NCAA Council Urges Football Waiver

Wednesday, July 26th 2000, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) â€” The NCAA Division I Management Council recommended a one-time waiver Tuesday that will allow schools to play in one of four preseason football games in addition to 12 regular-season games in 2002.

The recommendation will be considered by the Division I board of directors at its August meeting.

The NCAA in 1999 allowed schools to schedule 12 regular-season games in certain years, starting in 2002, but took away an exemption for teams participating in the Pigskin Classic, Kickoff Classic, Black Coaches Association Football Classic and Eddie Robinson Football Classic.

The council waived that restriction â€” for 2002 only â€” because sponsors of those four preseason games showed it would have affected their ability to fulfill television contracts that were made before the 1999 legislation was adopted, the NCAA reported Tuesday.

As of now, a 12th game will be allowed only in years in which there are 14 Saturdays in the season. That occurs six times over the next 20 years â€” 2002, 2003, 2008, 2013, 2014 and 2019.

The council also is expected to review proposed legislation later this year that could eliminate exempted games in other sports besides football.

The council also:

â€” Did not support a recommendation that would have added a 65th team to the Division I women's tournament bracket, similar to a format recently approved for the 2001 men's tournament. The proposal would have set a minimum of 34 at-large selections.

â€” Referred to the council's administrative committee a request from the board of directors to reconsider a proposal to tie the number of men's basketball scholarships to graduation rates. The proposal will be considered by the council in October.

â€” Heard a subcommittee report on amateurism. A package of proposals is expected to be presented to the NCAA's academics/eligibility/compliance cabinet in October.