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Is it good or bad that more teams are declining bowl invites?
Posted on 12/8/25 at 6:32 am
Posted on 12/8/25 at 6:32 am
Bowl season used to be one of the most exciting times on the sports calendar when we had rare matchups, two fan bases overtaking a city for a good time and a lot of pride at stake.
ESPN, corporate marketing, the number of games, opt outs, etc. have oversaturated the bowl landscape to a point where they are mostly irrelevant, stale, and a burden more than a privilege. Half the stadiums don't even open their upper level for the bowl games.
Aside from the extra practices, which some coaches now say aren't as value-added in the present day because they would rather be shoring up their roster with who's coming back, hitting the portal, what's out there, etc., is it bad to decline? Do we really care that LSU has an extra handful of practices to keep this putrid offense going under an interim staff to go play in Houston in the Texas Bowl (again)? (Spare the "teams are soft, they need to play" rhetoric). I get it, just a question about the current bowl situation. Does more teams declining lead to change for the better?
ESPN, corporate marketing, the number of games, opt outs, etc. have oversaturated the bowl landscape to a point where they are mostly irrelevant, stale, and a burden more than a privilege. Half the stadiums don't even open their upper level for the bowl games.
Aside from the extra practices, which some coaches now say aren't as value-added in the present day because they would rather be shoring up their roster with who's coming back, hitting the portal, what's out there, etc., is it bad to decline? Do we really care that LSU has an extra handful of practices to keep this putrid offense going under an interim staff to go play in Houston in the Texas Bowl (again)? (Spare the "teams are soft, they need to play" rhetoric). I get it, just a question about the current bowl situation. Does more teams declining lead to change for the better?
This post was edited on 12/8/25 at 6:37 am
12
Posted on 12/8/25 at 6:38 am to Tdubs7
Bowl games have no purpose anymore but the bowl practices are really valuable. Just making a bowl game used to feel like Christmas to me. With NIL and a 12 game playoff, opt outs, coaching staff transitions.. They'll never be important again. They're essentially meaningless except for bowl practices which are still very useful.
Posted on 12/8/25 at 6:45 am to Tdubs7
I like the idea of using bowls as season openers for teams. Prob the only way theyll ever be meaningful again. Otherwise, theyll die off, which im also fine with
Posted on 12/8/25 at 6:55 am to Ironhead985
quote:
Bowl games have no purpose anymore
Yall are not real football fans. Nothing special should have to be on the line. Good, competitive football is entertaining.
Edit: “good” may be a stretch. But typically competitive for various reasons.
This post was edited on 12/8/25 at 8:44 am
Posted on 12/8/25 at 7:02 am to GeauxHouston
quote:I agree
competitive football is entertaining
Posted on 12/8/25 at 7:08 am to GeauxHouston
quote:
Good, competitive football is entertaining.
Two 5-7 teams with rosters diminished by opt outs playing in the Duke’s Mayo Bowl doesn’t usually qualify as “good” in my opinion. It may be competitive, but for all the wrong reasons.
Posted on 12/8/25 at 7:08 am to GeauxHouston
quote:Oh, am I a "casual?" Do I "not know ball?" Just like you think you know the type of football fan that I am, I have a pretty good idea what of type of fan you are.
Yall are not real football fans.
This post was edited on 12/8/25 at 7:09 am
Posted on 12/8/25 at 7:09 am to Wayne Campbell
quote:
Duke’s Mayo
Elite mayonnaise
Posted on 12/8/25 at 7:10 am to Tdubs7
quote:
Aside from the extra practices, which some coaches now say aren't as value-added in the present day because they would rather be shoring up their roster with who's coming back, hitting the portal, what's out there, etc., is it bad to decline?
I think it speaks volumes about the current state of college football if developing players isn’t important to the coaches.
It’s bad from a culture/morality standpoint. Would you teach your kids that when faced with adversity they should just quit?
From a strategic standpoint, I don’t see how playing in a bowl would be harmful for a program.
quote:
Does more teams declining lead to change for the better?
I’m not sure what that change would be. I don’t think more playoff expansion is better especially with how terrible the playoff calendar is. This season has pretty clear more deserving 2 team or 4 team setups.
I’ve never been able to understand why bowl games are meaningless, but no one says this about NCAA tournament games where neither team has a realistic shot at a national title. If it’s all about national championships, most games are worthless period.
Posted on 12/8/25 at 7:14 am to Ironhead985
quote:
Bowl games have no purpose anymore
What was the purpose of the Independence Bowl before the playoffs?
Posted on 12/8/25 at 7:26 am to Tdubs7
Good. Bowl games are just stupid.
Posted on 12/8/25 at 7:30 am to GeauxHouston
quote:
Good, competitive football is entertaining.
THIS is the problem Now… The non-CFP bowls are a Shell of their former selves. The coaches and teams of many bowl teams are not the same as when we grew up as young Tiger or Irish fans watching the Sugar Bowl, etc.
I don’t blame the players and coaches; they are playing out the hands that they were dealt by DISNEY/ESPN and the major sports networks, bowls and conferences they control.
The teams are mere subordinates to these mainstream sports media companies. I’m watching DISNEY/ESPN now telling me I should not Trust my Lying Eyes about ND. I support the Irish in the decision we made… I’m proud of my University for standing up to this Corrupt System. As a Louisianan, I’ll root for the Tigers at their bowl…… But it’s NOT the same.
Posted on 12/8/25 at 7:34 am to Ironhead985
quote:Why?
Just making a bowl game used to feel like Christmas to me
How old we you?
Posted on 12/8/25 at 7:37 am to Tdubs7
quote:
Is it good or bad
It’s awful. Players today are baby back b*tches. If they are going to be paid, all money should be based on completing an entire season, including bowl games. They are paid to play football. Toughen up, buttercup.
Posted on 12/8/25 at 7:38 am to GeauxHouston
quote:
Good, competitive football is entertaining.
I agree.
But it's going to be hard to convince a stud QB on a 9-4 team to risk injury or a bad game against a 7-6 team in the Armed Forces Bowl.
It sucks, but there's enough money being waived around with the NFL that players will be opting out. Heck, even QBs who are potential 4th-5th round picks may decide to opt out if the opponent has a good defense that could cause him to struggle.
Posted on 12/8/25 at 7:43 am to Clashmore Mike
One of the problems I see is no one has mentioned modern bowl games from a player’s perspective. These guys have already played 12-13 games. Would you rather burn a few weeks practicing in the cold on a deserted campus to play one more game or get some time off to recharge and enjoy Christmas with family?
Everyone has spent decades riding these guys like disposable gladiators for their profit and entertainment and that’s part of the reason for the current shitshow.
Everyone has spent decades riding these guys like disposable gladiators for their profit and entertainment and that’s part of the reason for the current shitshow.
Posted on 12/8/25 at 7:49 am to Globetrotter747
quote:
Everyone has spent decades riding these guys like disposable gladiators for their profit and entertainment and that’s part of the reason for the current shitshow.
These guys also get a free college education, meaning a chance to earn a degree without having to take out a loan. Playing football is their job, rather than waiting tables at Applebees.
Yes...I'm well aware some of these guys, prior to NIL, supposedly made a ton of money for the programs without being "LEGALLY" compensated. The stars were getting paid under the table is the reality, though.
Regardless, that still accounts for a small percentage of D1 football players. The other 95% or whatever who aren't going to be able to play football to make a household income are getting a pretty good deal if they can take advantage of their situation and graduate with a meaningful degree that the university and/or state taxpayers funded.
Posted on 12/8/25 at 7:57 am to ragincajun03
quote:
But it's going to be hard to convince a stud QB on a 9-4 team to risk injury or a bad game against a 7-6 team in the Armed Forces Bowl.
Isn’t that “stud qb” paid handsomely to play football? Get out there and do your job,
Posted on 12/8/25 at 8:02 am to Choupique19
quote:
Isn’t that “stud qb” paid handsomely to play football? Get out there and do your job,
He probably is, but who's going to be the first school, or conference, to write in their contracts that said player must play the entire season, whether CFP or shitty bowl game, it order to earn all his money?
No one wants to give their opponents a talking point in recruiting against them.
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