The 109th annual Rose Bowl on Monday night between the Michigan Wolverines and the Alabama Crimson Tide did not disappoint, with an uber-exciting game on the field with a terrific atmosphere to boot inside of Rose Bowl Stadium in Pasadena, California.
The Rose Bowl, of course, comes with a pronounced history that dates all the way back to 1902 as the first-ever true postseason game in college football.
This led to longtime college football broadcast icon Kirk Herbstreit calling for the Rose Bowl to be the host of the National Championship every year, instead of being a CFP Semifinals matchup.
“I’ve been saying this for years and I’ll say it one more time,” wrote Herbstreit in a Twitter/X post. “As the world of CFB changes in so many ways I really wish the leaders and decision makers would just make the Rose Bowl the host for the National Championship EVERY YEAR! The setting-beauty-field-and history of that place is unparalleled. Last night was another chapter in its long and incredible history of memorable moments.”
I’ve been saying this for years and I’ll say it one more time. As the world of CFB changes in so many ways I really wish the leaders and decision makers would just make the @rosebowlgame the host for the National Championship EVERY YEAR!! The setting-beauty-field-and history of…
— Kirk Herbstreit (@KirkHerbstreit) January 2, 2024
It does make some sense for the CFP to make this shift. Most college football fans have always viewed the Rose Bowl as the biggest and most important of all the New Year’s Six bowls.
That being said, there could certainly be some problems with a solo venue for the National Championship each year like Herbstreit is proposing.
Imagine a year when a team like UCLA or USC ends up in the National Championship against a team like Alabama or Georgia. This scenario would create a pretty drastic competitive advantage for the local California team compared to a team that would have to travel across the country for the game.
Herbstreit may prefer it, but it may not be practical for the rest of college football.
About Reice Shipley
Reice Shipley is a staff writer for Comeback Media that graduated from Ithaca College with a degree in Sports Media. He previously worked at Barrett Sports Media and is a fan of all things Syracuse sports.