This was a bad yr for the "too many unimportant bowl games!!" or "tuning out b/c of opt outs!!" folks....

[JHB4UK]

(Stolen from reddit)
There were 42 bowl games this year.

24 of those bowl games were great 1 possession games (57%) when including the Reliaquest Bowl (which was 1 possession until the last play). Majority of these games had fantastic endings and, most importantly, included both CFP semifinal games.

6 of those bowl games were 1-2 possession games (14%) that were still entertaining.

12 of those bowl games were 3+ possession blowout games (29%). Many of those games involved teams who are in the middle of a coaching transition (Purdue, Cincy, Louisville, Coastal Carolina, etc.) or are swamp people that don’t deserve happiness beyond a meaningless shutout streak (Florida).

 

[Jimerussell]

Just because a game is competitive doesn't make it great.

 

[katwest]

One thing I noticed about some of the ones I watched was smaller crowds. That will continue to get worse as long as opt outs increase which will lead to fewer bowl games in years to come.

 

[VaxxedObamaCat]

Didn't watch any non-CFP/NY6 bowl (other than half of ours) so I still stand by the statement that there are too many bowls and they are worthless. But it has been an exciting year for the important bowl games.

 

[sluggercatfan]

Kids want nil money and then opt out of games or not play an entire season!!

 

[Kats meow]

(Stolen from reddit)
There were 42 bowl games this year.

24 of those bowl games were great 1 possession games (57%) when including the Reliaquest Bowl (which was 1 possession until the last play). Majority of these games had fantastic endings and, most importantly, included both CFP semifinal games.

6 of those bowl games were 1-2 possession games (14%) that were still entertaining.

12 of those bowl games were 3+ possession blowout games (29%). Many of those games involved teams who are in the middle of a coaching transition (Purdue, Cincy, Louisville, Coastal Carolina, etc.) or are swamp people that don’t deserve happiness beyond a meaningless shutout streak (Florida).

And some of the 3+ possession blowouts were the result of key players bailing on their teams.

 

[postmodernprimate]

(Stolen from reddit)
There were 42 bowl games this year.

24 of those bowl games were great 1 possession games (57%) when including the Reliaquest Bowl (which was 1 possession until the last play). Majority of these games had fantastic endings and, most importantly, included both CFP semifinal games.

6 of those bowl games were 1-2 possession games (14%) that were still entertaining.

12 of those bowl games were 3+ possession blowout games (29%). Many of those games involved teams who are in the middle of a coaching transition (Purdue, Cincy, Louisville, Coastal Carolina, etc.) or are swamp people that don’t deserve happiness beyond a meaningless shutout streak (Florida).

Why won't you leave the miserable grumpy oldsters alone JHB? Shaking their canes at the TV and yelling "The end is nigh!" at the youngsters is all they have.

 

[docholiday51]

I wish there was less opting out but I thought this bowl season was more entertaining
than last year. In our case the opt outs cost us any chance to win and that put a damper on things to a great degree but there were plenty of good games.

 

[know1]

College football is by far my favorite sport and some years the end of bowl season comes and I feel like I watched so many bowl games across these few weeks that I'm kind of burned out on it. I'll bet I've watched less than half of the number this year. I don't have a conscious reason why and not blaming opt outs or anything like that. I just seemed to have other priorities this time around. I've enjoyed the games I've watched.

 

[Girthang]

I thoroughly enjoyed these games that were SO meaningless (to high draft picks and those not playing in the CFP) that they (THE high draft picks and those not playing in the CFP) played in the games like they WERE IN the playoff.

Bryce Young and others led by example, and so many people should learn the lesson, because it is what ails us these days.

So many want to take their ball and go home if they aren't the best. They don't want to play if they can't win or WORSE might lose. They can't handle the thought of playing a game for the sheer fun and joy of it, because they're more worried about losing or getting hurt. They stay at home. They're afraid to go outside. Theyre afraid theyre not worth what they want to be worth. Theyre afraid to be fired or whatever. Fear is all they know.

Dying isn't much of a living, though. If all you're doing is avoiding challenges and risks, all you're doing is dying.

 

[Girthang]

Didn't watch any non-CFP/NY6 bowl (other than half of ours) so I still stand by the statement that there are too many bowls and they are worthless. But it has been an exciting year for the important bowl games.

Lol. Even the NY6 are not important. They mean nothing in terms of the playoff.

 

[Girthang]

One thing I noticed about some of the ones I watched was smaller crowds. That will continue to get worse as long as opt outs increase which will lead to fewer bowl games in years to come.

As long as there are football fans, the bowl games will be fine. If people no longer have the time or energy for football, none of it will last.

 

[VaxxedObamaCat]

Lol. Even the NY6 are not important. They mean nothing in terms of the playoff.

I know they don't in terms of the playoff but they're prestigious and feature some power 5 conference champs. So, I find them more interesting than the Little Caesars Bowl but yes, still meaningless unless it's the CFP.

 

[JHB4UK]

One thing I noticed about some of the ones I watched was smaller crowds. That will continue to get worse as long as opt outs increase which will lead to fewer bowl games in years to come.

Silly, bowls are not funded by in person attendance. ESPN outright owns almost all of them. And even the most insignificant ones draw monster tv ratings for December, as opposed to fringe dying sports like basketball.

 

[katwest]

First I’ve heard of monster ratings with empty stadiums.

 

[JHB4UK]

Glad to educate you. Bowls are a TV program. Live bodies present for them are a bonus, but unnecessary.

 

[Crums Bald Spot]

Just because a game is competitive doesn't make it great.

This... I didn't watch most of the bowls because marquee match ups like Buffalo vs Georgia Southern and Memphis vs Utah State do not excite me. Of course, I am a sports fan who only watches games that are actually high powered/entertaining matchups, future UK opponents, or UK.

Never understood the guy over 30 who lives his life to watch sports.

 

[katwest]

TV ratings are what keeps them going and if opt out increase less will watch on TV too, Which will affect the bowls, I choose to opt out of your so called education.

 

[UKWildcats1987]

I know they don't in terms of the playoff but they're prestigious and feature some power 5 conference champs. So, I find them more interesting than the Little Caesars Bowl but yes, still meaningless unless it's the CFP.

They so have some prestige but in 2 years those bowls will be playoff games.

The bowl games are always gonna draw decent ratings or better and they should mean something to the players and coaches but for a lot of teams they are an event to see what you have for next season.

The division 1 college football post season format is archaic and was way overdue for a playoff and now playoff expansion. Every other major sport and league has a playoff so not sure why division 1 football thought it wasn't a good idea for so long.

 

[VaxxedObamaCat]

They so have some prestige but in 2 years those bowls will be playoff games.

The bowl games are always gonna draw decent ratings or better and they should mean something to the players and coaches but for a lot of teams they are an event to see what you have for next season.

The division 1 college football post season format is archaic and was way overdue for a playoff and now playoff expansion. Every other major sport and league has a playoff so not sure why division 1 football thought it wasn't a good idea for so long.

I agree. What I always suggested was having the four BCS bowls (Fiesta, Sugar, Orange, Rose) as an Elite 8 playoff and killing off all of the other bowl games. NCAAF went with 12 teams instead of 8 but the idea is there.

I really hate the bowl system and think it's dumb. Now how crazy is it that 25 years ago we had a system so stupid that the No. 1 and No. 2 teams didn't even play for the national championship? lol

 

[UKWildcats1987]

I agree. What I always suggested was having the four BCS bowls (Fiesta, Sugar, Orange, Rose) as an Elite 8 playoff and killing off all of the other bowl games. NCAAF went with 12 teams instead of 8 but the idea is there.

I really hate the bowl system and think it's dumb. Now how crazy is it that 25 years ago we had a system so stupid that the No. 1 and No. 2 teams didn't even play for the national championship? lol

The bowls won't ever go away due to money but if the playoff ever got big enough it could happen I suppose. Max size I could see is 24 teams and years and years from that probably if it ever happens.

 

[KyCatFan]

I don't think I watched a single minute of any bowl other than ours. The way basketball is going combined with the way our football season ended and the opt outs took all the excitement for sports away from me. Just didn't care.

 

[Kai Slater]

this bowl season, I was able to watch all or, at least part of, each and every bowl game that was televised. It was tough at times, but thankfully, youtube tv on the phone bailed me out a few times and kept the steak alive.

Sure, there were some "bad" bowl games, but at least it's football.

 

[JHB4UK]

No CFB is ever irrelevant for me, none. The pandemic 2029 yr I watched Prarie View-Cent Arkansas opener with the joy as if it were the Super Bowl.

 

[UKWildcats1987]

I don't think I watched a single minute of any bowl other than ours. The way basketball is going combined with the way our football season ended and the opt outs took all the excitement for sports away from me. Just didn't care.

I watched the playoff but that was about it. I didn't watch a second of our game because I knew what was going to happen. I didn't watch the basketball game either for the same reason.