College Football Bowls

[SDX]

First of all please forgive my total lack of knowledge as we have only just started getting College Football in the UK.

I want to know what the 'bowls' are all for and how is it decided who goes in to which ones and how that is decided. Is it to do with how teams perform throughout the season or down to other traditional matters?

Also why do the top ranking teams not have a playoff similar to the NFL?

I watched the Mountaineers (I think thats what they were called) win the other night for there 3rd straight, do they now go into a higher division or onto another game or is that there season over.

[KevinMcD]

The bowls are the games that 64 teams go to after the season. Each conference has affiliations with multiple bowls and always sends a representitive to that bowl. The only bowl that really counts for the championship is the BCS Championship Game (In New Orleans this year) There is a poll (BCS) that takes strength of shedule, wins, etc. into account and ranks the teams. The top two teams (no matter what onference) make the BCS National Championship game. The winner of that game is the BCS National Champion. Usually the top conference (Big 12, Big 10, Big East, ACC, SE, PAC 10) teams make the Champ game, Hawai'i, a member of the WAC, was undefeated this year but their schedule was not that strong so they make a lower tier bowl.

They dont have a playoff system because of $$$$$. The schools gain Millions of dollars in each bowl. The same payout would not be given in a playoff.

The Appalachian State Mountaineers won the seond level (Think Coca-Cola Football League Championship) But they do not move up. They can decide to move up if they want. Any team that is allowed by the NCAA can move up to the higher Division. And App State's season is over this year.

Hopefully I awnsered your questions.

[SDX]

Yeah thanks very much mate.

[SDX]

I have another dumb question why do some players and teams have varying amounts of stickers on the helmets?

[JustForFun]

I have another dumb question why do some players and teams have varying amounts of stickers on the helmets?

Stickers are generally given by coaches as a reward for good plays. Some teams don't use them at all, some use them constantly. Coach's choice, although many programs have made giving out stickers a tradition.

[Luigi74]

First of all please forgive my total lack of knowledge as we have only just started getting College Football in the UK.

I want to know what the 'bowls' are all for and how is it decided who goes in to which ones and how that is decided. Is it to do with how teams perform throughout the season or down to other traditional matters?

Also why do the top ranking teams not have a playoff similar to the NFL?

I watched the Mountaineers (I think thats what they were called) win the other night for there 3rd straight, do they now go into a higher division or onto another game or is that there season over.

The reason there is no playoff in the Bowl Division of College Football is the big conferences the Big Ten, Big 12, SEC, PAC-10, ACC and Big East would give up controlling the power and money earned in the post season to the NCAA. With the bowl system the payouts from the bowls and for tv contracts go right to the conferences in one big payment per year, the big conferences also set-up the rules for the BCS. If they ever went to a playoff even one using bowls the money from the playoff games and tv contracts would go to the NCAA who would then dish it out how they pleased and the NCAA would have full power over the playoff.

Currently bowl games are what Association Football fans call a Friendly, with the winning team getting a trophy and all the players involved get gifts from sponsors equaling $500.

[Mac the Knife]

They dont have a playoff system because of $$$$$. The schools gain Millions of dollars in each bowl. The same payout would not be given in a playoff.

At least, not as it's currently envisioned by the powers that be.

With anything, in American college athletics follow the money: wherever there's a perception that more can be made doing things a certain way, you can be sure, that's the way it'll be done.