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Is anybody watching the bowl games this year? In years past I really enjoyed seeing teams that would not otherwise meet playing in the bowls. Now they seem like a waste of time. With portal opt-outs and coaching changes, and actual play-off games, do we really need a Fenway Bowl in 2025?

I'm enjoying the Pop Tarts bowl currently.

The Pinstripe bowl was fascinating to watch considering both teams were preseason Top 10 contenders for the CFP and ended up in a meh bowl.

No it's just you

  • Author

Cool, cool. i’ll wager 2/3 of these games are gone within 5 years. And college football is my favorite sport.

  • Popular Post
3 minutes ago, Godzillatron said:

Cool, cool. i’ll wager 2/3 of these games are gone within 5 years. And college football is my favorite sport.

2/3 of us may be gone in 5 years. Enjoy your time!

I bet you don't want Arch to play in the Citrus Bowl

They’ve been increasing the number of bowl games for years and now 2/3 are going to be gone because….playoffs? Kay.

3 minutes ago, Hank_Hill said:

They’ve been increasing the number of bowl games for years and now 2/3 are going to be gone because….playoffs? Kay.

Yea I don’t get it. Even if you expand to 16, that only knocks out 2 bowls. Is the new threshold gonna be 8-4 to get in? 6-6 and 7-5 teams can fuck off?

19 minutes ago, Godzillatron said:

Cool, cool. i’ll wager 2/3 of these games are gone within 5 years. And college football is my favorite sport.

I'll bet you $100 there are more than 1/3 of these games are here in 5 years

According to this page https://www.espn.com/college-football/story/_/page/CFPBowls25/2025-2026-college-football-playoff-bowl-schedule there are 36 non playoff bowl games.

If there are more than 12 non playoff bowl games in Dec 2032/Jan 2033 you owe me $100

If there are 12 or fewer non playoff bowl games in Dec 2032/Jan 2033 I owe you $100.

Bet?

i want in on the mdmost action - define "only 1/3rd of us still here" in 5 years, how the 2/3rds of whatever that is is eliminated, etc.

ESPN has this shit down to a science. How expensive is it to roll into town with 5 cameras and Galindo level on air talent. They're making money. It's the smaller schools obligated to buy tickets and fly their team in that's losing here.

These games also do good ratings. People are sitting at home on the holiday break and like having football to watch.

Pop Tarts Bowl last year did bigger ratings than SMU’s first round playoff game.

1 hour ago, blacklab said:

you're like a woman who gets mad when her husband is happy

if you don't want to watch don't watch

allow us college football fans to enjoy what we love

Even though most of the smaller bowls suck, bad football is still better than no football.

1 hour ago, Js1 said:

Yea I don’t get it. Even if you expand to 16, that only knocks out 2 bowls. Is the new threshold gonna be 8-4 to get in? 6-6 and 7-5 teams can fuck off?

In a perfect world where bowls were only named after fruit and other commodities, they would.

Bowls are going to come and go, but I think generally the concept sticks around. What I wish they would do to really solidify the concept is if we are going to be stuck with the CFP committee, have them start ranking the Top 40 teams. Then you get your 16-team playoff (once it inevitably expands), and then in some form of rotation, the 12 "biggest" of the non-CFP Bowls get side-by-side matchups. IE, the team first out plays the team 2nd out, the 3rd out plays the 4th out and so forth and so on. There can then be whatever beyond those 12 to take whoever they want with conferences etc.

On 12/27/2025 at 5:52 PM, WBT said:

These games also do good ratings. People are sitting at home on the holiday break and like having football to watch.

Not all people, apparently….

On 12/27/2025 at 3:39 PM, blacklab said:

you're like a woman who gets mad when her husband is happy

if you don't want to watch don't watch

allow us college football fans to enjoy what we love

IMG_3247.gif

What I don't get is the scheduling. Since the CFP first round there was one game on the 22nd, three games on the 23rd, one game on Christmas Eve, EIGHT games Saturday, no games on either Sunday, no games today, three games tomorrow, five games NYE, three games NYD (only CFP games) then four games Jan 2nd.

I get not playing on Sundays or Christmas but it feels like they could spread it out a bit better. Put one of those Saturday games on the 22nd so you have two, put another game on Christmas eve (there was fucking nothing else on TV that day besides hockey I guess) so you have two that day, play a couple games today etc.

On 12/27/2025 at 4:23 PM, blacklab said:

I'll bet you $100 there are more than 1/3 of these games are here in 5 years

According to this page https://www.espn.com/college-football/story/_/page/CFPBowls25/2025-2026-college-football-playoff-bowl-schedule there are 36 non playoff bowl games.

If there are more than 12 non playoff bowl games in Dec 2032/Jan 2033 you owe me $100

If there are 12 or fewer non playoff bowl games in Dec 2032/Jan 2033 I owe you $100.

Bet?

You’re gonna have to add an inflation adjustment or CPI adjustment or some such shit for this to mean anything. 2032? Who gives a shit, your $100 will be worth like $23 or something.

Coaching changes! Bowls having no impact on the eventual national champion!

So....like its always been?

21 minutes ago, TxEx84 said:

How could you have missed the riveting Birmingham Bowl being played today, sir?

Jim Carrey Reaction GIF

You got me.

the pop tart team needs to run all bowl games and playoffs

hell, run the regular season games too

Edited by tx 3 putt

17 minutes ago, tx 3 putt said:

the pop tart team needs to run all bowl games and playoffs

hell, run the regular season games too

In the 80's, the Holiday Bowl was my favorite of the non NYD games. Now it's the Pop Tarts bowl.

I need something on the TVs in the background while I'm spending my holiday afternoons off at the titty bar.

41 minutes ago, David Dennison said:

They still doing the dump Duke's on the winning coach bowl?

Duke’s Mayo Bowl More Than A Mayo Dump (But It’s That Too)

ByTim Newcomb,

Contributor.

Tim Newcomb covers tennis gear/business, stadiums and shoe tech.

Follow Author

Dec 29, 2025, 10:00am EST

When the five-gallon cooler of Duke’s Mayo flows over the winning coach of the Duke’s Mayo Bowl on Jan. 2, 2026, it marks one of the most viral moments of the college bowl season’s festivities. It also epitomizes the culmination of a day of celebration for Duke’s Mayo, as the title sponsor of a bowl game held in Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, North Carolina, now in its sixth iteration.

Edited by NBHorn7

On 12/27/2025 at 3:20 PM, Godzillatron said:

Is anybody watching the bowl games this year? In years past I really enjoyed seeing teams that would not otherwise meet playing in the bowls. Now they seem like a waste of time. With portal opt-outs and coaching changes, and actual play-off games, do we really need a Fenway Bowl in 2025?

I have tried watching a few bowls, but other than the 4th quarter of Houston beating LSU, I can’t tell to you who I have watched, but it has been fewer than 30 total minutes.

It might have to do with the FCS or non Power 4 teams playing most of these games, but spring games are more interesting than the shit being rolled out this year.

Bowls are mostly fun. I had a blast being at the Hawai’i Bowl. That game meant something to both teams and they both played hard the entire game. The Hawai’i fans were so happy when they won. You can’t replicate the joy I witnessed from these folks. Hawai’i is their pro team and to see them play their last game out here for the year was really cool for them. I’ll go again next year to it as well because the atmosphere for the game is just cool.

1 hour ago, tx 3 putt said:

the pop tart team needs to run all bowl games and playoffs

hell, run the regular season games too

I was watching the Pop Tarts Bowl with some of my in-laws. They were all laughing about the gimmicks, but I think it’s great. All the old traditional bowls were stuffy with their blazer-wearing committees. We are past that, particularly for the non-playoff bowls.

Make them fun. Give them a marketing edge that people will tune in to watch. I find those games entertaining regardless of the teams on the field because they choose to make them that way.

Was it Flavor Flav last year at the Mayo Bowl? That was good stuff. The giant toaster and huge edible Pop Tart cakes? Good stuff. We need more of that.

Some of these bowls need to go back to their original name. The Rate Bowl... stupid! Go back to calling it what it was in the 80s, the Copper Bowl or at least the Cactus Bowl. That was cool.

On 12/27/2025 at 4:02 PM, mdmost said:

2/3 of us may be gone in 5 years. Enjoy your time!

Ej02thOWoAAZKPM.jpg

Cheez It was having some fun when they ran their own self named bowl. Not sure if they still do this since taking over the Citrus Bowl sponsorship. The last iteration is what’s now the Pop Tart Bowl and both brands are owned by the same mega corp overlords. I wonder if they saw more opportunity for shenanigans with Pop Tarts or if they still have fun with the Cheez Its too. I’ll watch some on NYE probably.

The solution is to make players employees, and make bowl participation part of their enforceable contract. Or instead of giving players trinkets, give them half of the money the school/conference gets from being in it.

That would immediately solve the problem.

Bowls have always been meaningless exhibitions. The difference is that 40 years ago, the media told you how much they mattered, so everyone bought into that. For the last 20 years we've beaten over the head with the message that there's too many, they don't matter, and the only thing that matters is being the national champion. Eventually (players first, then fans) enough people bought into that messaging and here we are. Bowls are something to have on in the background in a slow time of year. They get excellent ratings as a result, and it's more football. On top of that, it makes college football one of the few sports where someone other than the champion has an opportunity to end the season on a high note.

Having my team opt out of a bowl game this year has made me realize how much I did actually care about the last part.

2 things I would like to see added to the bowl season, and I doubt they are legal- but they damned sure would be justified:

1) Make 25% or more of the NIL money payable to players upon completing the season with the team in good faith.
2) Coaches are not allowed to leave their teams until the season is complete. Tie money into it or whatever. Stop the bullshit before teams are even done playing. IDGAF about their future teams- fulfill your current commitment.
ca25bdd0-b018-478e-896b-4f57aab0cce3.jpg

Also, this is Godspower Nwawuihe, and you're damned right I had to google his last name. He WAS a Freshman QB for Army who had great potential and speed. On the regular season, he had 9 carries for 25 yards, while having zero passing attempts. In the Fenway Bowl vs UCONN, he played RB, which granted- for Army isn't a huge move- but they gave him reps and he ate, to the tune of 171 yards and 2 TDs on 12 carries with a long of 70 yards with at least 4 broken tackles.

It is common to laud the extra practices a team gets for Bowl season; but if you don't think that game gave Army faithful a lot to look forward to after Nwawuihe ran away with the Offensive MVP award, welp, you don't want to see any positives in the Bowl games. Tis but one example, but also an outstanding one.

23 minutes ago, Iceman said:

2 things I would like to see added to the bowl season, and I doubt they are legal- but they damned sure would be justified:

1) Make 25% or more of the NIL money payable to players upon completing the season with the team in good faith.
2) Coaches are not allowed to leave their teams until the season is complete. Tie money into it or whatever. Stop the bullshit before teams are even done playing. IDGAF about their future teams- fulfill your current commitment.
ca25bdd0-b018-478e-896b-4f57aab0cce3.jpg

Also, this is Godspower Nwawuihe, and you're damned right I had to google his last name. He WAS a Freshman QB for Army who had great potential and speed. On the regular season, he had 9 carries for 25 yards, while having zero passing attempts. In the Fenway Bowl vs UCONN, he played RB, which granted- for Army isn't a huge move- but they gave him reps and he ate, to the tune of 171 yards and 2 TDs on 12 carries with a long of 70 yards with at least 4 broken tackles.

It is common to laud the extra practices a team gets for Bowl season; but if you don't think that game gave Army faithful a lot to look forward to after Nwawuihe ran away with the Offensive MVP award, welp, you don't want to see any positives in the Bowl games. Tis but one example, but also an outstanding one.

Godspower had the best run from scrimmage of the entire bowl season. Hope we keep him and he doesn't go the way of Kanye Udoh.

I wish they would do a second bracket for the 13-24 teams. Not sure how you would incentivize it but I would be excited to watch it.

Just now, Fudge Nuggets said:

Godspower had the best run from scrimmage of the entire bowl season. Hope we keep him and he doesn't go the way of Kanye Udoh.

I understand Udoh's situation and never begrudged him for leaving. The thing the academies DO have to counter that is the value of their degree and the leadership experience from fulfilling that service commitment. That had to factor in at least a little bit in the original decision to attend, right? My Old Grad son and I were having this exact discussion during the game, and he suggested players might opt for NIL money and ROTC at the civilian schools. I wanted to throw up and start laughing at the same time. ROTC can get you there too, but if you're already at an academy, it would be a complete change of culture, without the equivalent support of athletic obligations being met "halfway" by the other entities at the civilian institutions. I don't see them leaving for NIL if military leadership is also on their heart.

4 minutes ago, Iceman said:

I understand Udoh's situation and never begrudged him for leaving. The thing the academies DO have to counter that is the value of their degree and the leadership experience from fulfilling that service commitment. That had to factor in at least a little bit in the original decision to attend, right? My Old Grad son and I were having this exact discussion during the game, and he suggested players might opt for NIL money and ROTC at the civilian schools. I wanted to throw up and start laughing at the same time. ROTC can get you there too, but if you're already at an academy, it would be a complete change of culture, without the equivalent support of athletic obligations being met "halfway" by the other entities at the civilian institutions. I don't see them leaving for NIL if military leadership is also on their heart.

I don't begrudge him either. I just prefer Godspower stick around.

10 minutes ago, BlackCat said:

I wish they would do a second bracket for the 13-24 teams. Not sure how you would incentivize it but I would be excited to watch it.

A 24 team playoff would bracket 9-24 and could be played the first week of December allowing the losers to still play in the other bowls. Otherwise the bowls want the matchups to be as competitive as possible, so ideally 13 v 14, 15 v 16, etc. They seem to come pretty close accounting for bowl tie ins and avoiding conference matchups.

Edited by 'stache

My interest and viewing of sub-tier bowls has declined in recent years. At an emotional level it feels like there is a more complete disassociation with the top tier bowls, whereas previously there was an appetizer/main course feel to the whole bowl season.(yes, that is an individual emotional response not a practical analysis of historical bowl significance). That is compounded by the significant increase in opt-outs and also the scheduling(date and time) being so varied year to year. I’d also add there is probably some personal bandwidth limitations as I am not able to follow sports of all kinds as in depth as in my youth due to kids/work/family commitments.

2 minutes ago, Incredulity said:

also the scheduling(date and time) being so varied year to year

There should be at least 1 non-CFP bowl game every single day from December 15 to January 2, except for December 21, 25 and 28 (NFL) and December 20 (CFP home playoff games) and January 1 (CFP QFs)

That's 14 days for 36 non-CFP bowl games.

Edited by Js1

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