If the BCS Had Had a Final Four from the Beginning

Let's apply the system proposed to go into effect after the 2013 season to the 1998-2011 seasons under previous BCS formats. In all cases, we're applying these rules.

  1. The team ranked #1 in the final BCS standings (however they were computed that year) plays the #4 team in the bowl that has an affiliation with the #1 team's conference.
  2. The #2 and #3 teams play in the other semifinal in the #2 team's affiliated bowl.

I'm particularly interested in how many times two teams from the same conference would have played in the semifinals. In years where this would have happened, we list the alternate pairings if the second team from a conference is ineligible.

  • 1998
    #1 Tennessee (SEC) vs #4 Ohio State (Big Ten) in Sugar Bowl
    #2 Florida State (ACC) vs #3 Kansas State (Big 12) in Orange Bowl

  • 1999
    #1 Florida State (ACC) vs #4 Alabama (SEC) in Orange Bowl
    #2 Virginia Tech (Big East) vs #3 Nebraska (Big 12) in Fiesta Bowl
    (Fiesta chosen because Big East had tie-in with Orange Bowl, same as FSU.)

  • 2000
    #1 Oklahoma (Big 12) vs #4 Washington (Pac-10) in Fiesta Bowl
    #2 Florida State (ACC) vs #3 Miami (Big East) in Orange Bowl

  • 2001
    #1 Miami (Big East) vs #4 Oregon (Pac-10) in Orange Bowl
    #2 Nebraska (Big 12) vs #3 Colorado (Big 12) in Fiesta Bowl
    If only conference champions may participate, Nebraska is eliminated and the pairings become this:
    #1 Miami (Big East) vs #5 Florida (SEC) in Orange Bowl
    #3 Colorado (Big 12) vs #4 Oregon (Pac-10) in Fiesta Bowl

  • 2002
    #1 Miami (Big East) vs #4 USC (Pac-10) in Orange Bowl
    #2 Ohio State (Big Ten) vs #3 Georgia (SEC) in Rose Bowl

  • 2003
    #1 Oklahoma (Big 12) vs #4 Michigan (Big Ten) in Fiesta Bowl
    #2 LSU (SEC) vs #3 USC (Pac-10) in Sugar Bowl
    If only conference champions allowed, then Oklahoma is eliminated as are #5 Ohio State and #6 Texas. (Kansas State won the Big 12.) So #7 Florida State enters the playoff.
    #2 LSU (SEC) vs #7 Florida State (ACC) in Sugar Bowl
    #3 USC (Pac-10) vs #4 Michigan (Big Ten) in Rose Bowl

  • 2004
    #1 USC (Pac-10) vs #4 Texas (Big 12) in Rose Bowl
    #2 Oklahoma (Big 12) vs #3 Auburn (SEC) in Fiesta Bowl
  • If only conference champions allowed, then Texas is eliminated, as is #5 California. So #6 Utah enters the playoff.
    #1 USC (Pac-10) vs #6 Utah (MWC) in Rose Bowl
    #2 Oklahoma (Big 12) vs #3 Auburn (SEC) in Fiesta Bowl

  • 2005
    #1 USC (Pac-10) vs #4 Ohio State (Big Ten) in Rose Bowl
    #2 Texas (Big 12) vs #3 Penn State (Big Ten) in Fiesta Bowl
    If rules prohibit two teams from same conference, then #4 Ohio State is eliminated. So is #5 Oregon.
    #1 USC (Pac-10) vs #6 Notre Dame (Independent) in Rose Bowl
    #2 Texas (Big 12) vs #3 Penn State (Big Ten) in Fiesta Bowl

  • 2006
    #1 Ohio State (Big 10) vs #4 LSU (SEC) in Rose Bowl
    #2 Florida (SEC) vs #3 Michigan (Big 10) in Sugar Bowl
    If second team from conference not allowed, LSU and Michigan are replaced by USC and Louisville.
    #1 Ohio State (Big 10) vs #6 Louisville (Big East) in Rose Bowl
    #2
    Florida (SEC) vs #5 USC (Pac 10) in Sugar Bowl

  • 2007
    #1 Ohio State (Big 10) vs #4 Oklahoma (Big 12) in Rose Bowl
    #2 LSU (SEC) vs #3 Virginia Tech (ACC) in Sugar Bowl

  • 2008
    #1 Oklahoma (Big 12) vs #4 Alabama (SEC) in Fiesta Bowl
    #2 Florida (SEC) vs #3 Texas (Big 12) in Sugar Bowl
    If no repeaters from a conference, then Alabama and Texas replaced by USC and Utah.
    #1 Oklahoma (Big 12) vs #6 Utah (Mountain West) in Fiesta Bowl
    #2 Florida (SEC)
    vs #5 USC (Pac 10) in Sugar Bowl

  • 2009
    #1 Alabama (SEC) vs #4 TCU (Mountain West) in Sugar Bowl
    #2 Texas (Big 12) vs #3 Cincinnati (Big East) in Fiesta Bowl

  • 2010
    #1 Auburn (SEC) vs #4 Stanford (Pac 10) in Sugar Bowl
    #2 Oregon (Pac-10) vs #3 TCU (Mountain West) in Rose Bowl
    If the second Pac 10 team, Stanford, is ineligible, Wisconsin enters the fray.
    #1 Auburn (SEC) vs #5 Wisconsin (Big Ten) in Sugar Bowl
    #2 Oregon (Pac-10) vs #3 TCU (Mountain West) in Rose Bowl


  • 2011
    #1 LSU (SEC) vs #4 Stanford (Pac 10) in Sugar Bowl
    #2 Alabama (SEC) vs #3 Oklahoma State (Big 12) in Fiesta Bowl
    If only conference champions allowed, then Alabama is ineligible as are #4 Stanford, which lost head-to-head with #5 Oregon, and
    #6 Arkansas. So #7 Boise State takes the fourth spot.
    #1 LSU (SEC) vs #7 Boise State (Mountain West) in Sugar Bowl
    #3 Oklahoma State (Big 12) vs #5 Oregon (Pac 10) in Fiesta Bowl

Golden Rankings Home

 

# Appearances by Teams of Each Conference in Final Four 1998-2011
Conference Top 4
Only champs
ACC 4 5
Big 10 8 7
Big 12 14 11
Big East 5 6
Mountain West 2 4
PAC 10 9 11
SEC 14 12

Semifinals Host Bowls 1998-2011
Conference Top 4
Only champs
Fiesta Bowl 9 8
Sugar Bowl 8 8
Rose Bowl 6 7
Orange Bowl 5 5

Interesting note: The Orange Bowl's five games were the first five years of the BCS when FSU and Miami were prominent.