Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas, is a "virtual lock" to host the first championship game in college football's new four-team playoff, sources said.

Wednesday was the deadline to submit bids to host the championship on Jan. 12, 2015, and only the North Texas and Tampa Bay, Fla., communities submitted bids, sources said.

The BCS commissioners will meet April 23-25 in Pasadena, Calif., to officially announce the first championship site and other details about the upcoming playoff.

In January, sources told ESPN that Cowboys Stadium was the "prohibitive favorite" to host the game. Because Cowboys Stadium, which hosts the AT&T Cotton Bowl, is such an overwhelming favorite for the inaugural championship, several communities opted not to bid, sources said.

"It's pretty clear to everyone that it's headed to Cowboys Stadium," an industry source said.

Still, Tampa Bay, which has hosted four Super Bowls and the men's and women's Final Four, bid for the game. This could make a favorable impression and help its chances in landing a future championship game, sources said.