The era of the four-team playoff is just about here after developments last night. The commissioners of each FBS conference (and Notre Dame Athletics director Jack Swarbrick) announced that they were unanimous in their support for a seeded four-team playoff model.
Here is what we know at this point. A selection committee is preferred by the commissioners, although the size of such a committee and just who would make it up remain to be seen. ESPN reports that the teams will be seeded, one through four, with consideration given for conference championships and strength of schedule. CBS reports that the games will be played within the current bowl structure with semifinals to be played on January 1 and the site of the championship game, as previously reported, will be up for bidding my cities rather than bowl sites. Jacksonville is already preparing their bid, while Tampa is not far behind. Expect cities like New Orleans, Miami, Dallas and Atlanta also to become players in the bidding process at some point, and possibly Indianapolis or Detroit.
Now it is up to the BCS Presidential Oversight Committee to give the seal of approval for the change, which is expected to be done next week in Washington D.C., and some of the finer details may need to be agreed to before the change becomes 100 percent official.
But it is coming, so feel free to debate whether it is good or bad for the sport in the comment section below. SEC fans are already making their plans.
Meanwhile, back on the topic of expansion, the focus is back on the Big 12 and their future plans. The latest word on the Twitter machine is that the Big 12 and Notre Dame are in discussions for Olympic sports (ie not football) and that there is a “frenzy of interest” from ACC schools that could be sparked form the potential partial-addition of the Fighting Irish.
More links after the jump…
We should not forget that it is still Top Ten Week here at Crystal Ball Run. Yesterday we continued counting up to number one. Oklahoma is ranked sixth and Georgia comes in at number five in our preseason ranking. Who will be next in our preseason ranking? Find out today.
TCU announced yesterday they wil be celebrating their official move to the Big 12 (July 1) with a midnight bash in Rodeo Plazar. The bash will take place at Billy Bob’s Texas, with the fun starting up at 11:45 p.m. on June 30. No confirmation on any similar events taking place in West Virginia, but be on the look out for burning couches.
Remember those images of a black field at Maryland? Well, the Terps are installing a more traditional field, with green artificial turf, at Capital One Field at Byrd Stadium, much to the relief of the college football gods. But Maryland can still be good for a laugh, right Randy Edsall?
APR scores were released yesterday. Not surprisingly, Northwestern and Duke lead the way. How did your favorite school do? Find out here.
For entertainment purposes only, conference and division odds were released by Bovada. Alabama and LSU open as 11/5 favorites to win the SEC. USC is your Pac 12 betting favorite at 5/8. Michigan opens at 2/1 to win the Big Ten, while defending champion Wisconsin opens 5/2. Florida State and Oklahoma are clear favorites in the ACC and Big 12, at 1/1. Louisville is your Big East favorite, at 9/4.
Harvey Updyke admitted to poisoning the trees at Auburn’s Toomer’s Corner, and now says there is no way he can receive a fair trial.
Not really sure why this would be the case, but it looks as though Ohio State is preparing to play their spring game in Cincinnati, at Paul Brown Stadium. I suppose bringing OSU football to the Cincinnati area is the goal here.
Penn State has reportedly dismissed wide receiver Devon Smith, although a Penn State spokesperson says he has no knowledge of such a roster change.
Phil Steele says this year’s top non-AQ team will be… Central Florida.
Madtown Badgers continues the College Sports Bucket List with Wisconsin vs. Michigan State.
Les Miles is still making comments about the quarterback who got away, Gunner Kiel.
The NCAA is searching for a new director of enforcement following the resignation of Bill Benjamin. He took the job just eight months ago.
ESPN is paying Texas $300 million over the next 20 years to produce the Longhorn Network, but Texas students may be paying higher student fees in order to watch it.
