As much as everyone hates the Bowl Championship Series (myself included), it is a financial bonanza for the metropolitan areas that host the collegeate football championship. So there is no surprise that there is much jockeying for position among the cities who are vying for the possible fifth game to join the championship rotation (after the Rose, Sugar, Orange & Fiesta Bowls) in January 2006.

SBC COTTON BOWL

Location: Dallas

Upside: Traditional New Year's Day Bowl in a major market....Geographically centered, and as the Big 12's anchor bowl, would be shorter trip than the Fiesta for most. ... A new stadium is coming, probably in Fair Park.

Downside: Unpredictable weather has kept Cotton out of the BCS.... Current stadium is past its time, and the new all-weather stadium won't be built for years. ... Big 12 may not want to relinquish its top-paying bowl to the BCS.

CAPITAL ONE BOWL

Location: Orlando Fla.

Upside: The top-paying non-BCS bowl. ... Disney/ABC connections. ... Great tourism area and accessible to ACC, Big East and SEC fans.

Downside: SEC and Big Ten won't want to give up a $5 million bowl. ... Stadium is below average for a BCS bowl. ... Would be a second BCS bowl in Florida.

TOYOTA GATOR BOWL

Location: Jacksonville, Fla.

Upside: Could serve as the Big East's anchor bowl. ...Good stadium.

Downside: Although it's in Florida, weather is a concern. ... Not the tourist destination Orlando is.

HOUSTON BOWL

Location: Houston

Upside: Great stadium. ... New owners have the resources to make this a much bigger bowl. ... Successfully hosted the last Super Bowl.

Downside: Not much bowl tradition.

CHICK-FIL-A PEACH BOWL

Location: Atlanta

Upside: Domed, Super Bowl-worthy stadium. ... Lots of college football interest in an SEC-ACC market.

Downside: Already hosts the SEC title game. ... Like the Capitol One and Gator bowls, would give the South a third BCS bowl.

ALAMO BOWL

Location: San Antonio

Upside: Great tourism town with momentum from the Final Four. ... More centrally located than other BCS bowls. ... Relatively new, domed stadium.

Downside: Stadium is undersized for a BCS bowl.

INSIGHT BOWL

Location: Phoenix

Upside: Run by the Fiesta Bowl, so the organization is already in place. ... A shorter trip for fans of at-large teams from the Pac-10, Mountain West and WAC.

Downside: Would mean two BCS bowls in the same metro area (Fiesta Bowl is in Tempe). ... Played in a baseball stadium.

HOLIDAY BOWL

Location: San Diego

Upside: Great tourism city. ... Like the Insight Bowl, would be an easier trip for western teams.

Downside: Fans of western teams aren't known for traveling, anyway.

BRAND-NEW BOWL

Location: Most likely St. Louis

Upside: The BCS could opt to create a new bowl in a market that doesn't currently have a bowl. ... New domed stadium that will host 2005 Final Four. ... Central location with good access for the Big 12 and Big Ten.

Downside: Start-up costs and lack of an existing organization. ... St. Louis is a baseball town with little college football tradition. ... Not much to do there in the winter.

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