As I watch bowl season it seems to me to be very poor quality and a lack of interest in both players, fans and even the media.
The portal, NIL and conference realignment seem to have made bowl season irrelevant. Maybe the playoffs next year will make it better, but I think these bowl games may ending?
I used to love this time of year and just not feeling it with 3rd string QBs and low effort.
Even Penn State will have to start putting names on the jerseys.
Other than rooting for Miami from afar, I’ve never really followed college football closely, and I’m admittedly the farthest thing from an expert, so what I’m about to type might sound sacrilegious.
I’m sure in 1920 when cross-country travel wasn’t as easy as it is today the system of waiting six weeks until everyone was rusty, playing one playoff game and voting on rankings made some sense, but it hasn’t for a very long time, and at least the expanding playoffs that are 100 years too late addresses that.
I realize they’re already doing this to some degree, but other than tradition, is there any reason these bowls can’t be moved up the end of the season instead of having this absurd pregnant pause?
Would teams remain intact (including coaching staffs) if the postseason started four weeks ago instead of, well, now? Seems like it was also be easier on players and staffs not to have to continue endless practices for another month in crappy weather.
I get that the minor bowls means big money for schools, but it seems like the entire system needs a major update in the era of massive transfers and NILs.
I heard Herbstreit on Gameday today saying get rid of most bowls, leaving only the CFP games, maybe a few others for teams . (My thoughts went to leaving games for G5 conference champs against one another.) I’ve heard similar from others, and I’m starting to like this idea more and more.
Bowl games were originally created to drive tourism to warmer weather locales. Now they’re moneymakers for the networks so they won’t be going anywhere. Bowl games were originally designed to be exhibition games, not decide national championships and the non-playoff games have reverted back to that.
If ESPN were at all serious about reforming the bowls, they’d consider as one of the options starting the next regular season with bowl games. Everyone would play and they’d all mean something. The old bowls would get their traditional matchups since they wouldn’t have to go along with the playoff setup.
Yes, from what I’ve heard, the ratings for the games are still pretty good. While the significance of these games might be reduced, I think labeling it the “death of college football” might be a bit premature.
If you have not had a chance to see Coach Martin’s bowl game press conference he is asked about the “lower tier” bowls. If you haven’t had a chance to see it, recommend it-great response from Coach.