How new playoff bowls work

http://www.tornbysports.com/byu-football-joining-the-big-12-is-not-that-important/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;



Has our new year's day bowl access improved?

Absolutely BYU's New York 6 bowl access has improved. Although there are still contracts among some of the bowls and the conferences (Sugar = SEC/Big 12; Rose = B1G, P12; Orange = ACC/SEC/B1G/ND) there are now three other access bowls - Fiesta, Cotton, and Peach bowls. The SELECTION COMMITTEE chooses who goes to which access bowl games, BASED ON RANKINGS. The bowls don't choose and you can't pass by a team because there is another team behind them with a bigger or better traveling fan base or deeper pockets or more TV cache.



Case in point: 1996. BYU finishes at No. 5, but is passed over by the Bowl Alliance. No. 5 BYU plays No. 14 Kansas St. in the Cotton Bowl (which was not part of the Bowl Alliance). That was a slap in the face! But, it will never happen again.



If BYU finishes No. 5, they will play in a New Year's 6 bowl...guaranteed!



Whether BYU ranked No. 6-12 plays in a NY6 Bowl depends on the year and which bowls are hosting the CFP (ie, which access bowls are available) and how the P5 champions are ranked.

The article implies that on the years when bowls with contractual obligations to conferences are not hosts to the playoff, those obligations would still be in tact, even if the conference champion went to the playoff. That would leave us with only 1 at-large spot in some years. That also was NOT the case in the BCS - if your contractual champion was #1 or #2, your slot became at large, but you got to pick before the normal at large bids. Can anyone verify whether or not they've done away with that rule?

redneckjedi wrote:
The article implies that on the years when bowls with contractual obligations to conferences are not hosts to the playoff, those obligations would still be in tact, even if the conference champion went to the playoff. That would leave us with only 1 at-large spot in some years. That also was NOT the case in the BCS - if your contractual champion was #1 or #2, your slot became at large, but you got to pick before the normal at large bids. Can anyone verify whether or not they've done away with that rule?

http://community.orangebowl.org/assets/3/7/ACC_and_Orange_Bowl_Committee_Announce_Opponent_and_Broadcast_Partner.pdf" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;



The Rose, Sugar, and Orange Bowl contracts are with the specific conferences and Notre Dame. If the ACC champion is playing in the CFP, then the next highest ranking ACC team goes to the Orange Bowl. Likewise, the Orange Bowl selects the highest ranking among the Big Ten, SEC, and Notre Dame that is not participating in the CFP to be the ACC's opponent - with the caveat that ND can only play twice in the Orange Bowl during the 12-year contract and the Big Ten and SEC need to each play a minimum of three times.



So, BYU will never play in any of those bowl games unless they are hosting the semi-finals. When the Peach and Fiesta bowls host the CFP, there will only be one slot open for BYU, the Cotton Bowl against the G5 champion. The ranking that BYU would have to obtain would depend on where the B1G, Big 12, SEC, ACC, and PAC 12 champs are ranked, but No. 5 BYU is guaranteed.



http://www.collegefootballplayoff.com/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;



CORRECTION!



When the Cotton and Orange bowls host, it will depend on whether the ACC champion is in the CFP. A displaced CFP champ (ie, not in the CFP), will still get to play in iether the Peach (most likely) or Fiesta Bowl. Thus, there will be 2-3 at large spots for BYU and no. 6 BYU is guaranteed and no. 12 BYU could get in.



When the Rose and Sugar Bowls host, like 2014-5, it will depend on whether the PAC 12, Big Ten, Big 12, and SEC champs are in the CFP. Displaced champs will get into one of the access bowls. So, there will be 1-5 at large spots for BYU and no. 5 BYU is guaranteed and no. 12 BYU could get in.