The Bowl Championship Series continues to discuss multiple "plus-one" models that would replace the current five-game BCS schedule in 2014.
As currently constituted, the championship series climaxes with the BCS national championship game between the top two teams in the final BCS standings. That system will be allowed to expire after the 2013 postseason when contracts with bowl games, conferences and ESPN broadcasting end.
One popular option is to select two teams to play for the national championship at the conclusion of the Rose, Fiesta, Orange and Sugar bowl games.
"There is no leader in the clubhouse," BCS executive director Bill Hancock told USA Today. "And frankly that's just fine at this stage."
Hancock estimated a consensus could be reached before July 1 and said the theme of any alterations to the current system is protecting the regular season. That means, barring a 180-degree reversal, there will be no expansive college football playoff system.
The BCS will discuss a "10-, 12- or 20-team event" but not in a playoff format. The common denominator in the larger event proposal stipulates semifinal games used to detemine college football's national champion must be adopted before consideration is given to more than a six-team event.
The six-team proposal, first reported by USA Today, to be heard when conference commissioners meet in Florida later this month, requires that the Rose Bowl would always be played between Big Ten and Pac-12 champions with the top four teams in the final BCS rankings pitted in semifinal games to determine the national championship game participants.
However, if one of the top four teams in the final BCS rankings qualifies for the Rose Bowl, the next-highest ranked team would fill a spot in two other semifinal games.
"The four-highest ranked teams meet in two games except that the Big Ten and Pac-12 champions will always play in the Rose Bowl. If the Big Ten champion, the Pac-12 champion, or both are in the top four, that team (or those two teams) would play in the Rose Bowl and the other two games would be filled by the other four highest-ranked teams. Select two teams for the championship game after those three games are played."
This model would have pitted No. 4 Stanford against No. 1 LSU and No. 2 Alabama angainst No. 3 Oklahoma State if used to determine the national champion in January. The winners of the semifinals would've played for the championship in what the BCS refers to as the "Four Teams Plus."
The Rose Bowl would not have been a factor with No. 5 Oregon and No. 10 Wisconsin. However, if the same format was implemented for the 2010 postseason, when No. 2 Oregon and No. 5 Wisconsin would have been sent to Pasadena, No. 6 Ohio State would then go to the semifinals to play No. 1 Auburn. The other, technically third, semifinal: No. 4 Stanford and No. 3 TCU.
In total, the BCS will deliberate four options, all currently being reviewed by commissioners of the major conferences:
--BCS with adjustments: Plan eliminates automatic qualification and limits in place for number of participants from one conference with games played on or nearer Jan. 1.
--Original "plus one:" Two teams selected after bowl games are completed to play for the national championship.
--Four-team event, to include a championship game: There are many options under consideration if this format is adopted that leaves open to debate the location of semifinal games -- campus, neutral site via bid process or semifinals in bowl games, neutral site via bid for national championship game.
