Because Adams is the highest-ranking committee member in the NCAA, his announcement carried far more weight than myriad playoff proposals put forth annually.

Adams denounced the current Bowl Championship Series as a "beauty contest" with television and conference commissioners having more influence than the schools. The BCS contract expires after two more seasons.

The BCS uses polls and computers to choose teams, and is unlike other college sports championships in that it is run by conference commissioners. That's because of the leagues' historic ties with the bowl games.

Adams' plan involves a committee that would seed eight teams, with quarterfinal games in the Rose, Orange, Sugar and Fiesta bowls. Semifinals, he said, could be on the second Saturday in January with the national championship on the third Saturday.

In a statement, Big Ten commissioner Jim Delany said, "We continue to support the current system and are strongly opposed to any form of a college football playoff."

Adams said he respects Delany but that it won't be his decision alone: "I think the issue there, ultimately, will be what the Big Ten presidents decide to do. I can assure you there are some in the Big Ten who feel the need for change and there are others — I've seen one or two already — who say no."

Opponents of a playoff likely will criticize Adams' plan for further extending football season. Adams said one solution could be returning to an 11-game regular season.

The Big Ten and Pacific-10 conferences are most resistant to change, partly because of their decades-old tie to the Rose Bowl.

UCLA administrator John Sandbrook, author of a 2004 study on postseason college football for the Knight Commission, said the Big Ten benefits financially from the current system, with deals to send seven teams to bowl games.

Regarding playoff discussions, Sandbrook said, "It's who blinks first. What would happen to the Big Ten if it no longer qualifies for the NCAA national championship? But can the NCAA do (a playoff) without the Big Ten or Pac-10?"

If the Rose Bowl balks at participating, Adams said, "then I suspect the Cotton (Bowl) or Chick-fil-A (Bowl) or somebody would be willing to pick up that fourth game."

NCAA president Myles Brand remained neutral but said he would ask a committee to launch a study of the issue.