At-large bids are sometimes used for bowl games contested between NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision teams . Most bowl games have tie-ins with specific conferences ; for example , the Rose Bowl Game has traditionally hosted conference champions from the Big Ten Conference and Pac-12 Conference ( or their predecessors ) . Due to bowl eligibility requirements and preferential selection of top teams by the New Year 's Six bowl games , conferences are sometimes unable to provide a team to a bowl that they have a tie-in with . In such cases , bowl organizers will issue an at-large bid to a team in another conference or an independent team
independent
NCAA Division I FBS independent schools
At-large bid