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The bowl games have had a long history of development in college football. Up until the mid-1960s they served primarily as exhibition games and had no impact on the national championship voting. The biggest ones would soon be consolidated onto New Year’s Day and the conference tie-ins associated with them would become a defining feature of the sport. The tie-ins sometimes prevented the championship matchup the fans most wanted to see though, so in the mid-1990s changes were implemented that began the path to the current system of one “college Super Bowl” accompanied by three other major games.
This article will give a brief overview of what each season’s major games looked like and how the national title race unfolded. I have chosen 1974 as the starting year, as this was the season the coaches joined the writers in waiting until after the bowls to pick their national champion. As the years progress, I will note key changes in the system that helped lead us to where we are at today.
A team not playing overshadowed the proceedings. Oklahoma and Barry Switzer were 11-0, ranked #1 in the AP poll and on probation. The Sooners edge in the writer’s poll was seen as large enough to withstand almost turn of events, but the coaches’ poll, which refused to rank teams on probation was still up for grabs.
Nebraska and Florida started the proceedings on December 31 in the Sugar Bowl, with the Cornhuskers pulling out a 13-10 win. Penn State ushered in the New Year by pounding Baylor in the Cotton Bowl 41-20. These undercard games set the stage for the two games with national impact. Ohio State and Heisman Trophy winner Archie Griffin needed to beat 9-1-1 Southern Cal in the Rose Bowl and then hope for Alabama to lose to Notre Dame that night in the Orange. If that happened, Woody Hayes’ team could claim a share of the national title.
Instead, USC kept its own hopes alive with a thrilling 18-17 win. The Trojans’ thumping of Notre Dame in the regular season finale now loomed large, as it would give SC the edge on the Irish. That night in Miami, Ara Parseghian coached his final game and gave his west coast rival a parting gift. ND nipped Alabama 13-11. It was the second straight time the Irish denied the Tide a crown. And two blemishes notwithstanding, USC was able to share the stage with the outlaw Sooners.
Oklahoma had the Big Ten standing in its way of a second straight national title. The Sooners were 10-1, ranked third and had an Orange Bowl date with Michigan. It was a historic matchup for the Wolverines—this was the first time the Big Ten allowed a team beyond the Rose Bowl participant to play in any bowl. Ohio State was the team headed for Pasadena again—and again they had Heisman Trophy winner Archie Grffin. But this time they controlled their own destiny, holding the top spot in both polls as they prepared for UCLA.
Ohio State’s competitor had cheered on December 20, when second-ranked Texas A&M lost in the Liberty Bowl. On New Year’s Eve, Bear Bryant’s fourth-ranked Crimson Tide looked to take advantage, beating Penn State 13-6. The following day Arkansas blasted Georgia in the Cotton Bowl, and again the nation’s attention turned to the Rose and Sugar to see who would finish #1.
The Buckeyes faltered again. Their 23-10 loss to UCLA got Bruin coach Dick Vermeil a job in the NFL and opened the door for the Sooners. Switzer & Co. kicked the door in, their defense easily manhandling Michigan 14-6. Oklahoma was champion again.
Prior to the 1976 season the Sugar Bowl ended its three-year run of playing on December 31 and all the major games were again played on New Year’s Day (or January 2 in the event the 1st fell on a Sunday).
1976
A team coming out of the East undefeated was not unusual. Penn State had done it in 1968, 1969 and 1973. But this time it was the Lions’ archrival in western Pennsylvania that ran the table. Pitt, led by Heisman winner Tony Dorsett, was 11-0 and got a Sugar Bowl bid to play Georgia.
Pitt wasn’t the only unbeaten. Maryland won the ACC at 11-0, and both upstarts played early games on New Year’s. The Terps miracle run came to an end in the Cotton Bowl with a 30-21 loss to Houston. But Pitt showed they were for real, routing the Bulldogs 27-10 to win the title.
The Michigan-USC game in the Rose would have been for the national championship had Pitt lost. As it was, the Wolverines lost another 14-6 bowl decision and the Trojans took the #2 spot in the final rankings. Ohio State went to an anticlimactic Orange Bowl against Big Eight tri-champ Colorado and posted an easy 27-10 win. But the end story was that a team from the East had finally gotten respect and seen an undefeated season honored with a final #1 ranking. To the great chagrin of Nittany Nation though, it was their hated rival who was the one to break through.
A pair of legends stepped down in the Southwest Conference and their replacements quickly made their mark. Fred Akers took over for Darrell Royal at Texas, promptly went undefeated, produced the Heisman winner in Earl Campbell and was ranked #1 as they got set to face Notre Dame in the Cotton Bowl. Frank Broyles stepped down at Arkansas, but Lou Holtz kept the winning going in Fayetteville, losing only to the Longhorns and getting an Orange Bowl date with second-ranked Oklahoma.
The Texas dream season quickly came crashing down around them in the first part of the day. Fifth-ranked Notre Dame, led by Joe Montana stunned the Dallas crowd with a 38-10 romp. At the same time another rout was underway in New Orleans. Alabama destroyed Ohio State in the Sugar.
Another rough New Year’s for the Big Ten continued, as Michigan lost to upstart Washington and Warren Moon in Pasadena. The stage was set for Oklahoma to win its third national title in four years—a task that seemed all the easier with Holtz having suspended three key players for disciplinary reasons. But another stunning rout was in the making. The Hogs won 31-6. In the voting for the top spot, Notre Dame edged out Alabama. The Irish rise from #5 was a poll jump that has not been repeated since, and given the changes in the system it never will be.
Joe Paterno’s moment was finally at hand. Penn State was unbeaten and this time was ranked #1, controlling its own destiny against second-ranked Alabama in the Sugar Bowl. The Crimson Tide was somehow ranked ahead of USC, even though both teams had one loss and the Trojans had beaten ‘Bama in Birmingham back in September.
The day started with Joe Montana putting on another show in the Cotton Bowl. The Irish were 8-3 this year, and they fell behind Houston 34-12. Montana was sick from the flu, but came out of the locker room and into the Dallas cold to rally ND to a dramatic 35-34 win, setting a tone that would carry him into his NFL career. The day ended with an odd rematch in the Orange Bowl. Nebraska had won the Big Eight’s automatic bid, but Oklahoma was extended an invitation for a rematch. Heisman winner Billy Sims helped the Sooners get revenge in a 31-24 victory.
In between these two games was a lot of drama on the goal line. The Tide and Nittany Lions waged a ferocious defensive struggle that wasn’t settled until Alabama stuffed Penn State three times within inches of the end zone to preserve a 14-7 triumph. USC edged Michigan 17-10 thanks to a controversial touchdown by Charles White. Replays clearly showed White fumbling before crossing the goal-line on his dive over the top, with Michigan recovering. But it was ruled a score. Alabama and USC ended up splitting the national title, with the Trojans rallying to win the coaches’ poll.
It was a new era at Ohio State, as Earle Bruce replaced Woody Hayes. The new coach wasted no time making a splash, as the Buckeyes went undefeated and were ranked #1 in the AP poll at the end of the regular season. Alabama was bidding for another national title at 11-0 and holding the top spot in the UPI rankings.
Houston had won a second straight SWC title and this time they were the ones making a late rally in the Cotton Bowl. A last-minute touchdown drive helped pull out a 17-14 win over Nebraska and lifted the Cougars into the Top 5. SWC co-champ Arkansas got a crack at the Crimson Tide, but were no match for Bryant’s team. ‘Bama won 24-9 and assured itself of at least a share of the crown.
Ohio State was in good shape to do likewise, holding a 16-3 lead on Southern Cal into the second half. But Heisman Trophy winner Charles White turned on the juice for the Trojans and helped pull out a 17-16 win. In the Orange Bowl, Florida State was making its first splash on the national stage, playing Oklahoma. The fourth-ranked Seminoles may have been undefeated, but they weren’t ready for prime time. OU won 24-7 for its fifth straight New Year’s Night win. Alabama was the only team to conclude with a perfect record and they didn’t have to share national honors this time around.
Alabama’s three-year run of dominating the SEC came to an end. Georgia unveiled a sensational freshman running back named Herschel Walker and marched through the South undefeated. They were destined for a Sugar Bowl date with Notre Dame. It looked to be a 1 vs. 2 showdown, but the Irish lost their regular season finale to Southern Cal.
The Sugar Bowl was Dan Devine’s swan song in South Bend, but the show belonged to the freshman star. Georgia won 17-10 despite not completing a pass until the fourth quarter and secured a national championship. Alabama found consolation in the Cotton Bowl, hammering Baylor by a 30-2 count.
It was a big day in the Big Ten, as Michigan got Bo Schembecler his first Rose Bowl win. The Wolverines manhandled Washington 23-6 and closed the year fourth in the rankings. Florida State was back in the Orange Bowl against Oklahoma. The rematch was closer, but the ‘Noles still came up short. A last-minute touchdown drive engineered by future Republican congressman J.C. Watts, followed by a two-point conversion produced an 18-17 win for the Sooners.
New Year’s Day saw a new addition to the bowl family for the 1981 season. The Fiesta Bowl began playing on January 1. The Sugar was shifted to prime-time, ending the Orange Bowl’s period as the lone game to conclude the day.
1981
It was a year of upstarts across the country, and none more so then in Clemson, SC. Danny Ford’s Tigers upended Georgia in September, won the ACC and were the only unbeaten team at season’s end. They were invited to the Orange Bowl to play fourth-ranked Nebraska, who’d finally gotten past Oklahoma to win the Big Eight.
The SEC was still a major factor as Georgia and Alabama were ranked 2/3 respectively, both in position to claim the crown if Clemson were exposed on New Year’s Night. The Bulldogs were in the Sugar to play Pitt, a team that had been #1 up until being blown out by Penn State in their finale. ‘Bama was Cotton Bowl-bound to play Texas (SMU had actually won the SWC, but was on probation).
Penn State won the Fiesta Bowl’s inaugural January 1 game, shutting down Southern Cal’s Heisman winner Marcus Allen. Texas ended ‘Bama’s championship hopes by rallying to a 14-12 win. Out west, Iowa’s dream season came to a crashing end. The Hawkeyes had broken through the Michigan/Ohio State duo in the Big Ten, but were no match for Washington in the Rose Bowl.
In prime-time, Pitt redeemed itself by stunning Georgia 24-20 on a last-minute touchdown pass by Dan Marino. The Orange was now set up as a de facto national title game. Clemson proved themselves seaworthy with a 22-15 win, a fitting end to this year of the populist uprising in college football.
The Herschel Walker era continued to bear fruit for Georgia, as the Dawgs were 11-0 and holding the top spot as they prepared for a Sugar Bowl date with Penn State. The Nittany Lions were 10-1 and poised to claim Paterno’s long-sought national title with a win. SMU was off probation and into the Cotton Bowl at 10-0-1 and prepared to make an argument of their own if they could win and Georgia lost.
The SMU-Pitt game was played in a cold rain and the Mustang defense slowed Dan Marino to a halt and won 7-3. The Pac-10 rounded out the rest of the afternoon with Arizona State beating Oklahoma in the Fiesta and UCLA dispatching Michigan in the Rose.
Nebraska was ranked #3 and beat LSU in the Orange, although an earlier loss to Penn State eliminated the Huskers from any title consideration. Down in New Orleans, the Nittany Lions roared out to a 20-3 lead. Georgia closed to within three points, before a long touchdown pass from Todd Blackledge to Greg Garrity sealed the victory for Penn State. Paterno was finally a national champion. Ironically, his moment came as he was voted in over an undefeated team in SMU that had played too week a schedule. When asked about his longtime support for a playoff, the coach replied honestly “Next year let’s have a playoff. This year let’s vote.”
Nebraska rolled through the season in devastating fashion and entered the Orange Bowl at #1 and with Heisman Trophy winner Mike Rozier, was being discussed as one of the greatest college teams of all time. The Cornhusker juggernaut overshadowed a superior defensive team in Texas who was also 11-0 and at #2 in the Cotton Bowl. If the ‘Horns could upend Walker-less Georgia they would be in a position to claim the title if upstart and fourth-ranked Miami could use home-field advantage to beat Nebraska.
While Ohio State was dispatching Pitt in the Fiesta Bowl, the Longhorn dream died. A fumbled punt set up the winning touchdown for Georgia in a 10-9 game. The Rose Bowl was a blowout, as UCLA destroyed favored Illinois 45-9. Though Auburn was ranked #3, had beaten eight bowl teams and was the same 10-1 as Miami, the Tigers were not in title consideration. It would come down to the Orange Bowl.
The game would be one for the ESPN Classic archives. Miami exposed that Nebraska’s defense and special teams were not championship-caliber in building a 17-0 lead. The Cornhuskers tied it 17-17. After the Hurricanes scored two TDs, Nebraska countered with two of their own. With 48 seconds left, Tom Osborne opted against kicking an extra point for a tie and a sure national title. He went for the two-point conversion and the win. The pass was batted away. Miami had made its entrance onto college football’s main stage with a stunning national championship.
It was all quiet for New Year’s. BYU was the only undefeated team at regular season’s end. And with the WAC tied in to the Holiday Bowl, the Cougars would not be tested against any of the nation’s best in a bowl game. They instead drew 6-5 Michigan, a team Bo Schembecler readily admitted was “not good”.
When BYU won a hard-fought 24-17 game, voices grew louder for a one-loss alternative. Foremost among them was Oklahoma, who was ranked second in the polls. But the Sooners were beaten by Washington in the Orange Bowl. The Huskies moved to the top of the list of claimants to the Cougar throne. The nation’s best player wasn’t in doubt—Boston College’s exciting Heisman quarterback Doug Flutie led his team to a 45-28 win over Houston and a Top 5 finish.
But Washington wasn’t even in its conference’s representative bowl. The Rose Bowl bid went to USC who tied the Huskies for the Pac-10 title and won the head-to-head game. Southern Cal beat Ohio State in Pasadena. UCLA completed a conference trifecta by winning a wild Fiesta Bowl over Miami, 39-38.
At day’s end though, it was another team from the west that was crowned. The pollsters ignored BYU’s weak schedule and substandard bowl win and voted them national champions.
For the fifth time since 1968, Penn State ran the table in the East. The schedule was weak, but the Lions were the only unbeaten team in the nation and were #1 in both polls. They were paired against Oklahoma in the Orange Bowl. The Sooners were ranked third by the writers and second by the coaches. Their only loss had come in September to Miami. The Hurricanes, now led by Jimmy Johnson were #2 in the AP and fourth in the UPI. They were invited to the Sugar Bowl to play Tennessee.
Iowa was also 10-1, although ranking behind OU in both polls, they had no shot at a national title. And they did not exactly make a compelling case for themselves in Pasadena, in a turnover-plagued 45-28 loss to UCLA. Michigan salvaged the pride of the Big Ten in rolling over Nebraska in the Fiesta. In the meantime, Heisman winner Bo Jackson of Auburn went out on a losing note when Texas A&M thumped the Tigers in the Cotton Bowl.
The Orange Bowl was a defensive battle most of the way, but Oklahoma pulled away to win 25-10. Meanwhile in New Orleans, Tennessee—a team that was co-champs of the SEC, but needed Florida’s probation to get this bid—smothered Jimmy Johnson’s ‘Canes in a 35-7 thrashing. What could have potentially been a controversial vote was made easy. Barry Switzer had the brass ring for the third time.
In 1986 the first hints of the changes we see today began. Two independents held the top two spots in the polls, and that opened the door for a new bowl outside the traditional four (Rose, Orange, Cotton, Sugar) to host a title showdown. The Fiesta Bowl stepped up to the plate and won the bidding. One part of their package was shifting the game to January 2 to give it an exclusive TV slot. It was a one-time change only, but it was the harbinger of things to come.
Another harbinger that was more permanent was the shift of minor bowl games onto January 1. The Florida Citrus Bowl moved its game to New Year’s. These games will not be covered in this essay, but it began a process that meant that playing on 1/1 was no longer an automatic sign of a great season.
1986
Miami set the tone for their season early, by beating Oklahoma for the second straight year. The Hurricanes’ 28-16 win moved them to the top of the polls and they never left that spot. Penn State put up its second straight 11-0 campaign, highlighted by trashing of then-second ranked Alabama in Tuscaloosa. Two teams with last year’s bowl game haunting their memories had risen from the ashes to do battle in Tempe for the national title.
Texas A&M’s bid to win back-to-back Cotton Bowls fell decisively short as Ohio State beat up on the Aggies 28-12. Michigan was looking to make it a sweep for the Big Ten, but they fell to upstart Arizona State in the Rose. The powers of the Big Eight had little trouble in their games. Nebraska took apart LSU in the Sugar, while Oklahoma won another Orange Bowl in easy fashion over Arkansas.
The Hurricanes were a heavy favorite the next night, playing with a roster of mostly future pros—including coach Jimmy Johnson--and Heisman winner Vinny Testaverde. Indeed, the previous night’s Orange Bowl broadcast was already anticipating the Sooners’ #2 finish in the polls. But the Penn State defense came prepared. Using a dazzling array of coverages, they picked off Testaverde five times. The last one came near the goal line in the waning moments to preserve a 14-10 upset. Having waited decades for his first ring, Paterno only waited four years for the second.
Dallas Cowboy fans got a glimpse of their future on this New Year’s. Jimmy Johnson and Barry Switzer, both of whom would be the head coach in Big D within the next seven years, were teeing up in the Orange for the national title. Miami’s key win had come over 10-1 Florida State back in September. OU had won a 1 vs. 2 battle against Nebraska in the season finale to get here. The Cornhuskers and Seminoles were picked for a de facto “consolation game” in the Fiesta.
After seven years on the outside, Notre Dame was also back. The Irish were in the Cotton Bowl and had a Heisman winner in Tim Brown. Their lack of speed was exposed when Texas A&M whipped them 35-10, but Lou Holtz had clearly turned the corner in South Bend. Another turn of the corner was made by the Big Ten. They won their first Rose Bowl since 1980, when Michigan State upended Southern Cal 20-17. This year marked the point the Big Ten got competitive in a bowl rivalry that had been lopsided in favor of its hosts from the west.
A third unbeaten team was in the mix, but Syracuse was unloved by the pollsters. When they tied Auburn 16-16, they capped a great year, but also lost any claim to eternal martyrdom. Florida State laid its case for #2 when they beat Nebraska 31-28. And Miami completed the Sunshine State sweep when they beat OU in a 20-14 score that does not reflect the way the control the ‘Canes exerted. After two straight New Year’s heartbreaks, Jimmy Johnson was finally #1.
Notre Dame won a pair of “Games of the Year” against Miami and Southern Cal to complete a perfect season. The Irish were invited to the Fiesta Bowl to play newly emergent West Virginia, who had run the table in the east. Miami was nestled in between the two independents, ranked #2. The ‘Canes would have been #1 had they elected to kick an extra point and take a tie in South Bend, rather then risk it all on a game-winning two-point conversion. They were prepared to advance this argument forcefully if they beat Nebraska in the Orange, and West Virginia upset the Irish.
The Pac-10 produced two powers that penetrated into November with perfect records before faltering. UCLA had lost the conference title at Southern Cal, but Troy Aikman’s Bruins redeemed themselves on this day with a Cotton Bowl win over Arkansas. The Trojans had lost to the Irish one week after beating the Bruins, and they completed their disappointing finish by losing a second straight Rose Bowl, this time to Michigan.
Notre Dame eliminated all suspense in the late afternoon with an easy 34-21 win over the Mountaineers. The state of Florida shined in prime time, with Florida State beating Auburn in the Sugar, and the Hurricanes staking their claim to #2 by routing Nebraska. But the end story was that after eleven years on the outside, Lou Holtz had returned the Fighting Irish to the throne room.
For the first time since 1976 the Big Eight sent someone besides Nebraska or Oklahoma to the Orange Bowl. The Colorado Buffaloes finished what had been a steady rebuilding process by going undefeated and holding the top spot in the polls as they prepared to face Notre Dame. The fourth-ranked Fighting Irish had come up one game shy of perfection, losing badly to Miami in the regular season finale. The Hurricanes were #2 and lined up for the Sugar Bowl against Alabama.
It was Bo Schembecler’s swan song at Michigan, and the third-ranked Wolverines sent their coach into retirement on a note that was all-to-familiar—a frustrating Rose Bowl loss to Southern Cal. Earlier in the day, Arkansas dropped its second straight Cotton Bowl in losing to Tennessee. Florida State completed a blazing finish after an 0-2 start. They routed Nebraska in the Fiesta and rose to third in the final AP poll.
Colorado looked outmatched in prime time. Notre Dame controlled the line of scrimmage and steadily pulled away to a 21-6 win. Miami beat Alabama 33-25 in the Sugar. It came down to an argument of ND’s overwhelming strength of schedule against the Hurricanes’ decisive head-to-head win in November. The voters chose head-to-head as the relevant tiebreaker. It was a logical decision, but one that would prove bitterly ironic in South Bend four years later.
A wild regular season ended with the same result as ’89—Colorado was at the top of the polls. This time they had a loss and a tie and were again paired with Notre Dame in the Orange. The Citrus Bowl would at last play a role in the process, as ACC champ Georgia Tech was 10-0-1 and ranked second. Texas was also prepared to make an argument as the one-loss Longhorns were third and scheduled to play fourth-ranked Miami in the Cotton.
Tech staked its claim early by routing Nebraska 45-21. A hurricane warning blew through Dallas, as Miami hung a 46-3 rout on Texas, a winning stunning in its scope, if not in who the winner was. The Fiesta Bowl had a problem attracting top teams, due to a boycott of Arizona over its refusal to recognize Martin Luther King Day. They settled for a four-loss Alabama squad and got a predictable result—newly revived Louisville routed the Tide in a ho-hum game. In the Rose. Washington handed Iowa’s Hayden Fry his third Rose Bowl loss by a 46-34 count.
The Sugar Bowl belonged to Tennessee, who was here in the place of probation-riddled SEC champ Florida. The Vols beat Virginia. The Orange Bowl produced a thrilling and controversial finish. Notre Dame’s Rocket Ismail had appeared to return a punt for a game-winning touchdown. But it was called back on a clipping penalty. Colorado preserved a 10-9 win. But the Rocket’s nullified heroics were enough to switch votes, and while the Buffaloes still won the AP poll, Georgia Tech won the UPI vote by a single point. It was an appropriate finish to a wild season.
For the second straight year a poll dispute threatened the possibility of co-national champions. Miami was unbeaten and #1 in the AP. Washington was also undefeated, and on the strength of peer respect for coach Don James, had overtaken the ‘Canes in the UPI poll in the regular season’s final week. The Hurricanes were Orange Bowl-bound to play Nebraska, while Washington would match up with Michigan in the Rose.
Florida State had spent much of the season at #1 before late losses to Miami and Florida turned their season into a disappointment. They won a dull Cotton Bowl, 10-2 over Texas A&M. Florida was off probation and into the Sugar Bowl. But the Gators were beaten by Notre Dame, who salvaged a disappointing season with a 39-28 win. Penn State rose to third in the final rankings with a 42-17 thrashing of Tennessee in the Fiesta.
Both of the powerhouses won their games easily. Washington shut down Michigan and Heisman Trophy winner Desmond Howard, on their way to a 34-14 win. In the rain of the Orange Bowl, Miami was a 23-3 winner. Both teams held their spots in the polls and another season ended with a split vote.
Miami kept the momentum of ’91 rolling all the way through the regular season of 1992. They opened the year atop the polls, and survived some close calls along the way to another perfect campaign. The Sugar Bowl was where they would go to try and be the first back-to-back champion since 1974-75. Their foil was more of a surprise. Alabama won the SEC, becoming the first team to advance through the new “superconference” format, with its division splits and conference championship game. The Tide were #2 and looking to win their first crown of the post-Bear era.
Texas A&M was also perfect, although the Aggies were frozen out of title talk at #4. They lost any complaining rights along with it, when they were routed by Notre Dame in the Cotton Bowl. Washington’s repeat bid had fallen short, and their late season fade was completed in the Rose Bowl. Michigan took their revenge with a 38-31 win. Syracuse was the top team in the East and they capped it off with a Fiesta Bowl triumph over Colorado.
Florida State was mostly unnoticed, as the Orange Bowl was overshadowed this year by its prime-time counterpart in New Orleans. The ‘Noles staked their claim to #2 by handing Nebraska another decisive bowl defeat. The Sugar Bowl produced a decisive result as well, but not the one everyone anticipated. Alabama stunned the nation, by not only defeating Miami, but utterly dismantling them. The Tide won 34-13. Former Bryant player Gene Stallings had returned glory to his alma mater.
Controversy was overshadowing this New Year’s even before the first ball was snapped. One-loss Florida State was sitting at #1 in the AP poll, ranked ahead of two unbeaten teams (Nebraska and West Virginia) and another one they’d just lost to (Notre Dame). Nebraska would control their own destiny, getting a crack at the ‘Noles in the Orange Bowl. The other teams could just win and hope for justice.
Miami was out of the title talk this year, and a bigger indignity occurred in the Fiesta Bowl when the ‘Canes suffered another bad bowl loss. Arizona shocked them with a 29-0 whitewash. Another unheralded team in Wisconsin made its arrival on the national stage. Barry Alvarez’s Badgers beat UCLA in the Rose.
Notre Dame beat Texas A&M in the Cotton for the second straight year, this time in a hard-fought 24-21 battle. West Virginia fell by the wayside underneath the bombardment of the Florida offense in the Sugar. Nebraska finally played a competitive game in a major bowl, but it wasn’t quite enough. Florida State prevailed 18-16. It was down to FSU and Notre Dame for the crown. The ‘Noles had played a tougher schedule. The Irish had the head-to-head win. Lou Holtz appealed to the precedent of 1989. But consistency was not forthcoming. This last year of New Year’s Day as we knew it ended with Bobby Bowden entering the throne room via the back door.
It was an odd year in scheduling. New Year’s fell on a Sunday and most bowls followed the customary path of pushing their games to January 2. All except the Orange, which decided to keep its spot on New Year’s Night. So it wasn’t a feast of college football that led the way to #1-ranked Nebraska’s battle with third-ranked Miami, but a couple NFL playoff games. The Cornhuskers rallied for a 24-17 win and Tom Osborne had his long-sought national title even before the bowl action had started.
The next day the decline of the Cotton Bowl was climaxed. USC routed Texas Tech 55-14. It was the Southwest Conference’s last year of existence and they lost their showcase for the seventh straight time. In the Fiesta, Colorado routed a 6-4-1 Notre Dame squad, whose invitation set a new low for network control of bowl matchups.
In the late afternoon, Penn State made its case. The Nittany Lions were also unbeaten and had a schedule-strength ranking higher then Nebraska’s. But their 38-20 win over Oregon in the Rose was not enough to move the pollsters. PSU ended at #2 and took contentment in winning their first appearance in Pasadena as a member of the Big Ten. In prime-time, Florida State beat Florida 23-17, a rematch made practical by the tie game the two rivals had played on Thanksgiving weekend. It was an anticlimactic ending to an anticlimactic day.
Significant changes took place prior to the 1995 season. The Sugar, Orange and Fiesta Bowls entered into what became known as “The Bowl Alliance.” The conferences previously affiliated with these bowls gave up their automatic tie-ins. The trio of alliance bowls would take turns in hosting a game featuring the top two available teams. Involved conferences included the SEC, ACC, Big East and the new Big 12, which was the old Big Eight along with the top four programs from the now-defunct SWC
The Alliance bowls would not be all played on January 1. One game would be on New Year’s Eve, another on New Year’s Night and the top game would be the following day. The new system was designed to maximize the possibility of a national championship game. It also ensured that each bowl would not pick it’s teams prior to the end of the regular season, and began a process of setting clear performance benchmarks teams would have to meet in order to be eligible for the two available at-large bids.
The creation of a national championship game was almost complete. However the Big Ten and Pac-10 were still not involved and would continue the Rose Bowl tradition.
1995
The new system paid immediate dividends in ’95. Nebraska and Florida were the only two unbeatens at regular season’s end. Instead of going separate ways to the Orange and Sugar, they were able to pair up. The Fiesta was hosting the national championship game in the alliance’s inaugural year.
Ohio State had threatened to throw a monkey wrench into the mix. The Buckeyes reached their finale against Michigan undefeated and ranked #2. But OSU was stunned by a lower-then-their standards Wolverine squad. The result was that Northwestern capped a stunning dream season by going to the Rose Bowl. The Wildcats lost to USC, but it could never detract from Gary Barnett’s Cinderella story.
Virginia Tech made its first appearance on center stage, sharing the Big East title and going to the December 31 Sugar Bowl. The Hokies beat Texas for a Top 10 finish. Florida State and Notre Dame hooked up in the Orange, with the Seminoles winning a good 31-26 ballgame. But the headlines belonged to Nebraska when the dust was settled. With a 62-24 thrashing of Florida, Tom Osborne had gone from the coach who couldn’t win the big one, to the man with the first back-to-back national titles in twenty years.
Not having the Rose Bowl in the alliance equation played a big role in this year’s title proceedings. The Sugar Bowl had the championship game and in late November it looked like nothing could stop Ohio State from being in the top two. But amazingly, the Buckeyes lost again to Michigan, this time at home. Florida State won a 1 vs. 2 battle with Florida the following week to earn one ticket to New Orleans. But out west, Arizona State also closed its campaign at 11-0 and rose to second in the polls. The Sun Devils would play the Buckeyes in the Rose. In the meantime, an upset loss by Nebraska helped Florida climb back to #3 and get a rematch with the ‘Noles in the Bayou.
Virginia Tech returned to the alliance for the New Year’s Eve Orange Bowl. The Cornhuskers took some consolation in a 41-21 thumping of Frank Beamer’s squad. The following night in Tempe, Penn State capped an excellent season with a decisive win over Texas.
When Ohio State rallied for a late touchdown to win the Rose, things had come full circle for Florida. In spite of their loss to FSU, late-season failures by the Buckeyes, Sun Devils and Cornhuskers meant the Sugar Bowl rematch was for the national title. Florida took full advantage in a 52-20 trashing of Bowden & Co. College football had succeeded in creating its own “Super Bowl”, but the routs were a part of Super Bowl lore they could do without.
Things didn’t work out for a title game this year. Michigan won a big November battle at Penn State and rose to the top of the polls. Nebraska also ran the table and was #2. The alliance had to settle for creating a 2 vs. 3 game involving the Huskers and Peyton Manning’s Tennessee. The Wolverines would play #8 Washington State in the Rose.
Kansas State had lost only to Nebraska and got its first major bowl bid. The Wildcats then destroyed Big East champ Syracuse and Donovan McNabb in the Fiesta Bowl. The Sugar Bowl saw Florida State dismantle Ohio State by seventeen.
In the Rose, Michigan staked its claim to the crown with a hard-fought 21-16 win. Osborne had decided to retire, and the soon-to-be politician timed his announcement to secure maximum advantage for his team in the voting. His football team gave him a good substantive case, with a 42-17 win over the Vols. The voters settled on a split championship, with the coaches’ honoring their retiring colleague.
In an intriguing political twist, the same Big Ten-based voters who ignored Penn State three years earlier, gave their votes to Michigan this time. It was anyone’s guess as to the cause, but some (myself included) saw it as a sign that elements of the Big Ten establishment had not yet accepted the newcomer as one of their own.
With the previous two seasons seeing the Rose Bowl still producing one of the top two teams, the need to incorporate the venerable Pasadena game into the alliance was increasingly apparent. Prior to the 1998 season, the Granddaddy of them All gave up its exclusive Big Ten-Pac 10 tradition and joined the alliance rotation, now renamed the “Bowl Championship Series.” Conference tie-ins would still apply where possible. The SEC had a connection to the Sugar Bowl, the Big 12 to the Fiesta, the ACC to the Orange and the Big Ten/Pac-10 to the Rose. But those tie-ins would not apply if it was that bowl’s turn to host the championship game, or if the champion of the applicable conference was in the top two.
It was now guaranteed that a 1 vs. 2 matchup would end every season. There might be ferocious arguing over whom ought to play in the game, but the era of settling the champion by votes was now over. The only caveat was that while the ESPN coaches’ poll contractually promised to honor the results of the title game in its final voting, the AP writers’ poll reserved the rights to vote someone else #1 if they so desired.
An underrated positive to come out of this new format was that all bowls would be played on or after January 1. Two games would be on New Year’s, another on January 2, and the title game a couple days after that.
1998
The first Saturday of December saw all hell broke loss. Three teams were unbeaten and the BCS faced a rookie-year crisis as to which one would be frozen out of the Fiesta Bowl’s title game. But Kansas State and UCLA were both upset, and the question shifted to which one-loss team should get in. Florida State got the nod. The Seminoles would play Tennessee.
After breaking through in the SEC the previous year, Tennessee broke through on the national stage in ’98—although as the third unbeaten team, they survived an upset bid of their own that fateful Saturday, when they held off scrappy Mississippi State and preserved their #1 ranking. The system didn’t satisfy those who pointed to the case of Tulane. The Green Wave went 11-0, and not only were shut out of the Fiesta Bowl, but out of the BCS picture entirely. Tulane had to settle for beating BYU in the Liberty on New Year’s Eve.
Wisconsin was back in the mix, showing that it’s 1993 success was no one-shot deal. The Badgers completed UCLA’s fall from grace by again beating the Bruins on their homefield in the Rose Bowl. Ohio State capped off a good day for the Big Ten by efficiently dismantling Texas A&M in the Sugar. The following night saw Florida annihilate Syracuse in the Orange. Then Philip Fulmer got the monkey off his back in Tempe when his Vols won a 23-16 decision against Florida State to claim the national title.
Florida State made it back to the national championship game and this time there was no last-minute wrangling. Bobby Bowden’s team was the preseason #1 and went wire-to-wire in earning their bid to the Sugar Bowl. They looked to be heading for a showdown with Penn State and Joe Paterno until the Nittany Lions collapsed and lost their lost three. Virginia Tech stepped into the breach, completing an unbeaten campaign behind freshman quarterback Michael Vick.
Marshall was the mid-major unbeaten left out in the cold this year. Ironically it was BYU—the last team to win a national title without playing in a major bowl—that again served as the foil for a frozen out team. The Thundering Herd rumbled over the Cougars in the Motor City Bowl. Like Tulane, the year before, they still got into the final Top 10.
Wisconsin made history in the Rose, becoming the first Big Ten team to win back-to-back in Pasadena (although one must note that prior to 1970 the conference prevented teams from going west in consecutive years). The Badgers beat Stanford behind Heisman winner Ron Dayne. Michigan, with Tom Brady at the helm finished another Big Ten BCS sweep when they nipped Alabama 35-34 in the Orange. Nebraska beat Tennessee in the Fiesta to secure the #3 spot in the final AP poll. After spotting FSU an early lead, Virginia Tech rallied to lead 29-28 in the Sugar. But the heroics of Peter Warrick spurred the Seminoles to eighteen unanswered fourth-quarter points. It was Bobby Bowden’s second time atop the final rankings, and the first time he was the undisputed national champion.
For the first time since the Switzer era, Oklahoma was back. Appropriately enough, the title game was scheduled for the Orange Bowl, the site of so many triumphant rides for the Sooner Schooner. Florida State won a close call for the right to be the one-loss foe that faced top-ranked OU. The Seminoles were chosen over Miami, who’d beaten them head-to-head, and over Washington…who’d beaten Miami head-to-head.
Purdue came out of the Big Ten for the first time since 1967, winning a three-way tiebreaker for the Rose Bowl bid. The Boilermakers and Drew Brees were easily dispatched by Washington. It was the start of a rough night for the state of Indiana—Notre Dame was overrun by a fast, hungry team in Oregon State in the Fiesta Bowl.
Miami was the consensus #2 team in the AP poll and still had hopes of a split poll. The ‘Canes beat Florida 37-20 and went home to root for their archrivals from Tallahassee. But there would no split vote and no repeat champ. Though the game featured Heisman winner Chris Weinke (FSU) and the runner-up in Josh Heupel (OU), it was defense that told the tale. Oklahoma’s 13-2 win gave them their first crown in fifteen years.
Miami wasn’t going to let a computer ranking system keep them out of Pasadena, where this year’s title game was held. The Hurricanes were seriously challenged only twice on their way to an 11-0 mark. They looked to be headed towards a date with Nebraska for an undisputed battle of the unbeatens. Then the Cornhuskers were obliterated by Colorado in the regular season finale, opening the door for a one-loss team.
With opportunity at hand, the following transpired, starting on the same Thanksgiving weekend that Nebraska fell—Oklahoma lost to Oklahoma State. At home. Then Florida lost to Tennessee. At home. Then Texas lost the Big 12 title game to suddenly surging two-loss Colorado. The Vols moved up to #2. And lost to four-loss LSU in the SEC title game. So when the dust settled, Miami’s opponent in the Rose Bowl…Nebraska. Not playing in their conference championship game paradoxically worked to the Huskers advantage, as they watched the dominoes fall from the security of the sideline.
Oregon was #2 in the AP poll and had a good shot at a split crown if Miami lost. The Ducks held up their end of the bargain in routing the red-hot Buffaloes in the Fiesta. LSU beat Illinois in the Sugar Bowl on New Year’s Night. The game marked the first time in the modern era a Big Ten champ had to go somewhere other then Pasadena. Maryland enjoyed a Cinderella run to its first major bowl since ’76 and breaking FSU’s stranglehold on the ACC. It came to an unceremonious end at the hands of Florida in the Orange. Miami spared the system further frustration, in waxing Nebraska 37-14. It’s no exaggeration to say the game wasn’t as close as the score makes it sound. Who was #2 remained the subject of hot debate. But there was no doubt who was #1.
After the chaos and controversy that characterized championship selection the previous two years, the BCS surely welcomed this year’s Fiesta Bowl. By early November Miami and Ohio State were the only two unbeatens and in the top two poll spots. They were set to square off in Tempe.
The Buckeyes’ trip to the national title game marked the second straight year of a non-traditional Rose Bowl and the clear beginning of what was clear at the outset of the BCS—the end of an era. Oklahoma went to Pasadena this year and beat Washington State. Georgia finally wrested control of the SEC East away from Tennessee & Florida, won the conference title and capped it off by beating Florida State in the Sugar Bowl.
A “Rose Bowl” type matchup did take place, but it was in Miami. USC and Heisman quarterback Carson Palmer routed Big Ten co-champ Iowa 38-17. The nation expected similar results from the Big Ten the next night. But Ohio State shocked the world, taking the ‘Canes into overtime, taking advantage of a controversial interference call in the first overtime session and then winning the national title in the second OT. It was the first Buckeye title since 1968.
Controversy was back in vogue for this year’s championship game, scheduled in the Sugar Bowl. This time it wasn’t just about picking one team who already had a loss. Nobody finished unbeaten, a circumstance unprecedented in the bowl era. The chaos further increased when the computers overrode the voters. Top-ranked USC was passed over entirely, while LSU and Oklahoma were chosen. The Sooners had been a consensus #1, until they were shockingly routed in the Big 12 title game. So for the second time in three years, the national championship game would feature a team who failed to win its conference title. And it wouldn’t feature the #1-ranked team in both polls.
The bowl’s flawed selection process also produced a rematch of the Miami-Florida State regular season game in the Orange Bowl, while preventing a more compelling rematch of the ’02 Fiesta Bowl. Ohio State was instead sent back to Tempe, this time to play Kansas State. The Hurricanes won a hard-fought 16-14 battle, while the Buckeyes beat the Wildcats 35-28.
USC was all but assured the AP vote if they won the Rose Bowl. They did so in grand fashion, with a dominating 28-14 win over fourth-ranked Michigan. LSU won the Sugar Bowl 21-14 and took home the ESPN poll. The selection process all the way down made this perhaps the most unsatisfying bowl season since 1984.
One year after there was a dearth of unbeaten teams, the nation produced a glut. USC, Oklahoma and Auburn all ran the table from power conferences to go 12-0. Utah came out of the Mountain West and went 11-0. The Trojans and Sooners were picked for the Orange Bowl. It was one of the flaws of the system that the two teams were indisputably aided by having been ranked 1-2 at the start of the season. Auburn opened at #17, and even with the computer rankings mixed into the process, had too much ground to make up.
Michigan returned to the Rose Bowl. This year it was to face Texas, who’d been chosen in Southern Cal’s stead. In a thrilling back-and-forth game, Vince Young gave a preview of things to come by leading the Longhorns to 38-37 win on his team’s final possession. While Utah never got serious Orange Bowl consideration, they did get picked for a BCS game. The Utes easily dispatched Big East quad-champ Pitt in the Fiesta Bowl.
Auburn got a tougher game then expected from Virginia Tech, who won the ACC in their first year as a league member. The Tigers’ 16-13 Sugar Bowl win ensured them martyr status. The Orange Bowl got a ton of hype, but the game completely fizzled. It turned into another title game rout. USC hung a 55-19 win on the board and celebrated their second straight national championship.
Talk of a three-peat was in the air and Southern Cal opened the season atop the polls. The title game was scheduled for the Rose Bowl, so Pete Carroll’s team would have a chance to make history in their own backyard. A last-second escape at Notre Dame, shrouded in controversy, paved the way for the Trojans to run the regular season gauntlet unblemished. Texas won at Ohio State in September and the game was a lynchpin for the ‘Horns and Young to return to Pasadena, this time with much bigger stakes.
On the same day USC survived Notre Dame, Penn State lost its only game of the year amidst officiating controversy of its own. The Lions came within one second of perfection as Joe Paterno returned from the wilderness to his first major bowl in nine years. He and fellow old-time legend Bobby Bowden gave the nation a triple-overtime thriller in the Orange Bowl before Penn State won 26-23. West Virginia answered critics who said the Big East didn’t belong in the BCS by stunning Georgia in the Sugar Bowl. Ohio State knocked off Notre Dame in the Fiesta.
The Rose Bowl earned a place in college football lore along with the ’83 Orange or the ’86 Fiesta. USC appeared to have the win secure at 38-27 before the Longhorns scored. UT stopped the Trojans, who opted to go for it on 4th-and-1 at midfield, rather then pin the Longhorns deep with a minute to play and facing a five-point deficit. Vince Young took full advantage of USC’s recklessness and pulled off his second straight game-winning drive in Pasadena. Texas won 41-38. It’s first national title since 1970 had denied the Trojan threepeat.
A key addition was made to the BCS format for the ’06 season. The system added another game to its menu, so as to accommodate teams from outside the power conferences who were threatening legal action if their unbeaten teams were continually denied access. The new format kept the same four bowl games, but had one of them host an additional game that would be several days after New Year’s. The new game would be officially called the “BCS National Championship Game”, and bowls would not double in that role any longer. The basics of a loose conference affiliation with each bowl game remained intact.
2006
The Big Ten’s biggest football game ever was so big they almost played it twice. In early September, Ohio State and Michigan each won big road non-conference games (at Texas & Notre Dame) and neither one looked back. By their season-ending showdown the two schools were 1-2 in the country and undefeated. Ohio State won a 42-39 shootout and Michigan retained its standing at #2 in the polls, which would have required a rematch in Glendale, AZ where the first BCS National Championship Game would be held. But voter desire for a rematch waned, and after one-loss Florida won the SEC title, the Gators jumped the Wolverines in the polls and got the nod.
On New Year’s, Michigan quickly helped prove the wisdom of the decision. The Wolverines were no match for USC, in a 32-18 loss. Notre Dame took a pummeling from LSU in the Sugar Bowl that was even worse. Two other games were dominated by Cinderella stories. Louisville beat Wake Forest in an Orange Bowl game that sounded more like a regional final in the NCAA Tournament. But Boise State’s story topped them all. The Broncos were a beneficiary of the new additions to the BCS and in an incredible game, they upset Oklahoma 43-42 in the Fiesta Bowl.
One week later, Florida eliminated any doubt as to who should have been chosen to play in the title game. The Gators thumped the Buckeyes 41-14. They were consensus national champions. But the nation’s only unbeaten team was in Boise, a squad that had surely won the nation’s heart.
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