Analysis: Why Mountain West, Big East want Boise State

[Water Pony]

The tug-of-war between the Mountain West Conference and the Big East over Boise State - a struggle that could determine which league becomes the No. 6 power conference in the new college playoff structure - is getting tense.

http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nc ... l/1786089/

[gostangs]

who is number 6? there will be no number 5 in about 6 months.

[Water Pony]

The USAToday article presumes that the ACC survives as number 5 and either BE or MWC becomes the sixth strongest FB conference, which would probably give them the sixth spot in the new playoff bowl schedule.

[JasonB]

4 team playoff = no 5th or 6th spot.

[Water Pony]

There will be three contract bowls -- the Champions Bowl, which is a partnership between the Big 12 and SEC, the Rose Bowl, which has a longstanding tradition between the Big Ten and Pac 12, and a bowl to be determined for the ACC, which is likely to continue its partnership with the Orange Bowl.

The three other bowls, called "access bowls," have yet to be determined, but the decision will force the Sugar Bowl and Fiesta Bowl to become bidders.

Tuesday's decision possibly could squeeze the Big East out of the postseason, as its champion is no longer guaranteed a spot in one of the six major bowls. The "automatic qualifiers" label also will disappear in the new system and those programs will have no guaranteed access to the new structure. Big 12 commissioner Bob Bowlsby called it an "open marketplace for all schools."

Most if not all of the four playoff spots will be filled by teams that finish the regular season on top of one of the five power conferences, says Mark Schlabach at ESPN. But in addition to the playoffs, college football is also adding at least two more marquee postseason games to its lineup, increasing the chances that a team like Boise State or Hawaii could score a coveted bowl game even if it doesn't make the playoffs. This "produces access and it's going to produce a significant opportunity for high-ranking teams that might not be ranked one through four," says SEC commissioner Mike Slive.

[zimo]

There hasn't been a 6th power conference since 2005.