Why can't a NCAA football team go to a BCS Bowl game on wins alone?

Answer 1

With an automatic BCS game birth for winners of power conferences (SEC, ACC, Pac-12, Big 10, Big 12, Big East), there is a very limited number of teams that can go to a BCS games. Those that are not in a power conference have to basically upset teams that is a higher rank or tougher or go undeafeted and win the conference. For example, Boise State in 2006 was in the WAC (Western Athletic Conference) not expecting a BCS. However, they went undeafeted beating good teams, and making the Tostitos Fiesta Bowl unexpectedly also winning that game against Oklahoma in overtime. So you have to consider the factors of scheduled play, conference teams' strength, advantages, ranking and how the team plays. It's not just wins that gets the team into the BCS. The BCS comittee has to decide not just by wins, but all of the other factors as well.