Recent inaccurate media coverage may have increased public confusion on the NCAA’s role in deciding the national champion in the Football Bowl Subdivision’s Bowl Championship Series (BCS). 

CNN.com’s William Amsby and Sasha Johnson in their January 9 story ‘Obama raps Bowl Championship Series: 'We need a playoff' incorrectly refer to the “NCAA’s Bowl Championship Series”.  In fact, the NCAA has no role in determining the contenders in the FBS national championship game.  That responsibility rests with the Presidents and Commissioners of the 11 FBS conferences and the University of Notre Dame who created and manage the BCS independently of the NCAA.  A multi-poll formula developed and overseen by the BCS solely determines which teams play in the BCS games.  ESPN the Magazine’s Rick Reilly was equally off the mark in his January 12 article  “Oklahoma and Florida can battle for the BCS. But we've already crowned the true national champ” when he questioned whether NCAA President Myles Brand and university presidents would stand in defiance of President-Elect Obama’s desire to see a playoff.  Again, the NCAA has no role in determining rankings or who plays in the BCS bowls.  Additionally, the NCAA membership has not advanced legislation to create a FBS playoff system.

The NCAA does proudly administer the playoff championship games for Division I’s Football Championship Subdivision as well as football championships in Division II and III among its 88 championships.