As many of you know, starting in the 2014 – 2015 season the Bowl Championship Series (BCS) will be replaced by a four-team playoff system to determine the National Champion.
This new playoff system will use a rotation for the semifinal games amongst six current bowl sites. The National Championship Game site will likely be awarded to the highest bidder. Which bares the question…where do you hold the “Super Bowl” of College Football?
Here are my top ten choices of venues to host the new National Championship Game:
10. Cotton Bowl (Dallas, TX)
Capacity: 92,100
Hosts: Red River Rivalry: Oklahoma vs Texas, TicketCity Bowl game and formerly the Cotton Bowl Classic
The Cotton Bowl is one of America’s oldest and most prestigious football venues. After opening in 1930, it has hosted many of sport’s biggest events. It’s located in the middle of Fair Park which gives fans in attendance an amazing atmosphere.
9. Soldier Field (Chicago, IL)
Capacity: 61,500
Hosts: Chicago Bears’ football
Being from Chicago, who wouldn’t want to see a National Championship Game played in The Windy City? The odds of it happening aren’t very likely considering the climate in Chicago in January, but hey, the NFL gave New York a Super Bowl. Hopefully if all goes well there, it’ll increase the chances of cold-climate cities getting Super Bowls and National Championship Games. The fact that Soldier Field is currently the smallest stadium in the NFL doesn’t help its chances either.
8. Los Angeles Coliseum (Los Angeles, CA)
Capacity: 93,607
Hosts: USC Trojans’ football & formerly the Super Bowl (I and VII)
The LA Coliseum is another historic football stadium that deserves at least a small consideration to host. Every imaginable sporting event has likely been hosted in the Coliseum, from Olympics to Super Bowls to World Series. It currently ranks eighth in capacity among college football stadiums. The entrance into the Coliseum alone is a sight to see.
7. Reliant Stadium (Houston, TX)
Capacity: 71,054
Hosts: Houston Texans’ football, Meineke Car Care Bowl of Texas and formerly the Super Bowl (XXXVIII)
I’m surprised Reliant Stadium doesn’t hold a bigger-caliber bowl game than the Texas Bowl. The stadium was built to host big capacity events like Final Fours and Super Bowls. It’ll be difficult for Reliant to get a lot of consideration thanks to another Texas stadium below.
6. Lucas Oil Stadium (Indianapolis, IN)
Capacity: 63,000
Hosts: Indianapolis Colts’ football, Big Ten Championship Game and formerly the Super Bowl (XLVI)
It’s only a matter of time until the NCAA brings the National Championship to Lucas Oil Stadium. The NCAA likes to showcase their big events, like the Final Four, in Indy every few years. The Big Ten championship game will be played here through at least 2015. Its old-fashioned look of Lucas Oil along with the retractable roof makes the stadium very appealing.
5. University of Phoenix Stadium (Glendale, AZ)
Capacity: expandable to 78,600
Hosts: Arizona Cardinals’ football, Fiesta Bowl, formerly the BCS National Championship Game (2006 and 2010) and formerly the Super Bowl (XLII)
In my opinion, University of Phoenix Stadium (UOP) is one of the best stadiums in the United States. Since opening in 2006, UOP has already seen its fare share of memorable college football games including the 2007 Fiesta Bowl (Boise State upsets Oklahoma), 2009 Fiesta Bowl (Texas over Ohio State) and the first-ever BCS National Championship Game between Ohio State and Florida. There are no doubts that this venue can accommodate large scale events like Super Bowls and National Championship Games.
4. Raymond James Stadium (Tampa, FL)
Capacity: 71,921
Hosts: Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ football, USF Bulls’ football, Outback Bowl, formerly the ACC Championship Game (2008 and 2009) and formerly the Super Bowl (XXXV and XLIII)
Some of you readers may question me for putting Raymond James so high on the list. This stadium has all the credentials needed, including hosting Super Bowls and Outback Bowls (a New Year’s Day bowl game). Capacity-wise it’s right up there with some of the big-name stadiums. The Pirate Ship in the north endzone is one of the most recognizable features in an NFL stadium and could be used as a selling point to get a National Championship Game into the stadium.
3. Georgia Dome (Atlanta, GA)
Capacity: 71,228
Hosts: Atlanta Falcons’ football, SEC Championship Game, Georgia State Panthers’ football, Chick-fil-A Bowl Game, Chick-fil-A College Kickoff Classic and formerly the Super Bowl (XXVIII and XXXIV)
Some already say the Georgia Dome plays host to the “unofficial” National Championship game every year, meaning it hosts the SEC Championship. The atmosphere in the Georgia Dome is always electric for college football games no matter who is playing. Organizers of the Chick-fil-A Bowl have already said they would like to host a future National Championship game.
2. Rose Bowl (Pasadena, CA)
Capacity: 94,118
Hosts: UCLA Bruins’ football, Rose Bowl, formerly the BCS National Championship Game (2010) and formerly the Super Bowl (XI, XIV, XVII, XXI and XXVII)
In college football, there’s no tradition like the Rose Bowl. Everything about the Rose Bowl is gold from the seating capacity to the scenic surroundings. It would be almost a home game for a Big Ten or Pac 12 school if the stadium hosted the Championship. It is currently scheduled to host the last BCS National Championship Game in 2014.
1. Cowboys Stadium (Arlington, TX)
Capacity: expandable to 105,121
Hosts: Dallas Cowboys’ football, Cotton Bowl Classic, formerly the Big 12 Championship Game (2009-2010) and formerly the Super Bowl (XLV)
Everything is bigger in Texas, there’s no doubt about that. All sports fans know that Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones will easily throw his weight around to get the National Championship in his $1.3 billion palace. Cowboys Stadium is quite a structure and I don’t need to go into details. It’s an easy sell to many of us to host a National Championship game here but the all-mighty dollar will determine who will host starting in 2015.
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