The Rose and Sugar Bowls are “likely to host the first major-college football national semifinals in back-to-back games on Jan. 1, 2015,” according to Dennis Dodd of CBSSPORTS.com. In addition, the two bowls will be “paired together four times as national semifinals on the same Jan. 1 date for the length of the 12-year playoff deal.” Sugar Bowl officials are “set to sign a contract to anchor their bowl on New Year's Day in the playoff era.” A source said, "It's done." Dodd noted the six playoff games are “expected to be played on Dec. 31 and Jan. 1 each season.” In years in which Jan. 1 falls on Sunday, those games “will be played on Jan. 2.” The Rose Bowl is “expected to keep its traditional 5 p.m. ET starting time slot throughout the 12-year length of the playoff deal.” The Sugar would “then follow at approximately 8 p.m. ET.” The championship game would “follow on the first Monday a week following the semifinals.” BCS Exec Dir Bill Hancock said that the commissioners “would like to keep some sort of East-West balance for the semifinals” (CBSSPORTS.com, 1/6). Hancock said that a decision on what city will host the first national championship game “won’t be made until later this winter or early in the spring.” In New Orleans, Trey Iles noted Dallas “is reportedly the heavy favorite” (NOLA.com, 1/6).
