Factoid 48 - 2010 to 2014 (Part Two)

January 6, 2014 saw the last college football game played under the Bowl Championship Series format, as the FBS division is moving to a four team single elimination college football playoff format, which will be called the College Football Playoff.

Six of the ten oldest bowl games — the Rose Bowl, Sugar Bowl, Orange Bowl, Cotton Bowl, Fiesta Bowl, and Chick-fil-A Bowl — will rotate as hosts for the semifinal games. The rotation is set on a three-year cycle with the following pairings: Rose and Sugar; then Orange and Cotton; and then Fiesta and Chick-fil-A. The semifinals, plus the other four top-tier bowls not hosting semifinals, will be marketed as the "New Year's Six," with three bowls played daily, typically on consecutive days around New Year's Day. (Wikipedia)

The championship game will be played on the first Monday that is six or more days after the semifinals, and will bid out to cities, similar to the way the Super Bowl and Final Four locations are selected. ESPN reportedly paid $7.3 billion overall for the 12-year TV rights to televise the College Football Playoff.

Hats off to the NCAA for getting this “semi” right! Why not a sixteen playoff format? Wouldn’t that be so much cooler? VOTE for your preferred playoff format!