When it comes to the climax of the college football season, fans are treated to an exhilarating spectacle known as the bowl season. Unlike the compact playoff systems seen in other NCAA sports, FBS football offers a unique and expansive postseason experience. Travis Hunter stuns Shedeur Sanders with a 3-pointer and jaw-dropping dunk no one expected on the basketball courtThe term "bowl" traces its roots to the Rose Bowl Stadium, the birthplace of postseason college football. With a bowl-shaped design inspired by the Yale Bowl, the Rose Bowl set the stage for regional festivals featuring matchups between top-tier teams. Despite the attempts to establish a playoff for determining the FBS national champion, the allure of bowl games endures, fueled by entrenched economic interests.Related:How teams qualify for Bowl games: Becoming bowl-eligible is no simple feat. According to the NCAA, a team must secure a record equal to or better than its overall losses, with a minimum requirement of 6-6. Conference championship losses don't count against a team's record, and in cases of insufficient eligible teams, those with a 5-7 record may still receive an invitation. Teams with winning records enjoy priority in the selection process.Bowl games were once exclusive, featuring only the best teams in college football. However, their number has grown significantly, reaching 40 games by the 2015 season.This expansion led to a relaxation of NCAA bowl eligibility rules, allowing teams with non-winning records to fill available slots. Despite these changes, bowl games maintain their allure as unique matchups between teams that wouldn't usually face off in the regular season.Bowl games are more than just competitions; they're a celebration of college football's rich traditions. Coaches value the extra weeks of practice allowed for teams participating in bowl games, and the financial rewards benefit both teams and their conferences. The Bowl Season association, formerly the Football Bowl Association, was rebranded as "Bowl Season" in 2020, aiming to promote the benefits of the entire bowl system.The College Football Playoff EraIn the 2014-15 season, the BCS gave way to the College Football Playoff (CFP), a four-team single-elimination tournament. This number expanded to 12 teams in the 2024-25 season. The CFP selection committee seeds participants. The winners proceed to compete in Bowl games in road to the College Football Playoff National Championship, hosted at a neutral site determined through bids. The College Football Playoff (CFP) quarterfinal and semifinal rounds are played in the New Year's Six bowl games: Peach Bowl (Quarterfinal)Fiesta Bowl (Quarterfinal)Rose Bowl (Quarterfinal)Sugar Bowl (Quarterfinal)Orange Bowl (Semifinal)Cotton Bowl (Semifinal)While not officially recognized as an NCAA championship, the CFP has added a new layer of excitement to the postseason.

What bowls are in the College Football Playoff? Here's how the bowl system works

Unlike the compact playoff systems seen in other NCAA sports, FBS football offers a unique and expansive postseason experience. This expansion led to a relaxation of NCAA bowl eligibility rules, allowing teams with non-winning records to fill available slots. Travis Hunter stuns Shedeur Sanders with a 3-pointer and jaw-dropping dunk no one expected on the […]

Unlike the compact playoff systems seen in other NCAA sports, FBS football offers a unique and expansive postseason experience. This expansion led to a relaxation of NCAA bowl eligibility rules, allowing teams with non-winning records to fill available slots.

Travis Hunter stuns Shedeur Sanders with a 3-pointer and jaw-dropping dunk no one expected on the basketball court

When it comes to the climax of the college football season, fans are treated to an exhilarating spectacle known as the bowl season. However, their number has grown significantly, reaching 40 games by the 2015 season.Conference championship losses don’t count against a team’s record, and in cases of insufficient eligible teams, those with a 5-7 record may still receive an invitation. The term “bowl” traces its roots to the Rose Bowl Stadium, the birthplace of postseason college football.

How teams qualify for Bowl games:

According to the NCAA, a team must secure a record equal to or better than its overall losses, with a minimum requirement of 6-6. While not officially recognized as an NCAA championship, the CFP has added a new layer of excitement to the postseason.Coaches value the extra weeks of practice allowed for teams participating in bowl games, and the financial rewards benefit both teams and their conferences. Despite these changes, bowl games maintain their allure as unique matchups between teams that wouldn’t usually face off in the regular season.With a bowl-shaped design inspired by the Yale Bowl, the Rose Bowl set the stage for regional festivals featuring matchups between top-tier teams. The Bowl Season association, formerly the Football Bowl Association, was rebranded as “Bowl Season” in 2020, aiming to promote the benefits of the entire bowl system.The CFP selection committee seeds participants. The winners proceed to compete in Bowl games in road to the College Football Playoff National Championship, hosted at a neutral site determined through bids. Teams with winning records enjoy priority in the selection process.Bowl games were once exclusive, featuring only the best teams in college football. Despite the attempts to establish a playoff for determining the FBS national champion, the allure of bowl games endures, fueled by entrenched economic interests.The College Football Playoff (CFP) quarterfinal and semifinal rounds are played in the New Year’s Six bowl games:

The College Football Playoff Era

In the 2014-15 season, the BCS gave way to the College Football Playoff (CFP), a four-team single-elimination tournament. This number expanded to 12 teams in the 2024-25 season. Becoming bowl-eligible is no simple feat. Bowl games are more than just competitions; they’re a celebration of college football’s rich traditions.