In two years, the college football postseason will be getting an overhaul. The Bowl Championship Series will disappear in favor of a small playoff. The change is expected to benefit Boise State, and could also affect the school's planned moved to the Big East Conference.
On Tuesday, college presidents approved a set of rules that will mean four teams - instead of two - will get a chance to compete for the national championship, starting with the 2014 season.
Idaho Statesman sportswriter Brian Murphy points out Boise State has never been ranked in the top four at the end of a regular season under the BCS but the team’s chances of competing in a major bowl game will go up. "As long as Boise State can finish in the top 12 then they have an opportunity, I think an equal opportunity, to get to one of these major bowls," says Murphy. "And I imagine these bowls will pay out a lot more than the second and third tier bowls Boise State’s been relegated to."
That’s because in addition to a four team playoff, there will be eight other teams competing in major bowl games when the new system begins. Murphy warns, though, that number, as well as other details, have yet to be worked out.
The change comes about after Boise State elected to leave the Mountain West in favor of the Big East. There's been speculation BSU will change its mind and stay put but Murphy expects the Broncos to go ahead with the move. "If Boise State wins the Big East next year, they’ll go to a BCS game. Obviously, the Big East will get a lot more money than the Mountain West will get from the BCS system."
Murphy says Boise State is likely to get $6-8 million from T.V. revenue by moving to the Big East. That’s significantly more than the $1.2 million it’ll get by staying with the Mountain West. Boise State’s deadline to commit to the Big East before financial penalties take effect is the end of this week.
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