Kirk Herbstreit Advocates for Rose Bowl to Become Permanent Host of CFP Title Game

ESPN and Prime Video analyst Kirk Herbstreit posted on social media Tuesday that he believes the College Football Playoff should make the Rose Bowl the annual host of the championship game.

"The setting-beauty-field-and history of that place is unparalleled," he wrote. "Last night was another chapter in its long and incredible history of memorable moments."

The Rose Bowl, played in Pasadena, is easily the sport's oldest bowl game, dating back to 1902. For many years it served as the showcase for the top team from the Big Ten vs. the top team from the Pac-12, though the BCS and eventually CFP era changed its role in the bowl season landscape.

But given the legacy of the game, it wouldn't be a stretch to install it as the annual championship game. The pushback would come from the other New Year's Six bowls—the Orange Bowl, Sugar Bowl, Cotton Bowl, Peach Bowl and Fiesta Bowl—which would surely want a piece of that action on a revolving basis, along with various other host cities that can currently vie for the game.

Starting with next year's 12-team expanded CFP field, the New Year's Six will serve as the host sites for the quarterfinal and semifinal games. In both the current format and future format, the CFP Championship Game isn't tied to a traditional bowl game. Herbstreit, at least, would like to see the Rose Bowl considered for the honor.