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The Reservoir Dog
01-02-2008, 05:46 AM
With all the Bowl games being played at the moment there is something that has always puzzled me. How are all the Bowl games decided? Which is the most prestigious? What system is used?

I have asked many people when visiting America but have never been given a precise answer as it always seems to be a confusing matter.

If anyone can give me an answer to this I would be most grateful.

Advnt05
01-02-2008, 08:06 AM
It is a very complicated system under the current BCS (Bowl Championship Series). Basically here is how it works. There are 4 bowl games (Orange, Sugar, Rose, and Fiesta) and the 1 national Championship game. Each year, the National game rotates to 1 of the previously mentioned 4 bowls so that facility gets essentially 2 games that year. For instance, this year, the national game is in New Orleans so the Sugar Bowl gets two games. Next year it will be the Orange Bowl getting two games. All 4 games are essentially equal in stature.
Here is where it gets complicated. Each of the 4 games has a selection process.
Under the double hosting format, the champions of the Atlantic Coast, Big East, Big Ten, Big 12, Pacific-10 and Southeastern Conferences will continue to play annually in one of the BCS bowls. In addition, one conference champion from among Conference USA, Mid-American, Mountain West, Sun Belt, and Western Athletic Conferences will automatically qualify to play in a BCS bowl if it is: (1) ranked among the top 12 teams in the final BCS Standings; or (2) ranked among the top 16 teams in the final BCS Standings and ranked higher than the champion of one of the conferences whose champion has an annual automatic berth in a BCS bowl. That's how Hawaii got in with Georgia last night.
The Sugar Bowl gets the SEC champ and the Rose gets the Big 10 champ, etc... Since LSU is playing in the title game, the Sugar bowl defaulted down to Georgia since they were higher ranked than Tennessee.
All of the other bowls have prior arrangements (Such as ACC #3 team playing SEC #5)etc.... and are filled based on final standings within conferences. They have some leeway in selecting one team above another if they want to get a specific team. Outside of the 5 BCS games, all are about the same in stature.

Hope this helps.

medic9016
01-02-2008, 08:58 AM
There are 32 total bowl games starting mid Dec. Each college team is in a conferences of 10 to 12 teams. A team must win a minium of 6 games to even be bowl eligable. Outside of the BCS that was described before, each bowls game is associated with certain conferences and corporate sponsor. A team must win a minium of 6 games to even be bowl eligable.

Which is the most prestigious?
This could be a very loaded question.:thedolls: Some games have a long storied history, like the Rose, Sugar, Orange, Cotton Bowls and some others.

Scar
01-02-2008, 10:18 AM
How are all the Bowl games decided?The team that scores the most points wins. ;)


Outside of the 5 BCS games, all are about the same in stature.I disagree. Certainly "The Gator Bowl" and "The Cotton Bowl" are more prestigious than the "Chick-Fil-A Bowl" or the "Meineke Car Care Bowl".


For instance, this year, the national game is in New Orleans so the Sugar Bowl gets two games. Technically, it's "The Superdome" and "Allstate" that gets 2 games this year, "The Sugar Bowl" and "The BCS Championship."

Advnt05
01-03-2008, 07:51 AM
I dont know why I said Super Bowl! (It should be the New England Patriot Bowl :blush:) You are correct in it being the Super Dome.

The Chick Fil bowl is getting more prestigious every year. The games have been good and the teams enjoy coming. It may be catching up to the Cotton Bowl in stature sooner than you think.

kakn7294
01-04-2008, 03:26 PM
In a funny little story on the news here yesterday, there was a long, convoluted way around the who-beat-who amongst WVU, Ohio State, and LSU that if you followed along, put Pitt at #1 because of who they beat this season, especially WVU. It's obviously not true that Pitt's #1, but it was funny watching the process to put them there. It just goes to show that the ranking system is nuts and I'll never fully figure it out.

medic9016
01-04-2008, 05:24 PM
It just goes to show that the ranking system is nuts and I'll never fully figure it out.

Not many gave WV a chance after lossing their last game to Pitt and the loss of their coach or Kansas beating VT with Defense and special teams. Both being strong for VT. WV had something to prove and Oklahoma took the whipping from it and Kansas proved they belonged in the BCS.

WDWfanatic742
01-04-2008, 08:16 PM
I personally think that they close their eyes and they throw darts to see who plays who :D

Just look at some of the BCS Bowls:

49-17
41-10
48-28

These are supposed to be the most exciting to watch, yet they were decided before halftime. We need a playoff, especially during this crazy year of football. Of course, I can't say much becuase my gators lost to a team who shall not be named. But at least that was an exciting game until the very end. They need to make it at least an 8 team playoff and maybe a 12 team playoff where the top 4 get bye's.