20:
139:
233:
Prior to the 2022 season, the NCAA gave conferences full freedom to determine the participants in their championship games. The Pac-12 scrapped its football divisions, effective immediately, on the very same day that the NCAA passed this rule change, soon followed by the MW and ACC effective in 2023.
237:
Beginning in the 2024-25 season the top 5 ranked winners of conference receive automatic bids to the
College Football Playoff with the top 4 ranked conference champions receiving a bye to the second round. Since every conference champion is decided by a championship game as of that season, the games
198:(SBC) did not have championship games, as neither conference had the required minimum of 12 teams. In January 2016, the NCAA approved championship games for smaller conferences, provided the championship game features either (1) the top two teams at the end of a full
169:
added its twelfth team (while retaining its name), split into six-team divisions, and added a championship game. That same season, what had been the
Pacific-10 Conference added two teams, split into six-team divisions, renamed itself the
218:. At that time, the SBC operated with all teams in a single division but did not play a full round-robin schedule and did not hold a championship game. The conference dropped to 10 football members after the football-only memberships of
53:
Before the 2016 season, the NCAA required that a conference have a minimum of 12 teams and play in two divisions in order to hold a football championship game that did not count against the limit of 12 regular-season games per team.
202:
conference schedule, or (2) the winners of each of two divisions, with each team playing a full round-robin schedule within its division. Following that change to NCAA rules, the Big 12 reinstated its championship game in
1297:
102:
dissolved and were essentially replaced by the Big 12, with twelve teams divided into six-team divisions; while the WAC expanded to sixteen teams, divided into eight-team divisions. This was followed in
1290:
1283:
967:
289:
234:
The Big Ten, MAC, and SEC all eliminated football divisions after the 2023 season, leaving the SBC as the only FBS conference using a divisional alignment in football.
1051:
584:
1437:
1323:
281:
1122:
1145:
1371:
680:
576:
150:
The requirement for a conference to have 12 teams in order to stage a championship game caused the Big 12 to discontinue its championship game after the
697:
230:, which it facilitated by splitting into two five-team divisions. Thus, 2018 was the first season that all FBS conferences held a championship game.
119:(MW); the WAC thus discontinued its championship games (the conference would stop sponsoring football after 2012; it reinstated football in 2021 in
1387:
672:
489:
1236:
1170:
1056:
705:
155:
726:
510:
345:
1355:
481:
462:
34:
227:
211:
204:
183:
175:
162:
151:
637:
387:
360:
62:
The first post-regular season conference championship game played in
Division I-A football (what is now Division I FBS) was the
590:
396:
215:
124:
112:
104:
91:
79:
75:
1442:
1192:
309:
652:
226:
were not extended following the 2017 season. The conference announced that it would begin playing a championship game in
1339:
1258:
447:
379:
19:
1406:
780:
557:
543:
498:
992:
411:
223:
120:
686:
295:
844:
1363:
901:
873:
601:
529:
438:
67:
27:
807:
179:
87:
628:
537:
336:
63:
45:
holding its first championship game in 2018, all 9 active FBS conferences now have championship games.
934:
372:
128:
1275:
1347:
911:
719:
430:
116:
1100:
1028:
368:
108:
71:
1002:
219:
199:
1414:
1379:
1331:
812:
767:
661:
620:
328:
1078:
186:; both structured themselves into six-team divisions and began staging championship games.
99:
95:
207:, operating with 10 teams in a single division while playing a full round-robin schedule.
8:
522:
238:
can serve as de-facto playoff qualification games. (Espically for teams in the power 4.)
195:
111:, which expanded from ten to twelve teams, divided into six-team divisions. Prior to the
42:
944:
166:
146:
is the only conference to discontinue and restart its scheduling of championship games.
1214:
997:
939:
849:
609:
419:
171:
143:
83:
1146:"Pac-12 adjusts football champ game selection process: It's all about playoff bids"
1006:
878:
821:
613:
518:
474:
38:
817:
470:
317:
135:
expanded from eleven teams to twelve teams and implemented six-team divisions.
132:
1431:
709:
1215:"Big Ten Conference Announces Future Football Schedule Formats for 2024-28"
906:
423:
174:, and initiated its own championship game. The MW grew to twelve teams in
1123:"DI Council lifts football signing, initial counter limits for two years"
321:
138:
23:
565:
78:, to being a 12-team conference—divided into two six-team divisions—in
1305:
741:
Discontinued after the 2010 edition; reinstated for 2017 and beyond.
1171:"Mountain West Announces Elimination of Football Divisions in 2023"
1101:"Sun Belt Concludes Spring Meeting as Upward Rise Well-Displayed"
968:"NCAA members OK football championship games for all conferences"
665:
569:
247:
16:
List of college football championship games in the United States
1079:"Inaugural Sun Belt Football Championship to be played in 2018"
993:"Bowlsby feels good about Big 12 despite negative perceptions"
194:
At the conclusion of the 2015 season, only the Big 12 and the
902:"Big 12, WAC, SEC title games set for Dec. 7 TV tripleheader"
1237:"MAC Announces Future Football Schedule Formats for 2024-26"
808:"NCAA vote allows Big 12 to hold football championship game"
33:
The following is a list of conference championship games in
1239:(Press release). Mid-American Conference. January 25, 2024
1195:(Press release). Atlantic Coast Conference. June 28, 2022
1052:"Sun Belt drops football members Idaho, New Mexico State"
82:. The next championship games to debut were that of the
1173:(Press release). Mountain West Conference. May 20, 2022
1031:(Press release). Sun Belt Conference. September 1, 2015
1261:(Press release). Southeastern Conference. June 1, 2023
74:. The SEC had gone from being a 10-team conference in
1217:(Press release). Big Ten Conference. October 4, 2023
1193:"ACC Announces Football Schedule Model for 2023-26"
1103:(Press release). Sun Belt Conference. May 23, 2017
1081:(Press release). Sun Belt Conference. June 8, 2016
725:^ - Denotes team subsequently received a non-CFP
214:, the SBC grew to 12 members with the addition of
26:(with football) about to score a touchdown in the
1308:NCAA Division I FBS conference championship games
1429:
1259:"SEC Establishes 2024 Football Schedule Format"
1438:College football conference championship games
1029:"Coastal Carolina to Join Sun Belt Conference"
1291:
123:). New championship games were next added in
1137:
1298:
1284:
965:
57:
718:†- Denotes team subsequently received a
115:, eight schools left the WAC to form the
35:NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision
137:
18:
1049:
1430:
1143:
845:"Langham's pickoff energized low Tide"
842:
189:
1279:
932:
874:"Citrus Bowl, SEC closing in on deal"
748:
241:
871:
1324:American Athletic Championship Game
1125:(Press release). NCAA. May 18, 2022
246:Rankings are pre-game and from the
13:
14:
1454:
843:McEwen, Tom (December 6, 1992).
482:Conference USA Championship Game
156:contracted to 10 members in 2011
1372:Mountain West Championship Game
1251:
1229:
1207:
1185:
1163:
1115:
1093:
1071:
966:Dan Wolken (January 13, 2016).
933:Stone, Jason (March 19, 1996).
872:Dame, Mike (January 29, 1992).
735:
577:Mountain West Championship Game
1050:Buckley, Tim (March 1, 2016).
1043:
1021:
985:
959:
926:
914:. February 2, 1996. p. 28
894:
865:
836:
824:. January 14, 2016. p. B1
800:
1:
794:
28:2005 Big 12 Championship Game
1443:NCAA Division I FBS football
1144:Wilner, Jon (May 18, 2022).
676:
624:
580:
533:
485:
434:
383:
332:
285:
180:American Athletic Conference
158:(while retaining its name).
7:
1009:. July 18, 2017. p. B6
955:– via newspapers.com.
922:– via newspapers.com.
890:– via newspapers.com.
861:– via newspapers.com.
154:season, as the conference
88:Western Athletic Conference
10:
1459:
1388:Sun Belt Championship Game
935:"Big Sky should take look"
673:Sun Belt Championship Game
64:1992 SEC Championship Game
48:
1398:
1350:(1996–2010; 2017–present)
1340:Big Ten Championship Game
1315:
706:Veterans Memorial Stadium
380:Big Ten Championship Game
275:
272:
264:
261:
258:
255:
129:Atlantic Coast Conference
1407:Pac-12 Championship Game
1348:Big 12 Championship Game
912:Fort Lauderdale, Florida
781:Pac-12 Championship Game
431:Big 12 Championship Game
117:Mountain West Conference
369:Bank of America Stadium
109:Mid-American Conference
58:Twelve-team conferences
1356:CUSA Championship Game
1003:Danville, Pennsylvania
147:
30:
1415:WAC Championship Game
1380:SEC Championship Game
1364:MAC Championship Game
1332:ACC Championship Game
813:Longview News-Journal
768:WAC Championship Game
662:Mercedes-Benz Stadium
621:SEC Championship Game
530:MAC Championship Game
329:ACC Championship Game
282:AAC Championship Game
141:
22:
1057:The Daily Advertiser
100:Southwest Conference
96:Big Eight Conference
196:Sun Belt Conference
190:Smaller conferences
90:(WAC), starting in
43:Sun Belt Conference
945:Flagstaff, Arizona
749:Discontinued games
242:Championship games
167:Big Ten Conference
148:
31:
1425:
1424:
998:The Danville News
940:Arizona Daily Sun
850:The Tampa Tribune
792:
791:
715:
714:
698:Appalachian State
610:Allegiant Stadium
420:Lucas Oil Stadium
172:Pac-12 Conference
94:. That year, the
84:Big 12 Conference
1450:
1418:
1410:
1391:
1383:
1375:
1367:
1359:
1351:
1343:
1335:
1327:
1309:
1300:
1293:
1286:
1277:
1276:
1271:
1270:
1268:
1266:
1255:
1249:
1248:
1246:
1244:
1233:
1227:
1226:
1224:
1222:
1211:
1205:
1204:
1202:
1200:
1189:
1183:
1182:
1180:
1178:
1167:
1161:
1160:
1158:
1156:
1150:The Mercury News
1141:
1135:
1134:
1132:
1130:
1119:
1113:
1112:
1110:
1108:
1097:
1091:
1090:
1088:
1086:
1075:
1069:
1068:
1066:
1064:
1047:
1041:
1040:
1038:
1036:
1025:
1019:
1018:
1016:
1014:
989:
983:
982:
980:
978:
963:
957:
956:
954:
952:
930:
924:
923:
921:
919:
898:
892:
891:
889:
887:
879:Orlando Sentinel
869:
863:
862:
860:
858:
840:
834:
833:
831:
829:
804:
753:
752:
742:
739:
689:
681:December 2, 2023
651:
640:
635:
629:December 2, 2023
593:
585:December 2, 2023
556:
546:
538:December 2, 2023
519:Williams Stadium
511:New Mexico State
501:
496:
490:December 1, 2023
471:AT&T Stadium
461:
450:
445:
439:December 2, 2023
424:Indianapolis, IN
410:
399:
394:
388:December 2, 2023
359:
348:
343:
337:December 2, 2023
308:
298:
290:December 2, 2023
253:
252:
224:New Mexico State
216:Coastal Carolina
127:, when both the
39:college football
1458:
1457:
1453:
1452:
1451:
1449:
1448:
1447:
1428:
1427:
1426:
1421:
1413:
1405:
1394:
1386:
1378:
1370:
1362:
1354:
1346:
1338:
1330:
1322:
1311:
1307:
1304:
1274:
1264:
1262:
1257:
1256:
1252:
1242:
1240:
1235:
1234:
1230:
1220:
1218:
1213:
1212:
1208:
1198:
1196:
1191:
1190:
1186:
1176:
1174:
1169:
1168:
1164:
1154:
1152:
1142:
1138:
1128:
1126:
1121:
1120:
1116:
1106:
1104:
1099:
1098:
1094:
1084:
1082:
1077:
1076:
1072:
1062:
1060:
1048:
1044:
1034:
1032:
1027:
1026:
1022:
1012:
1010:
991:
990:
986:
976:
974:
964:
960:
950:
948:
931:
927:
917:
915:
900:
899:
895:
885:
883:
870:
866:
856:
854:
841:
837:
827:
825:
818:Longview, Texas
806:
805:
801:
797:
759:Inaugural year
751:
746:
745:
740:
736:
687:
649:
638:
633:
591:
554:
544:
499:
494:
459:
448:
443:
408:
397:
392:
357:
346:
341:
322:New Orleans, LA
306:
296:
259:Inaugural year
244:
192:
60:
51:
17:
12:
11:
5:
1456:
1446:
1445:
1440:
1423:
1422:
1420:
1419:
1411:
1402:
1400:
1396:
1395:
1393:
1392:
1390:(2018–present)
1384:
1382:(1992–present)
1376:
1374:(2013–present)
1368:
1366:(1997–present)
1360:
1358:(2005–present)
1352:
1344:
1342:(2011–present)
1336:
1334:(2005–present)
1328:
1326:(2015–present)
1319:
1317:
1313:
1312:
1303:
1302:
1295:
1288:
1280:
1273:
1272:
1250:
1228:
1206:
1184:
1162:
1136:
1114:
1092:
1070:
1042:
1020:
984:
958:
925:
893:
864:
835:
798:
796:
793:
790:
789:
786:
783:
777:
776:
773:
770:
764:
763:
760:
757:
750:
747:
744:
743:
733:
732:
731:
730:
723:
713:
712:
703:
700:
695:
692:
683:
678:
675:
669:
668:
659:
656:
647:
644:
631:
626:
623:
617:
616:
607:
604:
599:
596:
587:
582:
579:
573:
572:
563:
560:
552:
549:
540:
535:
532:
526:
525:
516:
513:
508:
505:
492:
487:
484:
478:
477:
468:
465:
463:Oklahoma State
457:
454:
441:
436:
433:
427:
426:
417:
414:
406:
403:
390:
385:
382:
376:
375:
366:
363:
355:
352:
339:
334:
331:
325:
324:
318:Yulman Stadium
315:
312:
304:
301:
292:
287:
284:
278:
277:
274:
271:
267:
266:
263:
260:
257:
243:
240:
191:
188:
133:Conference USA
121:Division I FCS
59:
56:
50:
47:
15:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1455:
1444:
1441:
1439:
1436:
1435:
1433:
1416:
1412:
1408:
1404:
1403:
1401:
1397:
1389:
1385:
1381:
1377:
1373:
1369:
1365:
1361:
1357:
1353:
1349:
1345:
1341:
1337:
1333:
1329:
1325:
1321:
1320:
1318:
1314:
1310:
1301:
1296:
1294:
1289:
1287:
1282:
1281:
1278:
1260:
1254:
1238:
1232:
1216:
1210:
1194:
1188:
1172:
1166:
1151:
1147:
1140:
1124:
1118:
1102:
1096:
1085:September 16,
1080:
1074:
1059:
1058:
1053:
1046:
1030:
1024:
1008:
1004:
1000:
999:
994:
988:
973:
969:
962:
946:
942:
941:
936:
929:
913:
909:
908:
903:
897:
881:
880:
875:
868:
852:
851:
846:
839:
823:
819:
815:
814:
809:
803:
799:
787:
784:
782:
779:
778:
774:
771:
769:
766:
765:
761:
758:
755:
754:
738:
734:
728:
724:
721:
717:
716:
711:
707:
704:
701:
699:
696:
693:
691:
690:
684:
682:
679:
674:
671:
670:
667:
663:
660:
657:
654:
648:
645:
642:
641:
632:
630:
627:
622:
619:
618:
615:
611:
608:
605:
603:
600:
597:
595:
594:
588:
586:
583:
578:
575:
574:
571:
567:
564:
561:
559:
553:
550:
548:
547:
541:
539:
536:
531:
528:
527:
524:
523:Lynchburg, VA
520:
517:
514:
512:
509:
506:
503:
502:
493:
491:
488:
483:
480:
479:
476:
475:Arlington, TX
472:
469:
466:
464:
458:
455:
452:
451:
442:
440:
437:
432:
429:
428:
425:
421:
418:
415:
413:
407:
404:
401:
400:
391:
389:
386:
381:
378:
377:
374:
373:Charlotte, NC
370:
367:
364:
362:
356:
353:
350:
349:
347:Florida State
340:
338:
335:
330:
327:
326:
323:
319:
316:
313:
311:
305:
302:
300:
299:
293:
291:
288:
283:
280:
279:
273:Winning team
269:
268:
254:
251:
249:
239:
235:
231:
229:
225:
221:
217:
213:
208:
206:
201:
197:
187:
185:
181:
178:, as did the
177:
173:
168:
164:
159:
157:
153:
145:
142:To date, the
140:
136:
134:
130:
126:
122:
118:
114:
110:
106:
101:
97:
93:
89:
85:
81:
77:
73:
69:
65:
55:
46:
44:
40:
36:
29:
25:
21:
1306:
1263:. Retrieved
1253:
1243:February 27,
1241:. Retrieved
1231:
1219:. Retrieved
1209:
1197:. Retrieved
1187:
1175:. Retrieved
1165:
1153:. Retrieved
1149:
1139:
1127:. Retrieved
1117:
1105:. Retrieved
1095:
1083:. Retrieved
1073:
1061:. Retrieved
1055:
1045:
1035:September 7,
1033:. Retrieved
1023:
1011:. Retrieved
996:
987:
975:. Retrieved
971:
961:
949:. Retrieved
938:
928:
916:. Retrieved
907:Sun-Sentinel
905:
896:
884:. Retrieved
882:. p. 19
877:
867:
855:. Retrieved
853:. p. 38
848:
838:
826:. Retrieved
811:
802:
737:
685:
636:
614:Paradise, NV
589:
542:
497:
446:
395:
344:
294:
276:Losing team
262:Most recent
245:
236:
232:
209:
193:
160:
149:
61:
52:
32:
1417:(1996–1998)
1409:(2011–2023)
1221:October 30,
1063:December 7,
1013:December 8,
951:December 8,
947:. p. 7
918:December 8,
886:December 8,
857:December 8,
828:December 8,
762:Final year
756:Conference
666:Atlanta, GA
592:Boise State
570:Detroit, MI
256:Conference
200:round-robin
113:1999 season
41:. With the
24:Vince Young
1432:Categories
795:References
566:Ford Field
545:Miami (OH)
361:Louisville
1265:April 15,
972:USA Today
66:, won by
1199:June 28,
710:Troy, AL
398:Michigan
1316:Current
1177:May 20,
1155:May 18,
1129:May 19,
1107:June 9,
977:May 28,
653:Georgia
639:Alabama
500:Liberty
248:AP Poll
107:by the
72:Florida
68:Alabama
49:History
1399:Former
558:Toledo
310:Tulane
265:Venue
165:, the
144:Big 12
37:(FBS)
788:2023
785:2011
775:1998
772:1996
729:berth
722:berth
677:2018
625:1992
581:2013
534:1997
486:2005
449:Texas
435:1996
384:2011
333:2005
286:2015
270:Date
220:Idaho
70:over
1267:2024
1245:2024
1223:2023
1201:2022
1179:2022
1157:2022
1131:2022
1109:2017
1087:2016
1065:2019
1037:2015
1015:2019
979:2017
953:2019
920:2019
888:2019
859:2019
830:2019
688:Troy
602:UNLV
412:Iowa
228:2018
222:and
212:2017
205:2017
184:2015
176:2013
163:2011
152:2010
131:and
125:2005
105:1997
98:and
92:1996
86:and
80:1992
76:1991
727:NY6
720:CFP
702:23
694:49
658:24
646:27
606:20
598:44
562:14
551:23
515:35
507:49
467:21
456:49
405:26
354:16
314:14
303:26
297:SMU
210:In
182:in
161:In
1434::
1148:.
1054:.
1007:AP
1005:.
1001:.
995:.
970:.
943:.
937:.
910:.
904:.
876:.
847:.
822:AP
820:.
816:.
810:.
708:–
664:–
612:–
568:–
555:23
521:–
495:20
473:–
460:19
422:–
416:0
409:18
371:–
365:6
358:15
320:–
307:17
250:.
1299:e
1292:t
1285:v
1269:.
1247:.
1225:.
1203:.
1181:.
1159:.
1133:.
1111:.
1089:.
1067:.
1039:.
1017:.
981:.
832:.
655:^
650:1
643:â€
634:8
504:^
453:â€
444:7
402:â€
393:2
351:^
342:4
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
