College Football

An alliance to match the nation’s top-ranked teams in bowl games in lieu of a national championship playoff is being discussed by three New Year’s Day bowls, Notre Dame, the Big East Conference and the Atlantic Coast Conference.

The Rose Bowl is not participating in the talks.

The plan, which probably wouldn’t be in place in time for next season, would have the highest-ranking teams from among the Big East, the Atlantic Coast Conference and Notre Dame playing the highest-ranking conference champions from the Southeastern Conference in the Sugar Bowl, the Big Eight Conference in the Orange Bowl and the Southwest Conference in the Cotton Bowl.

A fourth bowl, probably either the Fiesta or the Citrus, would be a part of the mix, playing host to two at-large teams to cover all possibilities for a “national championship” game.