A complicated set of rules is used to determine which teams compete in the BCS bowl games.<SUP class=reference id=cite_ref-2>
[3]</SUP> Certain teams are given automatic berths depending on their BCS ranking and conference, as follows:
- The top two teams are given automatic berths in the BCS National Championship Game.
- The champion of a BCS conference (ACC, Big 12, Big East, Big Ten, Pac-10, and SEC) is guaranteed an automatic BCS bowl bid unless two other teams from their own conference finish #1 and #2 in the final BCS rankings.
- The highest ranked champion of a non-BCS conference will receive an automatic berth if:
- It is ranked in the top twelve, or
- Ranked in the top sixteen and higher than another BCS Conference champion.
- A special case is made for independent Notre Dame, which receives an automatic berth if it finishes in the top eight.
- No more than two teams from any one conference may receive berths in BCS games.
- The third-ranked team will receive an automatic berth if it has not already received one, and if it is a member of a BCS Conference.
- If the third-ranked team did not require an at-large berth, then the fourth-ranked team will receive an automatic berth if it has not already received one, and if it is a member of a BCS Conference.
After the automatic berths have been granted, the remaining berths, known as "at-large" berths, are filled from a pool of teams who are ranked in the top fourteen and have at least nine wins. The actual teams that are chosen for the at-large berths are determined by the individual bowl committees.
If fewer than 10 teams are eligible for selection, then an at-large team will be any Football Bowl Subdivision team that is bowl-eligible, has won at least nine regular-season games and is among the top 18 teams in the final BCS Standings. If fewer than 10 teams are eligible after expanding the at-large pool to 18 teams, then the at-large pool will continue to be expanded by four additional positions in the BCS Standings until 10 or more teams are eligible.<SUP class=reference id=cite_ref-3>
[4]</SUP>
Despite the possibility of an "at-large" berth being granted to a non-BCS conference team, this didn't happen until the 2004-05 season, when
Utah received a BCS bid to play in the Fiesta Bowl, in which the Utes convincingly defeated
Pittsburgh 35-7. The extra BCS game will relax requirements to give the rest of the conferences better access to a BCS bowl game, possibly ahead of a higher ranked school from a BCS conference.
Unless their champion is involved in the BCS National Championship game, the conference tie-ins are as follows:
- Rose Bowl - Big Ten champ vs. Pac-10 champ
- Fiesta Bowl - Big 12 champ
- Orange Bowl - ACC champ
- Sugar Bowl - SEC champ
The Big East champion takes one of the at-large spots remaining.