How to Fix Bowl Season

The offseason for college football has barely started, and we have had the announcements that both the LA and the GameAbove Bowls will not be returning next season. Bringing the total number of bowl games under 40. Now, during Big Time Talkers, we used to make our own bowl matchups with bowl-eligible teams, and with the push for a 24-team playoff, it seems the idea that three crazy college-aged kids is coming true. I thought this was as good a time as any to resubmit our plan on how to save bowl games and bowl season. The rules we set out for ourselves were as follows: 

The conference winners were ineligible for our bowls, with ten winners that left 14 at-large bids. The rest of those 14 were taken from their ranking in the CFP poll. For instance, last year the auto bids would have gone to Indiana, Georgia, Texas Tech, Tulane, James Madison, Boise State, Duke, Kennesaw State, Western Michigan, and Washington State. The 14 auto bids would’ve been Ohio State, Oregon, Ole Miss, Texas A&M, Oklahoma, Alabama, Miami, Notre Dame, BYU, Texas, Vanderbilt, Utah, USC, and Arizona. They would play in on-site games until the championship game, which in real life was played in Miami at Hard Rock Stadium. Yes, that’s right, on-site, meaning on campus, until the National Championship Game.

As for the bowls, everyone else would have been playing in the list. Last year, there were 41 bowl games. On Big Time Talkers, we shortened the list to 22, but there is now a list of 25 bowl games. So without further ado, the bowl games. First, the newest real-life bowl game, the Xbox Bowl, played at the Star in Frisco, Texas. Honestly, what we saw this past year shows that Xbox gets what Bowl Season is about. Slightly funny, well-themed, and in a good location. The only change is that it’s the second-place teams of the MAC and Sun Belt. Next up, the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl: still in Boise, Idaho, at Albertson Stadium, once again a perfect bowl game as it’s Mountain West vs Pac-12. New Orleans Bowl Superdome New Orleans, Louisiana, fantastic, no notes, group of six schools. Military Bowl, the team that wins the Commander-in-Chief trophy hosts the bowl game against any team from the Power 4. The Independence Bowl in Shreveport, Louisiana, at Independence Stadium group of six Louisiana schools play an independent school. Liberty Bowl, Memphis, Tennessee, at the Liberty Bowl, Power 4 schools. Holiday Bowl SnapDragon Stadium, San Diego, West Coast Power 4 vs group of 6. The Alamo Bowl, Alamodome, San Antonio, Texas, Group of Six. Sun Bowl, El Paso, Texas, the Sun Bowl Group of Six. Gator Bowl, Jacksonville, Florida, EverBank Stadium, ACC vs SEC. Music City Bowl Nashville, Tennessee Nissan Stadium, anyone. Outback Bowl, Tampa, Florida, Raymond James Stadium, Group of Six teams. Citrus Bowl, Orlando, Florida, Camping World Stadium, Group of Six vs Power 4. Poptart Bowl Protective Stadium, Birmingham, Alabama, top ranked group of six teams. Texas Bowl NRG Stadium, Houston, Texas have the Texas Schools play each other.

New Year’s Six Bowls Orange Bowl, Miami, Florida, Hard Rock Stadium, Top-ranked ACC vs Top-Ranked Big Ten. Cotton Bowl THE COTTON BOWL Dallas, Texas, yes, move it back to the Cotton Bowl, Big 12 vs Big Ten. Sugar Bowl, New Orleans Louisiana Superdome, SEC vs ACC. Peach Bowl, Atlanta, Georgia, Mercedes-Benz Stadium, top-ranked SEC vs Big Ten. The Rose Bowl, the Rose Bowl, Pasadena, California, West Coast team's vs teams from East of the Mississippi River. Fiesta Bowl State Farm Stadium Phoenix, Arizona Top-ranked Big 12 vs anyone.  

Now for the newest bowl games, starting with the Hall of Fame Bowl, in Canton, Ohio, at Tom Benson Stadium, MAC vs anyone. Queen City Classic Charlotte, North Carolina Bank of America Stadium Group of Six southern schools. Gateway Bowl, Saint Louis, Missouri, The Dome at America's Center, Midwest Schools. Heartland Bowl, Lucas Oil Stadium, Indianapolis, Indiana, the second-best Big Ten School remaining vs group of six.