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Zemek: A Relieved Winner, An Enlarged Loser

Staff Columnist
Posted Jan 7, 2014


A rattled Florida State team looked into the barrel of a 21-3 deficit, but it then found the ability to respond in the midst of withering pressure. Auburn's defense overachieved on Monday night, but it then faltered just before the finish line. It was that kind of night in the Arroyo Seco, as the Bowl Championship Series ended with a flawed game... and a classic fourth quarter.

By Matt Zemek
E-mail Matt Zemek

Follow the Weekly Affirmation ... @MattZemek_CFN

It was the stuff of dreams, those broken and those fully realized.

It was the survival of a heavyweight at the hands of a middleweight that punched above its weight class.

It was a story of points left on the field and points taken too quickly.

It was a story of one game’s hero becoming another game’s goat.

It was a tale of incredibly good fortune turning sour at the last stop on the path.

It was a story of a nightmare turning into joy.

The 2014 BCS National Championship Game was the last BCS bowl game in history, much as the 2006 Rose Bowl was the last game in which the BCS bowl field consisted of only eight teams instead of ten. The Rose Bowl stadium has been the scene of pivotal moments in the now-concluded BCS era, and the stadium has borne witness to the two best fourth quarters in the BCS’s 16-year run. Ohio State and Miami played what was arguably the best full-length title game of the BCS era in the 2003 Fiesta Bowl, but the 2006 Rose Bowl between Texas and USC stands alongside the 2003 Fiesta as an epic game. This 2014 title fight between Florida State and Auburn can’t compare to those two games in terms of the whole body of work, but the fourth quarter fashioned by the Seminoles and Tigers will live in the minds of college football fans as long as this sport endures.

The fourth quarter of FSU-Auburn was really a scaled-down version of the 2006 Rose Bowl, in which USC and Texas traded haymakers for a full half, not just a quarter. The Seminoles and Tigers really needed almost 50 minutes to get going, but once they did, they left every occupant breathless inside college football’s most picturesque and iconic January setting.

You saw how the action unfolded. What is remarkable about this game – as is always true about dramatic championship moments in any sport – is the number of weighty realities the fourth quarter managed to create.

Florida State, the team that hadn’t been challenged all season long, appeared to buckle under the weight of that challenge for most of the game… only to find its best self and rescue its season at the very end.

An Auburn defense that overachieved in the first 58:41 of this game finally turned into a pumpkin in the remaining 1:19, leaving a bitter taste after a night of above-average work.

Florida State, the team that talked a big game leading up to kickoff – an odd thing for a decided favorite to do – sobered up in the face of the realization that merely winning this game by any margin was going to suffice. Desperation and a taste of fear actually helped this team to find a level of focus that went missing for the first three quarters.

Auburn’s Chris Davis – the same man whose 109-yard field goal return shook the 2013 college football season to its foundations and created an immortal moment that will remain entrenched in the pages of time – committed the pass interference penalty in the final seconds that gave Florida State a final push across the finish line.

Auburn failed to trust Tre Mason in crucial situations all game long… until the Tigers gave him the rock on second and 16, enabling him to score a touchdown that put Auburn a heartbeat away from a national title… only for Florida State to take away Mason’s magic moment.

A team from the Southeastern Conference finally lost to a non-SEC opponent in a BCS title game (LSU, of course, lost to Alabama in 2012), but it grew in stature… and couldn’t really care in the midst of profound heartbreak.

Florida State, rattled for so much of this game, will actually feel far more appreciative of this breakthrough moment precisely because it required a massive effort to erase a 21-3 deficit and then persevere in the final 11 minutes of pendulum-swinging pandemonium. The reality of nearly losing this national championship will enable Florida State’s coaches and players to cherish this crowning occasion that much more.

Storylines? This game offered no shortage of them. For the winners and the losers, the dramatic and abrupt shifts from one mood to another, from one position to another, created a piece of sporting theater that will stand the test of time. The game might have been a jittery mess for most of the way, but the fourth quarter provided a finish that won’t soon fade away.

There’s only one piece of analysis to mention: Auburn’s Tre Mason does not deserve one ounce of criticism tonight, but it deserves to be said that in future football seasons, coaches need to realize the significance of endgame manipulation. Remember when Ahmad Bradshaw of the New York Giants failed to not score at the end of Super Bowl XLVI against the New England Patriots two years ago? New England almost won that game on a Hail Mary. Some observers of football thought that game might have made coaches more aware of the need to manipulate an endgame sequence. However, the past two years of pro and college ball didn’t move the needle.

Mason had a chance to kneel down at the FSU 1 with 1:19 left, but (and again, this is not his fault or something that should be laid on his shoulders – not this time) he jogged into the end zone. On some occasions, it’s virtually impossible to avoid scoring late, but Mason was in open space and had a chance to kneel. Making Florida State use at least one if not two timeouts (keep in mind that Auburn was down by three points, not four, so it had a tying field goal in its pocket if everything else went wrong) was entirely doable, and it would have limited FSU’s options in the final minute. Mason deserves zero blame, but maybe this endgame sequence will impress upon coaches the need to manipulate time and possession.

Enough about strategy, though. This was a pigskin passion play in college football’s postseason cathedral. The drama, the tension, and the fourth-quarter action were all worthy of the moment, as were these two teams and coaching staffs. This wasn’t the 2003 Fiesta Bowl or the 2006 Rose Bowl, but the final flourish of the final game of the 16-season BCS era certainly reminded a nation how special college football continues to be, for all of this sport’s on- and off-field flaws.
 
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Zemek: Winston & the Politicization of Sports

Staff Columnist
Posted Dec 14, 2013


Is the college football community entering a new era in which the character of every Heisman candidate is scrutinized? The Heisman Trust needs to decide what it wants its trophy to represent. In the meantime, Jameis Winston's Heisman victory should not be accompanied by any degree of controversy... because this achievement never should have been visited by any objections in the first place.

By Matt Zemek
E-mail Matt Zemek

Follow the Weekly Affirmation ... @MattZemek_CFN

More college football coverage: additional analysis and commentary at Campus Insiders

This is not the time or place to discuss legal issues, press conferences by inept lawyers, or tangled police investigations. No, really, it isn’t.

After a silly summer season in which a lot of Americans voiced the contention that Johnny Manziel had either disgraced the Heisman Trophy or never should have been awarded the piece of hardware based on his off-field behavior, the college football world was once again inundated with opinions over the past month that had nothing to do with football. Jameis Winston’s Heisman Trophy was – for a large number of people – something fit to question and scrutinize… but not for football reasons.

Yes, the Heisman Trust’s mission statement refers to “the pursuit of excellence with integrity,” but the entire sentence is as follows: “The Heisman Memorial Trophy annually recognizes the outstanding college football player whose performance best exhibits the pursuit of excellence with integrity.”

Notice the word “performance” in that sentence. One can quite reasonably conclude that “performance” does not refer to academics or volunteerism, but only football. College football players, though not given paychecks, are entertainers on many levels. They are people asked to perform before large crowds. They command considerable media attention and generate ticket prices of substantial value at the power programs in the sport. “Performance” in this context doesn’t include the classroom – not explicitly.

The Heisman Trophy statue does not place a textbook in the left arm of the helmeted figure whose right arm is extended for all to see. That’s a pigskin in the left arm, and it’s there for a reason.

There are many important things to be said about moral values and sexual ethics; the difference between illegal behavior and imprudent behavior; the importance of being responsible in private matters as a public figure; the need for coaches and schools to teach athletes the kinds of lessons that go beyond the playing field; and the value of volunteerism, philanthropy and citizenship. These things are part of the off-field story that has enveloped Jameis Winston, Florida State, a young woman, and the young woman’s family.

However, none of those things – as important as they might be – have much to do with football.

Let’s be clear about the following point on the night Winston deservedly won the Heisman Trophy, marking the second straight time in which a freshman has claimed college football’s most prestigious award: Drawing a distinction between football considerations and off-field matters is not – and should not be construed as – a belief that football is more important than everything else. Nothing could be further from the truth. Learning how to be a better, more responsible person is far more important to society and a local community – not to mention one’s own self – than excelling at college football.

Yet, athletes are neither politicians nor prime bearers of moral superiority. They are physically fit human beings whose bodies can do amazing things on a sporting green. Good conduct doesn’t make you a better athlete, and appalling conduct doesn’t make you a worse athlete. Player A isn’t better than Player B because he spends 10 more hours a week volunteering at a soup kitchen. Player C isn’t worse than player D because he punched somebody in a bar or drove a car while intoxicated.

Do we all HOPE to live in a country where top-tier athletes are better citizens, role models, and public figures? Certainly. Moreover, are sports politicized today in ways that didn’t fully apply to the 1950s or 1960s? On many levels, this is indisputably true. Yet, there’s a difference between the politicization of sports, writ large, and the politicization of individuals and the awards they earn. The politics of sports concern the building of stadiums, the taxing of communities, the handling of concussions, the policing of drugs, and other valid issues that cry out for some appropriate degree of governance. Expecting Johnny Manziel to be a squeaky-clean individual just because he won a trophy, or demanding that Jameis Winston be free of any moral taint in order to be eligible for this year’s award, might seem to send a healthy message on the surface.

In reality, such expectations and demands, though marked by sincerely good intentions, convey a much more mixed message.

Yes, sports are politicized – this is the world we live in – but this does not mean that Jameis Winston wasn’t the most outstanding FBS college football player in 2013.

In a season marked by inconsistency from the Heisman field, Winston was the most consistently excellent performance artist in the sport. His average games still sparkled. His most pedestrian outings on Saturdays still led to conspicuously large point totals and decisive wins for Florida State. Winston’s quality made his team – and each of his offensive teammates – better. Winston was certainly better than every other quarterback in college football. Tre Mason of Auburn and Andre Williams of Boston College had strong arguments to make at the running back position, but Mason benefited from the running game of quarterback Nick Marshall, and Williams played on a 7-5 team that scored victories against an FCS team (Villanova) plus Army, New Mexico State, and North Carolina State.

Winston rose to the occasion in his team’s biggest games, against Clemson and Miami. He made few errors to begin with, and since he piloted the Seminoles’ offense so expertly, he never put himself in a situation where he made what one could call a single “significant error.”

The point to underline (in bright red ink) is this: None of the above claims regarding Winston’s clear excellence as a football player would have been any more or less true if Winston had been charged with a crime last week.

Ty Cobb. Mike Tyson. Pete Rose. Alex Rodriguez. Lawrence Taylor. Tiger Woods. O.J. Simpson. Brett Favre. These and many others have exhibited appalling behavior in various off-field situations – some while still active as athletes, others not. Yet, their horrible actions don’t make them less impressive as skilled performers endowed with considerable athletic prowess. The likes of Cobb and Tyson are lesser people – smaller men – as a result of how they conducted themselves. One could also downgrade them as sportsmen, especially Cobb (for beating up fans in the stands at baseball games) and Tyson (for biting Evander Holyfield’s ear).

Let’s try on this hypothetical: If a Heisman candidate exhibited poor sportsmanship between the painted white lines on Saturdays, the notion of leveling a Heisman-based punishment would carry much more legitimacy, since football-related considerations would be part of the equation. If a player sought an unfair competitive advantage on gameday, such an inappropriate display would call his on-field credentials into question. This is not what we had with Manziel in 2012 (albeit retroactively), and it’s not what occurred in 2013 with Jameis Winston, either.

Sports and politics do intersect, and on many levels, their intertwined relationship must necessarily be examined by communities and their leaders. Some awards rightly exist to honor athletes for what they do on the field. Others honor athletes for what they do in the classroom or in the community. Some awards honor athletes for a combination of any and all of the above. This last set of awards necessarily and reasonably combines sports and what one could loosely refer to as politics, morality or citizenship.

Does the Heisman Memorial Trophy explicitly require a combination of on-field football excellence with off-field citizenship, though? One could make an argument for or against, but the very presence of ambiguity in this regard points to “no” as – narrowly defined – the better and more accurate answer.

Should the Heisman Trophy be awarded to the most outstanding citizen AND football player in the United States? That’s not the best idea, but at least a more explicit connection between football excellence and personal citizenship would remove the cloud of ambiguity that has hung over the Heisman these past two years. If the Heisman Trust wants to move toward a more citizenship-centric model, it has every right to do so.

It should at least have the willingness to slightly modify its mission statement first. In the absence of such modifications, let a football award remain a football award. Let Jameis Winston enjoy a fully-deserved Heisman Trophy… regardless of what you might think about him or the off-field events that have surrounded him over the past month. 
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Mack Brown At Texas: A Career Appraisal

Staff Columnist
Posted Dec 14, 2013


Mack Brown's Texas career defied easy categorization. Appropriately, Brown's resignation on Saturday evening flowed from a series of events that was anything but orderly. How should Brown's years in Austin be remembered? The following thoughts are meant to start a discussion, not to end one.

By Matt Zemek
E-mail Matt Zemek

Follow the Weekly Affirmation ... @MattZemek_CFN

More college football coverage: additional analysis and commentary at Campus Insiders

MACK BROWN: “THE GREAT NOT-THAT-GOOD COACH”

The BCS era lasted as long as the Mack Brown era did at the University of Texas. From 1998 through 2013, the BCS pleased some fans, confounded others, and frustrated a third segment of diehards in the broader college football community. That statement about the BCS could just as easily refer to Mack Brown’s career in Austin. The Tennessee-born smooth-talker who went to the “UT” program outside his native state authored a body of work at Texas that cannot be assessed in a neat and tidy manner.

For instance:

Mack Brown’s work at Texas will get him into the College Football Hall of Fame. That same body of work will merit the label of “underachiever.”

Brown won a national title and three BCS bowls at Texas. Yet, he was not the best coach in his conference (Bill Snyder) or the most accomplished coach in the Big 12 (Bob Stoops) during his tenure.

Brown reached his first BCS bowl – and quite possibly set the table for his greatest achievement in Austin – by winning a political battle with California for a BCS at-large slot after the 2004 regular season. Brown’s worst luck as Texas’s head coach came from a dispute in 2008 that Big 12 coaches decided to resolve in a conspicuously political manner (namely, using BCS standings to break the three-way Big 12 South Division tie involving Texas, Oklahoma, and Texas Tech).

Brown’s national championship flowed from his willingness to be more open with players, specifically Vince Young. Brown’s downfall in Austin came about in large part because he created a situation that was too open-ended for Will Muschamp’s liking.

Brown’s tenure at Texas – an immensely successful one, yet not as prosperous as it could have been – is a study in contradictions and counterintuitive realities. Brown’s career in Austin demands the ability to look at this craft called “coaching” in a much larger and more expansive way.

The heart of the Mack Brown story at Texas, a story with implications for the ways in which college football coaches are assessed, is this: Brown was brilliant at the job of coaching, but not the craft.

A job is something done in exchange for payment. A craft can be a profession, but it can also be a pastime. The point of emphasis to be advanced with respect to the notion of a “craft” is that it requires a very specific skill. Being a football player is a job. Throwing the football is more precisely a craft. Calling plays represents a fusion of both job and craft, but running a program as the CEO is more in line with a job than a craft.

“Make this thing (this thing called Texas Football) work!” That was Mack Brown’s job in Austin, the mandate given to him by his employers. Brown did that job surpassingly well. Yet, few people would call Brown a craftsman in the larger coaching profession. He wasn’t the skilled worker in the shop; he was the supervisor who got the people under him to become better craftsmen and improve the quality of the work product in Darrell Royal’s Burnt Orange kingdom. He was the schmoozer who related well to the people above and around him in the infrastructure of the Texas program. He made money – lots of it – for the Longhorns. He attracted top talent – players and coaches – to the school. He fulfilled all the larger requirements spelled out in the job description for “head football coach at the University of Texas.”

He didn’t do so by creating the kinds of pass plays Bobby Petrino devised.

He didn’t do so by formulating the offense Gus Malzahn conceptualized and then put into practice.

He didn’t do so by moving pieces around a defensive chessboard the way Charlie Strong did at Florida or Kirby Smart has done at Alabama.

No, Brown succeeded so handsomely because he was great at his job.

A judgment of a career is generally based on a specific methodology and its points of emphasis. If you view coaching as more of a craft than a job, you’ll view Brown’s work at Texas in a more negative light. Yet, in the interests of fairness, it seems appropriate that coaching should be viewed more as a job and less as a craft.

Mack Brown’s place in college football history will place him alongside other coaches of a similar nature. Brown might not have been the expert craftsman in the room, but he definitely built and sustained a winner. He might not have excelled at the gameday details of strategy and tactics, but he put the best players on the field and hired assistants who made his operation hum with efficiency and productivity.

It is so easy and understandable for any longtime follower of football – not just fans, but also commentators and analysts – to look at a terrible piece of clock management or a substandard formation and say, “That’s just not good coaching.” Narrowly viewed, the statement is accurate. Yet, if the head coach responsible for those errors is also responsible for bringing in top recruiting hauls; motivating players with a deft touch; surrounding himself with quality assistants; creating a healthy culture on the practice field; and winning a lot of games, the coach – the person whose job it is to succeed – is obviously doing what he’s supposed to do.

Mack Brown was just such a coach at Texas. Philip Fulmer was just such a coach at Tennessee. Les Miles is that kind of coach at LSU. Dabo Swinney – who has risen in the ranks primarily because he astutely hired Chad Morris to take care of Xs and Os – is becoming that kind of coach at Clemson.

There are many ways to win college football games – no, not just in terms of the offensive system involved (up-tempo, spread, triple option, pro-style, etc.), but in terms of the management style and the delegation of duties involved. Some coaches are do-it-yourself guys, with Steve Spurrier and David Shaw being two prominent examples. Other coaches are CEOs, and Mack Brown fits this particular category.

Craftsman? No. Excellent at his job? Yes.

Brown didn’t win as many conference titles as he should have – this much is indisputably true. Much as Fulmer was normally outfoxed by Spurrier (when the Head Ball Coach worked at Florida) and Miles is more often beaten by Nick Saban than not, Brown was frequently foiled by Bob Stoops and Oklahoma. This barred him from the Big 12 title for most of his career at Texas, and it certainly represents the major dent in his legacy. Yet, saying that Texas didn’t win as many conference titles as it should have is, narrowly and precisely viewed, little more than saying that Texas simply didn’t beat OU as many times as it should have.

In other words, Brown’s failure in one game (OU) represented his biggest shortcoming as Texas’s head coach. Against the rest of the Big 12 (save for Kansas State and Bill Snyder), Brown cleaned up. The steady stream of 10-win seasons; the back-to-back Rose Bowl victories; the 2009 Fiesta Bowl triumph over Jim Tressel and Ohio State; and the 2008 head-to-head win over Oklahoma, undervalued by that season’s BCS process, all represent substantial achievements that, coupled with a national championship and two BCS title game appearances, give Brown an appropriately large place in college football history.

All told, Brown’s body of work clearly makes him one of the top three coaches in Texas’ storied football history. Darrell Royal will long remain the program’s greatest coach, but Brown’s accomplishments definitely put him ahead of Fred Akers and on par with Dana Bible.

Royal. Bible. Mack Brown. If your name can be spoken of in the same sentence as college football Royal-ty and the Good Book of Longhorn history, you did your job quite well.

Even if craftsmanship wasn’t your thing.
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Zemek: What the bowls could've looked like

CollegeFootballNews.com
Posted Dec 8, 2013


Matt Zemek Thought: What could the bowls have been with the right matchups?

By Matt Zemek
E-mail Matt Zemek

Follow the Weekly Affirmation ... @MattZemek_CFN

More college football coverage: additional analysis and commentary at Campus Insiders

WHAT THE BOWLS COULD HAVE LOOKED LIKE:

AN ANNUAL COLLEGE FOOTBALL LAMENTATION


Remember that the BCS system is not just a mechanism or architecture which creates five games. It’s a larger structure in which the teams that fail to make the BCS bowls are slotted elsewhere. The two-team BCS bowl limit for each conference shapes the Capital One and Outback Bowl matchups with respect to the SEC and Big Ten. The “AQ” designation, marking where various lines are drawn in the sport, has determined the composition of several non-BCS bowls in recent years. The rules were relaxed in favor of the so-called “mid-majors” before the 2012 season, but the larger point remains intact: The processes governing the arrangement of the five BCS bowl matchups spill into the composition of many other bowls. This system could be different, but college football’s power brokers have refused to make it so.

If we had a bowl system with fewer conference tie-ins and fewer arbitrary restrictions on which teams could face each other in the bowls, here’s the set of matchups we could have had. This list is not going to cover anything close to all 35 bowls, since some lower-tier matchups would make sense and/or exist under just about any system. The list will only focus on the matchups that leave a lot to be desired:

BCS BOWLS

FIESTA BOWL -- BAYLOR-OREGON: 
Yes, Oregon blew off the Rose Bowl. Yes, the Ducks severely hurt their cause by getting blown out by Arizona. Yet, Baylor deserves to play a power conference opponent of appreciable stature. We might never really know just how good Baylor is on a national level… partly because the Big 12 wasn’t that great this season, partly because of Baylor’s weak non-league schedule, but partly because the current bowl system couldn’t deliver an alternative.

ORANGE BOWL -- CLEMSON-ALABAMA: Yes, Clemson got knocked around by South Carolina, but the Tigers beat Georgia when the Bulldogs were healthy. Clemson’s athletic wide receivers and quarterback Tajh Boyd would offer a robust challenge to the Crimson Tide’s secondary. Alabama would be expected to win this game, and by a considerable margin in many cases, but this is a better matchup than Alabama-Oklahoma, which figures to be a seal clubbing in New Orleans.

SUGAR BOWL -- OHIO STATE-OKLAHOMA: Remember, this is not an examination of the bowls under current contractual and relational restraints. This is an imagining of what the bowl landscape could look like if conference tie-ins and partnerships gave way to much more elasticity in the arrangement of various matchups. Instead of Alabama-Oklahoma and Clemson-Ohio State, the Sugar and Orange Bowls could have created two more even contests (at least in the realm of probability) by swapping Alabama and Ohio State. Putting the Buckeyes against the Sooners would have made for a far more interesting Sugar Bowl.

NON-BCS BOWLS

POINSETTIA -- NORTHERN ILLINOIS-ARIZONA STATE:
 A team such as Northern Illinois should not go to a BCS bowl unless – as was the case with Boise State in 2010 and 2011 – it wins at least one top-tier non-conference game. However, if a prestigious bowl is off the table for a school in NIU’s position, that same school should play a really good opponent in a bowl game as both a challenge and a reward for an 11-1 or 12-1 season. Northern Illinois and similar teams shouldn’t go from a BCS bowl to a bottom-market bowl against another non-AQ foe based on only one game outcome. Yet, that has happened with great regularity under the current bowl system. Fans from DeKalb, Ill., would travel to San Diego for this game against Arizona State. It would make for a genuinely intriguing TV experience, too.

HOLIDAY -- FRESNO STATE-BYU: BYU’s presence as an independent would create a regional matchup and yet an off-the-beaten-path pairing. The bowls have to get past “mid-major-on-mid-major crime,” the practice of pitting the smaller conference teams against each other. The top mids and middle-tier (8-4 or 9-3) power teams should play a lot in bowls, not 8-4 or 7-5 teams from power conferences. Bowl games should be laboratories in which college football’s “mad scientists” get to play around and see what chemical reactions occur when unfamiliar teams cross paths. Two decades ago, this would have been a familiar matchup, but now, it’s not.

CHICK-FIL-A -- UCF-LSU: UCF got one shot at an SEC team during the regular season (South Carolina). The Knights would love to gain a second chance at an SEC school. Putting this contest much closer to home would do UCF much more of a favor than sending fans out to suburban Phoenix for the Fiesta Bowl. The game formerly known as the Peach Bowl would offer a New Year’s Eve spotlight and excellent television exposure to UCF as well.

RUSSELL ATHLETIC – LOUISVILLE/TEXAS A&M: The American and the ACC are locked into multiple bowl games, but if those loathed conference tie-ins were blasted away, the bowls could put Teddy Bridgewater and Johnny Manziel on the same field. College football would win. You can bet that ESPN would love the bejeebers out of this matchup. Louisville would get more of a buzz from playing A&M and Manziel than it will from playing a Miami team that collapsed in November.

ALAMO – TEXAS-GEORGIA: Why should the Alamo Bowl be locked into a Pac-12/Big 12 matchup? Bring an SEC fan base to San Antonio. The Alamodome would crackle for a game between signature programs such as these. Spice things up, college football – that’s what bowls ought to be for. If these games really are exhibitions (and they are), let’s exhibit some fun matchups that, while perhaps not possessing great teams, bring schools together in interesting combinations.

TEXAS – USC-VANDERBILT: The Pac-12 and SEC play so rarely in the bowls. Bringing tradition-drenched USC and tradition-poor Vanderbilt to the same (big NFL) stadium in a major metropolitan area would further the notion that the bowls are laboratory in which human creativity can flourish. James Franklin coaching against USC would certainly make for an interesting subplot. 
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The Final Numbers: A BCS Bowl Era Fact Sheet

Staff Columnist
Posted Jan 7, 2013


The 16-season BCS bowl era is officially over. The culture created by the BCS will continue to exist in a number of ways, but the specific BCS bowl architecture will become a thing of the past. Here’s an extensive numerical review of the past 16 seasons of BCS bowl games.

By Matt Zemek
E-mail Matt Zemek

Follow the Weekly Affirmation ... @MattZemek_CFN

BCS BOWL ERA FACT SHEET

Total BCS bowl games:

72 – 4 games in the first eight seasons (1998-2005), 5 games in the following eight seasons (2006-2013).

Schools that have won at least one BCS bowl:

32 schools – 6 from the SEC and the Big Ten; 5 from the Big 12 and Pac-12; 4 from the Big East/American; 3 from the ACC; 2 from the Mountain West; and 1 from the WAC.

Schools that have made at least one BCS bowl:

51 schools – 9 from the Big 12; 8 from the Big Ten and the Big East/American; 7 from the Pac-12 and SEC; 6 from the ACC; 2 from the Mountain West and WAC; 1 from the MAC and Notre Dame.

Schools with the most BCS bowl appearances (top 10):

1: Ohio State (10); 2: Oklahoma (9); 3: Florida State (8); T-4: Florida, USC (7); T-6: Alabama, Virginia Tech (6); T-8: LSU, Michigan, Oregon, Wisconsin (5).

Schools with the most BCS bowl wins: (top 5):

T-1: Ohio State and USC (6); 3: Florida (5); T-4: LSU and Oklahoma (4).

Conference records in BCS bowls:

SEC: 17-10; Pac-12: 13-8; Big East/American: 9-7; Big Ten: 13-15; Big 12: 10-12; ACC: 5-13; Mountain West: 3-1; WAC: 2-1; MAC: 0-1; Notre Dame: 0-4.

At-large BCS bowl bids (48 at-large bids over 16 seasons):

Big Ten 12, SEC 11, Big 12 (6), Pac-12 (5), Mountain West and Notre Dame 4, WAC 3, ACC 2, MAC 1.

BCS bowl appearances by conference (144 selections over 16 seasons):

Big Ten 28, SEC 27, Big 12 (22), Pac-12 (21), ACC 18, Big East 15, Mountain West and Notre Dame 4, WAC 3, MAC and The American 1.

Conference records by BCS bowl game – BCS National Championship Game (7 games):

SEC: 7-2 (one of the two losses was to the SEC); ACC: 1-0; Big 12 and Big Ten: both 0-2; Pac-12: 0-1; Notre Dame: 0-1.

Conference records in the Fiesta Bowl (16 games):

Big Ten and Pac-12: 3-1; WAC: 2-0; SEC and Mountain West: 1-1; Big 12: 4-6; ACC: 0-1; Notre Dame: 0-2; Big East/American: 2-3.

Conference records in the Orange Bowl (16 games):

Pac-12: 3-0; Big Ten: 3-2; SEC and Big 12: 2-1; Big East: 3-2; MAC: 0-1; ACC: 3-9.

Conference records in the Rose Bowl (16 games):

Pac-12: 7-6; Big 12: 3-1; Mountain West and Big East: 1-0; Big Ten: 4-9.

Conference records in the Sugar Bowl (16 games):

SEC: 7-6; Big Ten: 3-1; Big East: 3-2; Mountain West: 1-0; ACC: 1-3; Big 12: 1-2; WAC and Notre Dame: 0-1.

Conference matchups in the BCS bowls:

1: Big Ten vs. Pac-12 (12 matchups)

2: Big 12 vs. Pac-12 (6)

T-3: SEC vs. Big Ten, SEC vs. Big East, Big 12 vs. SEC, ACC vs. SEC, and ACC vs. Big East (5)

T-8: ACC vs. Big Ten and Big 12 vs. Big Ten (4)

10: Big 12 vs. Big East (3)

T-11: ACC vs. Big 12 and SEC vs. Notre Dame (2)

Power conference matchups that occurred only once in the BCS bowls (including Notre Dame):

Pac-12 vs. SEC; Big East vs. Big Ten; ACC vs. Pac-12; The American vs. Big 12; Notre Dame played the Big Ten and Pac-12 once each; two SEC teams played each other once.

Matchups between AQ conferences and non-AQ conferences in the BCS bowls, all of which occurred only once:

Mountain West vs. Big East; Mountain West vs. Big Ten; Mountain West vs. SEC; MAC vs. ACC; WAC vs. Big 12; WAC vs. SEC.

One BCS bowl pitted two teams from non-AQ conferences against each other: The 2010 Fiesta Bowl placed Boise State of the WAC against TCU of the Mountain West.

Records in each conference matchup:

Pac-12 8, Big Ten 4 (12 games)

Big 12 3, Pac-12 3 (6 games)

SEC 3, Big Ten 2 (5)

Big East 3, SEC 2 (5)

Big East 3, ACC 2 (5)

SEC 3, Big 12 2 (5)

SEC 4, ACC 1 (5)

Big 12 2, Big Ten 2 (4)

Big Ten 3, ACC 1 (4)

Big East/American 3, Big 12 1 (4)

Big 12 2, ACC 0 (2)

SEC 2, Notre Dame 0 (2)

One-time conference/team matchups:

SEC d. Pac-12; Big Ten d. Big East; Pac-12 d. ACC; Big Ten d. Notre Dame; Pac-12 d. Notre Dame; SEC (Alabama) d. SEC (LSU), 2012 BCS National Championship Game; Mountain West d. Big East; Mountain West d. Big Ten; Mountain West d. SEC; ACC d. MAC; WAC d. Big 12; SEC d. WAC; WAC d. Mountain West.

Notable BCS bowl snubs involving teams that lost conference championship games:

1998 season: Kansas State

1999: Florida

2001: Tennessee and Texas. Texas did not get in because of the two-team limit per conference in BCS bowls. (Tennessee was simply snubbed in favor of Florida in a political decision.)

2003: Georgia. The Bulldogs weren’t snubbed on a purely political level; they were essentially locked out by Kansas State’s upset of Oklahoma in the Big 12 Championship Game, which gave the Big 12 an extra BCS berth.

2005: LSU and Virginia Tech

2007: Missouri

2011: Georgia and Michigan State. Georgia was a victim of the two-team-per-conference limit, while Michigan State was straightforwardly snubbed in favor of Michigan.

2012: Georgia. Again, the Bulldogs were a victim of the two-team-per-conference limit in this case.

2013: Missouri. The Tigers were also a victim of the two-team-per-conference limit.

Notable BCS bowl inclusions involving teams that lost conference championship games:

2003 season: Oklahoma (made not just a BCS bowl, but the 2004 Sugar Bowl, which doubled as the BCS title game that season)

2008: Alabama

2009: Florida

2011: Virginia Tech

2013: Ohio State

Teams that failed to win their conference yet competed in the BCS title game:

2001 Nebraska (failed to win division); 2003 Oklahoma; 2011 Alabama (failed to win division; won national championship).

NOTE: The following attendance figures and statistics come from the website BCSFootball.org

Minimum attendance figures for national championship games played in each of the four non-Rose Bowl BCS venues (the Rose Bowl seats roughly 94,000, including standing room):

SUPERDOME (NEW ORLEANS/SUGAR): 78,237 (Alabama vs. LSU, 2012 BCS National Championship Game)

SUN LIFE STADIUM (MIAMI/ORANGE): 76,835 (Florida State vs. Oklahoma, 2001 Orange Bowl)

SUN DEVIL STADIUM (TEMPE/FIESTA – TWO GAMES): 77,502 (Ohio State vs. Miami, 2003 Fiesta Bowl)

UNIVERSITY OF PHOENIX STADIUM (GLENDALE/BCS TITLE GAME – TWO GAMES):74,628 (Florida vs. Ohio State, 2007 BCS National Championship Game)

Crowds at least 5,000 below 78,237 at the Superdome for Sugar Bowls:

6 – 2001, 2009, 2010, 2012, 2013, 2014

Crowds at least 5,000 below 76,835 at Sun Life Stadium for Orange Bowls:

4 – 2000, 2010, 2011, 2012. (NOTE: The 1999 Orange Bowl was played in the Orange Bowl stadium, producing a listed attendance figure of 67,919, far more than 5,000 seats below capacity.)

Crowds at least 5,000 below 77,502 at Sun Devil Stadium for Fiesta Bowls:

1 – 2000 (TENN-NEB)

Crowds at least 5,000 below 74,628 at University of Phoenix Stadium for Fiesta Bowls:

2 – 2011 and 2014

Crowds under 70,000: 11.

Bowls/Years/Matchups In The "Under 70,000 Club:

SUGAR (4): 2001 (MIA-FLA); 2010 (CIN-FLA); 2012 (VT-MICH); 2013 (LOU-FLA)

ORANGE (4): 1999 (FLA-SYR); 2010 (IOWA-GA TECH); 2011 (STAN-VA TECH); 2012 (WVU-CLEM).

FIESTA (3): 2011 (UCONN-OKLA); 2012 (STAN-OK ST); 2014 (UCF-BAY).

Seasons in which the BCS indisputably and cleanly resolved a national title dispute between two and only two unbeaten teams: 1999 (Virginia Tech-Florida State); 2002 (Ohio State-Miami); and 2005 (Texas-USC).

Seasons in which the BCS produced a national title game matchup that was a source of some degree of contention, but culminated in the creation of an undisputed, clearly deserving, and unbeaten national champion: 1998 (Tennessee); 2000 (Oklahoma); 2001 (Miami), 2013 (Florida State).

Seasons in which the BCS title game involved a controversial/questionable selection, usually (though not always) at No. 2: 1998 (Florida State); 2000 (Florida State); 2001 (Nebraska); 2003 (Oklahoma); 2004 (Oklahoma); 2006 (Florida); 2007 (LSU); 2008 (Oklahoma); 2009 (Texas); 2011 (Alabama).

Seasons in which the BCS bowls, if supplemented by a plus-one after the bowls, could have resolved a lingering debate between two and only two teams: 2003 (USC vs. LSU); 2008 (Florida vs. Utah); 2009 (Alabama vs. Boise State); 2010 (Auburn vs. TCU); 2012 (Alabama vs. Oregon).

Seasons in which the BCS bowls, if supplemented by a plus-one, could have resolved some lingering debates (albeit not all of them) involving two or more teams that – while subject to a measure of debate and opinion – generally stood out as worthy of national championship consideration: 2004 (USC vs. Auburn and/or Utah); 2006 (Florida vs. USC and/or Boise State); 2007 (LSU vs. USC and/or Kansas); 2011 (Alabama vs. Oklahoma State and/or Oregon).

BCS bowl teams that qualified for a BCS game while having at least three losses – teams on this list have three losses unless noted:

1998: Syracuse

1999: Stanford

2000: Purdue

2001: LSU

2002: Florida State (four losses)

2003: Kansas State

2004: Pittsburgh

2005: Florida State (four losses)

2007: Illinois

2008: Virginia Tech (four losses)

2010: Connecticut (four losses)

2011: Clemson (four losses) and West Virginia

2012: Wisconsin (five losses)
 *********************************
CFN Bowl Special: Every School's Bowl Profile

CollegeFootballNews.com
Posted Dec 8, 2013


A program's bowl history says a lot about its quality over an extended period of time. Does it normally set up shop on January 1 or December 27? If it plays on January 1, is it in Pasadena at 5 p.m. Eastern, or in Dallas at 11 a.m. Eastern? Find a treasure trove of information in this updated examination of each FBS team's bowl dossier.

By Matt Zemek
E-mail Matt Zemek

Follow the Weekly Affirmation ... @MattZemek_CFN

More college football coverage: additional analysis and commentary at Campus Insiders

Follow Mr. Calhoun on Twitter: twitter.com/ACalhoun_CFN

OPENING NOTE: When one speaks of “major bowls” or “New Year’s Day” bowls in a broader sense, one is not referring to the Outback or even the Capital One Bowl, but to the most prestigious bowls in college football. As you go through this overview of bowl-game portfolios in the Football Bowl Subdivision, realize that some bowl games are (or were) considered “New Year’s Day” bowl games relative to different eras.

The Sugar and Orange have always been “New Year’s Day” bowls, even though they were played on Dec. 31 (in a rotation system) during the brief Bowl Alliance era (1995-1997). The Fiesta Bowl was not a “New Year’s Day” bowl, a premium prize, until the 1981 season and the first day of 1982. Making the Fiesta Bowl in 1980 or in previous years was not a big deal… at least, not in the same way that making the Orange Bowl was.

Similarly, the Cotton Bowl was a big deal as long as the Southwest Conference was in existence, through 1995. (Actually, the 1995 season – because of the Bowl Alliance – resulted in a diminished Cotton Bowl that year; conference champion Texas played in the Sugar Bowl against Virginia Tech.) However, we’ll still consider the 1996 game between Oregon and Colorado a transitional one, thereby regarding the game as an accomplishment for the participating teams. If you wanted to make the claim that making the 1996 Cotton Bowl was not a big deal, there wouldn’t be (too much) reason to contest the matter.

So, in summation, the category of “New Year’s Day bowls” is restricted to the following: the Rose, Sugar and Orange Bowls; Cotton Bowls through the 1995 season (the 1996 game between Oregon and Colorado); Fiesta Bowls since the January 1982 game between Penn State and USC; and, of course, the BCS National Championship Game since its inception in the 2006 season (January of 2007).

More notes on what you see in this overview: Teams that are bowling in 2013 have bowl totals that do not include this season. If a team has reached its fifth Cotton Bowl this season, for instance, but the record shows only four, it’s because that bowl has not been completed yet.

These are past-tense profiles which only tell you if the program has – in the just-completed regular season – been able to reach a bowl game or not. Accordingly, the teams that won’t go bowling – and which have therefore concluded the entirety of their 2013 seasons – are credited with having finished this season. Teams that are playing in a bowl game are not credited as having finished this season. You’ll see this in the numbers presented below.

Finally, it is true that some of the more obscure bowls in history were not officially sanctioned by the NCAA, such as the Pineapple Bowl and a number of other obscure bowls. Yet, with the NCAA not overseeing college football in a strictly technical sense – these are not games with NCAA staging and labeling, unlike the NCAA basketball tournament – we’ll go ahead and include these bowls in the history of these postseason pageants. After all, the amount of bowl games we currently have – not to mention the absurd sponsorships and crass commercialism attached to them - is absurd in and of itself.

Up the rebels.

Now, without further ado, here are the bowl dossiers for the 125 schools in the Football Bowl Subdivision:

Air Force Academy

Bowl Record: 10-12-1 in 57 seasons

Most Bowl Appearances In: Armed Forces and Liberty Bowls, 4

2nd Most Appearances In: Independence Bowl, 3

Most Bowl Wins In: Independence, 3

Last Bowl Game: 2012

Last BCS/Bowl Alliance/New Year’s Day Bowl Game: 1971 Sugar Bowl

Bowling In 2013? No

New Year’s Day / BCS Bowl Records (including pre-BCS era):

Sugar Bowl: 0-1

Cotton Bowl: 0-0-1

Akron

Bowl Record: 0-1 in 39 seasons

Only Bowl Appearance: 2005 Motor City Bowl (loss)

Bowling In 2013? No

Alabama

Bowl Record: 35-22-3 in 109 seasons (didn’t play football in 1918 or 1943)

Most Bowl Appearances In: Sugar Bowl, 13

2nd Most Appearances In: Orange Bowl, 8

3rd Most Appearances In: Rose and Cotton Bowls, 6

Most Bowl Wins In: Sugar, 7

Last Bowl Game: January 2013

Last BCS/Bowl Alliance/New Year’s Day Bowl Game: 2013 BCS National Championship Game

Bowling In 2013? Yes

New Year’s Day / BCS Bowl Records (including pre-BCS era):

Sugar: 7-6

Orange: 4-4

Rose: 4-1-1

Cotton: 1-4 (when the game was prestigious)

Fiesta: 0-1

BCS Championship Game: 3-0

Alabama-Birmingham (UAB)

Bowl Record: 0-1 in 18 seasons

Only Bowl Appearance: 2004 Hawaii Bowl (loss)

Bowling In 2013? No

Arizona

Bowl Record: 7-8-1 in 79 seasons (did not play from 1943-’45)

Most Bowl Appearances In: Sun Bowl, 3

2nd Most Appearances In: Three different bowls with 2

3rd Most Appearances In: Seven different bowls with 1

Most Bowl Wins In: Seven different bowls with 1

Last Bowl Game: 2012

Last BCS/Bowl Alliance/New Year’s Day Bowl Game: 1994 Fiesta Bowl

Bowling In 2013? Yes

New Year’s Day / BCS Bowl Records (including pre-BCS era):

Fiesta: 1-0 (when the game was prestigious; Arizona also played in the bowl when it was not staged in January)

Arizona State

Bowl Record: 12-12-1 in 80 seasons (did not play from 1943-’45)

Most Bowl Appearances In: Fiesta Bowl, 6

2nd Most Appearances In: Sun Bowl, 4

3rd Most Appearances In: Holiday Bowl, 3

Most Bowl Wins In: Fiesta, 5

Last Bowl Game: 2012

Last BCS/Bowl Alliance/New Year’s Day Bowl Game: 1997 Rose Bowl

Bowling In 2013? Yes

New Year’s Day / BCS Bowl Records (including pre-BCS era):

Rose: 1-1

Fiesta: 1-0 when the Fiesta was a prestigious New Year’s Day bowl (1982 or later), 4-1 when not

Arkansas

Bowl Record: 13-23-3 in 108 seasons

Most Bowl Appearances In: Cotton Bowl, 12

2nd Most Appearances In: Sugar Bowl, 6

3rd Most Appearances In: Liberty Bowl, 4

Most Bowl Wins In: Cotton, 4

Last Bowl Game: January 2012

Last BCS/Bowl Alliance/New Year’s Day Bowl Game: 2011 Sugar Bowl

Bowling In 2013? No

New Year’s Day / BCS Bowl Records (including pre-BCS era):

Cotton: 2-5-1 when the Cotton Bowl was prestigious; four more appearances when not

Sugar: 1-5

Orange: 1-1

(Appeared in the Fiesta Bowl, but before it was prestigious)

Arkansas State

Bowl Record: 1-2 in 31 seasons (didn’t play from 1982 through 1989)

Most Bowl Appearances In: GoDaddy.Com Bowl, 2

Last Bowl Game: January 2013 (2012 season)

Bowling in 2013? Yes

Army

Bowl Record: 3-2 in 120 seasons (didn’t play in 1920 or ’21)

Most Bowl Appearances In: One appearance in five separate bowls

Most Bowl Wins In: Peach, Cherry and Armed Forces Bowls, 1 each

Last Bowl Game: 2010

Last BCS/Bowl Alliance/New Year’s Day Bowl Game: no appearances

Bowling In 2013? No

Auburn

Bowl Record: 22-13-2 in 110 seasons

Most Bowl Appearances In: Gator Bowl, 6

2nd Most Appearances In: Sugar Bowl, Capital One (formerly Citrus) Bowl, and Chick-Fil-A (formerly Peach) Bowl, 5 apiece

Most Bowl Wins In: Gator, 4

Last Bowl Game: December 2011

Last BCS/Bowl Alliance/New Year’s Day Bowl Game: 2011 BCS National Championship Game

Bowling In 2013? Yes

New Year’s Day / BCS Bowl Records (including pre-BCS era):

Sugar: 2-2-1

BCS National Championship Game: 1-0

Orange: 1-1

Cotton: 0-1 (when the Cotton Bowl was prestigious); made a subsequent appearance when the game was not prestigious.

Ball State

Bowl Record: 0-6 in 39 seasons

Most Bowl Appearances In: Las Vegas Bowl, 2

2nd Most Appearances In: Four separate bowls, 1 apiece

Last Bowl Game: 2012

Bowling In 2013? Yes

Baylor

Bowl Record: 11-11-1 in 104 seasons (didn’t play in 1906, 1943 or ’44)

Most Bowl Appearances In: Bluebonnet Bowl, 3

2nd Most Appearances In: Gator, Alamo and Cotton Bowls, 2 apiece

3rd Most Appearances In: Nine separate bowls, 1 apiece

Most Bowl Wins In: Bluebonnet, 2

Last Bowl Game: 2012

Last BCS/Bowl Alliance/New Year’s Day Bowl Game: 1981 Cotton Bowl

Bowling In 2013? Yes

New Year’s Day / BCS Bowl Records (including pre-BCS era):

Orange: 0-1

Sugar: 1-0

Cotton: 0-2

Boise State

Bowl Record: 9-4 in 17 seasons

Most Bowl Appearances In: Humanitarian/MPC Computers Bowl, 4

2nd Most Appearances In: Las Vegas (formerly MAACO) Bowl, 3

3rd Most Appearances In: Fiesta Bowl, 2

Most Bowl Wins In: Humanitarian and Las Vegas, 3

Last Bowl Game: 2012

Last BCS/Bowl Alliance/New Year’s Day Bowl Game: 2010 Fiesta Bowl

Bowling In 2013? Yes

New Year’s Day / BCS Bowl Records (including pre-BCS era):

Fiesta: 2-0

Boston College

Bowl Record: 13-9 in 78 seasons (played just one season of football between 1902 and 1937)

Most Bowl Appearances In: Four separate bowls, 2 apiece

2nd Most Appearances In: 13 separate bowls, 1 apiece

Most Bowl Wins In: Continental Tire/Meineke Car Care and Aloha Bowls, 2 apiece

Last Bowl Game: 2010

Last BCS/Bowl Alliance/New Year’s Day Bowl Game: 1985 Cotton Bowl

Bowling In 2013? Yes

New Year’s Day / BCS Bowl Records (including pre-BCS era):

Orange: 0-1

Sugar: 1-0

Cotton: 1-1

Bowling Green

Bowl Record: 4-6 in 51 seasons

Most Bowl Appearances In: California Bowl, 3

2nd Most Appearances In: GMAC (now GoDaddy.com) Bowl, 2

3rd Most Appearances In: Five separate bowls, 1 apiece

Most Bowl Wins In: Four separate bowls, 1 apiece

Last Bowl Game: 2012

Bowling In 2013? Yes

Brigham Young

Bowl Record: 13-17-1 in 84 seasons

Most Bowl Appearances In: Holiday Bowl, 11

2nd Most Appearances In: Las Vegas Bowl, 5

3rd Most Appearances In: Three separate bowls, 2 apiece

Most Bowl Wins In: Holiday, 4

Last Bowl Game: 2012

Bowling In 2013? Yes

BYU played in the Fiesta Bowl, but not when it was prestigious; same for the Cotton Bowl.

Buffalo

Bowl Record: 0-1 in 56 seasons

Only Bowl Appearance: 2009 International Bowl (loss)

Bowling In 2013? Yes

California

Bowl Record: 10-9-1 in 98 seasons

Most Bowl Appearances In: Rose Bowl, 8

2nd Most Appearances In: Holiday Bowl, 3

3rd Most Appearances In: 10 separate bowls, 1 apiece

Most Bowl Wins In: Rose, 2

Last Bowl Game: 2011

Last BCS/Bowl Alliance/New Year’s Day Bowl Game: 1959 Rose Bowl

Bowling In 2013? No

New Year’s Day / BCS Bowl Records (including pre-BCS era):

Rose: 2-5-1

Central Florida (UCF)

Bowl Record: 2-3 in 17 seasons

Most Bowl Appearances In: Liberty and Beef O'Brady's (formerly St. Petersburg) Bowls, 2 apiece

Most Bowl Wins In: Liberty and Beef O'Brady's, 1 apiece

Last Bowl Game: 2012

Bowling In 2013? Yes

Central Michigan

Bowl Record: 3-4 in 56 seasons

Most Bowl Appearances In: Little Caesars (formerly Motor City) Bowl, 4

2nd Most Appearances In: Three separate bowls, 1 apiece

Most Bowl Wins In: Little Caesars, 2

Last Bowl Game: 2012

Bowling In 2013? No

Cincinnati

Bowl Record: 6-5 in 59 seasons

Most Bowl Appearances In: Sun Bowl and Motor City Bowl, 2 apiece

2nd Most Appearances In: Seven separate bowls, 1 apiece

Most Bowl Wins In: Six separate bowls, 1 apiece

Last Bowl Game: 2012

Last BCS/Bowl Alliance/New Year’s Day Bowl Game: 2010 Sugar Bowl

Bowling In 2013? Yes

New Year’s Day / BCS Bowl Records (including pre-BCS era):

Sugar: 0-1

Orange: 0-1

Clemson

Bowl Record: 17-18 in 111 seasons

Most Bowl Appearances In: Gator Bowl, 9

2nd Most Appearances In: Chick-Fil-A (formerly Peach) Bowl, 8

3rd Most Appearances In: Citrus Bowl, 4

Most Bowl Wins In: Gator, 4

Last Bowl Game: 2012

Last BCS/Bowl Alliance/New Year’s Day Bowl Game: 2012 Orange Bowl

Bowling In 2013? Yes

New Year’s Day / BCS Bowl Records (including pre-BCS era):

Orange: 2-2

Sugar: 0-1

Cotton: 1-0

Colorado

Bowl Record: 12-17 in 112 seasons

Most Bowl Appearances In: Orange Bowl, 5

2nd Most Appearances In: Bluebonnet Bowl, 4

3rd Most Appearances In: Fiesta Bowl, 3

Most Bowl Wins In: Orange and Bluebonnet, 2 each

Last Bowl Game: 2007

Last BCS/Bowl Alliance/New Year’s Day Bowl Game: 2002 Fiesta Bowl

Bowling In 2013? No

New Year’s Day / BCS Bowl Records (including pre-BCS era):

Orange: 2-3

Cotton: 1-1

Fiesta: 1-2

Colorado State

Bowl Record: 5-7 in 105 seasons (didn’t play in 1906-’09, 1943 and ’44)

Most Bowl Appearances In: Holiday Bowl and Liberty Bowl, 3 apiece

2nd Most Appearances In: Five separate bowls, 1 apiece

Most Bowl Wins In: Five separate bowls, 1 apiece

Last Bowl Game: 2008

Bowling In 2013? Yes

Connecticut

Bowl Record: 3-2 in 15 seasons (including 1979)

Most Bowl Appearances In: Five separate bowls, 1 apiece

Most Bowl Wins In: Three separate bowls, 1 apiece

Last Bowl Game: January 2011

Bowling In 2013? No

New Year’s Day / BCS Bowl Records (including pre-BCS era):

Fiesta: 0-1

Duke

Bowl Record: 3-6 in 91 seasons

Most Bowl Appearances In: Rose and Orange Bowls, 2 apiece

2nd Most Appearances In: Five separate bowls, 1 apiece

Most Bowl Wins In: Three separate bowls, 1 apiece

Last Bowl Game: 2012

Last BCS/Bowl Alliance/New Year’s Day Bowl Game: 1961 Cotton Bowl

Bowling In 2013? Yes

New Year’s Day / BCS Bowl Records (including pre-BCS era):

Rose: 0-2

Orange: 1-1

Cotton: 0-1

East Carolina

Bowl Record: 8-10 in 48 seasons

Most Bowl Appearances In: Liberty Bowl, 4

2nd Most Appearances In: Tangerine Bowl, 2

3rd Most Appearances In: 12 separate bowls, 1 apiece

Most Bowl Wins In: Tangerine, 2

Last Bowl Game: 2012

Bowling In 2013? Yes

Eastern Michigan

Bowl Record: 1-1 in 48 seasons

Most Bowl Appearances In: Pioneer Bowl and California Bowl, 1 apiece

Last Bowl Game: 1987

Bowling In 2013? No

Florida

Bowl Record: 20-20 in 102 seasons (didn’t play from 1905-1910, 1918, 1943)

Most Bowl Appearances In: Gator and Sugar Bowls, 9 apiece

3rd Most Appearances In: Capital One (formerly Citrus) Bowl, 5

Most Bowl Wins In: Gator, 7

Last Bowl Game: January 2013

Last BCS/Bowl Alliance/New Year’s Day Bowl Game: 2013 Sugar Bowl

Bowling In 2013? No

New Year’s Day / BCS Bowl Records (including pre-BCS era):

Sugar: 3-6

Orange: 3-0

Fiesta: 0-1

BCS Championship Game: 2-0

Florida Atlantic

Bowl Record: 2-0 in 10 seasons

Most Bowl Appearances In: Motor City and New Orleans Bowl, 1 apiece (won both)

Last Bowl Game: 2008

Bowling In 2013? No

Florida International

Bowl Record: 1-1 in 8 seasons

Only Bowl Appearance: 2010 Little Caesars Pizza Bowl

Bowling In 2013? No

Florida State

Bowl Record: 24-14-2 in 59 seasons

Most Bowl Appearances In: Orange Bowl, 9

2nd Most Appearances In: Gator Bowl, 7

3rd Most Appearances In: Sugar Bowl, 6

Most Bowl Wins In: Gator, 6

Last Bowl Game: January 2013

Last BCS/Bowl Alliance/New Year’s Day Bowl Game: 2013 Orange Bowl

Bowling In 2013? Yes

New Year’s Day / BCS Bowl Records (including pre-BCS era):

Orange: 4-5

Sugar: 4-2

Cotton: 1-0

Fiesta: 2-1 (FSU also played in one Fiesta Bowl when the event had not yet attained its January-based prestige)

Fresno State

Bowl Record: 10-11 in 44 seasons

Most Bowl Appearances In: California Bowl, 5

2nd Most Appearances In: Silicon Valley Bowl, 4

3rd Most Appearances In: Mercy Bowl, New Mexico Bowl, and Humanitarian (now Potato) Bowl, 2 apiece

Most Bowl Wins In: California, 4

Last Bowl Game: 2012

Bowling In 2013? Yes

Georgia

Bowl Record: 27-18-3 in 109 seasons (didn’t play in 1917-’18)

Most Bowl Appearances In: Sugar Bowl, 9

2nd Most Appearances In: Capital One (formerly Citrus) Bowl, 6

3rd Most Appearances In: Chick-Fil-A Bowl, 5

Most Bowl Wins In: Sugar, 4

Last Bowl Game: January 2013

Last BCS/Bowl Alliance/New Year’s Day Bowl Game: 2008 Sugar Bowl

Bowling In 2013? Yes

New Year’s Day / BCS Bowl Records (including pre-BCS era):

Sugar: 4-5

Rose: 1-0

Orange: 2-1

Cotton: 2-1

Georgia State

First FBS season - will not go bowling this year.

Georgia Tech

Bowl Record: 23-18 in 111 seasons

Most Bowl Appearances In: Gator Bowl, 7

2nd Most Appearances In: Orange Bowl, 6

3rd Most Appearances In: Sugar Bowl and Peach Bowl, 4 apiece

Most Bowl Wins In: Sugar, 4

Last Bowl Game: 2012

Last BCS/Bowl Alliance/New Year’s Day Bowl Game: 2010 Orange Bowl

Bowling In 2013? Yes

New Year’s Day / BCS Bowl Records (including pre-BCS era):

Sugar: 4-0

Orange: 3-3

Rose: 1-0

Cotton: 1-1

Hawaii

Bowl Record: 11-13 in 40 seasons (didn’t play in 1972-’73)

Most Bowl Appearances In: Pineapple Bowl, 8

2nd Most Appearances In: Hawaii Bowl, 6

3rd Most Appearances In: Poi Bowl, 3

Most Bowl Wins In: Pineapple and Hawaii, 3 apiece

Last Bowl Game: 2010

Last BCS/Bowl Alliance/New Year’s Day Bowl Game: 2008 Sugar Bowl

Bowling In 2013? No

New Year’s Day / BCS Bowl Records (including pre-BCS era):

Sugar: 0-1

Houston

Bowl Record: 9-11-1 in 65 seasons

Most Bowl Appearances In: Cotton Bowl and Bluebonnet Bowl, 4 apiece

2nd Most Appearances In: Liberty Bowl and Armed Forces Bowl, 2 apiece

3rd Most Appearances In: Nine separate bowls, 1 apiece

Most Bowl Wins In: Bluebonnet, 3

Last Bowl Game: January 2012

Last BCS/Bowl Alliance/New Year’s Day Bowl Game: 1985 Cotton Bowl

Bowling In 2013? Yes

New Year’s Day / BCS Bowl Records (including pre-BCS era):

Cotton: 2-2

Idaho

Bowl Record: 2-0 in 71 seasons

Both Bowl Appearances In: Humanitarian Bowl, 2 (won both times)

Last Bowl Game: 2009

Bowling In 2013? No

Illinois

Bowl Record: 8-9 in 123 seasons

Most Bowl Appearances In: Rose Bowl, 5

2nd Most Appearances In: Liberty Bowl, 2

3rd Most Appearances In: 10 separate bowls, 1 apiece

Most Bowl Wins In: Rose, 3

Last Bowl Game: 2011

Last BCS/Bowl Alliance/New Year’s Day Bowl Game: 2008 Rose Bowl

Bowling In 2013? No

New Year’s Day / BCS Bowl Records (including pre-BCS era):

Rose: 3-2

Sugar: 0-1

Indiana

Bowl Record: 3-6 in 115 seasons

Most Bowl Appearances In: Peach Bowl, 2

2nd Most Appearances In: Seven separate bowls, 1 apiece

Most Bowl Wins In: Three separate bowls, 1 apiece

Last Bowl Game: 2007

Last BCS/Bowl Alliance/New Year’s Day Bowl Game: 1968 Rose Bowl

Bowling In 2013? No

New Year’s Day / BCS Bowl Records (including pre-BCS era):

Rose: 0-1

Iowa

Bowl Record: 14-11-1 in 114 seasons

Most Bowl Appearances In: Rose Bowl, 5

2nd Most Appearances In: Alamo Bowl, 4

3rd Most Appearances In: Holiday and Outback, 3 apiece

Most Bowl Wins In: Four separate bowls, 2 apiece

Last Bowl Game: 2011

Last BCS/Bowl Alliance/New Year’s Day Bowl Game: 2010 Orange Bowl

Bowling In 2013? Yes

New Year’s Day / BCS Bowl Records (including pre-BCS era):

Rose: 2-3

Orange: 1-1

Iowa State

Bowl Record: 3-9 in 116 seasons (didn’t play from 1896-’98)

Most Bowl Appearances In: Insight, Liberty and Independence Bowls, 2 apiece

2nd Most Appearances In: Six separate bowls, 1 apiece

Most Bowl Wins In: Insight, 2

Last Bowl Game: 2012

Bowling In 2013? No

Kansas

Bowl Record: 6-6 in 113 seasons

Most Bowl Appearances In: Orange Bowl, 3

2nd Most Appearances In: Aloha Bowl, 2

3rd Most Appearances In: Seven separate bowls, 1 apiece

Most Bowl Wins In: Aloha, 2

Last Bowl Game: 2008

Last BCS/Bowl Alliance/New Year’s Day Bowl Game: 2008 Orange Bowl

Bowling In 2013? No

New Year’s Day / BCS Bowl Records (including pre-BCS era):

Orange: 1-2

Kansas State

Bowl Record: 6-10 in 101 seasons

Most Bowl Appearances In: Holiday, Fiesta and Cotton Bowls, 3 apiece

2nd Most Appearances In: Seven separate bowls, 1 apiece

Most Bowl Wins In: Holiday, 3

Last Bowl Game: January 2013

Last BCS/Bowl Alliance/New Year’s Day Bowl Game: 2013 Fiesta Bowl

Bowling In 2013? Yes

New Year’s Day / BCS Bowl Records (including pre-BCS era):

Fiesta: 1-2

(KSU has played multiple times in the Cotton Bowl, but not when the game was prestigious)

Kent State

Bowl Record: 0-3 in 52 seasons

Most Bowl Appearances In: GoDaddy.com, Tangerine, and (in 1954) Refrigerator Bowls, 1 apiece

Last Bowl Game: January 2013

Bowling In 2013? No

Kentucky

Bowl Record: 8-7 in 98 seasons (didn’t play in 1943)

Most Bowl Appearances In: Music City Bowl, 4

2nd Most Appearances In: Outback Bowl, 3

3rd Most Appearances In: Peach, 2

Most Bowl Wins In: Music City, 2

Last Bowl Game: January 2011 (BBVA Compass Bowl played in January)

Last BCS/Bowl Alliance/New Year’s Day Bowl Game: 1952 Cotton Bowl

Bowling In 2013? No

New Year’s Day / BCS Bowl Records (including pre-BCS era):

Sugar: 1-0

Cotton: 1-0

Orange: 0-1

Louisiana Tech

Bowl Record: 2-3-1 in 33 seasons (didn’t play from 1982-’87)

Most Bowl Appearances In: Independence Bowl, 4

2nd Most Appearances In: Humanitarian Bowl and Poinsettia Bowl, 1 apiece

Most Bowl Wins In: Independence, 2

Last Bowl Game: 2011

Bowling In 2013? No

Louisiana-Lafayette

Bowl Record: 2-0 in 41 seasons.

Most Bowl Appearances In: New Orleans Bowl, 2.

Bowling in 2013? Yes.

Louisiana-Monroe

Bowl Record: 0-1 in 27 seasons.

Only Bowl Appearance: 2012 Independence Bowl.

Bowling in 2013? No

Louisville

Bowl Record: 8-8-1 in 51 seasons

Most Bowl Appearances In: Liberty Bowl, 4

2nd Most Appearances In: GoDaddy.com (formerly GMAC) Bowl, 2

3rd Most Appearances In: 11 separate bowls, 1 apiece

Most Bowl Wins In: Liberty, 3

Last Bowl Game: January 2013

Last BCS/Bowl Alliance/New Year’s Day Bowl Game: 2013 Sugar Bowl

Bowling In 2013? Yes

New Year’s Day / BCS Bowl Records (including pre-BCS era):

Orange: 1-0

Fiesta: 1-0

Sugar: 1-0

LSU

Bowl Record: 22-20-1 in 108 seasons (didn’t play in 1903, 1905 and 1918)

Most Bowl Appearances In: Sugar Bowl, 13

2nd Most Appearances In: Chick-Fil-A (formerly Peach), 6

3rd Most Appearances In: Orange and Cotton Bowls, 5 apiece

Most Bowl Wins In: Sugar, 6

Last Bowl Game: 2012

Last BCS/Bowl Alliance/New Year’s Day Bowl Game: 2012 BCS National Championship Game

Bowling In 2013? Yes

New Year’s Day / BCS Bowl Records (including pre-BCS era):

Sugar: 6-7

Orange: 2-3

Cotton: 2-0-1 when the game was prestigious, 1-1 when not

BCS Championship Game: 1-1

Massachusetts

Second FBS season - will not go bowling this year and did not make a bowl in 2012, either.

Marshall

Bowl Record: 7-3 in 36 seasons (didn’t play from 1982-’96)

Most Bowl Appearances In: Motor City Bowl, 4

2nd Most Appearances In: GoDaddy.com (formerly GMAC) Bowl, 2

3rd Most Appearances In: Four separate bowls, 1 apiece

Most Bowl Wins In: Motor City, 3

Last Bowl Game: 2011

Bowling In 2013? Yes

Maryland

Bowl Record: 11-11-2 in 96 seasons

Most Bowl Appearances In: Gator Bowl, 4

2nd Most Appearances In: Orange Bowl, 3

3rd Most Appearances In: Three separate bowls, 2 apiece

Most Bowl Wins In: Gator, 3

Last Bowl Game: 2010

Last BCS/Bowl Alliance/New Year’s Day Bowl Game: 2002 Orange Bowl

Bowling In 2013? Yes

New Year’s Day / BCS Bowl Records (including pre-BCS era):

Orange: 0-3

Sugar: 0-1

Cotton: 0-1

Memphis

Bowl Record: 4-3 in 54 seasons

Most Bowl Appearances In: New Orleans Bowl, 2

2nd Most Appearances In: Five separate bowls, 1 apiece

Most Bowl Wins In: Four separate bowls, 1 apiece

Last Bowl Game: 2008

Bowling In 2013? No

Miami (Florida)

Bowl Record: 18-16 in 76 seasons (didn’t play in 1943)

Most Bowl Appearances In: Orange Bowl, 9

2nd Most Appearances In: Sugar Bowl and Fiesta Bowl, 4 apiece

3rd Most Appearances In: Chick-Fil-A (formerly Peach) Bowl, 3

Most Bowl Wins In: Orange, 6

Last Bowl Game: 2010

Last BCS/Bowl Alliance/New Year’s Day Bowl Game: 2004 Orange Bowl

Bowling In 2013? Yes

New Year’s Day / BCS Bowl Records (including pre-BCS era):

Orange: 6-3

Sugar: 2-2

Fiesta: 0-4

Rose: 1-0

Cotton: 1-0

Miami University

Bowl Record: 7-3 in 52 seasons

Most Bowl Appearances In: Tangerine Bowl, 4

2nd Most Appearances In: GMAC/GoDaddy.com Bowl, 2

3rd Most Appearances in: Four separate bowls, 1 apiece

Most Bowl Wins In: Tangerine, 3

Last Bowl Game: January 2011 (GoDaddy.com Bowl played in January of 2011)

Bowling In 2013? No

Michigan

Bowl Record: 20-22 in 123 seasons (didn’t play in 1882, 1884-1891)

Most Bowl Appearances In: Rose Bowl, 20

2nd Most Appearances In: Outback Bowl, 5

3rd Most Appearances In: Capital One (formerly Citrus) Bowl, 4

Most Bowl Wins In: Rose, 8

Last Bowl Game: January 2013

Last BCS/Bowl Alliance/New Year’s Day Bowl Game: 2012 Sugar Bowl

Bowling In 2013? Yes

New Year’s Day / BCS Bowl Records (including pre-BCS era):

Rose: 8-12

Orange: 1-1

Fiesta: 1-0

Sugar: 1-1

Michigan State

Bowl Record: 9-14 in 88 seasons (didn’t play from 1919-1924 and in 1943)

Most Bowl Appearances In: Rose Bowl, 4

2nd Most Appearances In: Citrus/Capital One, 3

3rd Most Appearances In: Three separate bowls, 2 apiece

Most Bowl Wins In: Rose, 3

Last Bowl Game: January 2012

Last BCS/Bowl Alliance/New Year’s Day Bowl Game: 1988 Rose Bowl

Bowling In 2013? Yes

New Year’s Day / BCS Bowl Records (including pre-BCS era):

Rose: 3-1

Orange: 0-1

Middle Tennessee

Bowl Record: 2-3 in various seasons since 1911

Most Bowl Appearances In: Tangerine Bowl, 2

2nd Most Appearances In: Motor City Bowl, GoDaddy.com Bowl, and New Orleans Bowl, 1 apiece

Most Bowl Wins In: Tangerine and New Orleans, 1 apiece

Last Bowl Game: January 2011 (GoDaddy.com Bowl played in January)

Bowling In 2013? Yes

Minnesota

Bowl Record: 5-10 in 121 seasons

Most Bowl Appearances In: Music City and Insight Bowls, 3 apiece

2nd Most Appearances In: Rose and Sun Bowls, 2 apiece

3rd Most Appearances In: Five separate bowls, 1 apiece

Most Bowl Wins In: Insight, 3

Last Bowl Game: 2012

Last BCS/Bowl Alliance/New Year’s Day Bowl Game: 1962 Rose Bowl

Bowling In 2013? Yes

New Year’s Day / BCS Bowl Records (including pre-BCS era):

Rose: 1-1

Mississippi

Bowl Record: 22-12 in 107 seasons (didn’t play in 1903, 1905, 1920, and 1943)

Most Bowl Appearances In: Sugar Bowl, 8

2nd Most Appearances In: Cotton Bowl and Independence Bowl, 5 apiece

3rd Most Appearances In: Gator Bowl and Liberty Bowl, 3 apiece

Most Bowl Wins In: Sugar, 5

Last Bowl Game: January 2013

Last BCS/Bowl Alliance/New Year’s Day Bowl Game: 1970 Sugar Bowl

Bowling In 2013? Yes

New Year’s Day / BCS Bowl Records (including pre-BCS era):

Sugar: 5-3

Cotton: 1-1 when the game was prestigious, 3-0 when not

Orange: 0-1

Mississippi State

Bowl Record: 10-7 in 108 seasons

Most Bowl Appearances In: Liberty Bowl and Chick-Fil-A (formerly Peach) Bowls, 3 apiece

2nd Most Appearances In: Orange, Gator and Sun Bowls, 2 apiece

3rd Most Appearances In: Five separate bowls, 1 apiece

Most Bowl Wins In: Liberty, 2

Last Bowl Game: January 2013

Last BCS/Bowl Alliance/New Year’s Day Bowl Game: 1941 Orange Bowl

Bowling In 2013? Yes

New Year’s Day / BCS Bowl Records (including pre-BCS era):

Orange: 1-1

Cotton: 0-1, but only when the Cotton was not regarded as a prestigious bowl

Missouri

Bowl Record: 13-16 in 111 seasons (didn’t play in 1918)

Most Bowl Appearances In: Orange Bowl, 4

2nd Most Appearances In: Gator Bowl and Independence Bowl, 3 apiece

3rd Most Appearances In: Six separate bowls, 2 apiece

Most Bowl Wins In: Independence Bowl, 2

Last Bowl Game: 2011

Last BCS/Bowl Alliance/New Year’s Day Bowl Game: 1970 Orange Bowl

Bowling In 2013? Yes

New Year’s Day / BCS Bowl Records (including pre-BCS era):

Orange: 1-3

Cotton: 0-1 in the non-prestigious period of the Cotton Bowl

Sugar: 1-1

(Missouri played in the Fiesta Bowl, but before it was prestigious)

Navy

Bowl Record: 7-10-1 in 119 seasons (didn’t play from 1893-1895)

Most Bowl Appearances In: Poinsettia Bowl, 3

2nd Most Appearances In: Cotton and Fight Hunger (formerly Emerald), 2 apiece

3rd Most Appearances In: 11 separate bowls, 1 apiece

Most Bowl Wins In: Seven separate bowls, 1 apiece

Last Bowl Game: 2012

Last BCS/Bowl Alliance/New Year’s Day Bowl Game: 1964 Cotton Bowl

Bowling In 2013? Yes

New Year’s Day / BCS Bowl Records (including pre-BCS era):

Sugar: 1-0

Cotton: 1-1

Orange: 0-1

Rose: 0-0-1

Nebraska

Bowl Record: 24-25 in 112 seasons

Most Bowl Appearances In: Orange Bowl, 17

2nd Most Appearances In: Fiesta Bowl, 6

3rd Most Appearances In: Sugar Bowl and Cotton Bowl, 4 apiece

Most Bowl Wins In: Orange, 8

Last Bowl Game: January 2013

Last BCS/Bowl Alliance/New Year’s Day Bowl Game: 2002 Rose Bowl

Bowling In 2013? Yes

New Year’s Day / BCS Bowl Records (including pre-BCS era):

Orange: 8-9

Fiesta: 2-3 when the Fiesta was prestigious, 0-1 when not

Sugar: 3-1

Rose: 0-2

Cotton: 1-2 when the Cotton was prestigious, 0-1 when not

Nevada

Bowl Record: 4-9 in 27 seasons (didn’t play from 1951-’91)

Most Bowl Appearances In: Las Vegas Bowl and Hawaii Bowl, 3 apiece

2nd Most Appearances In: New Mexico Bowl, 2

3rd Most Appearances In: Five separate bowls, 1 apiece

Most Bowl Wins In: Four separate bowls, 1 apiece

Last Bowl Game: 2012

Bowling In 2013? No

Nevada-Las Vegas (UNLV)

Bowl Record: 3-0 in 35 seasons

Most Bowl Appearances In: Las Vegas Bowl, 2

2nd Most Appearances In: California Bowl, 1

Last Bowl Game: 2000

Bowling In 2013? Yes

New Mexico

Bowl Record: 3-7-1 in 32 seasons (didn’t play in 1943)

Most Bowl Appearances In: Sun Bowl, 3

2nd Most Appearances In: Las Vegas Bowl and New Mexico Bowl, 2 apiece

3rd Most Appearances In: Four separate bowls, 1 apiece

Most Bowl Wins In: Three separate bowls, 1 apiece

Last Bowl Game: 2007

Bowling In 2013? No

New Mexico State

Bowl Record: 2-0-1 in 80 seasons (didn’t play from 1943-’45)

Most Bowl Appearances In: Sun Bowl, 3

Last (Sun) Bowl Game: 1960

Bowling In 2013? No

North Carolina

Bowl Record: 13-16 in 109 seasons (didn’t play in 1917 and 1918)

Most Bowl Appearances In: Gator Bowl, 7

2nd Most Appearances In: Chick-Fil-A (formerly Peach) Bowl, 5

3rd Most Appearances In: Sun, 4

Most Bowl Wins In: Gator, 5

Last Bowl Game: 2011

Last BCS/Bowl Alliance/New Year’s Day Bowl Game: 1950 Cotton Bowl

Bowling In 2013? Yes

New Year’s Day / BCS Bowl Records (including pre-BCS era):

Sugar: 0-2

Cotton: 0-1

North Carolina State

Bowl Record: 14-12-1 in 108 seasons (didn’t play in 1903 and from 1905-’07)

Most Bowl Appearances In: Chick-Fil-A (formerly Peach) Bowl, 7

2nd Most Appearances In: Three separate bowls, 3 apiece

3rd Most Appearances In: MicronPC Bowl and Belk (formerly Meineke Car Care) Bowl, 2 apiece

Most Bowl Wins In: Chick-Fil-A (Peach), 4

Last Bowl Game: 2011

Bowling In 2013? No

North Texas

Bowl Record: 2-5 in 48 seasons (didn’t play from 1983-’94)

Most Bowl Appearances In: New Orleans Bowl, 4

2nd Most Appearances In: Three separate bowls, 1 apiece

Most Bowl Wins In: New Orleans Bowl and the (1946) Optimist Bowl, 1 apiece

Last Bowl Game: 2004

Bowling In 2013? Yes

Northern Illinois

Bowl Record: 4-4 in 45 seasons

Most Bowl Appearances In: Eight separate bowls, 1 apiece

Most Bowl Wins In: California Bowl, Silicon Valley Bowl, and GoDaddy.com Bowl, 1 apiece

Last Bowl Game: January 2013

Bowling In 2013? Yes

New Year’s Day / BCS Bowl Records (including pre-BCS era):

Orange: 0-1

Northwestern

Bowl Record: 2-9 in 120 seasons (didn’t play in 1906 and 1907)

Most Bowl Appearances In: Rose and Alamo Bowls, 2 apiece

2nd Most Appearances In: Seven separate bowls, 1 apiece

Most Bowl Wins in: Rose, 1

Last Bowl Game: January 2013

Last BCS/Bowl Alliance/New Year’s Day Bowl Game: 1996 Rose Bowl

Bowling In 2013? No

New Year’s Day / BCS Bowl Records (including pre-BCS era):

Rose: 1-1

Notre Dame

Bowl Record: 15-17 in 106 seasons (didn’t play in 1903, 1906-’12)

Most Bowl Appearances In: Cotton Bowl, 7

2nd Most Appearances In: Orange Bowl, 5

3rd Most Appearances In: Sugar Bowl and Fiesta Bowl, 4 apiece

Most Bowl Wins In: Cotton, 5

Last Bowl Game: January 2013

Last BCS/Bowl Alliance/New Year’s Day Bowl Game: 2013 BCS National Championship Game

Bowling In 2013? Yes

New Year’s Day / BCS Bowl Records (including pre-BCS era):

Cotton: 5-2

Orange: 2-3

Rose: 1-0

Sugar: 2-2

Fiesta: 1-3

BCS National Championship Game: 0-1

Ohio

Bowl Record: 2-5 in 50 seasons

Most Bowl Appearances In: Seven separate bowls, 1 apiece

Most Bowl Wins In: Potato and Independence Bowls, 1 apiece

Last Bowl Game: 2012

Bowling In 2013? Yes

Ohio State

Bowl Record: 20-23 in 101 seasons (didn’t play from 1905-’12)

Most Bowl Appearances In: Rose Bowl, 14

2nd Most Appearances In: Fiesta Bowl, 6

3rd Most Appearances In: Capital One (formerly Citrus) Bowl, 4

Most Bowl Wins In: Rose, 7

Last Bowl Game: January 2012

Last BCS/Bowl Alliance/New Year’s Day Bowl Game: 2011 Sugar Bowl

Bowling In 2013? Yes

New Year’s Day / BCS Bowl Records (including pre-BCS era):

Rose: 7-7

Fiesta: 4-1 when the Fiesta was a prestigious bowl, 0-1 when not

Orange: 1-0

Sugar: 2-2

Cotton: 1-0

BCS Championship Game: 0-2

Oklahoma

Bowl Record: 27-18-1 in 104 seasons (didn’t play in 1904, 1906-’08, 1910-’11)

Most Bowl Appearances In: Orange Bowl, 18

2nd Most Appearances In: Sugar Bowl, 6

3rd Most Appearances In: Fiesta Bowl, 5

Most Bowl Wins In: Orange, 12

Last Bowl Game: January 2013

Last BCS/Bowl Alliance/New Year’s Day Bowl Game: 2011 Fiesta Bowl

Bowling In 2013? Yes

New Year’s Day / BCS Bowl Records (including pre-BCS era):

Orange: 12-6

Sugar: 4-2

Fiesta: 1-3 when the bowl was prestigious; OU played one other time in the game before it was moved from December to January

Rose: 1-0

BCS Championship Game: 0-1

(Oklahoma played in the Cotton Bowl, but not when the game was considered prestigious)

Oklahoma State

Bowl Record: 15-8 in 99 seasons

Most Bowl Appearances In: Cotton Bowl, 3

2nd Most Appearances In: Six separate bowls, 2 apiece

3rd Most Appearances In: Eight separate bowls, 1 apiece

Most Bowl Wins In: Fiesta Bowl, 2

Last Bowl Game: January 2013

Last BCS/Bowl Alliance/New Year’s Day Bowl Game: 2012 Fiesta Bowl

Bowling In 2013? Yes

New Year’s Day / BCS Bowl Records (including pre-BCS era):

Sugar: 1-0

Cotton: 1-0 when prestigious; OSU made two more Cotton Bowl appearances when the Cotton Bowl was not prestigious

Fiesta Bowl: 1-0 when the Fiesta Bowl was prestigious; 1-0 when not.

Oregon

Bowl Record: 11-15 in 95 seasons (didn’t play in 1943 and 1944)

Most Bowl Appearances In: Rose Bowl, 6

2nd Most Appearances In: Sun Bowl, 4

3rd Most Appearances In: Holiday Bowl, 3

Most Bowl Wins In: Sun, 3

Last Bowl Game: January 2013

Last BCS/Bowl Alliance/New Year’s Day Bowl Game: 2013 Fiesta Bowl

Bowling In 2013? Yes

New Year’s Day / BCS Bowl Records (including pre-BCS era):

Rose: 2-4

Cotton: 0-1 (in the last Cotton Bowl considered prestigious, 1996; one could say the 1995 Cotton was the last truly meaningful one, but it’s set at 1996 for this overview)

Fiesta: 2-0

BCS National Championship Game: 0-1

Oregon State

Bowl Record: 10-6 in 95 seasons (didn’t play in 1943 and 1944)

Most Bowl Appearances In: Rose Bowl, 3

2nd Most Appearances In: Four separate bowls, 2 apiece

3rd Most Appearances In: Five separate bowls, 1 apiece

Most Bowl Wins In: Pineapple Bowl and Sun Bowl, 2 each

Last Bowl Game: 2012

Last BCS/Bowl Alliance/New Year’s Day Bowl Game: 2001 Fiesta Bowl

Bowling In 2013? Yes

New Year’s Day / BCS Bowl Records (including pre-BCS era):

Rose: 1-2

Fiesta: 1-0

Penn State

Bowl Record: 27-15-2 in 120 seasons (didn’t play in 1890 or from 1892-’95)

Most Bowl Appearances In: Fiesta Bowl, 6

2nd Most Appearances In: Orange Bowl and Capital One (formerly Citrus) Bowl, 5 apiece

3rd Most Appearances In: Sugar Bowl and Gator Bowl, 4 apiece

Most Bowl Wins In: Fiesta, 6

Last Bowl Game: January 2012

Last BCS/Bowl Alliance/New Year’s Day Bowl Game: 2009 Rose Bowl

Bowling In 2013? No

New Year’s Day / BCS Bowl Records (including pre-BCS era):

Fiesta: 4-0 when the Fiesta Bowl was prestigious, 2-0 when not

Cotton: 2-0-1

Orange: 4-1

Rose: 1-2

Sugar: 1-3

Pittsburgh

Bowl Record: 12-17 in 108 seasons

Most Bowl Appearances In: Rose Bowl and Fiesta Bowl, 4 apiece

2nd Most Appearances In: Four separate bowls, 3 apiece

3rd Most Appearances In: Three separate bowls, 2 apiece

Most Bowl Wins In: Three separate bowls, 2 apiece

Last Bowl Game: January 2013

Last BCS/Bowl Alliance/New Year’s Day Bowl Game: 2005 Fiesta Bowl

Bowling In 2013? Yes

New Year’s Day / BCS Bowl Records (including pre-BCS era):

Rose: 1-3

Sugar 2-1

Fiesta: 0-2 when the Fiesta Bowl was prestigious, 1-1 when not

Cotton: 0-1

Purdue

Bowl Record: 9-8 in 122 seasons

Most Bowl Appearances In: Sun Bowl, 3

2nd Most Appearances In: Three separate bowls, 2 apiece

3rd Most Appearances In: Eight separate bowls, 1 apiece

Most Bowl Wins In: Alamo Bowl, 2

Last Bowl Game: January 2013

Last BCS/Bowl Alliance/New Year’s Day Bowl Game: 2001 Rose Bowl

Bowling In 2013? No

New Year’s Day / BCS Bowl Records (including pre-BCS era):

Rose: 2-0

Rice

Bowl Record: 6-4 in 99 seasons

Most Bowl Appearances In: Cotton Bowl, 4

2nd Most Appearances In: Six separate bowls, 1 apiece

Most Bowl Wins In: Cotton, 3

Last Bowl Game: 2012

Last BCS/Bowl Alliance/New Year’s Day Bowl Game: 1961 Sugar Bowl

Bowling In 2013? Yes

New Year’s Day / BCS Bowl Records (including pre-BCS era):

Cotton: 3-1

Orange: 1-0

Sugar: 0-1

Rutgers

Bowl Record: 5-3 in 98 seasons (didn’t play in 1871, 1885, from 1893-1913, and from 1924-1945)

Most Bowl Appearances In: Eight separate bowls, 1 apiece

Most Bowl Wins In: Five separate bowls, 1 apiece

Last Bowl Game: 2012

Bowling In 2013? Yes

San Diego State

Bowl Record: 2-6 in 44 seasons

Most Bowl Appearances In: Poinsettia Bowl, 2

2nd Most Appearances In: Five separate bowls, 1 apiece

Most Bowl Wins In: Pasadena Bowl, 1

Last Bowl Game: 2012

Bowling In 2013? Yes

San Jose State

Bowl Record: 6-3 in 64 seasons

Most Bowl Appearances In: California Bowl, 4

2nd Most Appearances In: Raisin Bowl, 2

3rd Most Appearances In: Three separate bowls, 1 apiece

Most Bowl Wins In: California and Raisin, 2 apiece

Last Bowl Game: 2012

Bowling In 2013? No

South Alabama

Second FBS season - will not go bowling this year, and did not make a bowl in 2012, either.

South Carolina

Bowl Record: 6-12 in 105 seasons (didn’t play from 1904-’08)

Most Bowl Appearances In: Outback Bowl, 5

2nd Most Appearances In: Gator Bowl, 4

3rd Most Appearances In: Liberty and Chick-Fil-A (formerly Peach) Bowls, 2 apiece

Most Bowl Wins In: Outback, 3

Last Bowl Game: January 2013

Bowling In 2013? Yes

South Florida

Bowl Record: 4-2 in 15 seasons

Most Bowl Appearances In: Meineke Car Care, 2

2nd Most Appearances In: Four separate bowls, 1 apiece

Most Bowl Wins In: Three separate bowls, 1 apiece

Last Bowl Game: 2010

Bowling In 2013? No

Southern California (USC)

Bowl Record: 32-17 in 91 seasons

Most Bowl Appearances In: Rose Bowl, 33

2nd Most Appearances In: Sun Bowl, 3

3rd Most Appearances In: Orange and Freedom Bowls, 2 apiece

Most Bowl Wins In: Rose, 24

Last Bowl Game: 2012

Last BCS/Bowl Alliance/New Year’s Day Bowl Game: 2009 Rose Bowl

Bowling In 2013? Yes

New Year’s Day / BCS Bowl Records (including pre-BCS era):

Rose: 24-9

Orange: 2-0

Cotton: 1-0

Fiesta: 0-1

Southern Methodist

Bowl Record: 7-7-1 in 96 seasons (didn’t play in 1987 and 1988)

Most Bowl Appearances In: Cotton Bowl, 4

2nd Most Appearances In: Sun and Hawaii Bowls, 2 apiece

3rd Most Appearances In: Seven separate bowls, 1 apiece

Most Bowl Wins In: Cotton and Hawaii, 2

Last Bowl Game: 2012

Last BCS/Bowl Alliance/New Year’s Day Bowl Game: 1983 Cotton Bowl

Bowling In 2013? No

New Year’s Day / BCS Bowl Records (including pre-BCS era):

Cotton: 2-1-1

Rose: 1-0

Southern Mississippi

Bowl Record: 11-12 in 51 seasons

Most Bowl Appearances In: New Orleans Bowl, 4

2nd Most Appearances In: Liberty Bowl, 3

3rd Most Appearances In: Three separate bowls, 2 apiece

Most Bowl Wins In: New Orleans, 3

Last Bowl Game: 2011

Bowling In 2013? No

Stanford

Bowl Record: 11-12-1 in 92 seasons (didn’t play from 1943-’45)

Most Bowl Appearances In: Rose Bowl, 13

2nd Most Appearances In: Sun Bowl, 3

3rd Most Appearances In: Eight separate bowls, 1 apiece

Most Bowl Wins In: Rose, 6

Last Bowl Game: January 2013

Last BCS/Bowl Alliance/New Year’s Day Bowl Game: 2013 Rose Bowl

Bowling In 2013? Yes

New Year’s Day / BCS Bowl Records (including pre-BCS era):

Rose: 6-6-1

Orange: 1-0

Fiesta: 0-1

Syracuse

Bowl Record: 13-9-1 in 111 seasons (didn’t play in 1903, 1904 and 1943)

Most Bowl Appearances In: Orange Bowl, 3

2nd Most Appearances In: Seven separate bowls, 2 apiece

3rd Most Appearances In: Seven separate bowls, 1 apiece

Most Bowl Wins In: Hall of Fame and Pinstripe Bowls, 2

Last Bowl Game: 2012

Last BCS/Bowl Alliance/New Year’s Day Bowl Game: 1999 Orange Bowl

Bowling In 2013? Yes

New Year’s Day / BCS Bowl Records (including pre-BCS era):

Orange: 0-3

Sugar: 0-1-1

Cotton: 1-1

Fiesta: 1-1

Temple

Bowl Record: 2-2 in 67 seasons

Most Bowl Appearances In: Four separate bowls, 1 apiece

Most Bowl Wins In: Garden State Bowl and New Mexico Bowl, 1 apiece

Last Bowl Game: 2011

Last BCS/Bowl Alliance/New Year’s Day Bowl Game: 1935 Sugar Bowl

Bowling In 2013? No

New Year’s Day / BCS Bowl Records (including pre-BCS era):

Sugar: 0-1

Tennessee

Bowl Record: 25-24 in 109 seasons

Most Bowl Appearances In: Sugar Bowl, 7

2nd Most Appearances In: Cotton Bowl, 6

3rd Most Appearances In: Three separate bowls, 5 apiece

Most Bowl Wins In: Sugar, 4

Last Bowl Game: 2010

Last BCS/Bowl Alliance/New Year’s Day Bowl Game: 2000 Fiesta Bowl

Bowling In 2013? No

New Year’s Day / BCS Bowl Records (including pre-BCS era):

Sugar: 4-3

Orange: 1-3

Cotton: 2-2 when the bowl was prestigious; 1-1 when it was not

Rose: 0-2

Fiesta: 1-2

Texas

Bowl Record: 27-22-2 in 111 seasons

Most Bowl Appearances In: Cotton Bowl, 22

2nd Most Appearances In: Bluebonnet Bowl, 6

3rd Most Appearances In: Holiday Bowl, 5

Most Bowl Wins In: Cotton, 12

Last Bowl Game: 2012

Last BCS/Bowl Alliance/New Year’s Day Bowl Game: 2010 BCS National Championship Game

Bowling In 2013? Yes

New Year’s Day / BCS Bowl Records (including pre-BCS era):

Cotton: 10-9 when the Cotton Bowl was prestigious, 2-1 when not

Orange: 2-0

Rose: 2-0

Sugar: 1-2

Fiesta: 1-1

BCS Championship Game: 0-1

Texas A&M

Bowl Record: 15-19 in 110 seasons

Most Bowl Appearances In: Cotton Bowl, 13

2nd Most Appearances In: Alamo Bowl and Independence Bowl, 3 apiece

3rd Most Appearances In: Three separate bowls, 2 apiece

Most Bowl Wins In: Cotton, 5

Last Bowl Game: January 2013

Last BCS/Bowl Alliance/New Year’s Day Bowl Game: 1999 Sugar Bowl

Bowling In 2013? Yes

New Year’s Day / BCS Bowl Records (including pre-BCS era):

Cotton: 4-5 when the Cotton Bowl was prestigious, 1-3 when not

Orange: 0-1

Sugar: 1-1

Texas Christian (TCU)

Bowl Record: 13-15-1 in 108 seasons (didn’t play from 1911-’13)

Most Bowl Appearances In: Cotton Bowl, 6

2nd Most Appearances In: Poinsettia Bowl, 3

3rd Most Appearances In: Four separate bowls, 2 apiece

Most Bowl Wins In: Poinsettia, 3

Last Bowl Game: 2012

Last BCS/Bowl Alliance/New Year’s Day Bowl Game: 2011 Rose Bowl

Bowling In 2013? No

New Year’s Day / BCS Bowl Records (including pre-BCS era):

Cotton: 2-3-1

Sugar: 2-0

Orange: 0-1

Fiesta: 0-1

Rose: 1-0

Texas State

Second FBS season - will not go bowling this year, and did not make a bowl in 2012, either.

Texas Tech

Bowl Record: 13-21-1 in 81 seasons

Most Bowl Appearances In: Sun Bowl, 8

2nd Most Appearances In: Cotton Bowl and Gator Bowl, 4 apiece

3rd Most Appearances In: Alamo Bowl, 3

Most Bowl Wins In: Gator, 3

Last Bowl Game: 2012

Last BCS/Bowl Alliance/New Year’s Day Bowl Game: 1995 Cotton Bowl (definitely the last meaningful Cotton Bowl if you think the 1996 game between Oregon and Colorado wasn’t)

Bowling In 2013? Yes

New Year’s Day / BCS Bowl Records (including pre-BCS era):

Cotton: 0-2 when the Cotton Bowl was prestigious, 0-2 when not

Texas-El Paso (UTEP)

Bowl Record: 5-8 in 76 seasons (didn’t play from 1943-’45)

Most Bowl Appearances In: Sun Bowl, 8

2nd Most Appearances In: Five separate bowls, 1 apiece

Most Bowl Wins In: Sun, 5

Last Bowl Game: 2010

Bowling In 2013? No

Texas-San Antonio

Second FBS season - will not go bowling this year, and did not make a bowl in 2012, either.

Toledo

Bowl Record: 8-5 in 52 seasons

Most Bowl Appearances In: Tangerine Bowl and Motor City Bowl, 3 apiece

2nd Most Appearances In: California Bowl, 2

3rd Most Appearances In: Five separate bowls, 1 apiece

Most Bowl Wins In: Tangerine, 3

Last Bowl Game: 2012

Bowling In 2013? No

Troy

Bowl Record: 2-3 in 13 seasons

Most Bowl Appearances In: New Orleans Bowl, 3

2nd Most Appearances In: Silicon Valley Bowl and GMAC Bowl, 1 apiece

Most Bowl Wins In: New Orleans Bowl, 2

Last Bowl Game: 2010

Bowling In 2013? No

Tulane

Bowl Record: 4-7 in 108 seasons (didn’t play in 1903, 1905 or 1918)

Most Bowl Appearances In: Liberty Bowl, 3

2nd Most Appearances In: Sugar Bowl, 2

3rd Most Appearances In: Six separate bowls, 1 apiece

Most Bowl Wins In: Liberty, 2

Last Bowl Game: 2002

Last BCS/Bowl Alliance/New Year’s Day Bowl Game: 1940 Sugar Bowl

Bowling In 2013? Yes

New Year’s Day / BCS Bowl Records (including pre-BCS era):

Rose: 0-1

Sugar: 1-1

Tulsa

Bowl Record: 9-10 in 82 seasons (didn’t play from 1918-’32)

Most Bowl Appearances In: Six separate bowls, 2 apiece

2nd Most Appearances In: Seven separate bowls, 1 apiece

Most Bowl Wins In: Liberty and GoDaddy.Com (formerly GMAC) Bowls, 2

Last Bowl Game: 2012

Last BCS/Bowl Alliance/New Year’s Day Bowl Game: 1945 Orange Bowl

Bowling In 2013? No

New Year’s Day / BCS Bowl Records (including pre-BCS era):

Sugar: 0-2

Orange: 1-0

UCLA

Bowl Record: 14-17-1 in 85 seasons

Most Bowl Appearances In: Rose Bowl, 12

2nd Most Appearances In: Las Vegas Bowl, 3

3rd Most Appearances In: Four separate bowls, 2 apiece

Most Bowl Wins In: Rose, 5

Last Bowl Game: 2012

Last BCS/Bowl Alliance/New Year’s Day Bowl Game: 1999 Rose Bowl

Bowling In 2013? Yes

New Year’s Day / BCS Bowl Records (including pre-BCS era):

Rose: 5-7

Fiesta: 1-0 when the game was prestigious, 0-0-1 when the Fiesta Bowl wasn’t

Cotton: 1-0 when the game was prestigious, 1-0 when the Cotton Bowl wasn’t

Utah

Bowl Record: 14-4 in 107 seasons (didn’t play in 1909 or 1918)

Most Bowl Appearances In: Las Vegas (now MAACO) Bowl, 3

2nd Most Appearances In: Six separate bowls, 2 apiece

3rd Most Appearances In: Five separate bowls, 1 apiece

Most Bowl Wins In: Four separate bowls, 2 apiece

Last Bowl Game: 2011

Last BCS/Bowl Alliance/New Year’s Day Bowl Game: 2009 Sugar Bowl

Bowling In 2013? No

New Year’s Day / BCS Bowl Records (including pre-BCS era):

Sugar: 1-0

Fiesta: 1-0

Utah State

Bowl Record: 2-5 in 99 seasons (didn’t play in 1913, 1918 or 1943)

Most Bowl Appearances In: Potato (formerly Humanitarian) Bowl, 3

2nd Most Appearances In: Four separate bowls, 1 apiece

Most Bowl Wins In: Las Vegas and Potato Bowls, 1

Last Bowl Game: 2012

Bowling In 2013? Yes

Vanderbilt

Bowl Record: 3-2-1 in 109 seasons (didn’t play in 1943 and 1944)

Most Bowl Appearances In: Music City Bowl, 2


2nd Most Appearances In: Four separate bowls, 1 apiece
Most Bowl Wins In: Music City, 2

Last Bowl Game: 2012

Bowling In 2013? Yes

Virginia

Bowl Record: 7-11 in 110 seasons (didn’t play from 1891-1901, in 1906, and from 1917-’18)

Most Bowl Appearances In: Chick-Fil-A (formerly Peach) Bowl, 4

2nd Most Appearances In: Three separate bowls, 2 apiece

3rd Most Appearances In: Eight separate bowls, 1 apiece

Most Bowl Wins In: Chick-Fil-A (Peach) Bowl and Meineke Car Care (formerly Continental Tire) Bowl, 2 apiece

Last Bowl Game: 2011

Last BCS/Bowl Alliance/New Year’s Day Bowl Game: 1991 Sugar Bowl

Bowling In 2013? No

New Year’s Day / BCS Bowl Records (including pre-BCS era):

Sugar: 0-1

Virginia Tech

Bowl Record: 10-16 in 109 seasons (didn’t play in 1943 and 1944)

Most Bowl Appearances In: Gator Bowl, 5

2nd Most Appearances In: Chick-Fil-A (formerly Peach), Orange Bowl, and Sugar Bowl, 4 apiece

3rd Most Appearances In: Independence Bowl and Liberty Bowl, 2 apiece

Most Bowl Wins In: Chick-Fil-A (Peach) and Gator, 2 apiece

Last Bowl Game: 2012

Last BCS/Bowl Alliance/New Year’s Day Bowl Game: 2012 Sugar Bowl

Bowling In 2013? Yes

New Year’s Day / BCS Bowl Records (including pre-BCS era):

Orange: 1-3

Sugar: 1-3

Wake Forest

Bowl Record: 6-4 in 107 seasons

Most Bowl Appearances In: 10 separate bowls, 1 apiece

Most Bowl Wins In: Six separate bowls, 1 apiece

Last Bowl Game: 2011

Last BCS/Bowl Alliance/New Year’s Day Bowl Game: 2007 Orange Bowl

Bowling In 2013? No

New Year’s Day / BCS Bowl Records (including pre-BCS era):

Orange: 0-1

Washington

Bowl Record: 15-16-1 in 96 seasons (didn’t play in 1943)

Most Bowl Appearances In: Rose Bowl, 14

2nd Most Appearances In: Sun and Holiday Bowls, 4

3rd Most Appearances In: Aloha (now Hawaii) Bowl, 3

Most Bowl Wins In: Rose, 7

Last Bowl Game: 2012

Last BCS/Bowl Alliance/New Year’s Day Bowl Game: 2001 Rose Bowl

Bowling In 2013? Yes

New Year’s Day / BCS Bowl Records (including pre-BCS era):

Rose: 7-6-1

Orange: 1-0

Washington State

Bowl Record: 6-4 in 93 seasons (didn’t play in 1918 and in 1943-’44)

Most Bowl Appearances In: Rose Bowl, 4

2nd Most Appearances In: Holiday Bowl, 2

3rd Most Appearances In: Four separate bowls, 1 apiece

Most Bowl Wins In: Four separate bowls, 1 apiece

Last Bowl Game: 2003 (Holiday Bowl in December of that year)

Last BCS/Bowl Alliance/New Year’s Day Bowl Game: 2003 Rose Bowl

Bowling In 2013? Yes

New Year’s Day / BCS Bowl Records (including pre-BCS era):

Rose: 1-3

West Virginia

Bowl Record: 14-18 in 101 seasons (didn’t play from 1910-’12 and in 1918)

Most Bowl Appearances In: Gator Bowl, 7

2nd Most Appearances In: Peach (now Chick-Fil-A) Bowl, 4

3rd Most Appearances In: Sun Bowl, 3

Most Bowl Wins In: Peach (now Chick-Fil-A), 3

Last Bowl Game: 2012

Last BCS/Bowl Alliance/New Year’s Day Bowl Game: 2012 Orange Bowl

Bowling In 2013? No

New Year’s Day / BCS Bowl Records (including pre-BCS era):

Sugar: 1-2

Fiesta: 1-1

Orange: 1-0

Western Kentucky

0-1 in 7 seasons

Only Bowl Appearance: 2012 Little Caesars Bowl

Bowling in 2013? No

Western Michigan

Bowl Record: 0-5 in 53 seasons

Most Bowl Appearances In: Five separate bowls, 1 apiece

Last Bowl Game: 2011

Bowling In 2013? No

Wisconsin

Bowl Record: 11-13 in 121 seasons

Most Bowl Appearances In: Rose Bowl, 9

2nd Most Appearances In: Outback Bowl, 5

3rd Most Appearances In: Capital One Bowl and Champs Sports Bowl, 2 apiece

Most Bowl Wins In: Rose, 3

Last Bowl Game: 2013 Rose Bowl

Last BCS/Bowl Alliance/New Year’s Day Bowl Game: 2013 Rose Bowl

Bowling In 2013? Yes

New Year’s Day / BCS Bowl Records (including pre-BCS era):

Rose: 3-6

Wyoming

Bowl Record: 6-7 in 102 seasons (didn’t play from 1906-’08, in 1918, and from 1943-’45)

Most Bowl Appearances In: Sun Bowl, 3

2nd Most Appearances In: Holiday Bowl and Copper Bowl, 2 apiece

3rd Most Appearances In: Six separate bowls, 1 apiece

Most Bowl Wins In: Sun, 3

Last Bowl Game: 2011

Last BCS/Bowl Alliance/New Year’s Day Bowl Game: 1968 Sugar Bowl

Bowling In 2013? No

New Year’s Day / BCS Bowl Records (including pre-BCS era):

Sugar: 0-1