Bowls in this era

[Archbold44]

With Kansas State opting out of its bowl, I can completely understand it. The old days, there were only so many bowls and it was a reward for a great season. It was a chance to get one more big matchup, a last time to see Seniors, and a first time to see a few younger guys. But with amateurism gone, and the playoff/NIL/portal era... it seems like it is done. Anyone with an NFL career is foolish to play in a non-playoff game. And it is portal season.

I think that we will see a shift to several play-in games for each conference to finalize playoff spots. Those could be done in a bowl context in Week 14 in lieu of CCGs. The St. Petersburg Bowl... featuring #2 ACC vs #3 ACC for the right to a playoff spot.

I am also thinking that FBS should have an 8-team NIT for G5 teams that do not make the playoff. That could occupy 7 bowl games... making them meaningful. For G5 players, might be a chance to audition for FBS teams. So perhaps a greater participation percentage? Figure... assuming Tulane wins... North Texas, USF, UNLV, San Diego State, Western Michigan, James Madison, Kennesaw State, UConn? These teams are bowl teams anyway, right? Might as well make some meaning for them.

And then make some bowl games every other year. So the bowl games do not disappear, they just get absorbed into the NIT like we do with NCAA tourney sites... The Mayo Bowl... 2026, 2028, 2030, etc.

 

[IHeartSUFball]

Kansas State opted out, thats crazy to me. I know they are getting a new coach and all, but they football hungry there and a chance for new coach to see the talent, regardless if he was there two years ago.

 

[JKinUtah]

Bowls mean a lot when we get to play in them. When we don't they are meaningless wastes of time and money.

 

[Chip]

File the 15 extra practices importance away with the redshirting concept.

They carry such little weight in the transfer portal era. The real building of the team starts in spring now. Especially with just one portal window.

 

[Briancuse]

Is rutgers going to try to swoop in and steal another bowl game at 5 and 7 lol?

 

[Archbold44]

ND, Kansas State, Iowa State, and nearly all the 5-7 teams seems to agree that bowls are of rapidly declining value…

 

[longtimefan]

ND, Kansas State, Iowa State, and nearly all the 5-7 teams seems to agree that bowls are of rapidly declining value…

The 2 Big XII teams have been fined $500,000 by their league.

Their excuse for opting out concerns losing their head coach.

ND's excuse is that their feelings are hurt.

 

[ImperialOrange]

5-7 teams in bowl games are crazy too me. There have been way too many bowl games for too many years, I'm personally glad it's self correcting albeit not all of the reasons

 

[Archbold44]

Serious question. Tulane and James Madison are in the playoffs. Last year, Boise State was in.

Indiana is dominating the B1G right now. They have a lot more money than people think, they are just deciding to invest in football for the first time. Texas Tech has a lot of money and is #4, despite being B12. BYU has a ton of money--see hoops NIL. Seems like $$$$$ is the deciding factor for competing.

But we have also yet to see Indiana or Texas Tech win it all. They are top 4 seeds, so we will see.

Setting aside fan-colored glasses, which group is more likely to have a team make the playoff next year:

A. West Virginia, Syracuse, Boston College, Wake Forest, NC State, Cal, Stanford, Cincinnati, Houston, UCF

B. Tulane, Memphis, Boise State, UNLV, San Diego State, USF, James Madison, Army, Navy, or North Texas.

In all seriousness. Group B has to beat out the rest of Group B (and worse teams). Group A has to beat out Group A (plus all the blue bloods, wannabe blue bloods, and teams getting $$$ just for being in the SEC/B1G).

And then ask yourself the question... how likely is it that a team from either Group A or Group B wins 1 playoff game? Is there that much of a difference? How about makes it all the way to win a championship?

Isn't it kind of weird that Tulane has an easier path to a playoff than Syracuse?

 

[Cusefan95]

The 2 Big XII teams have been fined $500,000 by their league.

Their excuse for opting out concerns losing their head coach.

ND's excuse is that their feelings are hurt.

Devil's advocate - if an 8-4, 6-6 team makes a bowl game and gets blown out, its not a story anybody in the media cares about. After Dino got fired we got demolished, nobody nationally even noticed a game had occurred. When Florida State got left out of the playoff, had the half the team and almost all the starters opt out, and got blown out in their bowl game - some media pointed to that as "proof" they didn't belong in the playoff. How much that has played into the fact the program has struggled since then is debatable- but it may have had some impact.

Notre Dame had a boatload of seniors, very few of whom were going to be interested in a non-playoff bowl game. They were very, very likely to be in a "FSU" situation with dozens of opt outs of key players. Getting blown out with backups playing was a possibility. Schools that just miss the playoffs (and have annual expectations to make it) may be taking a huge risk of damaging the brand playing a bowl game with fifth stringers and getting blown out - opting out might be the better decision.

I think people criticizing Notre Dame are viewing this from a pre-NIL, pre-playoff perspective. The rules have changed, the incentives have changed - but we're expecting schools and players to act like its still 1988 and bowls matter. What needs to change is people's expectations - I don't expect players and schools will decide to start behaving irrationally under the current rules just so we can pretend as fans that its still 1988. People can be disgusted and horrified at Notre Dame all they want - but if college football doesn't figure out a way to make it rational for near-miss playoff teams to play in bowl games, they should prepare to be disgusted and horrified frequently until they grudgingly accept the new reality.

 

[JustPherU]

There is one non playoff game left that I care about, Army vs Navy.Go Army Beat Navy!

 

[Dinkyspond]

Rutgers will be going to a bowl at 5-7 again with all the opt-outs. It's a shame Brown couldn't find a way to win 2-3 games without Angeli. A lost season and opportunity.

 

[Cusefan95]

Rutgers will be going to a bowl at 5-7 again with all the opt-outs. It's a shame Brown couldn't find a way to win 2-3 games without Angeli. A lost season and opportunity.

Rutgers declined, so its now eight teams that declined bids.

I appreciate the dedication to ignore current reality by the folks who still insist bowls matter or that they are an "opportunity". Its not true - but I feel sad...like I'm watching a guy struggling to accept the girlfriend he dreamed of marrying broke up with him.

Its over, man...let the bowls go.

 

[David321]

I hate how bowls are being devalued but I feel like an old relic yelling into the abyss.

 

[xc84]

Sure. Bowls ain’t what the used to be but give me a game in a nice, warm location and I happily go

 

[Marsh01]

The bowls died a long time ago. Not the same

 

[NineOneSeven]

File the 15 extra practices importance away with the redshirting concept.

They carry such little weight in the transfer portal era. The real building of the team starts in spring now. Especially with just one portal window.

The extra practices stuff was always lol to me

 

[OrlandoCuse]

Just take it to 24 or 32 team playoff and kill the bowl system. It’s a relic.

 

[HRE Otto IV]

Unless (or until) players become employees and not students, I don’t see Bowls surviving. The academic calendar and portal get in the way.

Heck that would help with the coaching carousel too. There is no need to grab a HC in November if the free agency period and high school signings don’t start until February.

 

[David321]

Unless (or until) players become employees and not students, I don’t see Bowls surviving. The academic calendar and portal get in the way.

Heck that would help with the coaching carousel too. There is no need to grab a HC in November if the free agency period and high school signings don’t start until February.

Don't they generate a lot of money though?

 

[longtimefan]

Don't they generate a lot of money though?

Bowls (at least some of them) make money. Many of the schools that must guarantee purchase of a set (exorbitant) number of tickets, lose money.

 

[HRE Otto IV]

Don't they generate a lot of money though?

I don't see it in the future. When teams, coaches, players opt out all the time, so will fans from watching. Once people stop paying attention, the games will die.

 

[Strathless]

Divide the country into geographic areas and take the top four non-CFP teams from each and crown regional champions. Reinvigorate some old rivalries that conference realignment has broken up. Bust out some old trophies that don't get passed around anymore (i.e. The Ben Schwartzwalder Trophy!). Play the first round on campus and host the championship in a historic bowl location within the region. Take G5 conference champs and try to minimize inter-conference matchups. This year:

MID-ATLANTIC:
Virginia vs. Navy
Penn State vs. UConn

SOUTHEAST
Vanderbilt vs. Old Dominion
Duke vs. Kennesaw State

MIDWEST
Michigan vs. Western Michigan
Notre Dame vs. Iowa State

SOUTH
Texas vs. North Texas
SMU vs. Houston

WEST
BYU vs. Boise State
USC vs. Utah

 

[OrangeTarheel]

Divide the country into geographic areas and take the top four non-CFP teams from each and crown regional champions. Reinvigorate some old rivalries that conference realignment has broken up. Bust out some old trophies that don't get passed around anymore (i.e. The Ben Schwartzwalder Trophy!). Play the first round on campus and host the championship in a historic bowl location within the region. Take G5 conference champs and try to minimize inter-conference matchups. This year:

NORTHEAST:
Penn State vs. Navy
Pittsburgh vs. UConn

SOUTHEAST
Vanderbilt vs. Old Dominion
Virginia vs. Kennesaw State

MIDWEST
Michigan vs. Western Michigan
Notre Dame vs. Iowa State

SOUTH
Texas vs. North Texas
SMU vs. Houston

WEST
BYU vs. Boise State
USC vs. Utah

Without thinking through the logistics of this approach I like it. Gives the fans something back with a regional approach. The sport needs something to invigorate it

 

[wooddoc]

But hey... there's a ton of money involved, so what's going on has gotta be good, right? Personally, Archbold hemerrhoids seem kinda romantic, at this point.