Only six more teams will reach that elusive sixth victory, expanding the number of bowl eligible programs to 72. The number of schools now eligible for post-season competition has narrowed down from over 85 as the final week unfolds.
The College Football Bowl Eligibility Tracker is a weekly guide to keep track of which programs have secured at least six victories. Eight bowl spots remain available heading into the final week of college football, with 72 teams already qualifying and 20 more waiting for their chance.
The criteria for eligibility are clear: win at least six games; one FCS-game victory can be included. The situation could get interesting if more than eight teams exceed this threshold because then some will have to be left out, so there's a risk of over-qualification leading to elimination from postseason play.
Among the programs now eligible for the bowl game include Alabama, Clemson, Duke, Georgia Tech, Indiana, and many others. However, there are 20 more that require just one more win to become eligible, including Appalachian State, Auburn, Baylor, Florida State, Kansas, Louisville, Maryland, New Mexico State, North Carolina, Pitt, Stanford, Tulane, Tulsa, UCF, West Virginia, and Wisconsin.
There are also programs that have already fallen short of the six-win mark. These include Akron, Arkansas, Boston College, Bowling Green, Colorado, Eastern Michigan, Fresno State, Liberty, Louisiana-Monroe, Michigan State, Northern Illinois, Oregon State, San Jose State, Syracuse, UAB, UCLA, and Virginia Tech.
The Academic Progress Rate (APR) is another key metric that determines bowl eligibility for teams with one or two wins short of the six-win benchmark. This score evaluates a team's success in maintaining academic standards, and it can impact their chances of qualifying for postseason play.
The College Football Bowl Eligibility Tracker is a weekly guide to keep track of which programs have secured at least six victories. Eight bowl spots remain available heading into the final week of college football, with 72 teams already qualifying and 20 more waiting for their chance.
The criteria for eligibility are clear: win at least six games; one FCS-game victory can be included. The situation could get interesting if more than eight teams exceed this threshold because then some will have to be left out, so there's a risk of over-qualification leading to elimination from postseason play.
Among the programs now eligible for the bowl game include Alabama, Clemson, Duke, Georgia Tech, Indiana, and many others. However, there are 20 more that require just one more win to become eligible, including Appalachian State, Auburn, Baylor, Florida State, Kansas, Louisville, Maryland, New Mexico State, North Carolina, Pitt, Stanford, Tulane, Tulsa, UCF, West Virginia, and Wisconsin.
There are also programs that have already fallen short of the six-win mark. These include Akron, Arkansas, Boston College, Bowling Green, Colorado, Eastern Michigan, Fresno State, Liberty, Louisiana-Monroe, Michigan State, Northern Illinois, Oregon State, San Jose State, Syracuse, UAB, UCLA, and Virginia Tech.
The Academic Progress Rate (APR) is another key metric that determines bowl eligibility for teams with one or two wins short of the six-win benchmark. This score evaluates a team's success in maintaining academic standards, and it can impact their chances of qualifying for postseason play.