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Here's a hot take: most bowls have always been meaningless
Posted on 12/8/25 at 8:30 am
Posted on 12/8/25 at 8:30 am
Good morning and happy Monday to all you dollar store aristocrats, fried bologna boppers, and Twinkie filling enthusiasts,
To let a naysayer know, most bowl games since the 60s have been "meaningless." Perhaps one could say the 1984 Holiday Bowl where an undefeated BYU team was crowned national champions because the powers that be could not stomach crowning the Florida Gators national champions.
Point is nothing has really changed with bowl games. Someone was always going to be unhappy and the majority of games were fan service and allowed teams to play in unusual matchups in sunny weather and perhaps charge up the fanbase for the next season. Its always been about the sponsorships (there have always been ridiculously named bowl games).
What has changed is the the whining and pussification of the athletes and the fans. "Oh but Ashely Schaeffer but but but what about the playoffs and muh feelings?" frick you. If the athletes don't want to go on a trip and play a game they all supposedly love, that's on them. But the stakes and the glory for most bowl games is mostly been zero.
But instead of playing for pride, teams now want to throw their sucker in the sand and cry to their mothers when its not for a chance at a title because, like fans, they feel entitled and are "above" the Gator Bowl.
I also think its hilarious the same fans that bitch about the sport being ruined also bitch the most about playing in "meaningless bowls." You're the fricking problem you complain about. Suck on that doodad.
To let a naysayer know, most bowl games since the 60s have been "meaningless." Perhaps one could say the 1984 Holiday Bowl where an undefeated BYU team was crowned national champions because the powers that be could not stomach crowning the Florida Gators national champions.
Point is nothing has really changed with bowl games. Someone was always going to be unhappy and the majority of games were fan service and allowed teams to play in unusual matchups in sunny weather and perhaps charge up the fanbase for the next season. Its always been about the sponsorships (there have always been ridiculously named bowl games).
What has changed is the the whining and pussification of the athletes and the fans. "Oh but Ashely Schaeffer but but but what about the playoffs and muh feelings?" frick you. If the athletes don't want to go on a trip and play a game they all supposedly love, that's on them. But the stakes and the glory for most bowl games is mostly been zero.
But instead of playing for pride, teams now want to throw their sucker in the sand and cry to their mothers when its not for a chance at a title because, like fans, they feel entitled and are "above" the Gator Bowl.
I also think its hilarious the same fans that bitch about the sport being ruined also bitch the most about playing in "meaningless bowls." You're the fricking problem you complain about. Suck on that doodad.
11
Posted on 12/8/25 at 8:49 am to AshleySchaeffer
Ding, ding ding! Tell him what he won Johnny.
Posted on 12/8/25 at 9:25 am to AshleySchaeffer
What? So, you're telling me the 1981 Hall of Fame Bowl between 7-4 State and 8-3 Kansas didn't really matter? Or the 1983 Independence Bowl between 6-5 Ole Miss and 9-2 Air Force? Or the 1987 Gator Bowl between 9-1-1 LSU and 8-3 South Carolina? Or the 1994 Fiesta Bowl between 10-1 Colorado and 6-4-1 Notre Dame? You are correct all were meaningless in the gist of it all. As you said, entitlement and pussification of the trophy generation is the change.
Posted on 12/8/25 at 9:33 am to AshleySchaeffer
One consequence of bowl games has and continues to be pairing teams that have no history with each other so there is that.
An example is Oklahoma and Mississippi, two teams that previously had played only once before 2023 in the Independence Bowl.
Oklahoma and Alabama have so far played each other 8 times, 4 of them bowl games.
There are numerous other examples of this in the Oklahoma record book and no doubt every other team must have experienced the same thing.
I am glad Oklahoma has never been reduced to being invited to the Bahama Bowl or the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl but if they were it would probably be against a team they had never faced prior to it.
An example is Oklahoma and Mississippi, two teams that previously had played only once before 2023 in the Independence Bowl.
Oklahoma and Alabama have so far played each other 8 times, 4 of them bowl games.
There are numerous other examples of this in the Oklahoma record book and no doubt every other team must have experienced the same thing.
I am glad Oklahoma has never been reduced to being invited to the Bahama Bowl or the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl but if they were it would probably be against a team they had never faced prior to it.
Posted on 12/8/25 at 9:33 am to AshleySchaeffer
quote:
fried bologna boppers
If you feel you're too good for fried bologna then kindly see yourself to the door.
Posted on 12/8/25 at 9:36 am to AshleySchaeffer
1991 Florida Citrus Bowl also had meaning since a win gave GT a share of the national title.
Posted on 12/8/25 at 9:37 am to TheTideMustRoll
quote:
If you feel you're too good for fried bologna then kindly see yourself to the door.
Posted on 12/8/25 at 9:40 am to AshleySchaeffer
quote:That's not really true and before there were 50 bowls, I really looked forward to bowl seasons. New Years Day bowls were always something I would completely cancel anything else I had planned for that day (usually came home from deer camp). Usually, a national champion (although mythical) came out of one of those bowls and that was acceptable for years. The lesser bowls offered more practice, a special watch the players could wear forever, and a little scratch to cover expenses for the schools. NOW, the bowls are pretty meaningless until way after Christmas.
Here's a hot take: most bowls have always been meaningless
Posted on 12/8/25 at 9:43 am to Diamondawg
quote:
Here's a hot take: most bowls have always been meaningless
That's not really true and before there were 50 bowls, I really looked forward to bowl seasons. New Years Day bowls were always something I would completely cancel anything else I had planned for that day (usually came home from deer camp). Usually, a national champion (although mythical) came out of one of those bowls and that was acceptable for years. The lesser bowls offered more practice, a special watch the players could wear forever, and a little scratch to cover expenses for the schools. NOW, the bowls are pretty meaningless until way after Christmas.
Bowls used to be a big deal when there were half as many.
Posted on 12/8/25 at 9:59 am to AshleySchaeffer
quote:
You're the fricking problem you complain about. Suck on that doodad.
I'm guessing are a member of the Gator Bowl committee and are afraid you're about to lose your easy payday.
Posted on 12/8/25 at 10:04 am to JacieNY
quote:
I am glad Oklahoma has never been reduced to being invited to the Bahama Bowl or the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl but if they were it would probably be against a team they had never faced prior to it.
2024 - Armed Forces Bowl vs Navy
We had played Navy only once before. 1965 in Norman. We lost 10 - 0.
Posted on 12/8/25 at 10:06 am to AshleySchaeffer
quote:
Ashely Schaeffer
You misspell your own username and expect us to take this seriously?
(FTR, I actually agree. I’m just a bit of a Nazi about these things.)
Posted on 12/8/25 at 10:07 am to JacieNY
quote:
I am glad Oklahoma has never been reduced to being invited to the Bahama Bowl or the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl
Buddy, you played Ole Miss in the Independence bowl in Shreveport, it is basically the same thing.
Fun fact - I was there for that game and the end of the world happening of Y2K. It was weird celebrating a victory and waiting for planes to fall out of the sky.
Posted on 12/8/25 at 10:28 am to Diamondawg
quote:
That's not really true and before there were 50 bowls, I really looked forward to bowl seasons. New Years Day bowls were always something I would completely cancel anything else I had planned for that day (usually came home from deer camp). Usually, a national champion (although mythical) came out of one of those bowls and that was acceptable for years. The lesser bowls offered more practice, a special watch the players could wear forever, and a little scratch to cover expenses for the schools. NOW, the bowls are pretty meaningless until way after Christmas.
I remember the good ol' days where January 1 was the greatest day of the year. You had the Cotton on CBS around 12, Rose on NBC around 4, Sugar on ABC at 7(some years at 2:30), and Orange on NBC at 7. They added the Fiesta on NBC at 12 in 1981, and it eventually grew into a major bowl. These games featured conference champions of the SEC, B1G, PAC, SWC, and Big 8 with the major independents sprinkled in. Still, except for a few years like 1983, there was only one bowl that really mattered as far a national championship was concerned. The bowls created for great debate according to what happened, because there was no "official" champion. Most bowls were still, however, meaningless.
Many mention the fact that more bowls today have glutted everything up. Most of these new bowls are games for G5 teams. Back in say, 1983, most only major teams went to bowl games. You didn't have 6 teams from the MAC ,and 8 teams from the WAC, and 7 teams from the PCAA going. You had 1 from each. in 1983, the SEC had 7 of 10 teams make a bowl which is 70%. in 2025, 11 of 16 SEC teams made the postseason which is 69%. The reason it seems shittier now is because you have bowls with say, a 6-6 Western Michigan playing a 6-6 Old Dominion. The bowls with two P4 teams and a good G5 playing a P4 team are still for the most part pretty interesting. I don't mind having USC vs TCU on the TV in late December. I also can watch that made up Western Michigan vs Old Dominion and be happy. If you don't like college football don't watch. If you do watch. I'm just tired of the same bitching over and over about it every year.
Posted on 12/8/25 at 10:43 am to AshleySchaeffer
Honestly, I don't care if they are meaningless. They are football and I like watching football. I went to the Gasparilla Bowl last year. It was definitely meaningless. But I got to watch the Gators win, so I really enjoyed it.
Sometimes meaningless is fun. One night stands are meaningless. Doesn't mean I didn't enjoy them in my single days.
Sometimes meaningless is fun. One night stands are meaningless. Doesn't mean I didn't enjoy them in my single days.
Posted on 12/8/25 at 10:46 am to AshleySchaeffer
You’re right, but you’re not 100% right.
The NYD bowls once carried prestige a tier above the rest. Sometimes teams that won them would even claim illegitimate national titles.
The rest though? Yeah they didn’t change.
Only the times.
The NYD bowls once carried prestige a tier above the rest. Sometimes teams that won them would even claim illegitimate national titles.
The rest though? Yeah they didn’t change.
Only the times.
Posted on 12/8/25 at 11:23 am to AshleySchaeffer
You get an extra month of practice and film. Thats the most important part
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