BCS releases new bid formula

Published Apr. 22, 2010 11:50 p.m. ET

foxsports

The Bowl Championship Series has released its formula for determining how conferences, such as the Mountain West, can earn an BCS automatic bid.

The BCS uses three criteria that measure conference strength over a four-year period. The criteria are: the ranking of the highest-ranked team in the final BCS standings; the final regular-season computer rankings of all the teams in a conference; and the number of teams in the top 25 of the final BCS standings.

Six conferences - the Big East, Big Ten, Big 12, ACC, SEC and Pac-10 - have automatic bids that are contractually bound through the 2013 season.

Another league could earn an automatic bid if it meets certain thresholds using those criteria.