Sports Journalism Luminaria (and our Sports Editor) Robert Tuchman explores 100 Sporting Events You Must See Live, in his book of the same title.  His monthly column for Wandering Educators highlights the best of sports travel around the world! 

Sports Travel: BCS National Championship Game. This year, #1 ranked Southeastern Conference champion Auburn and #2 ranked Pac-10 champ Oregon will play. This is the first BCS championship game for each team.

Where?
University of Phoenix Stadium
Glendale, Arizona
BCS National Championship
Auburn vs. Oregon
Jan. 10, 2011, at 8:30 p.m. ET
ESPN
Glendale, Ariz.

When?
First weekend in January – January 10th. 

Significance:
The BCS (Bowl Championship Series) National Championship Game was created to downplay the controversy of who was truly best in college football. Little has been done to quell that controversy since the BCS title game’s inception in 1998. Big Ten, Pac-10, and the Rose Bowl Game joined members of the ex-Bowl Alliance to form the BCS.

The current group replaces the now-defunct Bowl Coalition, who hosted championship games from 1992 to 1997. In 2006, the National Championship Game became a separate event from the host bowl played at the same site as the host on the Monday following New Year’s Day. The game’s location still rotates between the sites of the BCS bowls; note that the date of the game occurs in the calendar year following the corresponding NCAA football season. The formula for selecting the participants is constantly under fire, among many other rousing discussions regarding the overall process. Nonetheless, the USA Today Coaches Poll is contractually obligated to name the winner of the BCS title as their national champion in its final poll of the season. That means that the winner receives the AFCA National Championship Trophy and the National Football Foundation’s MacArthur Bowl national championship trophy. With three trophies going to one team, one would think that the fans and experts would accept the outcome and recognize the champ. Think again.

Who attends?
Fans of the competing teams and college football fans from all walks of life.
 

Getting there:
Glendale’s got game is an excellent resource for information on getting there, parking, maps, and more.

Tickets:
For primary ticket access information, check the websites of the participating teams. 

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Robert Tuchman is the Sports Editor for Wandering Educators.  He is the author of the  book, 100 Sporting Events You Must See Live.