New Orleans ? BCS officials are going to have some serious discussions in the upcoming months about going to a plus-one format, which could create a four-team major college football playoff.

Atlantic Coast Conference commissioner John Swofford, the new coordinator of the Bowl Championship Series, said Monday he intends to lead a “thorough” evaluation of the plus-one format. The BCS must determine in the next nine to 12 months what format it will use for the 2010 season (2011 bowls) so it can negotiate a new television deal.

Swofford takes over this year for Southeastern Conference commissioner Mike Slive as the public face of the BCS.

Swofford and Slive said there was increased support among conference commissioners and university presidents for having serious discussions about the plus-one, which would set the national championship game matchup after the Rose, Orange, Sugar and Fiesta bowls.

Big East commissioner Mike Tranghese and Big 12 commissioner Dan Beebe have also said they’d like to look deeper into a plus-one.