updated 11:16 p.m. ET Oct. 3, 2008

Rising fuel costs are putting a big squeeze on collegiate athletic programs and could lead to changes as far reaching as the way the NCAA college basketball tournament is scheduled, the New York Times reports.

Ohio State's bill for two charter flights to USC for their recent football game came to $346,000, $24,200 of which was a fuel surcharge, Buckeyes senior athletic director Ben Jay told the newspaper. That fuel surcharge used to be at most a couple thousand dollars.

Extra baggage fees also are a problem for teams because they travel with a lot of equipment. Even bus rides are becoming prohibitively expensive for many teams.

Some programs are limiting the number of student-athletes who travel to away games, and some are considering shorter seasons, the Times reports.

One change the NCAA already has instituted is raising the minimum distance for plane travel to 400 miles from 350 miles, the newspaper reports. Another change that could be in the works involves scheduling the NCAA Tournament. The NCAA is considering a longer lag time between Selection Sunday and the first games of the tournament so teams can explore cheaper travel options.

The University of Alaska Anchorage is one of the hardest hit programs. Seawolves athletic director Steve Cobb told the Times the airlines' extra baggage fees alone will cost his school $20,000 to check equipment this season. He is trying to negotiate with airlines to have them waive the extra baggage fees for the university's athletic teams.

Cobb told the newspaper he not only has trouble scheduling non-conference opponents willing to travel to Anchorage in all sports, but also the Great Alaska Shootout is becoming harder to fill with eight men's teams and four women's teams.

Wheaton College, just west of Chicago, is considering shortening its basketball season by one game, though that is a last resort, Athletic Director Dr. Tony Ladd said. Other programs are considering similar measures, according to the Times report.

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