Changes Ahead for the BCS

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 ESPNUSA 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.