Southeastern Conference commissioner Mike Slive has been pushing for NCAA reform for years.
He said he is now confident that his actions will pay off soon.
Slive, speaking at the beginning of SEC Media Days in Hoover, did not mention the idea of the "Division IV."
At SEC meetings in June, Slive stated that the Big Five conferences \0xAD-- the SEC, Big 12, Big Ten, ACC and Pac-12 -- would consider thinking of forming their own division if they were not granted the autonomy on some NCAA issues.
"There is some angst on the part of many, but I think many realize we're moving into the 21st century, things are different and expectations of student-athletes are different," Slive said.
Slive, along with the commissioners of the other five power conferences, are ready to act.
"If we do not achieve a positive outcome under the existing big tent of Division I, we will need to consider the establishment of a venue with similar conferences and institutions where we can enact the desired changes in the best interest of our student-athletes," Slive said.
Slive also spoke of student-athlete compensation, stating the conference plans to continue to figure out what would be proper compensation for its athletes.
On Slive's agenda as well was the change in how bowls and teams are lined up.
"We're seeing a paradigm shift in bowl allotments in relation to the conference," Slive said.
With the College Football Playoff beginning this year, changes with the SEC pecking order of bowls will be influenced.
"The Capital One Bowl will continue to get the first pick of teams after the college football playoff, the Sugar Bowl and some years the Orange Bowl," Slive said. "Then after that, six bowls will be assigned a team from a pool of teams for competition in the postseason."
The commissioner did not leave without getting in some bragging on his conference, noting seven SEC teams won national titles last year and Auburn's appearance in the national title game.
"(The BCS National Title game) was just a minute too long," Slive said.
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