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Matthew Brown: Yes, there will be bowls

matthew brown, the union-recorder, milledgeville, ga.
·4 min read

Jan. 5—What is the future of "Bowl Games" in major college football's "Bowl Subdivision?"

The bowls that scatter the television landscape in December are not going anywhere. Most of these games have something tied to them, like a charity. The host communities are heavily involved. We hear it all the time, how it is a much needed tourism economic boost.

But then there is the quality of the football you get. Are you getting the same team that won enough games to be "bowl eligible" in the first place? A six-win team coming to your town is nothing to get excited about, but we also just learned that sometimes with a 13-win team, you don't get your money's worth either.

If anyone — Santa Claus, the Tooth Fairy, the Great Pumpkin — had offered me an all-expenses (food, lodging, merchandise, transportation and admission) paid trip to any of the 40-something bowl games (not counting the CFP semifinals) of my choosing ... the first thing I would want is a second-choice option in case there is a torrential downpour like the one in Maryland involving Tulane and Virginia Tech. Totally miserable setting for what is supposed to be a reward.

Let's narrow that down. I can choose a free ride to either the Orange Bowl in South Florida or the Gasparilla Bowl in Tampa. We know who is playing in each one. My pick on Dec. 3, 2023, would be the same on Dec. 31, 2023: Gasparilla.

Yes, I choose to attend Georgia Tech vs. Central Florida over Georgia vs. Florida State. Now, if Georgia-FSU is a playoff game in New Orleans, I'm there (would have to pay my own way, so don't bother saving a seat). But you didn't need to be a clairvoyant on Dec. 3 to foresee what was going to happen to the Seminole roster as each day drew you closer to the Dec. 30 Orange Bowl date.

No, you were not going to get the Georgia-FSU matchup that the 2023 season built up in the Orange Bowl. As it turned out, Georgia kept most of its pieces together, and most of the Bulldogs bucked the trend by declaring for the NFL Draft after playing in the game (Javon Bullard, Kendall Milton, Daijun Edwards for example).

I was wondering if Brock Bowers, the tight end who did not play in Miami as predicted, planned to wait until April 24, the day before the Draft begins, to declare. Or until the start of spring practice. But he finally caught up with everyone else's way of thinking Tuesday night.

So instead, I choose the Georgia Tech-UCF game, which turned out to be a good Yellow Jacket comeback victory. Why? Well, I say it comes down to a combined number of opt-outs for the rosters of both teams participating. I am not going to look up how many Yellow Jackets or Knights chose not to play in Tampa, but I feel safe in saying FSU probably had more than both those teams combined.

In other words, I'm not going to waste my personal time when there's a depleted roster involved.

Here's a funny fact: Didn't realize one could enter the transfer portal when it opened Dec. 4 and still play in his team's bowl game ... as long as he does not declare a new team (like Brock Vandagriff did to Kentucky) or opt-out (like FSU's Tate Rodemaker).

Here's another hypothetical: Did Georgia show it deserved a playoff spot more than, say, actual SEC champion Alabama? Not by their showing in the Orange Bowl. Again, who exactly did the Bulldogs beat? Could Georgia Tech or UCF beat that roster of 'Noles?

I'm not sure if, in the era of the four-team playoff format, we ever got a clear answer on who was supposed to get those four spots. The absolute four best? How is that determined? By record, by personnel, or by eye tests?

Do you or do you not take major injuries like that to FSU quarterback Jordan Travis into consideration? Isn't having a committee making those determinations better than a computer, because humans would note how different FSU would be? But then I hear this committee is not supposed to "project performance."

Conclusion: Yes, some of these bowls do give you a quality game while some give you bombs. You just didn't know you missed a good game because you would rather enjoy the latest depictions of Willie Wonka and Aquaman in a movie theatre than get excited over the Camellia, Pop-Tarts or Pinstripe Bowls.

(If at all possible, give pet adoption a try through the Animal Rescue Foundation in Milledgeville. Donations of any kind are also in great need. ARF is a little red building at 711 S. Wilkinson St., and more information is available at animalrescuefoundation.org.)