|
The Bowl Championship Series (BCS) is designed to pair the top two teams in college football against each other in the BCS National Championship Game, with the winner being the BCS national champion. 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. 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). As of the 2006-07 season, the BCS will air primarily on FOX while only the Rose Bowl will continue to be aired on ABC.
In the current BCS format, four bowl games, and the National Championship Game, are considered "BCS bowl games". The other four bowl games are the Rose Bowl Game in Pasadena, the Sugar Bowl in New Orleans, the Fiesta Bowl in Glendale, Arizona, and the Orange Bowl in Miami. In the first eight seasons of the BCS contract, the championship game was rotated among the four bowls; for example, the Sugar Bowl would have the national championship "weight" once every four years. Starting with the 2007 BCS, the site of the game that served as the last game on January 1 (or if January 1 fell on a Sunday, January 2) in the BCS will now serve as the host facility of the new stand-alone BCS National Championship game played on January 8 of that year, one week following the playing of the traditional bowl game which would follow the Rose Bowl with the exception of the games to be played in 2010. There are also twenty-seven non-BCS bowls.
Among the criticism of the BCS (and the bowl system in general) is the fact that the final ranking of Division I-A NCAA football teams is decided by arbitrary and subjective standards. Opponents of the current system believe that the “champion” of the largest and most popular collegiate sport should be decided on the field, in a head-to-head match-up. While there is substantial criticism aimed the BCS system from coaches, media and fans alike, there is also ardent support for the system. Supporters cite several key advantages that the BCS has over a playoff system.
The new University of Phoenix Stadium, (formerly Cardinals Stadium), in Glendale, Arizona will hosted the first game to decide the NCAA national champion. The game was played on January 8, 2007, one week after the Fiesta Bowl.
BCS National Championship Game Address
BCS National Championship Game Tickets
c/o The Sugar Bowl
110 Veterans Boulevard, Suite 500
Metairie, Louisiana 70005
BCS National Championship Game Website
|
