SEC commissioner Mike Slive was asked on his Tuesday teleconference about the possibility of the BCS removing the two-team per league rule for BCS games. Slive was non-committal either way, but he did say it is something that could be reconsidered during the next round of television negotiations:
"I do know this: That Bill Hancock has put together a list of issues that he believes the commissioners and the BCS bowl oversight committee ought to be looking at as the BCS develops a position on upcoming negotiations. I think that's one of them," he said.
"I think there are going to be several issues that are important enough to have serious discussion about, and that would be one of them."
Allowing a third team from a league to earn a BCS bid obviously would positively effect the Big 10 and SEC who have had two teams in a BCS game eight times for the SEC and 10 times for the SEC. Plus, there have been times such as last year where Michigan State was ranked ninth in the final BCS rankings but went to the Capital One Bowl.
Currently there are six guaranteed spots and recently seven when looking at what Boise State, Utah, TCU and Hawaii have accomplished by making a BCS game. This leaves three spots and there is the rare year that a team in the top-10 would be left out of a BCS bowl game.
Allowing a third team to from one league to make a BCS bowl game does not affect the non-AQ teams at all, but it would hurt the Pac-12, Big East and ACC who have had the least success in getting two teams in a BCS bowl game. Adding a third team from a league would make sense if the Cotton Bowl earns BCS status or if that does not happen perhaps make a once every four year exception for a third team to be allowed from a league.
As for a Mountain West perspective I could see them gaining the most out of this if a sixth bowl game is created because that may give the league more leeway with their petition. With six bowl games and seven automatic leagues that would provide five at-large spots and that should be enough to give a third team from a league to be allowed to make a BCS bowl game.
If the BCS is going to stay around, I don't really have a problem with adding a third team, on ocassion. Might as well have as many good teams as possible for bowl matchups since a playoff does not look to be happening anytime in the future.
Hat tip: bluesyourdaddy
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