# College Football Belt Holders vs. BCS Champs **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [January 3, 2012, 11:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/college-football-belt-holders-vs-bcs-champs/608309 "2012-01-03T23:15:13Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 1

**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2012, 11:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/college-football-belt-holders-vs-bcs-champs/608309/1 "2012-01-03T23:15:13Z")

Using as sources for the data … > **[Bowl Championship Series](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bowl_Championship_Series)** > > The Bowl Championship Series (BCS) was a selection system that created four or five bowl game match-ups involving eight or ten of the top ranked teams in the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) of American college football, including an opportunity for the top two teams to compete in the BCS National Championship Game. The system was in place for the 1998 through 2013 seasons and in 2014 was replaced by the College Football Playoff. > The BCS relied on a combination of polls and comput... [http://collegefootballbelt.com/Seasons.htm](http://collegefootballbelt.com/Seasons.htm) … here’s a summary of how the two systems vary in terms of National Champion at the time of the BCS Championship Games Entries marked “\<\<\<\<\<\<\<” are where they differ. Discuss? =================================== History and schedule The games are listed in chronological order, the rankings reflect the final BCS standings, and the win-loss data is prior to the BCS Bowls. 1998-99 season Monday, January 4, 1999 Tostitos Fiesta Bowl, (National Championship): #1 Tennessee (12-0, BCS #1, SEC champion) 23, #2 Florida State (11-1, BCS #2, ACC champion) 16 \>\>\> BELT: Texas 1 11/27/1998 8/28/1999 \<\<\<\<\<\<\< 1999-2000 season Tuesday, January 4, 2000 Nokia Sugar Bowl (National Championship): #1 Florida State (11-0, BCS #1, ACC champion) 46, #2 Virginia Tech (11-0, BCS #2, Big East champion) 29 \>\>\> BELT: Florida State 14 9/18/1999 10/7/2000 2000-01 season Wednesday, January 3, 2001 FedEx Orange Bowl (National Championship): #1 Oklahoma (11-0, BCS #1, Big 12 champion) 13, #2 Florida State (10-1, BCS #2, ACC champion) 2 \>\>\> BELT: Miami, FLA 31 10/7/2000 1/3/2003 \<\<\<\<\<\<\< 2001-02 season Thursday, January 3, 2002 Rose Bowl Game presented by AT&T (National Championship): #1 Miami (11-0, BCS #1, Big East champion) 37, #2 Nebraska (11-1, BCS #2) 14 \>\>\> BELT: Miami, FLA 31 10/7/2000 1/3/2003 2002-03 season Friday, January 3, 2003 Tostitos Fiesta Bowl (National Championship): #2 Ohio State[18] (13-0, BCS #2, Big Ten champion) 31, #1 Miami (FL) (12-0, BCS #1, Big East champion) 24 (2 OT) \>\>\> BELT: Ohio State 5 1/3/2003 10/11/2003 2003-04 season Sunday, January 4, 2004 Nokia Sugar Bowl (National Championship) #2 LSU (12-1, BCS #2, SEC champion) 21, #1 Oklahoma (12-1, BCS #1) 14 \>\>\> BELT: Southern Cal 11 1/1/2004 12/4/2004 \<\<\<\<\<\<\< \*\* Though winning the BCS National Championship, the LSU Tigers were not consensus national champions. The USC Trojans ended the regular season ranked #3 in the final BCS standings, with three Coaches Poll voting coaches defecting from their agreement with the BCS to vote its designated game winner as champion, instead voting for USC.[20] USC was voted #1 in the Associated Press poll, and the AP awarded USC their National Championship. So, the 2003 Season ended with split champions which is what the BCS was organized to prevent. Because of this split championship, changes were made to the BCS formula for the 2004-05 season. 2004-05 season Tuesday, January 4, 2005 FedEx Orange Bowl (National Championship): #1 Southern California (11-0, BCS #1, Pac-10 champion) 55, #2 Oklahoma (12-0, BCS #2, Big 12 champion) 19 \>\>\> BELT: Vacated 13 12/4/2004 1/4/2006 \<\<\<\<\<\<\< \*\* Pursuant to NCAA sanctions, running back Reggie Bush was declared retroactively ineligible for the 2005 Orange Bowl. The 2004 BCS championship held by USC (as well as their participation in the game)[22] was vacated by the BCS committee on June 6, 2011 after the NCAA denied appeal of sanctions. 2005-06 season Wednesday, January 4, 2006 Rose Bowl Game presented by Citi (National Championship): #2 Texas (12-0, BCS #2, Big 12 champion) 41, #1 Southern California (0-0, BCS #1, Pac-10 champion now vacated) 38 \>\>\> BELT: Texas 1 1/4/2006 9/9/2006 \*\* Pursuant to NCAA sanctions, running back Reggie Bush was declared retroactively ineligible for the 2005 Orange Bowl and the entire 2005–06 season. USC’s participation in the 2006 Rose Bowl[22] was vacated by the BCS committee on June 6, 2011 after the NCAA denied appeal of sanctions. 2006-07 season Monday, January 8, 2007 Tostitos BCS National Championship: #2 Florida (11-1, BCS #2, SEC champion) 41, #1 Ohio State (12-0, BCS #1, Big Ten champion) 14 \>\>\> BELT: Florida 4 1/8/2007 9/27/2007 2007-08 season Monday, January 7, 2008 Allstate BCS National Championship: #2 LSU (11-2, BCS #2, SEC champion), 38, #1 Ohio State (11-1, BCS #1, Big Ten champion) 24 \>\>\> BELT: Missouri 5 1/1/2008 10/11/2008 \<\<\<\<\<\<\< 2008-09 season Thursday, January 8, 2009 FedEx BCS National Championship: #2 Florida (12-1, BCS #2, SEC champion) 24, #1 Oklahoma (12-1, BCS #1, Big 12 champion) 14 \>\>\> BELT: Florida 12 1/8/2009 12/5/2009 2009-10 season Thursday, January 7, 2010 Citi BCS National Championship: #1 Alabama (13-0, BCS #1, SEC Champion) 37 vs #2 Texas (13-0, BCS #2, Big 12 Champion) 21 \>\>\> BELT: Alabama 6 12/5/2009 10/9/2010 2010-11 season Monday, January 10, 2011 Tostitos BCS National Championship: #1 Auburn (13-0, BCS #1, SEC Champion) 22 vs. #2 Oregon (12-0, BCS #2, Pac-10 Champion) 19 \>\>\> BELT: Auburn 3 12/4/2010 9/17/2011 ---

**Author:** ![mkecane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9e8a1a/32.png) [@mkecane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mkecane)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2012, 2:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/college-football-belt-holders-vs-bcs-champs/608309/2 "2012-01-04T14:25:27Z")

Woo, Hurricanes! Miami’s held the belt longest (by far!) in the BCS era. ---

**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2012, 3:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/college-football-belt-holders-vs-bcs-champs/608309/3 "2012-01-04T15:29:33Z")

> [@mkecane](#): > > Woo, Hurricanes! Miami’s held the belt longest (by far!) in the BCS era. That’s going to be a hard record to beat, too. What’s most interesting to me about the discrepancies between The Belt and the BCS is that there are so few of them and they can be relatively easy to explain. The fact that The Belt is not in play this BCSCG just points to the apparent parity of the “best teams” at the moment. Seeing another dynasty like Miami, USCw, Florida State and the older Nebraska era may take a while to build. Getting The Belt into the hands of LSU, Bama, or whatever other contender exists these days may take a season to happen, what with scheduling being the main barrier. I have still not found reliable 2012 schedules for WVU and Clemson so we can begin playing games with how The Belt will change hands this year. Ideas? ---

**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2012, 4:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/college-football-belt-holders-vs-bcs-champs/608309/4 "2012-01-04T16:17:32Z")

Here’s a stripped-down version of the OP that shows where The Belt was when the BCS Champ didn’t win it. The “Vacated” period is hopefully self-explanatory. # ======================== Sources: [Bowl Championship Series - Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bowl_Championship_Series) [http://collegefootballbelt.com/Seasons.htm](http://collegefootballbelt.com/Seasons.htm) ================================================================= 1998-99 season Monday, January 4, 1999 Tostitos Fiesta Bowl, (National Championship): #1 Tennessee (12-0, BCS #1, SEC champion) 23, #2 Florida State (11-1, BCS #2, ACC champion) 16 \>\>\> BELT: Texas 1 11/27/1998 8/28/1999 \<\<\<\<\<\<\< Mississippi State - Cotton Bowl 1/1/1999 38-11 2-0 Mack Brown ================================================================= 2000-01 season Wednesday, January 3, 2001 FedEx Orange Bowl (National Championship): #1 Oklahoma (11-0, BCS #1, Big 12 champion) 13, #2 Florida State (10-1, BCS #2, ACC champion) 2 \>\>\> BELT: Miami, FLA 31 10/7/2000 1/3/2003 \<\<\<\<\<\<\< Florida - Sugar Bowl 1/2/2001 37-20 10-7 Butch Davis ================================================================= 2003-04 season Sunday, January 4, 2004 Nokia Sugar Bowl (National Championship) #2 LSU (12-1, BCS #2, SEC champion) 21, #1 Oklahoma (12-1, BCS #1) 14 \>\>\> BELT: Southern Cal 11 1/1/2004 12/4/2004 \<\<\<\<\<\<\< Michigan - Rose Bowl 1/1/2004 28-14 45-10-3 Pete Carroll ================================================================= 2004-05 season Tuesday, January 4, 2005 FedEx Orange Bowl (National Championship): #1 Southern California (11-0, BCS #1, Pac-10 champion) 55, #2 Oklahoma (12-0, BCS #2, Big 12 champion) 19 # \>\>\> BELT: Vacated 13 12/4/2004 1/4/2006 \<\<\<\<\<\<\< 2007-08 season Monday, January 7, 2008 Allstate BCS National Championship: #2 LSU (11-2, BCS #2, SEC champion), 38, #1 Ohio State (11-1, BCS #1, Big Ten champion) 24 \>\>\> BELT: Missouri 5 1/1/2008 10/11/2008 \<\<\<\<\<\<\< Arkansas - Cotton Bowl 1/1/2008 38-7 1-5 Gary Pinkel ================================================================= ---

**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2012, 7:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/college-football-belt-holders-vs-bcs-champs/608309/5 "2012-01-04T19:55:59Z")

Here’s some more food for thought/discussion that was collected from > **[Rivals.com](https://n.rivals.com/)** > > The definitive source for all Rivals news. [http://collegefootballbelt.com/Seasons.htm](http://collegefootballbelt.com/Seasons.htm) ==================================================== ```auto Lineage of Champions Champion Successful Defenses Date Belt Won Date Belt Lost Conference as of 1/4/2012 Clemson 0 12/3/2011 ACC Virginia Tech 2 11/10/2011 12/3/2011 Georgia Tech 0 10/29/2011 11/10/2011 Clemson 5 9/17/2011 10/29/2011 Auburn 3 12/4/2010 9/17/2011 SEC South Carolina 2 11/13/2010 12/4/2010 Florida 1 10/30/2010 11/13/2010 Georgia 0 10/23/2010 10/30/2010 Kentucky 0 10/16/2010 10/23/2010 South Carolina 0 10/9/2010 10/16/2010 Alabama 6 12/5/2009 10/9/2010 Florida 12 1/8/2009 12/5/2009 Oklahoma 2 11/22/2008 1/8/2009 Big XII Texas Tech 1 11/1/2008 11/22/2008 Texas 0 10/25/2008 11/1/2008 Oklahoma State 1 10/11/2008 10/25/2008 Missouri 5 1/1/2008 10/11/2008 Arkansas 0 11/23/2007 1/1/2008 SEC Louisiana State 3 10/20/2007 11/23/2007 Auburn 2 9/27/2007 10/20/2007 Florida 4 1/8/2007 9/27/2007 Ohio State 10 9/9/2006 1/8/2007 B1G Texas 1 1/4/2006 9/9/2006 Big XII Vacated 13 12/4/2004 1/4/2006 === Southern Cal 11 1/1/2004 12/4/2004 PAC-12 Michigan 3 10/25/2003 1/1/2004 B1G Purdue 0 10/18/2003 10/25/2003 Wisconsin 0 10/11/2003 10/18/2003 Ohio State 5 1/3/2003 10/11/2003 Miami, FLA 31 10/7/2000 1/3/2003 ACC Florida State 14 9/18/1999 10/7/2000 North Carolina State 2 8/28/1999 9/18/1999 Texas 1 11/27/1998 8/28/1999 Big XII Texas A&M 5 10/10/1998 11/27/1998 Nebraska 15 9/20/1997 10/10/1998 B1G Washington 1 9/6/1997 9/20/1997 PAC-12 Brigham Young 7 10/19/1996 9/6/1997 IND Tulsa 2 9/21/1996 10/19/1996 C-USA Iowa 1 9/7/1996 9/21/1996 B1G Arizona 1 11/24/1995 9/7/1996 PAC-12 Arizona State 3 10/14/1995 11/24/1995 Brigham Young 0 9/30/1995 10/14/1995 IND Colorado State 0 9/16/1995 9/30/1995 MWC Air Force 0 9/9/1995 9/16/1995 Wyoming 1 11/12/1994 9/9/1995 New Mexico 0 11/5/1994 11/12/1994 Utah 1 10/22/1994 11/5/1994 PAC-12 Colorado State 1 10/8/1994 10/22/1994 MWC Arizona 5 11/26/1993 10/8/1994 PAC-12 Arizona State 0 11/13/1993 11/26/1993 UCLA 3 10/16/1993 11/13/1993 Washington 0 10/9/1993 10/16/1993 California 4 9/4/1993 10/9/1993 UCLA 0 11/21/1992 9/4/1993 Southern Cal 0 11/14/1992 11/21/1992 Arizona 0 11/7/1992 11/14/1992 Washington 4 10/3/1992 11/7/1992 Southern Cal 0 9/19/1992 10/3/1992 Oklahoma 1 9/3/1992 9/19/1992 Big XII Texas Tech 1 11/16/1991 9/3/1992 Baylor 1 10/26/1991 11/16/1991 Texas Christian 0 10/19/1991 10/26/1991 MWC Rice 0 10/12/1991 10/19/1991 C-USA Baylor 3 9/14/1991 10/12/1991 Big XII Colorado 1 1/1/1991 9/14/1991 PAC-12 Notre Dame 0 11/24/1990 1/1/1991 IND Southern Cal 0 11/17/1990 11/24/1990 PAC-12 UCLA 0 11/10/1990 11/17/1990 Washington 1 10/27/1990 11/10/1990 California 3 9/29/1990 10/27/1990 Arizona 2 9/8/1990 9/29/1990 Illinois 0 1/1/1990 9/8/1990 B1G Virginia 2 11/4/1989 1/1/1990 ACC North Carolina State 0 10/28/1989 11/4/1989 South Carolina 2 9/30/1989 10/28/1989 SEC Georgia 0 9/23/1989 9/30/1989 Mississippi State 0 9/9/1989 9/23/1989 Southern Miss 0 9/2/1989 9/9/1989 C-USA Florida State 9 9/17/1988 9/2/1989 ACC Clemson 2 1/1/1988 9/17/1988 Penn State 0 11/21/1987 1/1/1988 B1G Notre Dame 0 11/14/1987 11/21/1987 IND Alabama 0 11/7/1987 11/14/1987 SEC Louisiana State 3 10/3/1987 11/7/1987 Florida 1 9/19/1987 10/3/1987 Alabama 0 9/12/1987 9/19/1987 Penn State 6 10/25/1986 9/12/1987 B1G Alabama 7 12/28/1985 10/25/1986 SEC Southern Cal 1 11/23/1985 12/28/1985 PAC-12 UCLA 1 11/9/1985 11/23/1985 Arizona 0 11/2/1985 11/9/1985 Oregon State 0 10/19/1985 11/2/1985 Washington 2 9/28/1985 10/19/1985 UCLA 4 11/17/1984 9/28/1985 Southern Cal 0 11/10/1984 11/17/1984 Washington 7 9/15/1984 11/10/1984 Michigan 0 9/8/1984 9/15/1984 B1G Miami, FLA 1 8/27/1984 9/8/1984 ACC Auburn 4 10/29/1983 8/27/1984 SEC Florida 2 10/1/1983 10/29/1983 Louisiana State 0 9/24/1983 10/1/1983 Washington 0 9/17/1983 9/24/1983 PAC-12 Michigan 0 9/10/1983 9/17/1983 B1G Washington State 1 11/20/1982 9/10/1983 PAC-12 Washington 0 11/13/1982 11/20/1982 Arizona State 3 10/9/1982 11/13/1982 Stanford 1 9/25/1982 10/9/1982 Ohio State 3 11/21/1981 9/25/1982 B1G Michigan 2 10/31/1981 11/21/1981 Minnesota 0 10/24/1981 10/31/1981 Iowa 3 9/26/1981 10/24/1981 UCLA 0 9/19/1981 9/26/1981 PAC-12 Wisconsin 0 9/12/1981 9/19/1981 B1G Michigan 0 1/1/1981 9/12/1981 Washington 1 11/15/1980 1/1/1981 PAC-12 Southern Cal 24 11/11/1978 11/15/1980 Washington 1 10/28/1978 11/11/1978 Arizona State 0 10/14/1978 10/28/1978 Southern Cal 2 9/23/1978 10/14/1978 Alabama 9 10/8/1977 9/23/1978 SEC Southern Cal 6 11/20/1976 10/8/1977 PAC-12 UCLA 10 1/1/1976 11/20/1976 Ohio State 7 10/4/1975 1/1/1976 B1G UCLA 1 9/20/1975 10/4/1975 PAC-12 Tennessee 6 10/26/1974 9/20/1975 SEC Clemson 0 10/19/1974 10/26/1974 ACC Duke 1 10/5/1974 10/19/1974 Purdue 0 9/28/1974 10/5/1974 B1G Notre Dame 7 10/27/1973 9/28/1974 IND Southern Cal 6 1/1/1973 10/27/1973 PAC-12 Ohio State 0 11/25/1972 1/1/1973 B1G Michigan 8 9/23/1972 11/25/1972 UCLA 1 9/9/1972 9/23/1972 PAC-12 Nebraska 0 1/1/1972 9/9/1972 B1G ```