In Defense of Bowl Season

Every year, a debate emerges in college football : the number of bowl games. There are 41 different games for 80 teams, some that are not bowl eligible. However, the number of games is just fine and here is why

• National exposure – Some of the teams competing are not household names, such as New Mexico and UTSA, have a chance to play in front of a large audience and get name recognition for recruiting students, both athletes and non-athletes.
• Chance to reignite old rivalries- With conference realignment, rivals such as Nebraska and Texas have no real chance to play in the regular season. Bowl games allow the teams to become reacquainted with one another.
• Unique matchups- Florida and Iowa have met only three times all in bowl season. The fourth meeting will come in January, and provide both sides a chance to view other talented players outside of their respective conferences. For example, the Iowa offensive line is the best in the country, and have a shot against one of the best defenses in the nation.
• Extra practices – Every team going to a bowl game gets (15 I believe) extra practices, which provide prep for an opponent, but also a way to get ready for the next season
• Strength of schedule- Many teams with a 6-6 or 5-7 record play numerous tough opponents, such as a group of 5 squad may face two Power 5 schools, which more often than not, resulting in a pair of losses. I do not believe it is proper to exclude those teams just because of a subpar record.