1.   And with the other three bowls committed to five conference champions and Notre Dame, there is no room for Tennessee and Northwestern in the high-profile games.

2.   Another NFC team might be reluctant to trade with the defending conference champions.

3.   Any agreement among the bowls and the conferences must take care of the conference champions.

4.   As each week passes, the balance in the Big Ten makes the possibility of an undefeated conference champion seem more remote.

5.   Back in those bad old days, only conference champions and top independent teams were chosen.

6.   Bell came out of nowhere, with three weeks left in the season, and moved into the regular rotation of a conference champion.

7.   A best-of-three series then determines each conference champion and the league champion.

8.   Choosing from the remaining conference champions and at-large teams, the Orange and Sugar bowls will try to set up the best matchups possible.

9.   Choosing from the remaining conference champions and at-large teams, the Orange and Fiesta bowls will try to set up the best matchups possible.

10.   Conference champions get crowned in December.