings attached.

"What's the difference between what we use now and the plus-one? Nothing," Hansen says. "You're still relying on (the BCS points system) to determine who plays in the game after all the other bowls. What if three teams are close to each other after all the bowl games? Which two play in the (plus-one) game?"

The BCS television contract with Fox runs through the 2009 season. But the Rose Bowl has signed with ABC through the 2014 game, further complicating any discussion of a plus-one model.

The BCS could begin negotiations for a new deal -- which could be as short as four years or as long as eight, depending on the system in place -- by next spring. That deal would begin with the 2010 season.

Hansen's comments are yet another blow for playoff proponents. In May, Florida president Bernie Machen's playoff proposal was defeated roundly by his fellow Southeastern Conference presidents -- to the point that Machen proclaimed at the end of the league's spring meetings that the BCS was, "a very good way to go."

"(SEC presidents) are persuaded, and I am now persuaded, that the best way to proceed is to try to work within the BCS structure, to make some changes to make it better," Machen said.
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http://media.www.redandblack.com/me...al/Bcs-Discussing.plus.One.Game-3137869.shtml

A "plus one" system has been discussed before. It is a system in which there is either a four-team playoff or two teams are selected after the BCS play the week of Jan. 1.

However, moving in that direction is unlikely. The contract the BCS has with the Fox television network doesn't run out until 2010, and the Rose Bowl's contract with ABC doesn't expire until 2014.

Changes in the BCS format likely will not happen until its contract expires.

 

The Pac-10 and Big 10 cannot complain if the plus-one ends up being the top 2 BCS teams after all the BCS bowls have been played. In that circumstance, the Rose Bowl would be GUARANTEED to pit the Big 10 and Pac 10 champs. That's what they want, afterall.

I see the semi-final game format being a problem for the Rose Bowl and that will never get off the ground.

 

I don't see how this one-plus system is any better than what we have now. In the one-plus this year, USC would have won the Rose Bowl, Florida the Sugar and Oklahoma the Orange. Then we would have been subjected to the same arguments about which two of the three deserved to go to the championship. A full blown 8-team playoff is the only fair way to get it done; it ensures that every team with a case for playing in the NC has a shot. Since we know that will never happen, we may as well learn to live with the system we have now.

 

That's why the other option is probably the one they will try to push in which 2 of the 4 BCS bowl games will be essentially semi-final games between the top 4 teams in the BCS standings. That's the one the Rose Bowl/Pac10/Big10 refuses to agree to and NEVER will.

I have come to a conclusion as well that only an 8 team playoff is sufficient.

 

They would have been passed over this year as well, even with the plus one semi-finals formula. They were 5th in the BCS at season's end.

Even with the top 2 BCS teams playing after the 4 BCS bowl games are played format, USC would have ended up #3 behind Texas and Florida and been left out just the same.

The Rose Bowl, Pac 10 and Big 10 officials MUST have their game played. That's all that matters in their world. Why that is, I don't know, other than tradition.

I would think when Texas played Cal in 04 that the revenues were much better than the USC/Illinois game in 07.

What a bunch of stupid and stubborn old white men.