The College Football BeltThe CFB Belt
Postseason

The belt in bowl season

The belt has been on the line after the regular season in 75 seasons: bowls, conference title games and the playoff. The holder usually gets a good opponent and a neutral field, and it shows.

81Postseason belt games
75Seasons with a postseason belt game
32Title changes in the postseason
40%Changed hands (vs. 20% overall)
Every one

Postseason belt games, newest first

SeasonDateGameHolderResult
2024December 20, 2024Florida 33–8 TulaneFloridaDefended
2023January 8, 2024Michigan 34–13 WashingtonWashingtonChanged hands
2023January 1, 2024Washington 37–31 TexasWashingtonDefended
2022December 29, 2022Washington 27–20 TexasWashingtonDefended
2021January 1, 2022Baylor 21–7 Ole MissOle MissChanged hands
2020January 11, 2021Alabama 52–24 Ohio StateAlabamaDefended
2020January 1, 2021Alabama 31–14 Notre DameAlabamaDefended
2019January 13, 2020LSU 42–25 ClemsonClemsonChanged hands
2019December 28, 2019Clemson 29–23 Ohio StateOhio StateChanged hands
2018January 1, 2019Ohio State 28–23 WashingtonOhio StateDefended
2016January 9, 2017Clemson 35–31 AlabamaAlabamaChanged hands
2016December 31, 2016Alabama 24–7 WashingtonAlabamaDefended
2015January 2, 2016TCU 47–41 OregonTCUDefended
2014December 31, 2014TCU 42–3 Ole MissTCUDefended
2013January 2, 2014Oklahoma 45–31 AlabamaOklahomaDefended
2012December 27, 2012Baylor 49–26 UCLABaylorDefended
2011January 4, 2012West Virginia 70–33 ClemsonClemsonChanged hands
2010January 11, 2011Auburn 22–19 OregonAuburnDefended
2009January 7, 2010Alabama 37–21 TexasAlabamaDefended
2008January 8, 2009Florida 24–14 OklahomaOklahomaChanged hands
2007January 1, 2008Missouri 38–7 ArkansasArkansasChanged hands
2006January 9, 2007Florida 41–14 Ohio StateOhio StateChanged hands
2005January 4, 2006Texas 41–38 USCUSCChanged hands
2004January 4, 2005USC 55–19 OklahomaUSCDefended
2003January 1, 2004USC 28–14 MichiganMichiganChanged hands
2002January 3, 2003Ohio State 31–24 MiamiMiamiChanged hands
2001January 3, 2002Miami 37–14 NebraskaMiamiDefended
2000January 2, 2001Miami 37–20 FloridaMiamiDefended
1999January 4, 2000Florida State 46–29 Virginia TechFlorida StateDefended
1998January 1, 1999Texas 38–11 Mississippi StateTexasDefended
1997January 2, 1998Nebraska 42–17 TennesseeNebraskaDefended
1997December 6, 1997Nebraska 54–15 Texas A&MNebraskaDefended
1996January 1, 1997BYU 19–15 Kansas StateBYUDefended
1996December 7, 1996BYU 28–25 WyomingBYUDefended
1993January 1, 1994Arizona 29–0 MiamiArizonaDefended
1990January 1, 1991Colorado 10–9 Notre DameNotre DameChanged hands
1989January 1, 1990Illinois 31–21 VirginiaVirginiaChanged hands
1988January 2, 1989Florida State 13–7 AuburnFlorida StateDefended
1987January 1, 1988Clemson 35–10 Penn StatePenn StateChanged hands
1986January 2, 1987Penn State 14–10 MiamiPenn StateDefended
1985December 28, 1985Alabama 24–3 USCUSCChanged hands
1984January 1, 1985UCLA 39–37 MiamiUCLADefended
1983January 2, 1984Auburn 9–7 MichiganAuburnDefended
1981December 30, 1981Ohio State 31–28 NavyOhio StateDefended
1980January 1, 1981Michigan 23–6 WashingtonWashingtonChanged hands
1979January 1, 1980USC 17–16 Ohio StateUSCDefended
1978January 1, 1979USC 17–10 MichiganUSCDefended
1977January 2, 1978Alabama 35–6 Ohio StateAlabamaDefended
1976January 1, 1977USC 14–6 MichiganUSCDefended
1975January 1, 1976UCLA 23–10 Ohio StateOhio StateChanged hands
1974December 16, 1974Tennessee 7–3 MarylandTennesseeDefended
1973December 31, 1973Notre Dame 24–23 AlabamaNotre DameDefended
1972January 1, 1973USC 42–17 Ohio StateOhio StateChanged hands
1971January 1, 1972Nebraska 38–6 AlabamaAlabamaChanged hands
1970December 12, 1970Tulane 17–3 ColoradoColoradoChanged hands
1969January 1, 1970USC 10–3 MichiganMichiganChanged hands
1968January 1, 1969Ohio State 27–16 USCOhio StateDefended
1967January 1, 1968Oklahoma 26–24 TennesseeTennesseeChanged hands
1966December 31, 1966Georgia 24–9 SMUGeorgiaDefended
1965January 1, 1966LSU 14–7 ArkansasArkansasChanged hands
1964January 1, 1965Texas 21–17 AlabamaAlabamaChanged hands
1963January 1, 1964Alabama 12–7 Ole MissOle MissChanged hands
1962January 1, 1963Ole Miss 17–13 ArkansasOle MissDefended
1961January 1, 1962LSU 25–7 ColoradoLSUDefended
1960January 2, 1961Ole Miss 14–6 RiceOle MissDefended
1959January 1, 1960Ole Miss 21–0 LSUOle MissDefended
1958January 1, 1959LSU 7–0 ClemsonLSUDefended
1957January 1, 1958Ole Miss 39–7 TexasOle MissDefended
1956January 1, 1957Baylor 13–7 TennesseeTennesseeChanged hands
1954December 31, 1954Auburn 33–13 BaylorAuburnDefended
1953January 1, 1954Arkansas State 7–7 East Texas A&MArkansas StateTie, holder kept it
1952January 1, 1953Alabama 61–6 SyracuseSyracuseChanged hands
1944January 1, 1945Duke 29–26 AlabamaDukeDefended
1941January 1, 1942Alabama 29–21 Texas A&MTexas A&MChanged hands
1940January 1, 1941Stanford 21–13 NebraskaStanfordDefended
1939January 1, 1940USC 14–0 TennesseeTennesseeChanged hands
1938January 2, 1939Tennessee 17–0 OklahomaTennesseeDefended
1937January 1, 1938Auburn 6–0 Michigan StateMichigan StateChanged hands
1933January 1, 1934Columbia 7–0 StanfordStanfordChanged hands
1932January 2, 1933USC 35–0 PittsburghUSCDefended
1924January 1, 1925West Virginia Wesleyan 9–7 SMUWest Virginia WesleyanDefended

Bowl games, conference title games and the playoff all count the same as any other game: beat the holder and the belt is yours. The story of it is in Bowl Season. 1 postseason belt game ended in a tie; the holder kept it.