Two people involved in the decision tell The Associated Press that the NCAA won't allow the creation of new bowl games for the next three years.
The people spoke on condition of anonymity Monday because the NCAA had not made a formal announcement.
Last season, three teams with losing records were placed in bowl games because there were not enough .500 teams to fill the record 40 bowls. The NCAA's football oversight committee last week recommended a three-year moratorium on sanctioning new postseason games and it was approved by the Division I Council.
Three cities — Austin, Texas; Charleston, South Carolina; and Myrtle Beach, South Carolina — were in the process of trying to gain approval for new bowl games.