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How to save bowls (dumb off season idea)
Posted on 5/6/26 at 1:57 pm
Posted on 5/6/26 at 1:57 pm
I've seen this thrown around on podcasts. The problem is bowl attendance is dying and what are extreme measures to save bowls. An idea would be to play them week 1 of the following year. So that leaves the question of how would you matchup the playoff teams? I came up with a formula. Final 4 plays each other. So Final 4 winner plays a final 4 loser from the other game. In the final 8 the losers from the top half of the bracket play each other and losers from bottom of the bracket play each other (unless they are the same conference). In the 1st round the 4 losers are matched up with highest seed that lost against the lowest seed that lost (as long as they aren't the same conference). Then you set up it where you play at a venue you didn't play in the playoffs. So the CFP teams playing week 1 "bowls" would look like this based on last years CFP:
Sugar Bowl: Miami vs Oregon
Cotton Bowl: Indiana vs Ole Miss
Peach Bowl: TT vs Bama
Rose Bowl: Ohio St. vs UGA
Orange Bowl: JM vs A&M
Fiesta Bowl: Tulane vs OU
You would match the non bowl game participants with power 5 opponents the best you could and match non power 5 with non power 5. Play these games at the same venue as smaller bowls. You could play one on Saturday and 1 on Monday. Or Thursday and Saturday. Good for cities and bowls.
You would have a week 1 bowl week with games starting on Thursday going all the way through Monday. Fans would travel because their seasons aren't trashed yet. TV would love it. All the minor bowls would still exist. Everyone would be a playing a power opponent in week 1.
You wouldn't have to worry about making a decision to travel to the Birmingham Bowl in December for a game that doesn't matter. But you might travel to Birmingham for a week 1 game and the start of a new season.
What do you think? How pissed would you be if this is what bowls turned into? Especially if they go to 16 or 24 teams in the CFP.
Sugar Bowl: Miami vs Oregon
Cotton Bowl: Indiana vs Ole Miss
Peach Bowl: TT vs Bama
Rose Bowl: Ohio St. vs UGA
Orange Bowl: JM vs A&M
Fiesta Bowl: Tulane vs OU
You would match the non bowl game participants with power 5 opponents the best you could and match non power 5 with non power 5. Play these games at the same venue as smaller bowls. You could play one on Saturday and 1 on Monday. Or Thursday and Saturday. Good for cities and bowls.
You would have a week 1 bowl week with games starting on Thursday going all the way through Monday. Fans would travel because their seasons aren't trashed yet. TV would love it. All the minor bowls would still exist. Everyone would be a playing a power opponent in week 1.
You wouldn't have to worry about making a decision to travel to the Birmingham Bowl in December for a game that doesn't matter. But you might travel to Birmingham for a week 1 game and the start of a new season.
What do you think? How pissed would you be if this is what bowls turned into? Especially if they go to 16 or 24 teams in the CFP.
4
Posted on 5/6/26 at 2:02 pm to 03 West CoChamps
quote:Attendance died for a reason. They're basically glorified scrimmages.
The problem is bowl attendance is dying.
ETA: I'm not in favor of taking another regular season game off of campuses.
This post was edited on 5/6/26 at 2:05 pm
Posted on 5/6/26 at 2:04 pm to BevoBucks
quote:
Attendance died for a reason. They're basically glorified scrimmages.
Which is what the whole concept is attempting to fix.
Posted on 5/6/26 at 2:07 pm to 03 West CoChamps
The way to "save" the bowls is the path taken by the Poptarts Bowl and others who have just made it a spectacle.
Imagine if Poulan still sponsored the Independence Bowl and you had a riding lawn mower race at halftime or chainsaw cutting competition. That is far more interesting than appealing to the history of the Independence Bowl.
A Costco Bowl with a hotdog eating competition, an oversized gold shopping cart as the trophy, and mascots giving out free samples in the endzone after a TD. Yeah, I'm watching that shite over the Birmingham Bowl.
Imagine if Poulan still sponsored the Independence Bowl and you had a riding lawn mower race at halftime or chainsaw cutting competition. That is far more interesting than appealing to the history of the Independence Bowl.
A Costco Bowl with a hotdog eating competition, an oversized gold shopping cart as the trophy, and mascots giving out free samples in the endzone after a TD. Yeah, I'm watching that shite over the Birmingham Bowl.
Posted on 5/6/26 at 2:09 pm to BevoBucks
quote:
Attendance died for a reason. They're basically glorified scrimmages. ETA: I'm not in favor of taking another regular season game off of campuses.
Given what I just paid for another season ticket package (that’s doubled since Covid) there’s zero chance I’m giving up home games so the team can play in the Cheetos Bowl in Tampa in September.
F that. If the players sign an NIL deal it should be contingent on participation in any games they’re healthy for including bowls.
Posted on 5/6/26 at 2:36 pm to 03 West CoChamps
If we’re expanding to 32+ teams in the playoffs, just use the minor bowls as playoff games.
A 32-team playoff needs 31 games. We already have ~35–36 non-playoff bowls. That’s basically a perfect fit—just turn each round into bowl games.
Problem solved and now every bowl actually matters.
A 32-team playoff needs 31 games. We already have ~35–36 non-playoff bowls. That’s basically a perfect fit—just turn each round into bowl games.
Problem solved and now every bowl actually matters.
Posted on 5/6/26 at 2:37 pm to tide06
How about to simply not have bowls? If teams outside the playoff (soon to be 24) want to play another game after rivalry weekend then simply allow them to set up a game with another school. They can choose a venue and split the profit.
The bottom line is the bowl era is thankfully dead!!! Those corrupt sob’s are finally getting what they deserved. I just wish all the old dead guys who ran the cartel were around to see it,
The bottom line is the bowl era is thankfully dead!!! Those corrupt sob’s are finally getting what they deserved. I just wish all the old dead guys who ran the cartel were around to see it,
Posted on 5/6/26 at 3:08 pm to 03 West CoChamps
The way to save bowls is to make them Week 1 games the next season. You get some corss-conference games in early amongst contenders and it helps focus the picture come playoff selection time.
This post was edited on 5/6/26 at 3:10 pm
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