BCS History

The Bowl Championship Series (BCS) is a selection system designed to give the top two teams in the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision(FBS) an opportunity to compete in a “national championship game”. This championship is intended as a surrogate for a playoff system since the NCAA does not formally determine a champion in this category.

The BCS relies on a combination of polls and computer selection methods to determine relative team rankings, and to narrow the field to two teams to play in the BCS National Championship Game held after the other college bowl games. The winner of this game is crowned the BCS national champion, and is guaranteed at least a share of the national championship.

The system also selects matchups for the other prestigious BCS bowl games. The ten teams selected include the conference champion from each of the six BCS conferences plus four others. The BCS was created by formal agreement among six conferences, and has evolved to allow other conferences to participate to a lesser degree. It is not formally recognized by the NCAA as a collegiate championship.

The BCS was born beginning with the 1998 football season.  Prior to the 2006 season eight teams competed in four BCS Bowls. The BCS replaced the Bowl Alliance (in place from 1995–1997), which followed the Bowl Coalition (in place from 1992–1994). Beginning with the 2006–07 season through the 2008–09 season, the BCS has aired primarily on FOX while only the Rose Bowl was shown on ABC. In January 2010, FOX will continue to air three BCS bowl games (Orange Bowl, Fiesta Bowl and Sugar Bowl), but ABC will air the BCS National Championship Game due to its contract with the Rose Bowl, who is hosting the event. Starting with the 2010-2011 season, ESPN will start airing the games after outbidding FOX for the television rights.

1998–99 season (Big Ten teams in bold)

These BCS bowl games were played following the 1998 regular season:

▪            Friday, January 1, 1999 – Rose Bowl presented by AT&T: #9 Wisconsin (10-1, Big Ten champion) 38, #5 UCLA (10-1, Pac-10 champion) 31

▪            Friday, January 1, 1999 – Nokia Sugar Bowl: #4 Ohio State (10-1, at-large) 24, #6 Texas A&M (11-2, Big 12 champion) 14

▪            Saturday, January 2, 1999 – FedEx Orange Bowl: #8 Florida (9-2, at-large) 31, #15 Syracuse (8-3, Big East champion) 10

▪            Monday, January 4, 1999 – Tostitos Fiesta Bowl, (National Championship): #1 Tennessee (12-0, BCS #1, SEC champion) 23, #2 Florida State (11-1, BCS #2, ACC champion) 16

1999–2000 season

These BCS bowl games were played following the 1999 regular season:

▪            Saturday, January 1, 2000 – Rose Bowl Game presented by AT&T: #7 Wisconsin (9-2, Big Ten champion) 17, #22 Stanford (8-3, Pac-10 champion) 9

▪            Saturday, January 1, 2000 – FedEx Orange Bowl: #8 Michigan (9-2, at-large) 35, #4 Alabama (10-2, SEC champion) 34 (OT)

▪            Sunday, January 2, 2000 – Tostitos Fiesta Bowl: #3 Nebraska (11-1, Big 12 champion) 31, #5 Tennessee (9-2, at-large) 21

▪            Tuesday, January 4, 2000 – Nokia Sugar Bowl (National Championship): #1 Florida State (11-0, BCS #1, ACC champion) 46, #2 Virginia Tech (11-0, BCS #2, Big East champion) 29

2000–01 season

These BCS bowl games were played following the 2000 regular season:

▪            Monday, January 1, 2001 – Rose Bowl Game presented by AT&T: #4 Washington (10-1, Pac-10 champion) 34, #17 Purdue (8-3, Big Ten champion) 24

▪            Monday, January 1, 2001 – Tostitos Fiesta Bowl: #6 Oregon State (10-1, at-large) 41, #11 Notre Dame (9-2, at-large) 9

▪            Tuesday, January 2, 2001 – Nokia Sugar Bowl: #3 Miami (FL) (10-1, Big East champion) 37, #7 Florida (10-2, SEC champion) 20

▪            Wednesday, January 3, 2001 – FedEx Orange Bowl (National Championship): #1 Oklahoma (11-0, BCS #1, Big 12 champion) 13, #2 Florida State (11-0, BCS #2, ACC champion) 2

2001–02 season

These BCS bowl games were played following the 2001 regular season:

▪            Tuesday, January 1, 2002 – Tostitos Fiesta Bowl: #4 Oregon (10-1, Pac-10 champion) 38, #3 Colorado (10-2, Big 12 champion) 16

▪            Tuesday, January 1, 2002 – Nokia Sugar Bowl: #13 LSU (9-3, SEC champion) 47, #8 Illinois (10-1, Big Ten champion)** 34

▪            Wednesday, January 2, 2002 – FedEx Orange Bowl: #5 Florida (9-2, at-large) 56, #10 Maryland (10-1, ACC champion) 23

▪            Thursday, January 3, 2002 – Rose Bowl Game presented by AT&T (National Championship): #1 Miami (11-1, BCS #1, Big East champion) 37, #2 Nebraska (11-1, BCS #2) 14

** Big Ten champ went to Sugar Bowl since Rose Bowl hosted national championship game

2002–03 season

These BCS bowl games were played following the 2002 regular season:

▪            Wednesday, January 1, 2003 – Rose Bowl Game presented by PlayStation 2: #7 Oklahoma (11-2, Big 12 champion) 34, #6 Washington State (10-2, Pac-10 champion[12]) 14

▪            Wednesday, January 1, 2003 – Nokia Sugar Bowl: #3 Georgia (12-1, SEC champion) 26, #14 Florida State (9-4, ACC champion) 13

▪            Thursday, January 2, 2003 – FedEx Orange Bowl: #4 Southern California (10-2, at-large[12]) 38, #5 Iowa[13] (11-1, at-large)** 17

▪            Friday, January 3, 2003 – Tostitos Fiesta Bowl (National Championship): #2 Ohio State[13] (13-0, BCS #2, Big Ten champion) 31, #1 Miami (FL) (BCS #1, Big East champion) 24 (12-0, 2 OT)

** Since Ohio State went to the national championship game (and won), the Big Ten was not guaranteed a slot in the Rose Bowl.

2003–04 season

These BCS bowl games were played following the 2003 regular season:

▪            Thursday, January 1, 2004 – Rose Bowl Game presented by Citibank:[14] #3 Southern California (11-1, Pac-10 champion) 28, #4 Michigan (10-2, Big Ten champion) 14

▪            Thursday, January 1, 2004 – FedEx Orange Bowl: #9 Miami (10-2, Big East champion) 16, #7 Florida State (10-1, ACC champion) 14

▪            Friday, January 2, 2004 – Tostitos Fiesta Bowl: #5 Ohio State (10-2, at-large) 35, #10 Kansas State (11-3, Big 12 champion) 28

▪            Sunday, January 4, 2004 – Nokia Sugar Bowl (National Championship) #2 LSU (12-1, BCS #2, SEC champion) 21, #1 Oklahoma (12-1, BCS #1) 14

2004–05 season

These BCS bowl games were played following the 2004 regular season:

▪            Saturday, January 1, 2005 – Rose Bowl presented by Citi: #4 Texas (10-2, at-large) 38, #13 Michigan (9-2, Big Ten champion) 37

▪            Saturday, January 1, 2005 – Tostitos Fiesta Bowl: #6 Utah[15] (11-0, BCS #6, automatic) 35, #21 Pittsburgh (8-3, Big East champion) 7

▪            Monday, January 3, 2005 – Nokia Sugar Bowl: #3 Auburn (12-0, BCS #3, SEC champion) 16, #8 Virginia Tech (10-2, ACC champion) 13

▪            Tuesday, January 4, 2005 – FedEx Orange Bowl (National Championship): #1 Southern California (12-0, BCS #1, Pac-10 champion) 55, #2 Oklahoma (12-0, BCS #2, Big 12 champion) 19

2005–06 season

These BCS bowl games were played following the 2005 regular season in chronological order:

▪            Monday, January 2, 2006 – Tostitos Fiesta Bowl: #4 Ohio State (9-2, at-large) 34, #6 Notre Dame (9-2, at-large) 20

▪            Monday, January 2, 2006 – Nokia Sugar Bowl:[16] #11 West Virginia (10-1, Big East champion) 38, #7 Georgia (10-2, SEC champion) 35

▪            Tuesday, January 3, 2006 – FedEx Orange Bowl: #3 Penn State (10-1, Big Ten champion)** 26, #22 Florida State (8-4, ACC champion) 23 (3 OT)

▪            Wednesday, January 4, 2006 – Rose Bowl Game presented by Citi (National Championship): #2 Texas (12-0, BCS #2, Big 12 champion) 41, #1 Southern California (12-0, BCS #1, Pac-10 champion) 38

** Big Ten champ went to Orange Bowl since Rose Bowl hosted national championship game

2006–07 season

These BCS bowl games were played following the 2006 regular season in chronological order:

▪            Monday, January 1 – Rose Bowl Game presented by Citi: #5 Southern California (10-2, Pac-10 champion) 32, #3 Michigan (11-1, BCS #3, at-large)** 18

▪            Monday, January 1 – Tostitos Fiesta Bowl: #8 Boise State[17] (12-0, BCS #8, automatic) 43, #10 Oklahoma (11-2, Big 12 champion) 42(OT)

▪            Tuesday, January 2 – FedEx Orange Bowl: #6 Louisville (11-1, Big East champion) 24, #14 Wake Forest (11-2, ACC champion) 13

▪            Wednesday, January 3 – Allstate Sugar Bowl: #4 LSU (10-2, at-large) 41, #11 Notre Dame (10-2, at-large) 14

▪            Monday, January 8 – Tostitos BCS National Championship (at the Fiesta Bowl): #2 Florida (11-1, BCS #2, SEC champion) 41, #1 Ohio State (12-0, BCS #1, Big Ten champion) 14

** Michigan was selected as an at-large team and went to the Rose Bowl, although the conference was not guaranteed a slot in that game since Ohio State was in the BCS national title game.

2007–08 season

These BCS bowl games were played following the 2007 regular season in chronological order:

▪            Tuesday, January 1 – Rose Bowl Game presented by Citi: #7 Southern California (10-2, Pac-10 champion) 49, #13 Illinois (9–3, at-large)** 17

▪            Tuesday, January 1 – Allstate Sugar Bowl: #5 Georgia (10–2, at-large) 41, #10 Hawaii[18] (12-0, WAC Champion, BCS #10, automatic) 10

▪            Wednesday, January 2 – Tostitos Fiesta Bowl: #9 West Virginia (10-2, Big East champion) 48, #4 Oklahoma (11–2, Big 12 champion) 28

▪            Thursday, January 3 – FedEx Orange Bowl: #8 Kansas (11–1, at-large) 24, #3 Virginia Tech (11–2, ACC champion) 21

▪            Monday, January 7 – Allstate BCS National Championship (at the Sugar Bowl): #2 LSU[19] (11–2, BCS #2, SEC champion) 38, #1 Ohio State (11–1, BCS #1, Big Ten champion), 24

** Illinois was selected as an at-large team and went to the Rose Bowl, although the conference was not guaranteed a slot in that game since Ohio State was in the BCS national title game.

2008–09 season

These BCS bowl games were played following the 2008 regular season in chronological order:

▪            Thursday, January 1 – Rose Bowl Game presented by Citi: #5 Southern California (11-1, Pac-10 champion) 38, #8 Penn State (11-1, Big Ten champion) 24

▪            Thursday, January 1 – FedEx Orange Bowl: #19 Virginia Tech (9-4, ACC champion) 20, #12 Cincinnati (11-2, Big East champion) 7

▪            Friday, January 2 – Allstate Sugar Bowl: #6 Utah (12-0, MWC champion, BCS #6, automatic) 31, #4 Alabama (12-1, at-large) 17

▪            Monday, January 5 – Tostitos Fiesta Bowl: #3 Texas (11-1, BCS #3, automatic) 24, #10 Ohio State (10-2, at-large) 21

▪            Thursday, January 8 – FedEx BCS National Championship (at the Orange Bowl): #2 Florida (12-1, BCS #2, SEC champion) 24, vs. #1 Oklahoma (12-1, BCS #1, Big 12 champion) 14

2009–10 season

These BCS games will be played following the 2009 season in chronological order:

▪            Friday, January 1, 2010 – Rose Bowl Game presented by Citi: Pac 10 Champion/BCS selection vs. Big Ten Champion/BCS selection.

▪            Friday January 1, 2010 – Allstate Sugar Bowl: SEC champion/BCS selection vs. BCS selection.

▪            Monday, January 4 – Tostitos Fiesta Bowl: Big 12 champion/BCS selection vs. BCS selection.

▪            Tuesday, January 5 -FedEx Orange Bowl: ACC champion/BCS selection vs. BCS selection.

*           Thursday, January 7 – Citi 2010 BCS National Championship Game (at the Rose Bowl): BCS #1 vs. BCS #2.