Post by cviller on Jan 9, 2008 10:15:00 GMT -5
NCAA executive committee chairman Michael Adams has sent a letter to NCAA president Dr. Myles Brand, proposing a plus-3 playoff system in college football in an effort to settle the issue of a national champion on the field.
Adams, who is president of the University of Georgia, proposes a four-team playoff at the conclusion of the four major Bowl Championship Series bowl games. Two games would be held the first Saturday that is at least one full week after the New Year's Day games, and then a final game would be held the following Saturday.
Effectively, the national championship would become an eight-team bracket with seven single-elimination games according to Adams' plan.
If applied to this year's calendar, the semifinal games would be Jan. 12 and the championship game Jan. 19.
"This season’s experience with the BCS has lost the public’s confidence and simply doesn’t work," Adams said during a teleconference. "This is one of those last horizons where (university) presidents have not exercised leadership and control.
"There has been a concentration of power among the conference and bowl commissioners. I’m saying it’s time for presidents to assert themselves in this area."
Ohio State president Gordon Gee said Monday that he opposes a plus-one playoff system, but incoming BCS coordinator John Swofford said expanding the BCS system to include a plus-one format merits further consideration.
Brand received Adams' letter on Monday night, and told USA TODAY's Steve Wieberg: "It may be an exaggeration of considerable degree to say there’s a groundswell, but I think there is a willingness to discuss (a playoff) now that wasn’t there until recently. I think it will be a difficult discussion – there are commissioners and presidents who feel strongly on both sides of the issue. Maybe the NCAA can be Switzerland here. Maybe we can be the place in which some objectivity and neutrality takes place so the discussions can be had."