Bowl Coalition (1992–1994)
Overview: First coordinated framework to create top-tier bowl matchups across conferences (ACC, Big East, SEC, Big Eight, SWC, Notre Dame) using the Orange, Sugar, Cotton, and Fiesta Bowls, with Gator/Hancock as additional placements.
Selected Results
- 1993 Orange: No. 1 Florida State 18, No. 2 Nebraska 16
- 1994 Orange: No. 1 Nebraska 24, No. 3 Miami 17
- 1994 Fiesta: Arizona 29, Miami 0
- 1994 Sugar: Florida 41, West Virginia 7
Bowl Alliance (1995–1997)
Overview: Used the Fiesta, Sugar, and Orange to target the best possible championship-style matchup with at-large access. Big Ten, Pac-10, and the Rose Bowl remained outside.
Selected Results
- 1996 Fiesta (1995 season): No. 1 Nebraska 62, No. 2 Florida 24
- 1997 Sugar (1996 season): No. 3 Florida 52, No. 1 Florida State 20
- 1998 Orange (1997 season): No. 2 Nebraska 42, No. 3 Tennessee 17
- 1998 Rose (1997 season): No. 1 Michigan 21, No. 8 Washington State 16
Bowl Championship Series (1998–2013)
Overview: The Rose, Sugar, Fiesta, and Orange Bowls anchored the postseason. Beginning with the 2006 season, a separate BCS National Championship Game rotated among those sites. Matchups were set by the BCS Standings.
For a complete historical breakdown beyond these season snapshots, visit our comprehensive archive of all-time BCS results & rankings.
Season Capsules (Selected)
1999
- Fiesta (title): Tennessee 23, Florida State 16
- Sugar: Ohio State 24, Texas A&M 14
- Orange: Florida 31, Syracuse 10
- Rose: Wisconsin 38, UCLA 31
2000
- Sugar (title): Florida State 46, Virginia Tech 29
- Fiesta: Nebraska 31, Tennessee 21
- Orange: Michigan 35, Alabama 34 (OT)
- Rose: Wisconsin 17, Stanford 9
2001
- Orange (title): Oklahoma 13, Florida State 2
- Sugar: Miami 37, Florida 20
- Fiesta: Oregon State 41, Notre Dame 9
- Rose: Washington 34, Purdue 24
2002
- Rose (title): Miami 37, Nebraska 14
- Fiesta: Oregon 38, Colorado 16
- Orange: Florida 56, Maryland 23
- Sugar: LSU 47, Illinois 34
2003
- Fiesta (title): Ohio State 31, Miami 24 (2OT)
- Sugar: Georgia 26, Florida State 13
- Orange: USC 38, Iowa 17
- Rose: Oklahoma 34, Washington State 14
2004
- Sugar (title): LSU 21, Oklahoma 14
- Fiesta: Ohio State 35, Kansas State 28
- Orange: Miami 16, Florida State 14
- Rose: USC 28, Michigan 14
2005
- Orange (title): USC 55, Oklahoma 19
- Sugar: Auburn 16, Virginia Tech 13
- Fiesta: Utah 35, Pittsburgh 7
- Rose: Texas 38, Michigan 37
2006
- Rose (title): Texas 41, USC 38
- Sugar: West Virginia 38, Georgia 35
- Fiesta: Ohio State 34, Notre Dame 20
- Orange: Penn State 26, Florida State 23 (3OT)
2007
- Glendale (title): Florida 41, Ohio State 14
- Fiesta: Boise State 43, Oklahoma 42 (OT)
- Orange: Louisville 24, Wake Forest 13
- Rose: USC 32, Michigan 18
- Sugar: LSU 41, Notre Dame 14
2008
- New Orleans (title): LSU 38, Ohio State 24
- Fiesta: West Virginia 48, Oklahoma 28
- Orange: Kansas 24, Virginia Tech 21
- Rose: USC 49, Illinois 17
- Sugar: Georgia 41, Hawaii 10
Legacy Bowl Snapshots (Selected)
For standout statistical achievements by players across these historic matchups, explore our catalog of individual performance records.
Fiesta Bowl
Penn State 26–10 USC (1982) • Nebraska 62–24 Florida (1996) • Ohio State 31–24 Miami (2OT, 2003) • Utah 35–7 Pittsburgh (2005) • Boise State 43–42 Oklahoma (OT, 2007) • West Virginia 48–28 Oklahoma (2008)
Sugar Bowl
Alabama 14–7 Penn State (1979) • Alabama 34–13 Miami (1993) • LSU 21–14 Oklahoma (2004) • West Virginia 38–35 Georgia (2006) • Georgia 41–10 Hawaii (2008)
Orange Bowl
Miami 31–30 Nebraska (1984) • Florida State 18–16 Nebraska (1994) • Oklahoma 13–2 Florida State (2001) • USC 55–19 Oklahoma (2005) • Kansas 24–21 Virginia Tech (2008)
Rose Bowl
Ohio State 20–17 Arizona State (1997) • Wisconsin 38–31 UCLA (1999) • Miami 37–14 Nebraska (2002) • Texas 38–37 Michigan (2005) • Texas 41–38 USC (2006) • USC 49–17 Illinois (2008)
