National Collegiate Athletic Association

The NCAA News - News and Features

March 9, 1998

Panel endorses 24 teams for III postseason football

The two hottest buttons in Division III football -- bracket enhancements and automatic qualification -- were the lead discussion items at the recent Division III Football Committee meeting.

The committee, which met February 10-13 in Palm Springs, California, voted to recommend to the Division III Championships Committee that the number of teams participating in postseason play be expanded from 16 to 24 teams, effective with the 1998 championship.

In its proposal, the committee will recommend that a 16-team national-championship field and an eight-team, four bowl-game concept (Option No. 2 from last year's Division III survey) be implemented for the next two years. The committee's long-term goal is to study the feasibility of a 24-team, five-week national championship that would be conducted no earlier than the 2000 football season.

Procedurally, the committee would select six teams from each of the four regions.

The top four teams in each region would play to determine a regional champion. The four regional champions would play through to a national-championship game (the current Division III championship structure).

The two additional teams from each region would be invited to participate in a one-game postseason event -- a regional "invitational bowl." Each bowl game would be held on the campus of the higher-seeded team.

The committee agreed that immediately expanding the number of teams participating would better serve the needs of the membership than the current 16-team national championship format. In addition, the committee noted that the implementation of Option No. 2 for this two-year trial period would allow ample time for the committee to gather additional input from the membership and the Division III governance structure regarding a possible 24-team, five-week national championship. The time period also will provide an opportunity to evaluate the merits of Option No. 2.

The committee intends to survey the Division III membership in 1999 following the 1998 championship, as well as initiate discussion at the June National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics meeting and the 1999 American Football Coaches Association convention and NCAA Convention regarding options and possible legislation regarding playing and practice seasons.

If the information indicates support for the 24-team, five-week championship, companion legislation could be drafted for consideration at the 2000 NCAA Convention.

That legislation could revise the football playing and practice season to make the five-week championship more acceptable.

Automatic qualification

The committee also reviewed Division III automatic-qualification principles and analyzed how those principles would affect Division III football.

The committee studied the current sports-sponsorship list to determine the number of conferences with eight members, the number of schools that are members of conferences with seven or fewer members and the number of independents.

Institutions from these three groups could likely make up the championship field if the automatic-qualification system proposed by the championships committee is implemented.

Other highlights

Division III Football Committee
February 10-13/Palm Springs, California

  • Analyzed the financial data from the 1997 championship. The committee agreed to review the proposed budget system and to scrutinize any future preliminary-round budget that exceeds $5,000 in expenses.

  • Reviewed the current contract with the city of Salem, Virginia, and agreed to initiate renegotiation talks for future years.

  • Voted to recommend that, effective in 1999, the playoff squad size be increased from 48 to 52 and that the travel party be increased from 58 to 64.

  • Agreed to maintain the current championship selection criteria for the 1998 championship. The committee reaffirmed that a ranked team is any team that was ranked at any time during the season in one of the committee's official polls.

  • Discussed the disparity in field conditions, spectator seating and press box accommodations at various institutions. The committee agreed that it must be more knowledgeable regarding the facilities under consideration so that the championship experience is equal for all participating student-athletes and their institutions. The committee agreed to utilize the facility questionnaire, in-person visits and information provided by athletics administrators.