Does CFB have a BOWL GAME problem? 🤔 'It's lost its luster!' - Pat McAfee | College GameDay

[@bluu7964]

making the trasfer portal enterable before the bowl games started was the most braindead move ever made by an organization ever

[@bettyboytv3798]

The portal period

[@thekell]

They are students. You literally can't have it after bowl games

[@GamesSucks2023]

Yeah but your program using that portal to accept transfers before bowl season disagrees see your program can't use the system then complain about it when you lose players to it. Now how it works libtard the world doesn't revolve around you

[@pschmidty7]

Students???? Not with the NIL. These are paid “professionals” without a contract…

[@zplapplap]

Having a December portal is crazy, if for no other reason than it’s not AFTER the season. This was known at the outset. It’s not a matter of anyone being “braindead”. A choice was made between having mid year transfers, having new players available for spring practice, or not. A January portal won’t work. Transfer students need to be enrolled and physically relocated to their new school by the start of the spring semester. The academic calendar cannot accommodate a January CFB transfer portal. There needs to be sufficient time to be recruited, possibly take visits, apply, be accepted, and relocate. All of this needs to occur before the start of classes in the new semester. The solution might be coaches simply having to greet their new players in June.

[@matthewturnbull6607]

ESPN is a huge part of the problem

[@Bryanpjc]

Pretty close to the whole problem.

[@sslocke]

Pretty much why i havent watched bowl games in past 6 or 7 years.

[@phobos258]

Agreed. I didn't even want to comment or watch this video since it on ESPN

[@tobiaswilliamson00]

It's not just that ESPN owns the broadcasting rights to nearly every bowl game, it's the fact that they make only a handful matter. For example, College Gameday always does an episode at the Rose Bowl regardless or whether or not it is a Semifinal that season or even if the Sugar Bowl was the bigger and more popular Semifinal match up the nation than the Rose Bowl. This is important because for people like me who was born and raised in SEC Country, we don't care about the Rose Bowl when it's not a semifinal nor if it wasn't the BCS National Championship Game during the first half of BCS era. In fact, in the post WWII era, the SEC has been very irrelevant in the Rose Bowl. Because Gameday continues to do annual shows at the Rose Bowl, they are telling us what Bowl games matter. Personally, get rid of the meaningless lower tier Bowl games like Boca Raton, Myrtle Beach, & Pop Tart bowls, increase Bowl eligibility from 6-6 to 8-4, and get rid of conference tie ins and go by the oldest played bowl games, bowl season outside of the NY6 just might matter again.

[@brion-l1b]

Yes, there is a problem. The fact that a 5-7 Minnesota team was in a bowl solely because there were not enough 6-6 teams says that alone. Add to that what is sure to be an only getting worse habit of 1st string players opting out of non-CFP games, and it’s pretty clear there are likely going to be more and more bowls that are not worth playing or watching.

[@Colin-Fenix]

Should be a limit at 9 wins to go to a bowl and limit the number of bowls to match.

[@shanefrederick7731]

Tie these NIL deals to playing in bowl games if the team is eligible.

[@jim2376]

"more and more bowls that are not worth playing or watching." Exactly! Too many meaningless bowls.

[@TheMCJ2011]

Exactly. There’s WAY too many bowl games. If your team doesn’t have at least 8 wins then you don’t deserve to play in a bowl game. It’s just a disgusting money grab at this point.

[@wiggz2254]

funny that army did not get in but minnesota did lmao

[@Halldog7]

FSU had 30 players opt-out, knowing dang well not everyone of those 30 are going to the NFL. They just didn’t care to play, simple as that.

[@MonsterTruckAftermath]

What about injuries or the transfer portal? Its not always the draft

[@tyronpouncey5985]

Right

[@teewhy6994]

@@shanewoods1980 Um, the NCAA has no "character" and sure as heck doesn't deserve respect from the players. I'm glad they sat out and ruined that bowl. Now a bunch of TV execs and rednecks that love to be manipulated by their TVs are all grumpy. Seems like a beautiful New Year to me.

[@nowayjose1313]

​@@shanewoods1980Says more about thinking of their future instead of a game that didn't mean anything.

[@twistedspine7300]

@@shanewoods1980 says absolutely nothing about character. they had their playoff spot stolen from them immorally, they shouldn't have cared and they didn't. good for them.

[@juandixonformvp]

I applaud Kirk Herbstreit for saying out loud what every college football fans knows, there are too many bowl games. We're not anti-bowl, we're just trying to make it better. I agree that we should make the CFP like the NCAA tournament and the Bowl Games like the NIT.

[@GayleWagaman]

Sounds like this was quoted from one of Kirk’s emotional support dogs.

[@JTSports]

How does having a lot of bowl games negatively affect you as a fan? It dosent so the this too many bowl games narrative makes no sense to me because you don’t have to watch them if you don’t want too. If you want to make the bowls better stop calling them meaningless for a start and maybe players wouldn’t opt out of them

[@chobiden7770]

@@JTSports I've been a college football fan for as long as I can remember and I've never seen probably half of these bowl teams play in my entire life. Howard vs Florida A&M? Western Kentucky vs Old Dominion? UTSA vs Marshall? Meaningless..

[@dos_gringos9853]

@@chobiden7770imagine having a phenomenal season, getting snubbed out of the CFP, and then seeing 5-7 teams in a bowl game that for all intents and purposes means just as much as yours. It’s insane at this point.

[@ryanshinermusic]

Yeah, but this is how it’s been since the BCS was started over 25 years ago.

[@LPow58]

Dan Orlovsky had a good idea, which was to start the season earlier, like early to mid August. Couple that idea with having fewer bowls, and bowl season, including playoffs, can finish by mid december. That way, players can still enter the transfer portal with time to decide where to go and still start the next term at the new school.

[@danielkeith2071]

It is a good idea, the problem is that lots of students won’t be back yet. My college starts classes in late August and 1st year students don’t move in until 3-4 days before that, so the first few games of the season will likely have very few students there. With a 12-team playoff, I think you can just shorten the season and it’ll be better, but that lowers the $$$ and schools will never do that :/

[@ccampau]

@@danielkeith2071when I was in school, Auburn played 3 games before classes started (quarter system). Never hurt attendance. Have the season start early. Make the first weekend be matchups of previous year bowl qualifiers that didn't make the playoffs. Have the title game on NYD. Limit transfers to 10 non grads and reduce that number for the playoffs teams.

[@scruffd0g193]

Great idea but yes students don’t go back that early.

[@BiblePsychology]

@@ccampauI like the idea of only allowing a school to have only 10 transfers

[@zplapplap]

I would not want the season to start without students back on campus. But, if an earlier first game could impact the schedule positively, then so be it.

[@seanyboy07]

I feel like college football did this to itself… With NIL deals, conference realignment, greed, money…… only having four playoff spots when there are five power conferences…….. Why would these players want to play in a game and risk injury knowing that they are going to be a top draft pick?….. the point is… There needs to be a lot of changes. Not just one in particular….. I hope they figure that out because next year the regular season might not mean anything if you lose a game or two….. the SEC and the Big Ten are so completely stacked next year…… that being said, I am excited about the playoff expansion, at least… But I agree with herbie…. if the players don’t wanna play, then don’t have the games

[@danh27]

You have… enough ellipses… going on there?

[@seanyboy07]

@@danh27 I know. It’s terrible grammar habit. I also do this in text messages and my girlfriend hates it.

[@danh27]

@@seanyboy07 I was giving you a hard time and I agree with most of what you’re saying. College football needs to get a grip of what made it special otherwise it’s just a weaker version of the NFL.

[@seanyboy07]

@@danh27 all good brother

[@arizonawildcat3821]

Well there aren't 5 power conferences anymore, so the 4 spots make sense but every thing else I pretty much agree on.

[@Leroy-h9d]

The problem with bowl games are ESPN there are so many people who can't or dont watch because of that Espn has ruined the bowl season

[@siniister710]

It’s capitalism brother. The NCAA wants to sell more ads to sponsors to make as much money as possible. They’ve oversaturated the market and no one cares about the games any more.

[@ervin65]

💯💯💯💯💯💯💯💯💯💯💯💯💯💯💯💯💯💯💯💯💯💯💯💯

[@tsquare5111]

Same reason I don't watch. Almost all important bowl games are on ESPN only.

[@CouncilBluffsunderground]

I HATE ESPN AND NEVER WATCH THAT CLOWN 🤡 STATION

[@RW-bt6ex]

The economy has made many get rid of cable . Fk ESPN . I am not paying over $100 month to watch 4 or 5 channels .

[@brendanwenzel]

CFB has an ESPN problem

[@Chad-xh8zs]

ESPN and its consequences have been a disaster for the human race

[@mechwarrior13]

​@@Chad-xh8zsnah its just sports 😂 it has zero effects in the real world

[@mjbset93]

Greed problem not ESPN. ESPN can not force any team to take their money. They needed to have a post bowl games 4 team playoff. Bowls use to be a big part of the process to figure out which conferences were the best because they were too chicken to schedule competitive out of conference late in the season. There is no loyalty to anything in CFB now just the biggest payday.

[@brendanwenzel]

@mjbset93 that's an interesting take. That would have solved many of the issues.

[@richreed9927]

Once upon a time, I could tune in to a college bowl game and only have to put up with some commercials. This year, to catch most of the bowl games, I would have had to pay to watch and still have to put up with some commercials.

[@StarrPower2232]

I wish bowl games like the Rose, Fiesta, Orange, & Sugar Bowl could permanently stay their own games instead of being stepping stones for the playoff. I think when the NCAA did that it took some of the prestige away.

[@DennisCoffman-dd8ok]

the prestige will be there going forward. I'd rather see a game that actually matters than see a 6-6 random team playing in a bowl game. It's like giving a participation prize to that poor kid that we all know just needed a positive break. Hopefully the playoffs get extended to 24 teams and that it will kill off the old bowl system.

[@YooperHatesOhioState]

@@DennisCoffman-dd8okand then there’s 5-7 Minnesota 😂😂

[@Grayson950815]

NCAA doesn’t run the playoff so it not up to them

[@Pete391]

@@DennisCoffman-dd8ok There should be NO buys..........I prefer a 8 team playoff............But never go over 16 teams with no buys....And do away with the bowl games.....They are like the nit in college basketball and no one cares....

[@DennisCoffman-dd8ok]

@@YooperHatesOhioState love the name, LOL. But yeah, 5-7 record teams that have to fill a spot is terrible. I'd rather drop a few regular season games and go with 16 teams. That essentially gives 15 bowl games. If you go 32 team, 31 bowl games essentially. And all of them would be meaningful.

[@changingways28]

The players are finally waking up to fact that all non-playoff games a glorified exhibitions.

[@zachwhitlow4]

And honestly expanding the playoffs is going to further the gap between bowl games that matter and bowl games that don't

[@changingways28]

As it should these non-playoff games are exhibition money grabs. @@zachwhitlow4

[@GR-bn3xj]

That's one way of looking at it, or they could be looking at it as a chance to show themselves off and make their stock for NIL or the draft even bigger. Usually there may be four bowl games in one day at most, so if you go off you're going to get some notoriety for the day.

[@changingways28]

Yeah i agree that can help but you also 12-13 games before this to put good tape out.@@GR-bn3xj

[@TheFishingNomad]

With that logic, 95% of the teams are playing glorified exhibitions after week 6.

[@dolphinated]

This is what happens when you prioritize money over competition. I walked away from this a long time ago and I've been happy ever since.

[@Grayson950815]

I guess ESPN is gonna act blameless in all this… pathetic

[@dos_gringos9853]

The people on screen are not making the bowl placement decisions

[@curtisharvey5579]

Open the transfer portal later, reduce the games to 8+ win teams only, set a cap how many can opt out and the team still be eligible for the game

[@bdtravels5620]

Best comment I’ve read, 8 wins is perfect

[@zplapplap]

⁠@@bdtravels5620Why not seven wins, if there are enough sponsors and interest to contest economically viable bowl games? A wining season is a winning season. Eight is an arbitrary number of wins upon which to base anything in college football.

[@MattBuild4]

@@zplapplap I mean its 75% of the games played which is pretty fair

[@Buteo14]

Get rid of nil and transfer portal

[@zplapplap]

@@Buteo14 How does one “get rid of nil”?

[@weskeaton1]

The problem starts and ends with the fact that college football is only about looking out for yourself and your money as an individual player. There’s no real pride or connection to a program anymore - it’s a business transaction to maximize earnings and most players will go wherever pays the most year to year.

[@mhurricane266]

While this is facts, it’s the landscape now. NCAA had years to get in front of this and put something in place that would be beneficial to everyone. And most kids at the time would have ate up whatever they put out there. They waited until the Govy had to get involved and now there’s mass hysteria

[@R_J_G]

It’s about time. The players bring in the revenue and should reap the rewards.

[@cgee7590]

Team sports are dying....hard to follow a "team" when you have no clue who may decide to play this week. I have no interest in being a fan of players who will switch year in and year out for more pay....it's becoming the NBA, just leave when you think you've found a better team, why fight through adversity of any kind?

[@dominiccarter5070]

At your regular job you want to be paid fairly right ?

[@weskeaton1]

@@dominiccarter5070 I don’t think participation in a school sport should be looked at as a job. It’s a contradiction that will eventually blow up and end college football as we know it. The ideal end stage for this should be that “college football” just rolls out to be its own minor league and their only affiliation with the school is a licensing deal or they operate as some sort of non-profit that invests income back to the school.

[@jrr3787]

The bowls died when the Orange Bowl became the "Capitol One Orange Bowl."

[@jjcox333]

The Bowls died when the playoff replaced them as what is meaningful.

[@vermontmike9800]

FedEx before that.

[@ClaudiusPGreen]

They first died when Federal Express began sponsoring the Orange Bowl. (But they became worse with the Poulan Weed Eater Independence Bowl.)

[@williamwilkinson6665]

The problem is ESPN ...they have a monopoly on CFB and people that don't have or want garbage station can't watch the games ......so ESPN has ruined college football...

[@cjoliver7871]

The committee gave FSU a reason to not care about that Orange Bowl game. Why should a team that for all intents and purposes should be in a playoff game care about the Orange Bowl as a consolation prize? Why would you expect them to try and compete in a game they think they shouldn't even be in? This isn't as much as a bowl game issue as much as a "we feel screwed and don't want to play" issue.

[@TXHORNS210]

Stfu fsu still took bowl money. Fsu is a joke and it showed you cry baby. Yall aren't the 4 best teams end of story

[@johnwells920]

They wouldn't have competed against Michigan period

[@benisrood]

Fair enough, I guess. Still embarrassing.

[@TheExodusV]

As a FSU I’m more embarrassed they accepted the bowl invitation than how they performed. I’m glad they didn’t show up…we did what we needed to do to send a message the CFB as did UGA do what they needed to do to send their message.

[@zacharyfett2491]

That’s a really good argument. I did not consider that.

[@JOJO-dq6yh]

for 2026 and beyond, this is my suggestion: all CFP games to be played on home campuses, the national title at a neutral site. offer the top 2 ranked teams in the final CFP poll home field advantage. suddenly the regular season means A LOT because the highest ranked teams want to play at home. place all active bowls in a rotation where they take turns hosting #13 vs #14, next bowl gets #15 vs #16 and so on. bowls can negotiate with sponsors to offer the winning team prizes provided by the sponsor and/or cash incentive.

[@macseamus835]

the playoff is going to be during finals and winter break. theyd need to shorten the season to 8 games then do the playoff in november if they want on-campus involvement

[@goblue193]

@@macseamus835Or start the season in mid August then wrap it up by New Years. That also reduces competition with the NFL

[@ryanm9628]

College football is no longer desirable. NIL deals, conference realignment, and transfers have destroyed college football.

[@Rew123]

Yep It has become, in effect, a D-League for the NFL If I'm watching professional football, I'm going to watch the best (the actual NFL)

[@moonmullins8227]

biggest problem ESPN. Make them visible on regular TV

[@jjcox333]

What people don’t get is that FSU had everyone play in the 2022 Bowl to beat Oklahoma. There were few if any opt-outs. Then everyone came back for the opportunity to win a Championship. They went undefeated and were left out of the championship. So, that’s that. Why would they play a meaningless game against a team that was coming off a loss?

[@bkbaughn]

Because you're representing a school, program, and your fan base... The NIL money doesn't just come falling from the sky. It comes from the fans... At the end of the day any of this is for the fans and that's what's easily forgotten. You play the game to prove to the world you should have been there... Getting destroyed because everyone quit doesn't help their case... No one is going to look back after this season and think, wow, really wish FSU was in the playoff... Especially after the 2 playoffs games we had... Getting destroyed by Georgia is not going to help their case... Ultimately sports are about our competitive spirit but it's become so corporate it's solely about money now... This type behavior and thought is going to kill sports...

[@jjcox333]

If the regular season games did not count, the Bowl game definitely does not matter.

[@jjcox333]

College football did not need a playoff. Creating a playoff made all other bowls exhibitions and swag bag events for having a “good season”

[@desmondokyere]

Me personally I blame espn for part of this. Maybe stop being one conference bias when we are doing team selection rankings for the playoffs

[@tyronpouncey5985]

Agree

[@s-fiveproductionzllc]

agree

[@mhurricane266]

Kirk is on the correct path I feel .Scarcity of the bowls is what you need to make it special. With the 12 team playoff you are already getting all of those extra games that will definitely matter. I think you do what Kirk said and go with 6-7 bowls. I would up the “bowl elgibility” criteria and simply make it like 8-9 wins. Literally do the bowl selection all from the teams with 8 wins and above. Not all teams will be selected and it may help it feel special. Now when a team has 5 straight years of bowl appearances it will actually mean something and not that you just went .500 for 5 years.Could even try and get an early list of opt outs from the teams during selection and definitely make it a part of the selection process.Moral of the story is things are different. You can’t use the old system at this point. Something has to change.

[@MuratAksu34]

How convenient for ESPN to say get rid of bowl games. They have the broadcast rights to playoffs.

[@randallrust4992]

SEC Privilege, winning only matters in the SEC. Ask the CFP. They made this bed.

[@tyronpouncey5985]

ESPN made this bed , espn and there coverage makes is all About cfp

[@s-fiveproductionzllc]

facts of life like who wants to play now

[@shanewoods1980]

Smart on their part then. Apparently the SEC has been more dominant the past 10 years in the national championship. So espn and the NCAA made the right decision by “making this bed”. Or are you just saying that ESPN is just handing the trophies to the SEC without the teams proving themselves?

[@ArchieHerrington]

It's because the sec is the best conference clown a sec team wins it either every other year or multiple years in a row the sec owns college football it's the best division it makes the most money and has the most fans like why would they put fsu in to get blown out over alabama they arnt a better team

[@landscape674]

Try putting them back on free TV

[@kennethmesser378]

Espn already decided what college football wants; views, clicks and money. Not sports and fans.

[@beautifulfouse]

I personally think that it is the media to blame for Bowl decline. One of the media's issues is ESPN, they have taken all the major bowl games which years past has been on Free TV. Not everyone has ESPN, so why try to promote it more or less be able to watch it.

[@benburnside5049]

I love how Reece Davis is immediately trying to avoid the argument of Florida State being in the College Football Playoff. Quit avoiding that debate! Florida State shouldve been in.

[@thomasandersen2534]

It is nice for the smaller schools (Troy, Utah State etc) to be able to play in those smaller bowl games. I like watching those games and it means a lot for the players and coaches to go out and have a day to shine. Especially if you take away all the bowl games those teams will never be able to compete with top tier programs so what do they do ? Go undefeated run the table and maybe we get ranked and have a long shot at making the 12 team playoff ? Toledo had an 11 win season this year most people couldn’t tell me what state they are in and I don’t think they were even ranked at one point this season.

[@CompetitionSportsNetwork]

Toledo is in Ohio and they are a scrub school that plays other scrub schools. I don't care if they go 12-0, they play a weak schedule. When you play teams like Bowling Green and Eastern Michigan, no one should ever rank you or put you in a bowl game.

[@TheHolySC]

Depending on location, these schools usually lose money on bowl games. They are forced to purchase 10k tickets. When Buffalo played SDSU in the Idaho Potato Bowl years ago, they used less than 10% of ticket allotment and took a huge bath. Same thing for the Bahamas Bowl and others each year.

[@alexandergilles8583]

@CompetitionSportsNetwork so why have these schools even play sports then?

[@shutterlag192]

Sounds like another league tier should be added and another championship for that league. The gap is way too large within the same league.

[@Shiny101]

"Target Toilet Bowl" someone in a suit just got mad bc that was probably a planned bowl 😂

[@aj5681]

The opt-out is THE problem. You should have to pay $$ to opt out. Next is ESPN highlighting play-by-play announcers.

[@Smiththebat]

When 6-6 teams are making bowl games and there’s like 40 of them. They really lose their draw. They used to mean way more! When Pat talks about the bowls mattering for him he forget he played 15 years ago when the bowls STILL mattered. The heritage old bowls (Orange, Cotton, Rose etc) that have been around for years do have history and tradition to Reece’s point, but who actually gives a shart about the “Famous Toastery Bowl”?

[@zplapplap]

Pat played in an era when there were all of those “toilet” bowl games. These games are still contested with various sponsors because enough interest remains for these exhibitions to be economically viable. Once people decide that these games don’t matter, tickets won’t sell, people will stop watching, and the games will go away.

[@Smiththebat]

@@zplapplap I swear there was no one at half of these bowls. The crowds were family members and some students and mostly empty seats. TV numbers CAN’T be good enough when it’s just alumni and family members tuning in for games… Maybe I’m wrong.

[@BAKER22-l4u]

Exactly

[@zplapplap]

@@Smiththebat If you’re right (and you certainly are with some of these games), those games will not continue into future years. It’s been the natural coming and going that occurs with these lesser bowl games. I am fine with the market dictating how many bowl games there are in a given year, with one exception. I would not allow teams without a winning record to be eligible for post-season play.

[@Smiththebat]

@@zplapplap I don’t even know if I really have a strong opinion about it after thinking about it for a bit… lol ya just make the playoff competitive and fun to watch and then I guess go ham with the bowl games if you want….

[@ItsDJNuName]

The problem is that when many of these kids KNOW that they are headed to the NFL draft, they see no reason to play in the bowl games if they don't have an ultimate goal. That didn't used to be the case back in the 2000's, 90's, and further back. the NCAA has messed up bowl games because of the advertisement money generated with every bowl game. And with today's player having more control over whether they want to play or not, this thing has completely snowballed. We are seeing it happen in CBB, now it's hit CFB. In my opinion, the NFL & NBA are helping college sports hang on by a thread by keeping these kids in school for a year in CBB, and two years with CFB. Otherwise, the NCAA would crumble. And it is crumbling more by the year.

[@nicholaskatsikas4904]

CBB is different though because teams do have something to play for. March Madness which still has a lot mystique and unlike CFB is very unpredictable and because of that you don’t see BB players aren’t gonna transfer mid season. This is primarily a college football problem and doesn’t effect any of the other major athletic programs that’s why the status quo will be maintained until a real solution is figured out

[@shamrockdefibrillator954]

The second that committee showed FSU that play on the field didn't matter and the stupid way the portal is set up I knew they were gonna opt out and I don't blame them. They already put their heart on the line and got snubbed. Now people want them to go prove themselves in game that doesn't matter. GTFOH with that nonsense.

[@RickStewartCS]

Well. I find myself kind of heartbroken or a lifelong family tradition of bowl games shattered. A combination of the playoff committee's decision affecting FSU, players opting out for NFL and the portal, and finally the committment of loyalty to a school gone. It is all just too much to handle. I have lived in Germany for 20+ years. And during the regular season so enjoyed being able to follow college and NFL on KZbin. Then completely shattered in post season. The debicle of FSU trying to play with the heart of the team gone. Leaves you feeling like an era has ended. Things will never be the same.

[@theoriginaldashriprock]

As an avid college football fan, I love watching a lot of good games when I can catch them. Ironically though I have caught myself watching fewer and fewer bowl games the last few years. This year, I can honestly tell you I've only watched two. It's just not the same anymore. Bowl games are a joke.

[@davidgarner478]

I lost interest when espn/ Disney took out fsu and put in their Illegitimate championship contenders, all for the mighty dollar 🤣🤣🤣

[@theoriginaldashriprock]

@@davidgarner478 I'm tired of hearing about fsu. That's a tired old story that nobody cares about anymore. It was the committee who left him out, ESPN didn't have anything to do with it.

[@davidgarner478]

No it was espns influence who they wanted in the playoffs Texas had to move up for the simple fact they beat Alabama, they got what they wanted sec team in the playoffs big money games for Disney. And if fsu would have been in the final 4 the players would have been playing

[@xTBrown13x]

@@davidgarner478they lost their QB. It sucks but you’re right it’s a tv product and no one wants to watch a back up QB in the final 4.

[@theoriginaldashriprock]

@@davidgarner478 I disagree. But one thing we can probably agree on is that we don't have a true playoff. When people decide who the teams are, that's not a playoff, that's an invitational. The way all other professional sports and other leagues around the world, even high school football, have true playoffs. There's a simple qualifier, you make it, you're in the playoffs. Division 1 football has always done things different. Drives me crazy.

[@kennypowers1945]

It kinda did decline a bit in popularity unless you were in the final 4. But now that the cfp is expanding to 12 the bowl games will feel special again in my opinion

[@NoFace-ke9pc]

Next year will save college football.

[@litedawg]

Nope there will be more games like this

[@casek19]

It will take away from the regular season and conference championships

[@markjackson6431]

the bowl games will feel special again? oh sure maybe the NY6 will be important because it will make up the semifinals and quarterfinals but the rest of the bowls are gonna matter to these players. they’ll see the bowl games like the basketball players view the NIT

[@YooperHatesOhioState]

I honestly agree with Kirk. I hate seeing matchups like Georgia fsu that is suppose to be good but it’s not because some key starters don’t wanna play. I liked his proposal but it will never happen

[@ccampau]

Kirk is right. An NIT equivalent bowl early in the season would give the lesser bowls a purpose.

[@terrybryant609]

​@@ccampauWho won the NIT last season? Who can name four teams that played in the NIT? Kirk is a genius 😅

[@Denwitty]

It's all about the SEC with ESPN. Whaa whaa whaa! You tried but didn't get your favorites into the final.

[@thejimcricket]

everyone has always paid good money to have their name advertised for the bowl game but soon as it's pop tarts people lose their minds.

[@missingbuck]

I liked the Pop Tarts Bowl because of the nostalgia it gave me

[@Spoooky21]

Why did I read this comment in the voice of Heath Ledger's Joker

[@acidbatharchive]

8 wins makes you bowl eligible and cut the number of bowls in half

[@erics607]

I would say cut the number of bowls by more than half. I agree on having 8 wins to qualify, but if that's the standard, then you're still going to have teams like Coastal Carolina, Texas State, Air Force, Wyoming, Fresno State, Toledo, Ohio, Liberty, New Mexico State, Jacksonville State, Western Kentucky, Duke, SMU, Tulane, UTSA, and Memphis making bowl games. If you're an average CFB fan, I don't think you care about most or any of the teams I just listed. They probably only care about teams ranked in the top 36.

[@alexandergilles8583]

@erics607 There is nothing wrong with any of those teams playing a bowl game if they earned it. I mean what are you gonna do? Tell the 10 win G5 school “sorry you’re not gonna play in a bowl game, not because you’re not good enough, but because you’re not power 5”? That’s not fair at all

[@JTSports]

Lol people in these comments are hypocrites and are the reason why bowl games are on the situation. If it’s not a playoff game, you call it meaningless and say how it doesn’t matter, but then wonder why the players opt out of them 😂. If nobody cares why, should they? Then the constant coverage of the playoffs has watered down bowl season. If a team isn’t in playoff contention then they get no media coverage. There used to be a time when College Football was more than just about who was gonna win the National Championship. It was about rivalries, tradition, and pride. The Bowl Games meant more because of pride and players wanting to play in them because of the dedication and pride they had for their program. Alabama has barely had any bowl opts outs. Why? Because those players have pride for the program. When you bring in random dudes from the portal who are just their for the check of course they ain’t gonna have the pride in the program that somebody who was recruited 3 years ago would have.

[@brycewilson1909]

I remember Kirk Cousins winning a bowl game his senior year at Michigan State, the Outback Bowl against Georgia, and it was a big deal......those days are long gone. people don't care about these non-playoff bowl games anymore. Herbie hit the nail on the head, they need to get rid of most of the bowls besides the playoff and that would help the bowl game situation.

[@MattBuild4]

But that year marked the decline of bowls, because the league was becoming so corrupt and screwed up. In 2011 ZERO G5 teams made a major bowl game, which you would think would be impossible, especially considering that 3 G5 teams won 12+ games. 9-4 #23 West Virginia made a major bowl game over #6 12-1 Boise State. Georgia made a higher bowl game than Boise State, despite BSU beating Georgia in Atlanta by 21 that season. When you do stuff like this it destroys the legitimacy of bowls and in fact in WVU's bowl game their opponent had 14 players opt-out.

[@fuckcensorship69]

Herbie is an IDIOT

[@RW-bt6ex]

When i was a teenager 50 years ago , i didn't miss a bowl game on tv . Now i could care less about College Football . Nothing more than , Participation Trophies given out now . Poor Babies .

[@markminer7390]

What do you expect? The committee snubs FSU, demonstrating again how biased they are towards the Big 10 and SEC. A team goes undefeated, not just a star quarterback. Disgusting! Having the portal and opt-outs made the GA-FSU game a sham, and the same can be said of other non-playoff bowl games as well. Bama should not have been in the playoff. The committee has no shame.

[@dandantheman9960]

The only reason I don't watch more bowl games is because they're on espn

[@WeencieRants]

College football has a culture problem. Right now there are cultures of winners and cultures of quitters.

[@litedawg]

No loyalty from transfer portal players

[@zachwhitlow4]

​@@litedawgbut that starts with the disloyalty from coaches

[@youflatscreentube]

It a money problem. Portals, multi-million dollar coach salaries (at public schools) Advertisers, meaningless conferences, 43 bowl games, etc.

[@KnEpH131]

@@litedawg and opt-outs

[@mustangmanx]

ESPN is a huge part of this problem.

[@GDoggy-em2xc]

Just don’t get rid of the Pop Tarts Bowl or the Duke’s Mayo Bowl. Those bowls rock!

[@ashleychase8918]

As a Noles fan I can tell you that I didn't care about orange bowl one bit, the committee had rob us of playoffs but have FSU ranked ahead of Georgia we were better off being ranked 8th when JT got hurt

[@StandStrong614]

Your team definitely helped make it look like the committee got it exactly right. I thought it was messed up too when it happened but this definitely wasn't a good look for FSU.

[@ashleychase8918]

@@StandStrong614 I knew this would happen 3 weeks ago Alot of players played hurt, injured in ACC championship game sacrifice Alot get in playoffs only get screwed honestly I don't blame players

[@iomis2001]

Ratings are when down and these guys are arguing that having 50 bowl games is fine. When everyone gets a shot at a bowl game, it's nothing special.

[@frankwolfrum6301]

You can't watch the games they aren't on TV. It was a New Year's tradition to watch college football all day. One game on today unless you want to pay to watch it. You go to a sports bar to watch your team if they are in it. Greed has taken the game away.

[@marcuscooper8595]

The UGA v FSU outcome is ESPN and the other network's fault. They've devalued non-playoff games. They made it all about money and didn't put the best 4 or most deserving 4. Money is the only rule to them.

[@onemangang2010]

It's lost its interest because you used to have 12- 15 games on NYD on ABC, CBS, NBC Today.... 5 whole games all day whoopie!!!!!

[@johnnybgoode8104]

ESPN and cable companies ruoend college football.

[@elijahfoster2]

1:59 12-team playoff is 11 teams because there are 11 losers… one game per loser 🤦‍♂️

[@Shiny101]

Kirk Herbstreit on his high horse as usual lol

[@zachcoggins9018]

Simple: make these guys sign NIL contracts stating if they sit out, they breach the contract, and all money must be paid back. The players will change their tune real quick

[@saucyjack1888]

Yes, the problem is so many players opt out and don’t play, the games mean nothing and teams are unrecognizable. Major problem and ratings will decline.

[@jamesoliver6625]

A large part of the Bowl game ennui is burying them on ESPN. The Bowls were forever on broadcast where the casual viewer would pick up on them but that no longer happens.

[@smsander4029]

CFB has multiple problems (thanks fiesta bowl) and it all starts with this notion that the playoffs need to happen simultaneously with the bowl games. Lets finish the season as we did 20 years ago and fill the bowl games with the best teams and use the bowl games to determine who goes to the final four. All bowl games are played by Jan 1. the following Monday would be the final four, then the following monday would be the Championship game. Herbie is wrong! The kids love the bowl games, but stop putting 6-6 teams in bowl games.

[@jameskeyes9112]

The best way to fix it: If you choose to opt out of the bowl game, you have to pay back all or a good part of the NIL money.

[@GR-bn3xj]

When you look at from Florida State perspective, bowls mewn nothing. But look at it from a team like Memphis. They beat a Power 5 opponent and beat them pretty good and now their expectations for next year are big. They were excited to be there and wanted to be there. Just because every team doesn't want to play in one or plays half-assed doesn't mean every team is like that. There are some teams who enjoy the bowl experience and can build from it. Not every bowl game is useless

[@thomasandersen2534]

Exactly wish they touched on that a bit more in the video. What about the schools like Marshall and Toledo etc who will never compete with the top tier programs. Those games mean everything to those kids and coaches.

[@sebazelaya3445]

​@@thomasandersen2534 Marshall Beats Notre Dame last year

[@thomasandersen2534]

@@sebazelaya3445 they did I just meant in the long term Marshall could have beat notre dame AND Ohio state in the same season and still would have to run the table beat every team they face by 50 and they MIGHT go to the playoff. Look at FSU this year they actually did run the table and were left out. So what chance does do the smaller schools have ? With the playoff moving to 12 teams that’ll help but what team out there schedules big time games like that And actually wins against those teams and recruits at the same level. Not very many low tier programs. No disrespect to Marshall either that’s a good program with a great history in football many years ago.

[@alexandergilles8583]

Nobody ever talks about this from the G5 perspective and it’s so frustrating

[@awecballwin77]

Consolation games aren't exciting. It took me decades of trial and tribulations to attain this secret knowledge of mankind

[@ulost1gaming417]

It's obvious FSU threw that football game!!! Probably an FU to the bowl committee!!!

[@jonmartin6451]

43 bowl games = 86 teams Yes it’s lost a bit of luster. I can see it in half empty stadium

[@TheMCJ2011]

There are WAY too many bowl games. If your team doesn’t have at least 8 wins then you don’t deserve to play in a bowl game. It’s just a disgusting money grab at this point.

[@donnagreene7766]

I would say at least 7 wins is necessary. It makes the games a real competition but does not lower the standard to having a losing season and still going to a bowl. Many players work very hard and a winning season should be the reward at 7 wins.

[@TheMCJ2011]

@@donnagreene7766 ok fair enough

[@Orange_DNA]

My man Desmond was more concerned with the cake. LOL

[@johnnybgoode8104]

Im happy with thr amount of backlash Kirk had received. I hope it continues.

[@BAKER22-l4u]

Get counseling

[@NebulousFrivolity]

I'd love to watch the CFP game tonight...but it's ONLY on ESPN. I don't pay for TV service because it's a joke - there's nothing good on. Why would they not put it on ABC or something? dumb.

[@bradfordmitchell3135]

My Noles did the right thing. Standing up too injustice and not playing. The committee and espn did this to themselves. We have done more good for college football than the 🐻 has ever done

[@twistedspine7300]

absolutely. fsu had their playoff spot stolen from them unethically. the players did the right thing choosing to no longer participate in a rigged system.

[@joshstorch3315]

This was essentially FSU "boycotting" the Orange bowl like the rumors said would happen

[@MattBuild4]

Where were yall in 2004-2012, when the G5 sued the league for this same exact situation? If you stood up with them something actually could have been done.

[@BIG570S]

Listen to Kirby. ESPN and CFP gutted the Noles so bad that none of the stars wanted to play in a nothing bowl after going 13-0. Kirby forgot more than all you ESPN clowns know about football.

[@pierreblack1214]

Needs to be a money incentive now with NIL on bowl games

[@the503creepout7]

i love bowl season. Always have. Just making a bowl game used to be a big deal to college football programs. But now there are some serious threats to bowl season. Draft prospect players feel they're better opting out of bowl games, essentially abandoning the teammates they claim to be devoted to like family. 5-7 teams are going to bowl games because not enough teams are even reaching .500 6 win seasons to fill all the bowl slots. Most of the bowl game stadiums appear to be 85% empty(the broadcast channels don't even show camera views of the stands). We used play games like the Copper Bowl, the Liberty Bowl, the Cotton Bowl, & The Sugar Bowl. Now it's The Goodyear Cotton Bowl, the Cheez-It Bowl, the Red Box DVD Rental Bowl, the General Discount Auto Insurance Bowl, & The Sugar Bowl brought to you by Pepsi Brand Soft Drink Products Using Corn Syrup Instead of Actual Sugar. It just can't go on like this.

[@raulespino7349]

The fact that the bowl games have lost the luster is because of the opt outs…

[@colinpritchard2067]

I’m a fan of Iowa State and I used to pray for 6-6 for a bowl game. ISU will most likely never compete for a national title. Teams like that should have something to play for because not everyone is the SEC.

[@davidgarland6155]

The company that was the main cause in the Orange Bowl being a scrimmage, now what's to tell us how to fix the system. Give me a break. Good on FSU taking the paycheck and flipping the bird to the ESPN and the CFP.

[@s-fiveproductionzllc]

love this comment people fail to realise that because the are foolish

[@papaadot9369]

Jaylon Smith injury changed everything

[@capperkayde6031]

Georgia missing 6 starters, had 18 transfers, and played backups all game

[@cperkins5050]

🧢 Georgia missed two starters. It was listed by Kirby. The TE and the OT.

[@capperkayde6031]

@@cperkins505018 transfers. Multiple starters missing 5+ players. That’s 23+ missing roster spots

[@VanquishedAgain]

Haha. Kirk is definitely getting fired for saying to eliminate a major source of revenue for the network he's on.

[@tyronpouncey5985]

Blame espn. They made it about making the playoffs , and if you don’t make the playoffs then your szn is a failure

[@dewey3007]

The non-major bowl decline kicked into high gear when the CFP started. That said, I don't blame it on the CFP itself, I blame it on how ESPN handled it. Back in the BCS days, the NC game was obviously a big deal, but they still talked about and hyped up the other bowl games. Once the CFP came to be, all of the other bowl games became a complete afterthought. An ESPN talking head ranting about the decline in enthusiasm around other bowls is essentially the Eric Andre "who killed Hannibal" meme.

[@jawjaboi]

Georgia and FSU should have been in the playoffs regardless of outcome..And the transfer portal needs to be minimized

[@LukeZimmerman-ss8xo]

If the players want to get paid, they need to play in the bowl games. If they opt-out, no pay for those players then

[@shashanksubramaniam1400]

Players who opt out of bowls should be required to clear out their lockers immediately. They should be not allowed to use school facilities (weight rooms, training/recovery facilities) and made ineligible to participate in their school’s pro days leading up to the combine.

[@cperkins5050]

Coaches leave before bowls as well.

[@shashanksubramaniam1400]

@@cperkins5050 yep and coaches who leave should be banned from taking transfers players from their old school to their new school. No more of Lincoln Riley and Deion Sanders stripping their old programs of the best talent

[@MrShakdeez]

Move bowl games to the beginning of the season. Have them be the “big” kickoff to the college football season.

[@willman43]

There are too many bowl games. Teams are playing in bowls games that don’t deserve it, players transferring then not playing in the bowls, and players sitting out bowl games for the nfl are ruining the fun in watching them. Automatic bids suck also. Liberty vs. Oregon? Come on, Liberty vs. James Madison = more views, better game

[@BigChrisENT]

ESPN ruins bowl games then complains about the results! 😅

[@noahdilber3246]

Love the respect these guys have for one another

[@harveytanner1]

FSU was robbed a CFP spot for a 1-loss Alabama team - Simple as that. Bama threw for just over 100 yards against Michigan, and guess what FSU's strength was... DEFENSE. UGA & FSU should've both been in the CFP.

[@dairyair5371]

This wasn’t a bowl problem it’s a culture problem.

[@cperkins5050]

Starting when? When Mccafrey started this 6 years ago? Or when FSU had 30 players opt out this season(

[@michaelwillman5342]

Make each of the playoff games a bowl game. You've got six major bowl games that covers the first & second rounds, then the finals are its own thing. That covers all of the six big bowl games, and then the other random bowls can do whatever they want.

[@quengmingmeow]

Love those that still use the term “student-athlete”. Anytime I hear that term from someone, the next few lines are usually piled high and deep and smell like a pig barn.

[@zplapplap]

They’re all students. Some are more interested in academics and completing a baccalaureate degree than others. Any given major college football program has all types. So what’s your point in denigrating all of them? It’s a shamefully broad brush by which you’re stereotyping these players. Moreover, your assertion is objectively false.

[@quengmingmeow]

@@zplapplap you missed the point, pal. The athletes know exactly who they are--and they are all there for different individual reasons. Those I criticize are those that use the term--usually the ADs or anyone connected to the athletic department or uni admin. They must carry the water and pretend that they ALL are students who also “happen to be” athletes like a person might “happen to be rich” or “happen to be white or black”. Their fig leaf is transparent to people with IQs higher than 80, and they know this, yet they still feed us these words.

[@zplapplap]

@@quengmingmeow Got it. Thanks for the reply and correction. What would you rather they do? Earnest question. What terminology would be more precise from an administrative standpoint? Ultimately, are they not, categorically, student-athletes?

[@quengmingmeow]

@@zplapplap call them what they are in the context in which they are being talked about-athletes. That’s what they should do. But no…can’t do that because what…some high and mighty academy worshiper can claim that the speaker is silently insinuating that academics don’t matter? Please. We don’t call students playing on club teams “student athletes”, and some of those kids practice as much or more than some varsity sports. Are they not also “student athletes”? Everyone knows what “student athlete” means…it means “varsity sport athlete”. When a member of management is speaking about varsity players, let’s just say athletes and be done with it. The AD loses his or her job if enough of the important sports teams start doing badly on the field of play regardless of how many of those kids are academic all Americans. Thats the rub. The only thing “student” the management REALLY cares about is whatever it takes to get them on the field. Beyond that, it doesn’t really matter how they do in the classroom.

[@zplapplap]

@@quengmingmeow They’re intercollegiate student-athletes. It’s not a euphemistic reference. It’s literally what they are. 🤷🏾‍♂️

[@stephenhensley7004]

The teams in the Bowl games are not the players we watched all year. Might as well rename them the "Second String Bowl Game," "Bench Warmer Bowl Game" or "Coming Out Bowl Game."

[@globalnettuber]

Out of sight, out of mind for those of us who don't get espn.

[@michaelgomez3044]

ESPN's fault 100%

[@jtjr26]

In the past the bowl games were the only postseason option there was, so they were a huge deal. With the CFP there are far too many bowl games with teams most casual football fans don't know much about and don't really care about either. I don't think players should be able to enter the transfer portal until after the CFP is decided, so all teams can have an equal shot at wooing talent to their programs without the distraction of a game to play. Also, unless players declare for the NFL draft I don't think they should be able to opt out of playing in a bowl game. I know right now teams do not pay players the NIL money directly, but it runs through 'collectives'. I suspect in the future rules will change and the players will be paid directly. When that happens there should be rules if you opt out of a bowl game unless you are injured you have to return some of the NIL (or whatever they end up calling it) money.

[@TheChasyn23]

So how did UGA keep its players wanting ro play? There is no excuse fir that many players quitting on their team!