The 2013–14 NCAA football bowl games were a series of college football bowl games. They concluded the 2013 NCAA Division I FBS football season and included 35 team-competitive games and three all-star games (down from four as the Texas vs the Nation game was cancelled for this season). The games began on Saturday, December 21, 2013, and, aside from the all-star games, ended with the 2014 BCS National Championship at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena that was played on January 6, 2014.
The total of 35 team-competitive bowls was unchanged from the previous year. While bowl games had been the purview of only the very best teams for nearly a century, this was the eighth consecutive year that teams with non-winning seasons participated in bowl games. To fill the 70 available bowl slots, a total of eight teams (11% of all participants) with non-winning seasons participated in bowl games—all eight had a .500 (6–6) season.
Schedule The 2013–14 bowl season served as the last for the Bowl Championship Series (BCS) format. Starting in 2014–15, a new system, the College Football Playoff, was used.
The 2013–2014 bowl game schedule, with 70 teams to compete in 35 bowls, was announced in May 2013."2013–14 Bowl Schedule", ESPN, May 22, 2013. Retrieved October 20, 2013. All bowl game participants were selected by December 8, 2013.
Note: All times are EST (UTC−5). Rankings from final BCS poll.
Non-BCS games DateGameSiteTelevisionTeamsAffiliationsResultsDec. 21New Mexico BowlUniversity StadiumUniversity of New Mexico<br/ >Albuquerque, NM2:00 pmESPNColorado State Rams (7–6)Washington State Cougars (6–6)MWPac-12Colorado State 48Washington State 45Las Vegas BowlSam Boyd StadiumUniversity of Nevada, Las VegasWhitney, NV3:30 pmABC#25 USC Trojans (9–4)#20 Fresno State Bulldogs (11–1)Pac-12MWUSC 45Fresno State 20Famous Idaho Potato BowlBronco StadiumBoise, ID5:30 pmESPNSan Diego State Aztecs (7–5)Buffalo Bulls (8–4)MWMACSan Diego State 49Buffalo 24New Orleans BowlMercedes-Benz SuperdomeNew Orleans, LA9:00 pmLouisiana–Lafayette Ragin' Cajuns (8–4)Tulane Green Wave (7–5)Sun BeltC-USALouisiana–Lafayette 24Tulane 21Dec. 23Beef 'O' Brady's BowlTropicana FieldSt. Petersburg, FL2:00 pmEast Carolina Pirates (9–3)Ohio Bobcats (7–5)C-USAMACEast Carolina 37Ohio 20Dec. 24Hawai'i BowlAloha StadiumHonolulu, HI8:00 pmOregon State Beavers (6–6) Boise State Broncos (8–4)Pac-12MWOregon State 38Boise State 23Dec. 26Little Caesars Pizza BowlFord FieldDetroit, MI6:00 pmPittsburgh Panthers (6–6)Bowling Green Falcons (10–3)ACCMACPittsburgh 30Bowling Green 27Poinsettia BowlQualcomm StadiumSan Diego, CA9:30 pmUtah State Aggies (8–5)#23 NIU Huskies (12–1)MWMACUtah State 21NIU 14Dec. 27Military BowlNavy–Marine Corps Memorial StadiumUnited States Naval AcademyAnnapolis, MD2:30 pmMarshall Thundering Herd (9–4)Maryland Terrapins (7–5)C-USAACCMarshall 31Maryland 20Texas BowlReliant StadiumHouston, TX6:00 pmSyracuse Orange (6–6)Minnesota Golden Gophers (8–4)ACCBig TenSyracuse 21Minnesota 17Fight Hunger BowlAT&T ParkSan Francisco, CA9:30 pmWashington Huskies (8–4)BYU Cougars (8–4)Pac-12IndependentWashington 31BYU 16Dec. 28Pinstripe BowlYankee StadiumBronx, NYNoonNotre Dame Fighting Irish (8–4)Rutgers Scarlet Knights (6–6)Pinstripe Bowl set: Rutgers to play Notre Dame in Yankee StadiumIndependentAmericanNotre Dame 29Rutgers 16Belk BowlBank of America StadiumCharlotte, NC3:20 pmNorth Carolina Tar Heels (6–6)Cincinnati Bearcats (9–3)ACCAmericanNorth Carolina 39Cincinnati 17Russell Athletic BowlFlorida Citrus Bowl StadiumOrlando, FL6:45 pm#18 Louisville Cardinals (11–1) Miami Hurricanes (9–3)AmericanACC Louisville 36Miami 9Buffalo Wild Wings BowlSun Devil StadiumArizona State UniversityTempe, AZ10:15 pmKansas State Wildcats (7–5)Michigan Wolverines (7–5)Big 12Big TenKansas State 31Michigan 14Dec. 30Armed Forces BowlAmon G. Carter StadiumTexas Christian UniversityFort Worth, TX11:45 amNavy Midshipmen (8–4)Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders (8–4)IndependentC-USANavy 24Middle Tennessee 6Music City BowlLP FieldNashville, TN3:15 pmOle Miss Rebels (7–5)Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets (7–5)SECACCOle Miss 25Georgia Tech 17Alamo BowlAlamodomeSan Antonio, TX6:45 pm#10 Oregon Ducks (10–2)Texas Longhorns (8–4)Pac-12Big 12Oregon 30Texas 7Holiday BowlQualcomm Stadium San Diego, CA 10:15 pmTexas Tech Red Raiders (7–5)#14 Arizona State Sun Devils (10–3)Big 12Pac-12Texas Tech 37Arizona State 23Dec. 31AdvoCare V100 BowlIndependence StadiumShreveport, LA12:30 pmArizona Wildcats (7–5)Boston College Eagles (7–5)Pac-12ACCArizona 42Boston College 19Sun BowlSun Bowl StadiumUniversity of Texas El PasoEl Paso, TX2:00 pmCBS#17 UCLA Bruins (9–3)Virginia Tech Hokies (8–4)Pac-12ACCUCLA 42Virginia Tech 12Liberty BowlLiberty Bowl Memorial StadiumMemphis, TN4:00 pmESPNMississippi State Bulldogs (6–6)Rice Owls (10–3)SECC-USAMississippi State 44Rice 7Chick-fil-A BowlGeorgia DomeAtlanta, GA8:00 pm#21 Texas A&M Aggies (8–4)#24 Duke Blue Devils (10–3)SECACCTexas A&M 52Duke 48Jan. 1Gator BowlEverBank FieldJacksonville, FLNoonESPN2Nebraska Cornhuskers (8–4)#22 Georgia Bulldogs (8–4)Big TenSECNebraska 24Georgia 19Heart of Dallas BowlCotton BowlDallas, TXNoonESPNUNorth Texas Mean Green (8–4)UNLV Rebels (7–5)C-USAMW North Texas 36UNLV 14Capital One BowlFlorida Citrus Bowl StadiumOrlando, FL1:00 pmABC#9 South Carolina Gamecocks (10–2)#19 Wisconsin Badgers (9–3)SECBig Ten South Carolina 34Wisconsin 24Outback BowlRaymond James StadiumTampa, FL1:00 pmESPN#16 LSU Tigers (9–3)Iowa Hawkeyes (8–4)SECBig TenLSU 21Iowa 14Jan. 3Cotton Bowl ClassicAT&T StadiumArlington, TX7:30 pmFOX#8 Missouri Tigers (11–2)#13 Oklahoma State Cowboys (10–2)SECBig 12Missouri 41Oklahoma State 31 Jan. 4BBVA Compass BowlLegion FieldBirmingham, AL1:00 pmESPNVanderbilt Commodores (8–4)Houston Cougars (8–4)SECAmericanVanderbilt 41Houston 24 Jan. 5GoDaddy BowlLadd–Peebles StadiumMobile, AL9:00 pmArkansas State Red Wolves (7–5)Ball State Cardinals (10–2)Sun BeltMACArkansas State 23Ball State 20
BCS Games
DateGameSiteTelevisionTeamsAffiliationsResultsJan. 1Rose BowlRose BowlPasadena, CA5:00 pmESPN#4 Michigan State Spartans (12–1)#5 Stanford Cardinal (11–2)Big TenPac-12Michigan State 24Stanford 20Fiesta BowlUniversity of Phoenix StadiumGlendale, AZ8:30 pm#15 UCF Knights (11–1)#6 Baylor Bears (11–1)AmericanBig 12UCF 52Baylor 42 Jan. 2Sugar BowlMercedes-Benz SuperdomeNew Orleans, LA8:30 pm#11 Oklahoma Sooners (10–2)#3 Alabama Crimson Tide (11–1)Big 12SECOklahoma 45Alabama 31 Jan. 3Orange BowlSun Life StadiumMiami Gardens, FL8:30 pm#12 Clemson Tigers (10–2)#7 Ohio State Buckeyes (12–1)ACCBig TenClemson 40Ohio State 35 Jan. 6BCS National Championship GameRose BowlPasadena, CA8:30 pm#1 Florida State Seminoles (13–0)#2 Auburn Tigers (12–1)ACCSECFlorida State 34Auburn 31
Post BCS all-star games DateGameSiteTelevisionParticipantsResultsJan. 11Medal of Honor BowlJohnson Hagood StadiumCharleston, SC2:00 pmNBCSNAmerican Team vs. National TeamAmerican 20 National 3Jan. 18East-West Shrine GameTropicana FieldSt. Petersburg, FL4:00 pmNFL NetworkEast Team vs. West TeamEast 23 West 13NFLPA Collegiate BowlStubHub CenterCarson, CA6:00 pmESPN2American Team vs. National TeamNational 31 American 17Jan. 25Senior BowlLadd–Peebles StadiumMobile, AL4:00 pmNFL NetworkNorth Team vs.South TeamSouth 20 North 10
Bowl Challenge Cup standings
Conference Total games Wins Losses Pct. Sun Belt * 2 2 0 SEC 10 7 3 Independents 3 2 1 Pac-12 9 6 3 Big 12 6 3 3 C-USA 6 3 3 MW 6 3 3 ACC 11 5 6 American 5 2 3 Big Ten 7 2 5 MAC 5 0 5 * Sun Belt does not meet minimum game requirement of three teams needed for a conference to be eligible.
Selection of the teams
To play in a bowl game, a college football team must qualify to do so according to the NCAA rules of bowl eligibility.
As in the 2010, 2011, and 2012 seasons, initial bowl eligibility would go to teams with no lower than a non-losing record (6–6) for the season. On August 2, 2012, the NCAA Division I Board of Directors approved a significant change to the process to determine bowl eligible teams, going so far as to potentially allow 5–7 teams to go to a bowl, in case there were not enough regular bowl-eligible teams to fill every game.
The easing of the bowl eligibility rules resulted in a record number of teams, 79 versus the 71 or 72 of the past few seasons, being deemed eligible for selection to a 2013–14 bowl game. The easing of rules to include teams with losing records and teams from the lower Football Championship Subdivision (FCS), will carry extra importance starting in the 2014–15 bowl season, when the number of bowl games will increase to 39—requiring 78 eligible teams.
If a bowl has one or more conferences/teams unable to meet their contractual commitments and there are no available bowl-eligible teams, the open spots can be filled – by the particular bowl's sponsoring agencies – as follows:
Teams finishing with an above .500 record, that is, 7–5. In case of two teams with identical record, the team with a .500 or above in conference play, AND winning percentage in a) FIRST non-conference Road games against i) BCS conference opponents, ii) Division I non BCS conference opponents, b) SECOND non-conference Neutral-site games against iii) BCS conference opponents, iv) Division I non BCS conference opponents, c) THIRD non-conference Home games against v) BCS conference opponents, vi) Division I non BCS conference opponents, and last, games at home against lower division opponents. Teams finishing 6–6 with one win against a team from the lower Football Championship Subdivision (FCS), regardless of whether that FCS school meets NCAA scholarship requirements. Until now, an FCS win counted only if that opponent met the scholarship requirements—specifically, that school had to award at least 90% of the FCS maximum of 63 scholarship equivalents over a two-year period. In the 2013 season, programs in four FCS conferences cannot meet the 90% requirement (56.7 equivalents)—the Ivy League, which prohibits all athletic scholarships; the Pioneer Football League, which does not currently award football scholarships; the Patriot League, which only began awarding football scholarships in the 2012 season and had a limit of 30 equivalents in the 2013 season; and the Northeast Conference, which limits football scholarships to 40 equivalents. 6–6 teams with two wins over FCS schools. 6–7 teams that normally play a 13-team schedule, such as Hawaii's home opponents. Although Hawaii normally plays a 13-game schedule, it is only playing 12 games this season. FCS teams who are in the final year of the two-year FBS transition process, if they have at least a 6–6 record. Finally, 5–7 teams that have a top-5 Academic Progress Rate (APR) score. This was later adjusted to allow other 5–7 teams to be selected thereafter—in order of their APR.
Under a rule change approved by the NCAA Legislative Council on May 3, 2013, teams that enter a conference championship game with a 6–6 record, with no more than one win over an FCS school, are bowl-eligible regardless of the result of the championship game, without the team having to seek an NCAA waiver.
Bowl Championship Series Ten teams were selected for the Bowl Championship Series:
Conference Champions American: UCF ACC: Florida State Big 12: Baylor Big Ten: Michigan State Pac-12: Stanford SEC: Auburn
At-large selections Alabama (SEC) Clemson (ACC) Ohio State (Big Ten) Oklahoma (Big 12)
BCS top 25 teams