The Bowl Championship Series (BCS) was built around five major postseason games that defined college football from 1998 through 2013.
Each bowl carried its own history, traditions, and conference affiliations — together creating one of the most-watched postseason structures in sports history.
This page highlights the background and key facts about each of the five BCS bowls, their importance to the system, and their lasting legacy in the College Football Playoff era.
🏈 1. The BCS National Championship Game
Years Active: 1999–2013
Typical Date: Early January
Purpose: To determine the national champion by pairing the top two teams in the final BCS standings.
Rotation: The title game rotated annually among the sites of the four major bowls — the Rose, Fiesta, Sugar, and Orange Bowls.
These championship environments often filled some of the largest and most historic stadiums in the country, similar to the venues featured in the Biggest College Football Stadiums in the USA (2025).
Each season, the No. 1 and No. 2 ranked teams met for the title, producing iconic matchups such as:
- Miami vs. Ohio State (2003)
- Texas vs. USC (2006)
- Florida vs. Oklahoma (2009)
- Alabama vs. Notre Dame (2013)
The game often drew audiences exceeding 20 million viewers and became the de facto national championship long before the College Football Playoff replaced it in 2014.
🌹 2. The Rose Bowl Game
Location: Pasadena, California
Stadium: The Rose Bowl (capacity ≈ 91,000)
First Played: 1902
Conference Tie-Ins: Big Ten vs. Pac-10/Pac-12
Nicknamed “The Granddaddy of Them All,” the Rose Bowl is the oldest bowl game in college football and one of the most prestigious sporting events in the United States.
During the BCS era, the Rose Bowl retained its traditional matchup whenever possible, hosting the champions of the Big Ten and Pac-10/Pac-12. When one or both advanced to the national championship, the bowl selected at-large teams, ensuring it always featured elite programs and historic matchups.
The game’s setting, pageantry, and New Year’s Day timing made it a central pillar of the BCS lineup.
🍊 3. The Orange Bowl
Location: Miami Gardens, Florida
Stadium: Hard Rock Stadium (formerly Dolphin Stadium)
First Played: 1935
Conference Tie-In: Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) champion vs. at-large opponent
The Orange Bowl brought tropical flair and prime-time energy to the BCS schedule. Hosted by the Orange Bowl Committee, it traditionally featured the ACC champion, with memorable appearances by programs like Florida State, Miami, and Clemson.
Beyond the championship years it hosted, the Orange Bowl frequently produced high-scoring, nationally relevant games that showcased the depth of talent across college football.
🍬 4. The Sugar Bowl
Location: New Orleans, Louisiana
Stadium: Caesars Superdome (formerly Louisiana Superdome)
First Played: 1935
Conference Tie-In: Southeastern Conference (SEC) champion vs. at-large opponent
Few venues captured college football’s southern spirit like the Sugar Bowl. Anchored in New Orleans, it traditionally hosted the SEC champion, giving fans classic clashes between powerhouses such as Alabama, LSU, Georgia, and Florida.
The Sugar Bowl often doubled as the stage for national title matchups during the BCS era, reinforcing the SEC’s reputation for dominance. The event also generated major tourism and economic impact for the Gulf Coast region each year.
🌵 5. The Fiesta Bowl
Location: Glendale, Arizona
Stadium: State Farm Stadium (formerly University of Phoenix Stadium)
First Played: 1971
Conference Tie-In: Big 12 champion vs. at-large opponent
The Fiesta Bowl quickly rose to national prominence thanks to its reputation for thrilling finishes and high-stakes drama. It served as the traditional home for the Big 12 champion and regularly hosted national title games under the BCS format.
Among its most memorable moments was Boise State’s 2007 upset of Oklahoma, one of college football’s most iconic games. The Fiesta Bowl became a symbol of the BCS era’s ability to produce both powerhouse showdowns and Cinderella stories.
💰 Payouts and Economic Impact
Each BCS bowl carried significant financial rewards.
By the late 2000s, payouts for participating conferences averaged $17–18 million per team, marking an unprecedented revenue level for college sports.
Host cities — Pasadena, Miami, New Orleans, and Glendale — regularly generated hundreds of millions of dollars in tourism and media exposure. Combined, the five BCS bowls often exceeded $1 billion in total annual economic activity, underscoring the series’ influence beyond the gridiron.
📺 Broadcasting and Media Reach
Throughout most of its lifespan, the BCS was broadcast on major U.S. networks including ABC and FOX Sports, achieving some of the highest television ratings in college football history. For a deeper look at how audiences grew across the era, see our breakdown of BCS TV ratings & viewership.
The 2006 and 2009 national title games, for example, both drew Nielsen ratings above 14, placing them among the most-watched sporting events of their respective years.
🏆 Legacy of the BCS Bowls
While the College Football Playoff now determines the national champion, each of these bowls continues as part of the “New Year’s Six” rotation.
Their history, tradition, and prestige — developed during the BCS years — remain central to college football’s postseason identity.
The BCS may have ended in 2013, but its bowls endure as the foundations of modern championship football, blending tradition, regional pride, and national spectacle into one of the sport’s greatest legacies.
For additional explanations and clarifications about how the system worked, explore our frequently asked BCS questions.
