2012
During the winter and spring, the commissioners and presidents spent countless hours evaluating the many pros and cons of numerous possible formats. These formats ranged from returning to the old bowl system with no attempt to match the top two teams, to continuing the BCS, to creating a multi-team playoff.
The commissioners met in person January 10 in New Orleans, February 21-22 and March 26 in Dallas and several times by teleconference. They affirmed a commitment to protect college football’s regular season, the best in sports, and to preserve the bowl tradition and the bowl experience for students. Further, they focused on the realities of the academic calendar and options related to where the games should be played. They self-imposed a deadline of the summer of 2012 to decide what changes to propose to the presidents.
April 25 – At a meeting in Hollywood, Florida, the commissioners took both an 8-team and a 16-team playoff off the table. They prepared a small number of four-team options for discussion in the conference meetings to be held in May. They discussed in detail the advantages and disadvantages of various ways to rank or qualify teams.
June 12-13 – The commissioners met in Chicago to report on the outcomes of their recent conference meetings.
June 20 – Meeting in the Sullivan Room at the InterContinental hotel in downtown Chicago, the commissioners voted unanimously to recommend a four-team playoff for 12 years beginning in 2014-15, with a selection committee choosing the participating teams.
June 26 – Meeting at the Dupont Circle Hotel in Washington, D.C., the BCS Presidential Oversight Committee members voted unanimously to submit legislation to the NCAA board of directors that would allow two institutions to participate in two post-season games each year—thereby officially creating the playoff. The presidential group adopted the format and policies that had been recommended by the commissioners June 20. The NCAA would approve the proposal in August.
Why are they approving something that has nothing to do with them?