The Bowl Championship Series has had more than its share of detractors over the years, while fans and pundits alike have long bemoaned the lack of a traditional (or perhaps, more logical) playoff system in NCAA football. But a new system for determining a champion in 2014 and onward should be in place by the time the 2012 college season kicks off.
College Football Playoffs: Pac-12, Big Ten Appear To Agree On Format
Bill Hanstock is a writer, author and Emmy Award-winning producer. He began writing for SB Nation in 2011.
Pete Thamel of The New York Times spoke to Pac-12 Commissioner Larry Scott via phone interview, and Scott was vocal that there is plenty of room for improvement in the current system. Scott's line of thinking seems to match that of the Big Ten, which means that there could be an agreed-upon format already in motion.
Scott said that a one-game playoff would not be enough to mute the critics of the current system and that an eight-game playoff would be difficult to fit into the academic calendar, a priority for Pac-12 leaders. He would not say directly that he favors a four-team playoff, but his view appears to be in line with many of the top B.C.S. officials.
As for the potential playoff format, Scott agreed with the position of the Big Ten, first reported by The Chicago Tribune, which favored home sites for the semifinal games and a neutral site for the championship game. After a number of discussions with the N.F.L., Scott said, following its model made sense.
Final decisions are still far from final, but the Pac-12 and Big Ten being on the same page is a good first step on the road toward a playoff system.
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