While it’s no playoff, it’s being called the “plus-one” game. After the completion of the bowls, the hope is to pair the top two teams for a national title.

“We in the SEC are very open-minded about a plus-one format, and we plan to carefully evaluate it over the next year,” Slive said.

“At our spring meetings, our presidents and chancellors again stated they opposed a playoff. At the same time, they authorized Chancellor Kayat from Ole Miss, who was our representative on the BCS presidential oversight committee, to work with me to evaluate within the structure whether a change is needed.

“We will do that, keeping in mind the parameters that I have reiterated to you over and over again, which are: The importance of the regular season, our continued support of the system, and our commitment to keep college football a one-semester sport.”

Frankly, a plus-one game system sounds ideal for the SEC. It would turn one or even two SEC bowls into a de facto semifinal game. It would keep the bowl season, which is a huge revenue generator for the league, which has bowl tie-ins with seven games, not counting the major BCS tie-ins.

He’s baaaack: Kentucky’s Rich Brooks gave a Jack Nicholson-like greeting to open his dialog on Wednesday. “I’m baaack,” he said.

Brooks, who has been on the hot seat the past couple years, earned a bit of stability after last year’s 8-5 season that ended with a Music City Bowl victory over Clemson.

“If you remember my opening statement the last two years, my goal for the upcoming season would be that I able to be here at this function the next year,” Brooks said with a smile. “We finally got it on a little bit more solid footing.”

Of course, Brooks knows as well as anyone how things can change. He ended his session with, “Thanks, guys. Hope to see you next year.”

SEC celebration: The SEC is celebrating its 75th anniversary in 2007-08. To commemorate the milestone, the league is paying tribute to its past and student-athletes.

In observance of the anniversary’s theme, “A Story of Character,” the stories of 75 former student-athletes will be featured. Six student-athletes from each member school and one each from former members Georgia Tech, Tulane and Sewanee, will be profiled.

The “Stories of Character” will be shared over many media systems — including television, radio, internet and print.

The stories of 12 former student-athletes will be featured on SEC game broadcasts and shown by SEC television partners CBS, ESPN, Lincoln Financial Sports and FSN South throughout the season.

Those narrating each piece will be President Bill Clinton (Arkansas), actress Ashley Judd (Kentucky), television personalities Deborah Norville (Georgia) and Robin Roberts (Ole Miss), authors John Grisham (Mississippi State) and Winston Groom (Alabama), Super Bowl MVP Peyton Manning (Tennessee), political strategist James Carville (LSU), musician Darius Rucker (South Carolina), Olympic gold medalist Rowdy Gaines (Auburn) and sports commentator Steve Melnyk (Florida).

All 75 stories can be viewed by accessing the SEC’s website, SECsports.com.

Coming up today: Alabama’s Nick Saban will headline the show today. Coaches and players from Vanderbilt, Alabama, Mississippi State and Florida will discuss the upcoming season.

Article by Ken Rogers, Media General News Service