| New Year's Six | |
|---|---|
 | |
| In operation | 2014–present |
| Preceded by | BCS (1998–2013) Bowl Alliance (1995–1997) Bowl Coalition (1992–1994) |
| Number of New Year's Six games | Six plus the National Championship game |
| Television partner(s) | ESPN (2014–present) |
| Most New Year's Six appearances | Ohio State (10) |
| Most New Year's Six wins | Alabama (9) |
| Most New Year's Six championships | Alabama (3) |
| Conference with most appearances | SEC (24) |
| Conference with most game wins | SEC (20) |
| Conference with most championships | SEC (6) |
| Last championship game | January 8, 2024 |
| Current champion | Michigan |
The New Year's Six, sometimes abbreviated as NY6, are the following NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) bowl games: the Rose Bowl, Sugar Bowl, Orange Bowl, Cotton Bowl, Peach Bowl, and Fiesta Bowl. These games are played annually on or around New Year's Day and represent six of the ten oldest bowl games played at the FBS level.
As of the 2024 season, the New Year's Six hosts the quarterfinal and semifinal rounds of the College Football Playoff.[1] Twelve teams are selected and seeded, following the conclusion of regular-season play, for the single-elimination tournament. Eight teams meet in first-round games, played at campus sites. The four winners then advance to play the four highest-ranked conference champions, who received a bye; these quarterfinal games are played as four of the New Year's Six games. The four quarterfinal winners then advance to the semifinals, played as two of the New Year's Six games. The two semifinal winners then advance to a championship game.
For the 2014 through 2023 seasons, two of the New Year's Six games (selected annually on a rotating basis) served as semifinal games in a four-team playoff, while teams appearing in the other four New Year's Six games were not eligible to appear in the national championship game. These six top-tier bowl games rotated the hosting of the two College Football Playoff (CFP) semifinal games, which determine the teams that play in the final College Football Playoff National Championship game.[2] The rotation was set on a three-year cycle with the following pairings: Rose–Sugar, Orange–Cotton, and Peach–Fiesta. The National Championship game may be considered part of the New Year's Six, depending on context.
- ^ "College Football Playoff to expand to 12 teams starting with the 2024 season". NCAA.com. 2022-12-01. Retrieved 2024-11-27.
- ^ Staff reports (July 22, 2013). "Sources: 'New Year's Six' likely the working title for College Football Playoff's six bowl games". Dallas Morning News. Retrieved July 26, 2013.