Question: Is it just me or are there more lackluster college football games than ever?

[Redwood Forrest]

Half these games I don't watch. For me, overkill to the nth degree. Flamingo State vs Metropolitan University just doesn't interest me.

 

[CB4]

I’m just wanting for the Depend Drop Your Pants for Underawareness Birmingham Bowl.

Gotta some time, right?

 

[4Q Basket Case]

I think you're right, for three reasons.

First there are a gazillion bowls and simply not enough interesting teams to fill them all up.

Second, a lot of players who feel they have NFL potential are choosing not to play.

Third, a surprising number of bowl-eligible teams are choosing not to participate. Which I don't understand at all.

If you weren't jobbed by the CFP, but just weren't a Top 12 team, why would you pass up the chance to improve and prep for 2026?

If you have a star player sitting out, why not use the time to improve the rest of the team? 2026 is coming whether you sit home or play.

Even if you really were jobbed by absolutely ridiculous CFP rules, why would you pass up the chance for essentially a second spring's worth of practices simply because you're justifiably butt-hurt?

I just don't get it.

The only logic I can figure is that you feel that the opportunity to evaluate and recruit players in the portal outweighs the benefit from bowl practices. I don't think that's so, but it is an internally consistent thought process.

 

[BamaFan6462]

TV coverage seems to be worse now. Camera work isn’t always very good plus they don’t show nearly as many replays now. Even plays with penalties aren’t replayed. Probably part of the plan to “speed up” the games a couple of years ago where they could cram more commercials in.

 

[davefrat]

With the non-playoff bowl games being more meaningless than ever I think they need to take the Pop Tarts approach and make the games more about being entertaining spectacles than anything else.

Some of the games match up teams that many if not most people don't even know exist and if they do they don't even care.

 

[DzynKingRTR]

With the non-playoff bowl games being more meaningless than ever I think they need to take the Pop Tarts approach and make the games more about being entertaining spectacles than anything else.

Some of the games match up teams that many if not most people don't even know exist and if they do they don't even care.

Agreed. The pop tart bowl looks fun even though I hate pop tarts. The potato bowl seems cool and they looked pretty tasty. The mayo bowl is gross. Hard to believe there is not Gatorade Bow That seems like a no brainer.

 

[crimsonaudio]

NIL + transfer portal = less player development

The game is far less watchable now than 10 years ago. Parity = widespread mediocrity (in CFB).

 

[tusks_n_raider]

NIL + transfer portal = less player development

The game is far less watchable now than 10 years ago. Parity = widespread mediocrity (in CFB).

This

Also the non CFBP bowls aren’t as enjoyable because of players quitting right and left if not entire teams.

Jmo but when a player signs the NIL agreement it should state that the full salary payment is contingent on actually completing the season in full.

Barring injury they should HAVE to finish the year or face financial penalties.

 

[Isaiah 63:1]

...The game is far less watchable now than 10 years ago. Parity = widespread mediocrity (in CFB).

Regulated parity in CFB, as in most endeavors, is achieved by boosting the have-nots at the expense of the haves, not by leaving the haves alone and boosting the have-nots. As a "have," obviously we Alabama fans think the game is less watchable now. The question for the sport overall is, does parity bring in enough incremental interest from others (the casual fans) to more than compensate for the waning interest of traditional fans? If so, then regulated parity might make sense for the sport overall, however much you and I are unhappy about it.

The problem is that parity doesn't appear to be having that effect, at least not yet. Viewership the first weekend of this year's CFP was down 7% YoY, at least in part because of Saturday head-to-head competition with the NFL, which of course introduces the elephant in the living room: if CFB is now NFL light, why on earth would the casual fan prefer CFB to the NFL? It's a great marketing strategy question, to which I currently have no answer...

 

[CoolBreeze]

Gonna be great seeing Bama vs Georgia in the National Championship Game

Tip of the cap to the anti-SEC crowd, which is out earlier than ever this bowl season

The anti-SEC crowd got some early ammo in this postseason with bowl losses, which feels even earlier than usual.

www.saturdaydownsouth.com

 

[arthurdawg]

I think you're right, for three reasons.

First there are a gazillion bowls and simply not enough interesting teams to fill them all up.

Second, a lot of players who feel they have NFL potential are choosing not to play.

Third, a surprising number of bowl-eligible teams are choosing not to participate. Which I don't understand at all.

If you weren't jobbed by the CFP, but just weren't a Top 12 team, why would you pass up the chance to improve and prep for 2026?

If you have a star player sitting out, why not use the time to improve the rest of the team? 2026 is coming whether you sit home or play.

Even if you really were jobbed by absolutely ridiculous CFP rules, why would you pass up the chance for essentially a second spring's worth of practices simply because you're justifiably butt-hurt?

I just don't get it.

The only logic I can figure is that you feel that the opportunity to evaluate and recruit players in the portal outweighs the benefit from bowl practices. I don't think that's so, but it is an internally consistent thought process.

Heck... Bowl practices are an entire spring practice! Given the lack of practice time it seems like it would be worth it to run drills and prep younger guys even if you had half the staff working the portal. Snaps are snaps and they come at a premium.

 

[lowend]

I associate acronyms with inferior college football.

LSU, for example.

Third, a surprising number of bowl-eligible teams are choosing not to participate. Which I don't understand at all.

A lot of schools in the lesser games actually lose money on bowl trips. Here's a great article from the Knight Commission about that. It's from 2010, but I think the point still holds after COVID and inflation.

Cost of Going to Bowl Games Is Greater than Payouts - Knight Commission on Intercollegiate Athletics

Bloomberg News reported on the cost to schools in the highest competitive division in the NCAA for their football teams playing in bowl games. According to the article, at least 13 schools spent more to play in a football bowl game than their athletic conferences received in compensation...

www.knightcommission.org

 

[mdb-tpet]

Cost of Going to Bowl Games Is Greater than Payouts - Knight Commission on Intercollegiate Athletics

Bloomberg News reported on the cost to schools in the highest competitive division in the NCAA for their football teams playing in bowl games. According to the article, at least 13 schools spent more to play in a football bowl game than their athletic conferences received in compensation...

www.knightcommission.org

Surely lesser teams can travel and play for less and break even. After all, there is a practice and development benefit to bowl games, or at least they say there is a benefit to all of that practice time. Frankly either way, I'm not concerned with any team not named Alabama. Let them make or lose money, I don't care.

 

[arthurdawg]

If you didn't watch the 14 yard TD strike to TACO!!! In the FCS title game last night you missed the best danged game of the year. Go Bobcats!!!

 

[DzynKingRTR]

If you didn't watch the 14 yard TD strike to TACO!!! In the FCS title game last night you missed the best danged game of the year. Go Bobcats!!!

didn't watch but heard a blocked PAT in OT was the difference

 

[jashleyren2]

The bowl system is going to be largely rendered obsolete by the same things that will cripple the sport down to barely a few competitive programs, and zero dynasties. NIL and Portal.

Why go to a meaningless bowl game and risk injury? Ask NFL players if they'd like to play another exhibition game after the season, once they are disqualified from the NFL playoffs. How many takers we think there will be?

Bowls are the last tie to the program, the school, even a conference, that they have. MAKE PLAYERS SIGN BINDING FINANCIAL CONTRACTS. NIL goes into Escrow while they play for University of Wherever.

I'm telling you all, if we don't get some boundaries on this thing, we'll be left with whatever schools have the most wealthiest contributing boosters and alumni. "Indiana University Football, presented by Mark Cuban's Corporate Interest". "Ohio State University Football, presented by Lee Wexler and his Weirdness". "University of Michigan Football, presented by Whoever Married Into It."

 

[jashleyren2]

Heck... Bowl practices are an entire spring practice! Given the lack of practice time it seems like it would be worth it to run drills and prep younger guys even if you had half the staff working the portal. Snaps are snaps and they come at a premium.

That used to be the case, when guys were tied to a program, because they wanted to be there. Now, they want BAG FIRST. Whoever and wherever it comes from.