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Belt / Alternate universes / The BCS era

The BCS era · The belt starts with the 1998 preseason AP No. 1 and follows the modern game from there.

Baylor would hold the belt

2Days, since October 30, 2026
0Defenses
106Reigns in this universe
85%Agreement with the real belt
The rule

The belt starts with the 1998 preseason AP No. 1 and follows the modern game from there.

1998 is when the sport first tried to settle its championship on the field. A belt that starts there has only ever lived in the era of title games and playoffs. North Carolina was No. 1 in the first AP poll of 1998 (week 1); the belt starts in their hands going into their next game, 1998-09-05.

The two histories part ways on September 5, 1998: Miami (OH) 13–10 North Carolina, a game the real belt was never on the line for. From there the universes have agreed on the holder 85% of the time, most recently on November 1, 2026. Right now the two agree: Baylor holds both.

Most days with it

Who owns this universe

Florida958 days
LSU894 days
Ohio State837 days
USC734 days
Alabama723 days
TCU666 days
Baylor638 days
Washington422 days
Clemson366 days
Auburn364 days
Longest reign here

USC, 2 yrs, 3 days

January 1, 2004 to January 4, 2006, 25 defenses. 49 programs hold the belt in this universe, against 106 in the real one.

Every reign

106 reigns, oldest first

#ProgramReignLengthDef.WonLost
1 North Carolina September 5, 1998 – September 5, 1998 0 days 0 Origin of this universe to Miami (OH)
2 Miami (OH) September 5, 1998 – October 3, 1998 28 days 2 def. North Carolina 13–10 to Marshall
3 Marshall October 3, 1998 – October 31, 1998 28 days 3 def. Miami (OH) 31–17 to Bowling Green
4 Bowling Green October 31, 1998 – November 14, 1998 14 days 1 def. Marshall 34–13 to Western Michigan
5 Western Michigan November 14, 1998 – September 4, 1999 294 days 0 def. Bowling Green 56–27 to Florida
6 Florida September 4, 1999 – October 2, 1999 28 days 3 def. Western Michigan 55–26 to Alabama
7 Alabama October 2, 1999 – October 23, 1999 21 days 1 def. Florida 40–39 to Tennessee
8 Tennessee October 23, 1999 – November 13, 1999 21 days 2 def. Alabama 21–7 to Arkansas
9 Arkansas November 13, 1999 – November 26, 1999 13 days 1 def. Tennessee 28–24 to LSU
10 LSU November 26, 1999 – September 16, 2000 295 days 2 def. Arkansas 35–10 to Auburn
11 Auburn September 16, 2000 – October 7, 2000 21 days 2 def. LSU 34–17 to Mississippi State
12 Mississippi State October 7, 2000 – October 21, 2000 14 days 0 def. Auburn 17–10 to LSU
13 LSU October 21, 2000 – November 24, 2000 34 days 2 def. Mississippi State 45–38 to Arkansas
14 Arkansas November 24, 2000 – December 21, 2000 27 days 0 def. LSU 14–3 to UNLV
15 UNLV December 21, 2000 – August 30, 2001 252 days 0 def. Arkansas 31–14 to Arkansas
16 Arkansas August 30, 2001 – September 8, 2001 9 days 0 def. UNLV 14–10 to Tennessee
17 Tennessee September 8, 2001 – October 6, 2001 28 days 1 def. Arkansas 13–3 to Georgia
18 Georgia October 6, 2001 – October 27, 2001 21 days 2 def. Tennessee 26–24 to Florida
19 Florida October 27, 2001 – December 1, 2001 35 days 3 def. Georgia 24–10 to Tennessee
20 Tennessee December 1, 2001 – December 8, 2001 7 days 0 def. Florida 34–32 to LSU
21 LSU December 8, 2001 – September 1, 2002 267 days 1 def. Tennessee 31–20 to Virginia Tech
22 Virginia Tech September 1, 2002 – November 2, 2002 62 days 6 def. LSU 26–8 to Pittsburgh
23 Pittsburgh November 2, 2002 – November 22, 2002 20 days 1 def. Virginia Tech 28–21 to Miami
24 Miami November 22, 2002 – January 3, 2003 42 days 2 def. Pittsburgh 28–21 to Ohio State
25 Ohio State January 3, 2003 – October 11, 2003 281 days 5 def. Miami 31–24 to Wisconsin
26 Wisconsin October 11, 2003 – October 18, 2003 7 days 0 def. Ohio State 17–10 to Purdue
27 Purdue October 18, 2003 – October 25, 2003 7 days 0 def. Wisconsin 26–23 to Michigan
28 Michigan October 25, 2003 – January 1, 2004 68 days 3 def. Purdue 31–3 to USC
29 USC January 1, 2004 – January 4, 2006 2 yrs, 3 days 25 def. Michigan 28–14 to Texas
30 Texas January 4, 2006 – September 9, 2006 248 days 1 def. USC 41–38 to Ohio State
31 Ohio State September 9, 2006 – January 9, 2007 122 days 10 def. Texas 24–7 to Florida
32 Florida January 9, 2007 – September 29, 2007 263 days 4 def. Ohio State 41–14 to Auburn
33 Auburn September 29, 2007 – October 20, 2007 21 days 2 def. Florida 20–17 to LSU
34 LSU October 20, 2007 – November 23, 2007 34 days 3 def. Auburn 30–24 to Arkansas
35 Arkansas November 23, 2007 – January 1, 2008 39 days 0 def. LSU 50–48 to Missouri
36 Missouri January 1, 2008 – October 11, 2008 284 days 5 def. Arkansas 38–7 to Oklahoma State
37 Oklahoma State October 11, 2008 – October 25, 2008 14 days 1 def. Missouri 28–23 to Texas
38 Texas October 25, 2008 – November 1, 2008 7 days 0 def. Oklahoma State 28–24 to Texas Tech
39 Texas Tech November 1, 2008 – November 22, 2008 21 days 1 def. Texas 39–33 to Oklahoma
40 Oklahoma November 22, 2008 – January 8, 2009 47 days 2 def. Texas Tech 65–21 to Florida
41 Florida January 8, 2009 – December 5, 2009 331 days 12 def. Oklahoma 24–14 to Alabama
42 Alabama December 5, 2009 – October 9, 2010 308 days 6 def. Florida 32–13 to South Carolina
43 South Carolina October 9, 2010 – October 16, 2010 7 days 0 def. Alabama 35–21 to Kentucky
44 Kentucky October 16, 2010 – October 23, 2010 7 days 0 def. South Carolina 31–28 to Georgia
45 Georgia October 23, 2010 – October 30, 2010 7 days 0 def. Kentucky 44–31 to Florida
46 Florida October 30, 2010 – November 13, 2010 14 days 1 def. Georgia 34–31 to South Carolina
47 South Carolina November 13, 2010 – December 4, 2010 21 days 2 def. Florida 36–14 to Auburn
48 Auburn December 4, 2010 – September 17, 2011 287 days 3 def. South Carolina 56–17 to Clemson
49 Clemson September 17, 2011 – October 29, 2011 42 days 5 def. Auburn 38–24 to Georgia Tech
50 Georgia Tech October 29, 2011 – November 10, 2011 12 days 0 def. Clemson 31–17 to Virginia Tech
51 Virginia Tech November 10, 2011 – December 4, 2011 24 days 2 def. Georgia Tech 37–26 to Clemson
52 Clemson December 4, 2011 – January 4, 2012 31 days 0 def. Virginia Tech 38–10 to West Virginia
53 West Virginia January 4, 2012 – October 13, 2012 283 days 5 def. Clemson 70–33 to Texas Tech
54 Texas Tech October 13, 2012 – October 27, 2012 14 days 1 def. West Virginia 49–14 to Kansas State
55 Kansas State October 27, 2012 – November 17, 2012 21 days 2 def. Texas Tech 55–24 to Baylor
56 Baylor November 17, 2012 – November 23, 2013 1 yr, 6 days 12 def. Kansas State 52–24 to Oklahoma State
57 Oklahoma State November 23, 2013 – December 7, 2013 14 days 0 def. Baylor 49–17 to Oklahoma
58 Oklahoma December 7, 2013 – October 4, 2014 301 days 5 def. Oklahoma State 33–24 to TCU
59 TCU October 4, 2014 – October 11, 2014 7 days 0 def. Oklahoma 37–33 to Baylor
60 Baylor October 11, 2014 – October 18, 2014 7 days 0 def. TCU 61–58 to West Virginia
61 West Virginia October 18, 2014 – November 1, 2014 14 days 1 def. Baylor 41–27 to TCU
62 TCU November 1, 2014 – November 7, 2015 1 yr, 6 days 13 def. West Virginia 31–30 to Oklahoma State
63 Oklahoma State November 7, 2015 – November 21, 2015 14 days 1 def. TCU 49–29 to Baylor
64 Baylor November 21, 2015 – November 27, 2015 6 days 0 def. Oklahoma State 45–35 to TCU
65 TCU November 27, 2015 – September 10, 2016 288 days 2 def. Baylor 28–21 to Arkansas
66 Arkansas September 10, 2016 – September 24, 2016 14 days 1 def. TCU 41–38 to Texas A&M
67 Texas A&M September 24, 2016 – October 22, 2016 28 days 2 def. Arkansas 45–24 to Alabama
68 Alabama October 22, 2016 – January 9, 2017 79 days 6 def. Texas A&M 33–14 to Clemson
69 Clemson January 9, 2017 – October 13, 2017 277 days 6 def. Alabama 35–31 to Syracuse
70 Syracuse October 13, 2017 – October 21, 2017 8 days 0 def. Clemson 27–24 to Miami
71 Miami October 21, 2017 – November 24, 2017 34 days 4 def. Syracuse 27–19 to Pittsburgh
72 Pittsburgh November 24, 2017 – September 8, 2018 288 days 1 def. Miami 24–14 to Penn State
73 Penn State September 8, 2018 – September 29, 2018 21 days 2 def. Pittsburgh 51–6 to Ohio State
74 Ohio State September 29, 2018 – October 20, 2018 21 days 2 def. Penn State 27–26 to Purdue
75 Purdue October 20, 2018 – October 27, 2018 7 days 0 def. Ohio State 49–20 to Michigan State
76 Michigan State October 27, 2018 – November 10, 2018 14 days 1 def. Purdue 23–13 to Ohio State
77 Ohio State November 10, 2018 – December 28, 2019 1 yr, 48 days 17 def. Michigan State 26–6 to Clemson
78 Clemson December 28, 2019 – January 13, 2020 16 days 0 def. Ohio State 29–23 to LSU
79 LSU January 13, 2020 – September 26, 2020 257 days 0 def. Clemson 42–25 to Mississippi State
80 Mississippi State September 26, 2020 – October 3, 2020 7 days 0 def. LSU 44–34 to Arkansas
81 Arkansas October 3, 2020 – October 10, 2020 7 days 0 def. Mississippi State 21–14 to Auburn
82 Auburn October 10, 2020 – October 17, 2020 7 days 0 def. Arkansas 30–28 to South Carolina
83 South Carolina October 17, 2020 – October 24, 2020 7 days 0 def. Auburn 30–22 to LSU
84 LSU October 24, 2020 – October 31, 2020 7 days 0 def. South Carolina 52–24 to Auburn
85 Auburn October 31, 2020 – November 28, 2020 28 days 1 def. LSU 48–11 to Alabama
86 Alabama November 28, 2020 – October 9, 2021 315 days 10 def. Auburn 42–13 to Texas A&M
87 Texas A&M October 9, 2021 – November 13, 2021 35 days 3 def. Alabama 41–38 to Ole Miss
88 Ole Miss November 13, 2021 – January 1, 2022 49 days 2 def. Texas A&M 29–19 to Baylor
89 Baylor January 1, 2022 – September 10, 2022 252 days 1 def. Ole Miss 21–7 to BYU
90 BYU September 10, 2022 – September 17, 2022 7 days 0 def. Baylor 26–20 to Oregon
91 Oregon September 17, 2022 – November 12, 2022 56 days 6 def. BYU 41–20 to Washington
92 Washington November 12, 2022 – January 8, 2024 1 yr, 57 days 17 def. Oregon 37–34 to Michigan
93 Michigan January 8, 2024 – September 7, 2024 243 days 1 def. Washington 34–13 to Texas
94 Texas September 7, 2024 – October 19, 2024 42 days 4 def. Michigan 31–12 to Georgia
95 Georgia October 19, 2024 – November 9, 2024 21 days 1 def. Texas 30–15 to Ole Miss
96 Ole Miss November 9, 2024 – November 23, 2024 14 days 0 def. Georgia 28–10 to Florida
97 Florida November 23, 2024 – September 6, 2025 287 days 3 def. Ole Miss 24–17 to South Florida
98 South Florida September 6, 2025 – September 13, 2025 7 days 0 def. Florida 18–16 to Miami
99 Miami September 13, 2025 – October 17, 2025 34 days 2 def. South Florida 49–12 to Louisville
100 Louisville October 17, 2025 – November 8, 2025 22 days 2 def. Miami 24–21 to California
101 California November 8, 2025 – November 22, 2025 14 days 0 def. Louisville 29–26 to Stanford
102 Stanford November 22, 2025 – November 29, 2025 7 days 0 def. California 31–10 to Notre Dame
103 Notre Dame November 29, 2025 – October 17, 2026 322 days 6 def. Stanford 49–20 to BYU
104 BYU October 17, 2026 – October 24, 2026 7 days 0 def. Notre Dame 28–24 to UCF
105 UCF October 24, 2026 – October 30, 2026 6 days 0 def. BYU 39–31 to Baylor
106 Baylor October 30, 2026 – Present 2 days 0 def. UCF 41–9 — present —

Game links only exist for games the real belt was on the line for; the rest of this universe’s games have no page of their own. A reign marked “vacated” ended because the holder stopped appearing in the record, and the belt reverted to the program it was taken from.