2023 College Football Season

[Big John]

The 2023 Bowls are now set.

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1U3mORtXKEYShaC8R43SKd3R0WnL2vc2QI_AD9_jPZfs/edit?usp=sharing

The "Duke's Mayo" Bowl?  The "Pop Tarts" Bowl?  This has gotten out of hand.

I agree. I prefer referring to the Bowls by their traditional names. Tangerine, Citrus, Cactus, etc.

I will do whatever it takes to drop the corporate portion of name when saying it.  Irritant that ESPN and all their employees are forced to include it whenever they refer to a bowl game.

[rlb2024]

The 2023 Bowls are now set.

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1U3mORtXKEYShaC8R43SKd3R0WnL2vc2QI_AD9_jPZfs/edit?usp=sharing

The "Duke's Mayo" Bowl?  The "Pop Tarts" Bowl?  This has gotten out of hand.

I agree. I prefer referring to the Bowls by their traditional names. Tangerine, Citrus, Cactus, etc.

I will do whatever it takes to drop the corporate portion of name when saying it.  Irritant that ESPN and all their employees are forced to include it whenever they refer to a bowl game.

Some of these games are so new that they never had a traditional name.  What are there, 43 bowl games now?

[Big John]

I just say Team A/Team B Bowl game if no suitable name is given.

[gonealookin]

The 2023 Bowls are now set.

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1U3mORtXKEYShaC8R43SKd3R0WnL2vc2QI_AD9_jPZfs/edit?usp=sharing

The "Duke's Mayo" Bowl?  The "Pop Tarts" Bowl?  This has gotten out of hand.

I agree. I prefer referring to the Bowls by their traditional names. Tangerine, Citrus, Cactus, etc.

I will do whatever it takes to drop the corporate portion of name when saying it.  Irritant that ESPN and all their employees are forced to include it whenever they refer to a bowl game.

Some of these games are so new that they never had a traditional name.  What are there, 43 bowl games now?

The ridiculous sponsorship names, along with some of the silly gimmicks like the winning coach of the Duke's Mayo Bowl getting a huge bucket of the sponsor's product dumped all over him, are the best parts of many of these games.

The games themselves are usually dreadful, and it's not because "there are too many bowl games".  It's because many of the players who played the regular season have entered the transfer portal or are passing up the game "to prepare for the NFL Draft" (or more accurately, to avoid risking an injury which would cost them a ton of NFL money), and because the coach and his staff have taken other jobs and are no longer with the team, or in some cases have even been fired.  The end product looks an awful lot like an NFL preseason game, an unwatchable affair where nobody really cares about the final score.

It's too bad.  Bowl games used to be pretty big events for the participating schools and for the host city.  Now except for the playoff games and just a few other top-tier games they are often played before very sparse crowds.  Calling a game a "Bowl Game" still reliably draws good ratings for ESPN, however, and that's why they continue to exist.

[tmoore952]

The ridiculous sponsorship names, along with some of the silly gimmicks like the winning coach of the Duke's Mayo Bowl getting a huge bucket of the sponsor's product dumped all over him, are the best parts of many of these games.

The games themselves are usually dreadful, and it's not because "there are too many bowl games".  It's because many of the players who played the regular season have entered the transfer portal or are passing up the game "to prepare for the NFL Draft" (or more accurately, to avoid risking an injury which would cost them a ton of NFL money), and because the coach and his staff have taken other jobs and are no longer with the team, or in some cases have even been fired.  The end product looks an awful lot like an NFL preseason game, an unwatchable affair where nobody really cares about the final score.

It's too bad.  Bowl games used to be pretty big events for the participating schools and for the host city.  Now except for the playoff games and just a few other top-tier games they are often played before very sparse crowds.  Calling a game a "Bowl Game" still reliably draws good ratings for ESPN, however, and that's why they continue to exist.

Exactly. But I don't play ESPN's game. The only time I've watched any postseason college football games the last 20 years is when Delaware is in FCS playoffs (rare), or I've been at New Years parties and the semifinal games was what is on the TV. Was it last year that the semifinal game ended at the stroke of EST midnight? Half of us were watching ball drop, other half was watching the end of the football game. I guess that's the wave of the future. You can have it.

[KeithE4Phx]

The 2023 Bowls are now set.

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1U3mORtXKEYShaC8R43SKd3R0WnL2vc2QI_AD9_jPZfs/edit?usp=sharing

The "Duke's Mayo" Bowl?  The "Pop Tarts" Bowl?  This has gotten out of hand.

How about the Famous Tostary Bowl?  I had to Google that one.  Famous Tostary is a regional restaurant chain, mostly in the Carolinas and Virginia.  Being 2500 miles away in Arizona, I have no idea if their food is any good, but they are in no way qualified to sponsor a college bowl game.  ESPN has hit bottom with that one, and I thought the Famous Idaho Potato bowl was bad.  What's next -- the Viagra Bowl?

[Buck87]

After the Army win today, all 3 military academies are now into double digits for Commander-in-Chief's Trophy wins:

Air Force - 21
Navy - 16
Army - 10
3 way shares - 5

Pixel 7 Pro

[golden eagle]

Yeah, I agree that FSU was robbed.  Remember the first year of the CFP when Ohio State lost to a mediocre Virginia Tech team at home after losing their first QB, later lost their second QB, and won the national championship with their third QB?   

Ohio State got in because they steamrolled Wisconsin in the Big 10 championship. I'm also willing to bet that Ohio State got in because more people will tune in with Ohio State than they would have with either Baylor or TCU. Even though I can't stand FSU, they did everything they were supposed to do and didn't get in. Someone that I know that is an FSU had a good point: If losing Jordan Travis was an issue, why didn't the committee drop them out of the top five after he was hurt during the regular season?

[golden eagle]

Drop the bowls and go to an NCAA sanctioned tournament - full stop!

Right. Every other level of college football can manage to have a real playoff, but FBS can't. There's too much invested in the current bowl system. Simply solution would be to make the bowl games the sites of the playoff games. But then somebody will whine that early round playoff games should be on campus. Whatever. Either way there should be a real playoff.

There are too many bowls to begin with. Many of them don't even close to selling out. Also, players that are leaving for the NFL draft or transferring to other schools don't even play in them, unless it's a playoff game.

[mgk920]

The 2023 Bowls are now set.

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1U3mORtXKEYShaC8R43SKd3R0WnL2vc2QI_AD9_jPZfs/edit?usp=sharing

The "Duke's Mayo" Bowl?  The "Pop Tarts" Bowl?  This has gotten out of hand.

I agree. I prefer referring to the Bowls by their traditional names. Tangerine, Citrus, Cactus, etc.

Plus Rose, Orange and Cotton and maybe a very select few others.  Those should be all that this needed.

Mike

[rlb2024]

Drop the bowls and go to an NCAA sanctioned tournament - full stop!

Right. Every other level of college football can manage to have a real playoff, but FBS can't. There's too much invested in the current bowl system. Simply solution would be to make the bowl games the sites of the playoff games. But then somebody will whine that early round playoff games should be on campus. Whatever. Either way there should be a real playoff.

There are too many bowls to begin with. Many of them don't even close to selling out. Also, players that are leaving for the NFL draft or transferring to other schools don't even play in them, unless it's a playoff game.

For the coaches, the bowls are more about the extra practices they get with the players (almost a month's worth in many cases).  They are money-losing propositions for the schools unless it's one of the major bowls, but the extra practice time is invaluable.

[1995hoo]

The 2023 Bowls are now set.

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1U3mORtXKEYShaC8R43SKd3R0WnL2vc2QI_AD9_jPZfs/edit?usp=sharing

The "Duke's Mayo" Bowl?  The "Pop Tarts" Bowl?  This has gotten out of hand.

I agree. I prefer referring to the Bowls by their traditional names. Tangerine, Citrus, Cactus, etc.

I will do whatever it takes to drop the corporate portion of name when saying it.  Irritant that ESPN and all their employees are forced to include it whenever they refer to a bowl game.

Some of these games are so new that they never had a traditional name.  What are there, 43 bowl games now?

Duke's Mayo is an example of those—its original name was the Continental Tire Bowl, then it was the Meineke Car Care Bowl.

The one bowl name that was simply the sponsor's name that I thought was a decent name was one of the first such—the Blockbuster Bowl back in the early 1990s at Joe Robbie Stadium. That name is exactly the connotation you want, and the first matchup or two lived up to it. But then Blockbuster pulled the sponsorship after failing to get a permanent matchup of conference champions and it became the unlamented Carquest Bowl and later the MicronPC.com Bowl, before ultimately relocating to Orlando as a revived Tangerine Bowl (a name that didn't last long either).

The Famous Toastery Bowl is normally the Bahamas Bowl but was moved stateside because of stadium construction rendering the venue in the Bahamas unavailable.

[hotdogPi]

I want bowl names that actually fit in bowls, like cereal brands. Unfortunately, pop tarts are not (yet) a cereal.

[ET21]

NIU off to the Camellia Bowl

[Billy F 1988]

Don't know if you watched the Montana vs. NDSU semifinal game for the FCS Championship last Saturday night, but, bruh! That was nuts. I thought Montana was dusted when the fourth quarter ended. I got a bit disgusted thinking it was over when NDSU ties up the game at 16 apiece. Then they score on the next possession to start 1OT. After that, it was Griz and Bison throwing haymakers in 2OT, but the boys of Montana got the last strike and move on to face the Jackrabbits of South Dakota State in the FCS Championship in Frisco. That was by far worth the watch than the hot pile of puke bowl games that aired during the early window on Saturday. I call that "the Miracle in Missoula". Yeah, say what you will about Miracle on Ice, Miracle in Minneapolis, Immaculate Catch, whatever. If you think the double OT slobber knocker wasn't your fix, I'm not so sure what your were watching then on Saturday.

[rlb2024]

I want bowl names that actually fit in bowls, like cereal brands. Unfortunately, pop tarts are not (yet) a cereal.

Actually, it is . . .

https://www.walmart.com/ip/Kellogg-s-Pop-Tarts-Frosted-Strawberry-Cold-Breakfast-Cereal-17-oz/759353321

[gonealookin]

Syracuse, which started the season 4-0 against a nonconference schedule of Colgate, Western Michigan, Purdue and Army, but then went 2-6 in ACC conference play and fired the head coach en route, is currently trailing South Florida 45-0 in the fourth quarter of the RoofClaim.com Boca Raton Bowl, which kind of validates the argument that "there are too many bowl games" because crap teams like Syracuse are needed to fill the last few slots.

[amroad17]

Syracuse, which started the season 4-0 against a nonconference schedule of Colgate, Western Michigan, Purdue and Army, but then went 2-6 in ACC conference play and fired the head coach en route, is currently trailing South Florida 45-0 in the fourth quarter of the RoofClaim.com Boca Raton Bowl, which kind of validates the argument that "there are too many bowl games" because crap teams like Syracuse are needed to fill the last few slots.

And their QB is a tight end wearing #89–because their top two QB's decided not to play this game.

How many bowl games are there now?  40?  There shouldn't be more than 20, other than the ones used for the National Semifinal games.  Teams with eight or more victories should be the benchmark.  No 7-5 and definitely no 6-6 teams should be in bowl games.  The only exception would be if less than 40 teams (say 37 teams) had eight victories, then maybe some of the 7-5 teams could be considered, depending on conference and schedule strength.

Of course, $$$$$$$$$$ drives the College Bowl Season.

[mgk920]

I want bowl names that actually fit in bowls, like cereal brands. Unfortunately, pop tarts are not (yet) a cereal.

The Tidy Bowl!



Mike

[mgk920]

Syracuse, which started the season 4-0 against a nonconference schedule of Colgate, Western Michigan, Purdue and Army, but then went 2-6 in ACC conference play and fired the head coach en route, is currently trailing South Florida 45-0 in the fourth quarter of the RoofClaim.com Boca Raton Bowl, which kind of validates the argument that "there are too many bowl games" because crap teams like Syracuse are needed to fill the last few slots.

And their QB is a tight end wearing #89–because their top two QB's decided not to play this game.

How many bowl games are there now?  40?  There shouldn't be more than 20, other than the ones used for the National Semifinal games.  Teams with eight or more victories should be the benchmark.  No 7-5 and definitely no 6-6 teams should be in bowl games.  The only exception would be if less than 40 teams (say 37 teams) had eight victories, then maybe some of the 7-5 teams could be considered, depending on conference and schedule strength.

Of course, $$$$$$$$$$ drives the College Bowl Season.

That one 'bowl' game that I caught some of while at a local bar a few nights ago (played in Boca Raton, FL) looked to have a very thin crowd of fans in the stands.

Mike

[epzik8]

Syracuse, which started the season 4-0 against a nonconference schedule of Colgate, Western Michigan, Purdue and Army, but then went 2-6 in ACC conference play and fired the head coach en route, is currently trailing South Florida 45-0 in the fourth quarter of the RoofClaim.com Boca Raton Bowl, which kind of validates the argument that "there are too many bowl games" because crap teams like Syracuse are needed to fill the last few slots.

And their QB is a tight end wearing #89–because their top two QB's decided not to play this game.

How many bowl games are there now?  40?  There shouldn't be more than 20, other than the ones used for the National Semifinal games.  Teams with eight or more victories should be the benchmark.  No 7-5 and definitely no 6-6 teams should be in bowl games.  The only exception would be if less than 40 teams (say 37 teams) had eight victories, then maybe some of the 7-5 teams could be considered, depending on conference and schedule strength.

Of course, $$$$$$$$$$ drives the College Bowl Season.

This backs up my opinion that we at Maryland backed into our bowl appearance for next week.

[CtrlAltDel]

How many bowl games are there now?  40?

41, not including the national championship game, to wit:

Code Select Expand


68 Ventures Bowl
Alamo Bowl
Arizona Bowl
Armed Forces Bowl
Birmingham Bowl
Boca Raton Bowl
Camellia Bowl
Citrus Bowl
Cotton Bowl Classic
Cure Bowl
Duke's Mayo Bowl
Famous Idaho Potato Bowl
Famous Toastery Bowl
Fenway Bowl
Fiesta Bowl
First Responder Bowl
Frisco Bowl
Gasparilla Bowl
Gator Bowl
Guaranteed Rate Bowl
Hawaii Bowl
Holiday Bowl
Independence Bowl
LA Bowl
Las Vegas Bowl
Liberty Bowl
Military Bowl
Music City Bowl
Myrtle Beach Bowl
New Mexico Bowl
New Orleans Bowl
Orange Bowl
Peach Bowl
Pinstripe Bowl
Pop-Tarts Bowl
Quick Lane Bowl
ReliaQuest Bowl
Rose Bowl
Sugar Bowl
Sun Bowl
Texas Bowl


[ET21]

First bowl win for NIU in 11 years, and its against the same team they beat last time

[NWI_Irish96]

Syracuse, which started the season 4-0 against a nonconference schedule of Colgate, Western Michigan, Purdue and Army, but then went 2-6 in ACC conference play and fired the head coach en route, is currently trailing South Florida 45-0 in the fourth quarter of the RoofClaim.com Boca Raton Bowl, which kind of validates the argument that "there are too many bowl games" because crap teams like Syracuse are needed to fill the last few slots.

And their QB is a tight end wearing #89–because their top two QB's decided not to play this game.

How many bowl games are there now?  40?  There shouldn't be more than 20, other than the ones used for the National Semifinal games.  Teams with eight or more victories should be the benchmark.  No 7-5 and definitely no 6-6 teams should be in bowl games.  The only exception would be if less than 40 teams (say 37 teams) had eight victories, then maybe some of the 7-5 teams could be considered, depending on conference and schedule strength.

Of course, $$$$$$$$$$ drives the College Bowl Season.

That one 'bowl' game that I caught some of while at a local bar a few nights ago (played in Boca Raton, FL) looked to have a very thin crowd of fans in the stands.

Mike

I'm currently watching a bowl game being played outdoors in Boston in late December. Pretty clear indication that the TV audience and not ticket sales are driving the glut of bowl games.

[Big John]

^^There is the annual bowl game played on the smurf turf in Boise.