Plus One Playoffs: NCAA President Comes out in Favor of Proposed Format

NCAA president Mark Emmert is open to the idea of college football adopting a four-team playoff to determine a national champion, according to a report from the Associated Press.

Concerning the idea of a 16-team playoff system, Emmert said the notion is "highly problematic." He thinks a four-team playoff consisting of two national semifinals and a championship game is more reasonable.

"The notion of having a Final Four approach is probably a sound one," said Emmert after giving a speech in Indianapolis on Thursday. "Moving toward a 16-team playoff is highly problematic because I think that's too much to ask a young man's body to do. It's too many games, it intrudes into the school year and, of course, it would probably necessitate a complete end to the bowl system that so many people like now."

What Does It Mean?

Two days ago, the AP says the 11 Bowl Championship Series conferences met to discuss possible changes to the current system starting in 2014. If the idea continues to maintain momentum, that's conceivably when we could see a plus-one system put in place.

If that were to be the case, college football would no longer have to rely on voters and computer calculations to determine a matchup for a national championship game. 

The majority of college football fans would be just fine with that. And contrary to what Emmert says, the bowl system has plenty of critics. If it were to be rearranged or demolished altogether, you wouldn't hear that many complaints from the fans.

What Happens Next?

According to the AP, BCS executive director Bill Hancock said on Tuesday that 50-60 changes were discussed at a meeting in New Orleans this week. Hancock says five or seven more meetings are needed, but that a conclusion will be reached in July.

The idea of a plus-one system has come up once before. That was in 2008, and it was rejected by the powers that be from the Big Ten, Pac-10, Big East, Big 12 and Notre Dame.

But this week, Big Ten commissioner Jim Delany acknowledged that he is coming around to the idea.

The plus-one format was already supported by the SEC and ACC. If it can gain support from the other major conferences, there's no reason why the plus-one format wouldn't be put in place in the near future.

If that happens and the plus-one system proves to be successful, that's when we might see some movement on the 16-team playoff front.

But first things first.