The 2006 NCAA Division I FBS football season, or the college football season, began on August 31, 2006, and aside from all-star exhibition games that followed, concluded with the Bowl Championship Series (BCS) National Championship Game on January 8, 2007, in Glendale, Arizona, where the No. 2 Florida Gators defeated the No. 1 Ohio State Buckeyes 41–14 to win the 2007 BCS National Championship. The Boise State Broncos were the year's only undefeated team in either level of Division I football after defeating Oklahoma in the Fiesta Bowl.
Many publications release their predictions of the number one team prior to the beginning of the season. Following is a list of some publications' No. 1 pick.
There are several rules that have changed for the 2006 season. Following are some highlights:
The NCAA ruled that teams could schedule twelve regular-season games (up from eleven) beginning in the 2006 season. (NCAA teams in Alaska and Hawaii, and their home opponents, are allowed to schedule an extra game over and above this limit.)
Instant replay is now officially sanctioned and standardized. All plays are reviewed by the replay officials as the play occurs. They may call down to the on-field officials to stop play if they need extra time to make a review. Each coach may also make one challenge per game. In the case of a coach's challenge, the coach must have at least one time-out remaining. If the challenge is upheld the coach gets the time-out back but the challenge is spent. If the challenge is rejected, both the challenge and the time-out are spent.
Players may only wear clear eyeshields. Previously, both tinted and orange were also allowed.
The kicking tee has been lowered from two inches tall to only one inch.
Halftime lasts twenty minutes. Previously, it was only fifteen minutes.
On a kickoff, the game clock starts when the ball is kicked rather than when the receiving team touches it.
This rule change has resulted in controversy, highlighted by the matchup between Wisconsin and Penn State on November 4, 2006, in which Wisconsin deliberately went off-sides on two consecutive kickoffs to run extra time off the clock at the close of the first half.
On a change of possession, the clock starts when the referee marks the ball ready for play, instead of on the snap.
The referee may no longer stop the game due to excessive crowd noise.
When a live-ball penalty such as an illegal formation occurs on a kick, the receiving team may choose either to add the penalty yardage to the end of the return or require the kick to be attempted again with the spot moved back. Previously, only the latter option was available.
If a team scores at the end of the game, they will not kick the extra point unless it would affect the outcome of the game.
Mid-American Conference—November 30 at Ford Field in Detroit
Central Michigan 31, Ohio 10
Conference USA—December 1 at Robertson Stadium in HoustonHouston 34, Southern Miss 20
ACC—December 2 at Alltel Stadium in Jacksonville, Florida
Wake Forest 9, Georgia Tech 6.
Big 12 – December 2 at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Missouri
Oklahoma 21, Nebraska 7
SEC—December 2 at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta
Florida 38, Arkansas 28
Big East: Louisville
Big Ten: Ohio State
Mountain West: Brigham Young
Pac-10: Southern California, California
The Trojans clinched the Pac-10 BCS bid, but shared the conference title with Cal.
Sun Belt: Troy, Middle Tennessee.
Troy won the New Orleans Bowl bid by defeating the Blue Raiders in their game.
WAC: Boise State
The Broncos became the second team in the history of the BCS to come from a non-BCS conference, and the second such team to win their bowl game, doing so in epic fashion.
For the ninth year, the Bowl Championship Series selected the No. 1 and No. 2 teams to play in the championship game on January 8. The year 2006 marked a change for the BCS, as the added National Championship Game began as a separate entity, played after the other bowls. Rotating between the four sites, just like the old format of the National Championship, the first BCS Championship game was played in Tempe, Arizona, the week after the Fiesta Bowl had been played there, and was telecast on FOX.
Ohio State was ranked No. 1 in all of the BCS-component polls (AP, Coaches', USA Today) in the preseason and the 14 polls taken in the regular season. When the BCS rankings began on October 15, Ohio State was No. 1 on all 8 rankings released during the season.
Rankings based on AP rankings going into bowl games
The Heisman Trophy is given to the year's most outstanding player
Winner: Troy Smith, Sr. Ohio State QB (2,540 pts)
2. Darren McFadden, So. Arkansas RB (878 pts)
3. Brady Quinn, Sr. Notre Dame QB (782 pts)
4. Steve Slaton So. West Virginia RB (214 pts)
5. Mike Hart, Jr. Michigan RB (210 pts)
Walter Camp Award (top player): Troy Smith, Ohio State
Maxwell Award (top player): Brady Quinn, Notre Dame
Associated Press College Football Player of the Year Award: Troy Smith, Ohio State
Bronko Nagurski Trophy (defensive player): James Laurinaitis, Ohio State
Chuck Bednarik Award (defensive player): Paul Posluszny, Penn State
Dave Rimington Trophy (center): Dan Mozes, West Virginia
Davey O'Brien Award (quarterback): Troy Smith, Ohio State
Dick Butkus Award (linebacker): Patrick Willis, Ole Miss
Doak Walker Award (running back): Darren McFadden, Arkansas
Draddy Trophy ("academic Heisman"): Brian Leonard, Rutgers
Fred Biletnikoff Award (wide receiver): Calvin Johnson, Georgia Tech
Jim Thorpe Award (defensive back): Aaron Ross, Texas
John Mackey Award (tight end): Matt Spaeth, Minnesota
Johnny Unitas Award (Sr. quarterback): Brady Quinn, Notre Dame
Lombardi Award (top lineman): LaMarr Woodley, Michigan
Lott Trophy (defensive impact): Daymeion Hughes, California
Lou Groza Award (placekicker): Art Carmody, Louisville
Manning Award (quarterback): JaMarcus Russell, LSU
Mosi Tatupu Award (special teams): A. J. Trapasso, Ohio State
Outland Trophy (interior lineman): Joe Thomas, Wisconsin
Ray Guy Award (punter): Daniel Sepulveda, Baylor
Ted Hendricks Award (defensive end): LaMarr Woodley, Michigan
The Home Depot Coach of the Year Award: Greg Schiano, Rutgers
Associated Press Coach of the Year: Jim Grobe, Wake Forest
Paul "Bear" Bryant Award (head coach): Chris Petersen, Boise State
Walter Camp Coach of the Year (head coach): Greg Schiano, Rutgers
Broyles Award (assistant coach): Bud Foster, Virginia Tech
