Perhaps the BEST B1G Forum anywhere, here at College Football Fan Site, CFB51!!!

I literally just showed you 9 games where they could have rested their starters by halftime.  Yeah, Ohio St played a tougher schedule but you are acting like Ohio St was in a weekly dogfight.  They weren’t.  Of all the excuses I’ve read in here your “minutes played” is the most outlandish.

To simplify the point here:

1.  OSU played a tougher schedule than Clemson.
2.  Even so, most games were effectively over at the half, so the starters could have rested.

write off.  

yeah, but that isn't my point... it IS a 'write off' in that "where did this money go?" and the answer "there, the bowl game, or the advertising"... "oh".... and there is somebody somewhere about to perform a paid service to someone who spent some corporate funds on 'the bowl game'. 

defense contracting is a nasty business.  i know someone who blew the whistle on something akin to this, and caused a lot of folks a lot of angst- and their jobs, too. 

They also do it for recruiting employees.

Weird that they put so many bowl games on weekday afternoons.

Who's watching these, other than college kids on Winter Break?

Weird that they put so many bowl games on weekday afternoons.

Who's watching these, other than college kids on Winter Break?

I assume the goal was at one point to go wall to wall for people who took off between Christmas and New Years. And you gotta burn off bowls somewhere. 

I can find a vague reason to watch any of them, though today’s slate has less pull than tomorrow’s for me. 

Monday

12:30, ESPN
Servpro First Responder Bowl
Western Kentucky v. Western Michigan

The First Responder Bowl, where college football says thanks to cops, firefighters and paramedics by subjecting them to a third-rate bowl game on the middle of a Monday.  The 62nd ranked (by SP+) Hilltoppers will try to hold off 85th ranked Western Michigan.  An offense-defense battle, Western Kentucky has a pretty strong defensive squad, while WMU has the 24th ranked scoring offense.

4 pm, ESPN
Franklin American Mortgage Music City Bowl
Mississippi State v. Louisville

I've actually been to a music city bowl, back when Notre Dame beat LSU a few years ago.  I'm surprised it hasn't been able to get a little bigger - the stadium is within walking distance of the main strip in Nashville, and Nashville is loads of fun.  It  makes for a great little trip.  In any event, these teams are the definition of power 5 also rans, as Miss. St. ranks 50th in SP+ and Louisville 63rd.  They both have decent enough offenses and not that great defenses, so maybe we'll see a few points scored.  I'm surprised Joe Moorhead hasn't been able to generate more wins for the Bulldogs - they've been very average and had a hard time getting untracked on offense - a far cry from his fun PSU offenses.  

4 pm, FOX
Redbox Bowl
Cal v. Illinois

Another game between two crappy teams, the RedBox bowl features 76th ranked Cal against 59th ranked Illinois.  Illinois actually looked kind of good in the middle of the season before lucking their way into a win against Sparty and then calling it a season.  Cal is somewhat surprisingly favored by a touchdown, but they've struggled to score several times this year. They do play pretty solid defense, which may be the deciding factor.  Illinois has been tough to figure out, at times looking horrrible on both sides of the ball and at times looking very good.  But I ain't betting on Illinois being good.

8 pm, ESPN
Capital One Orange Bowl
Florida v. Virginia

Why exactly is Virginia in this game?  Is the Orange Bowl so into the ACC that they just choose whoever is available?  Virginia is a pretty average team (45th on SP+, just behind Tulane and just ahead of FAU).  They went 9-4, so it's not like they squeaked out some wins to earn their place.  This is the spot where midmajors get the shaft - UCF, Cincinnati, Air Force, Appy State, and Boise State are all clearly better teams that deserved a spot ahead of Virginia.  Also Notre Dame whipped Virginia and went 10-2.  In any event, Florida is not a bad team - in fact they are a very good team (7th on SP+).  I will watch a few plays then try to finish off The Expanse.