What are the New Year's Six bowl games?

Bowl games are postseason college football games played between top teams from different conferences. These games are held after the regular season and before the College Football Playoff (CFP). They include several prestigious matchups like the Rose Bowl, Orange Bowl, Fiesta Bowl, and many more. The main purpose of bowl games is to match top-performing teams against each other, often resulting in competitive contests. Each bowl game has unique traditions, sponsors, and selection criteria for the participating teams. Teams are usually selected based on their regular-season performance, including factors like win-loss records and rankings within their respective conferences.

New Year’s Six Bowl Games

The New Year's Six Bowl games are a group of six college football bowl games played around New Year's Day. These bowl games include Rose Bowl, Sugar Bowl, Orange Bowl, Cotton Bowl, Peach Bowl, and Fiesta Bowl. These games are part of the College Football Playoff (CFP).

These six bowl games rotate hosting the CFP semifinals, which determine the teams that advance to the national championship game. The quarterfinals and semifinals are played among these games, making them crucial to the playoff structure.

Rose Bowl

The Rose Bowl, often referred to as "The Granddaddy of Them All," is the oldest and one of the most prestigious college football bowl games. Played annually in Pasadena, California, at the iconic Rose Bowl Stadium, it began in 1902 and resumed annually from 1916 onward. Traditionally, it features a matchup between the Big Ten and Pac-12 champions, unless it serves as a College Football Playoff (CFP) semifinal game.

Sugar Bowl

The Sugar Bowl, established in 1935, is one of the most historic bowl games in college football. It is played at the Caesars Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana, and typically features teams from the Southeastern Conference (SEC) and Big 12, except in years when it serves as a College Football Playoff semifinal.

Orange Bowl

The Orange Bowl, first played in 1935, is one of college football’s most famous bowl games. It is held at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida. Traditionally, the Orange Bowl features a top team from the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) against an opponent from the SEC, Big Ten, or Notre Dame. In years when it serves as a College Football Playoff semifinal, it hosts two of the nation’s top teams regardless of conference affiliation.

Cotton Bowl

The Cotton Bowl, established in 1937, was originally played at the Cotton Bowl Stadium in Dallas, Texas, but is now held at the state-of-the-art AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. While it once had ties to the Southwest Conference, it now hosts at-large teams and is part of the College Football Playoff rotation. Its shift to AT&T Stadium elevated its prestige, and it remains one of the top bowl games in the nation.

Fiesta Bowl

The Fiesta Bowl played at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona, began in 1971 and has grown into one of the most significant bowl games in college football. Originally created to provide a postseason opportunity for the Western Athletic Conference (WAC) champion, it now features top-ranked teams as part of the College Football Playoff rotation.

Peach Bowl

The Peach Bowl, established in 1968, is held annually at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia. It was originally tied to the ACC and SEC but now serves as one of the College Football Playoff's New Year’s Six bowl games. It often features at-large teams or serves as a semifinal matchup in the playoff rotation. The Peach Bowl has risen in prominence over the years and shifted to the Mercedes-Benz Stadium.

Most New Year's Six Bowl game winners

The Alabama Crimson Tide holds the record for the most New Year's Six bowl game victories, as of 2024. Alabama has won 10 times while playing in 15 games. The Georgia Bulldogs have also had success, winning eight times in New Year's Six bowl games while playing in 10 games.