Multiple 5-7 teams decline bowl invitation
- Thread starter Bigred2467
- Start date
Frost wanted no part of Georgia Southern.
A 5-7 team finally accepted an invitation from the Birmingham Bowl to play Georgia Southern. All the bowl slots have now been filled.
The day Nebraska declines another bowl invite will be the last I am a fan. I don’t care if not a single starter plays or all the coaches were fired - doing that just screams you are a weak program
I think for some smaller programs, it's more of a financial decision. From what I've read, lower tier bowls can be a net loss when it comes to travel expenses, accommodations, etc.. For smaller schools I kinda get it if they're not going to gain much from it.
Nebraska could absorb it though, and to me the biggest reason to accept it regardless is the extra bowl practices. Those can be worth any potential net loss financially.
NU has said that for years missing those practices was huge for developing younger players
I guarantee 32 out of 32 NFL teams would opt out of playing preseason games if it wasn't mandatory from the NFL as part of the CBA. So maybe this is just good business.
....if this was any other sport..IE, not so dangerous, it'd be a different story...but I totally get a sub .500 team just wanting the season to be over. Nothing to gain, lots to lose. Call it a season, and GTFO of town and go have fun doing something you wanna do
Nebraska high school football teams especially in the smaller classes make the playoffs with a 3-5 record. It freaking stupid
That's a different animal. If i'm a player, or a parent of a small town high school player, i'm all in on one more high school game. In time you'll just temember going to the playoffs, and conviently forget about the record. Kinda like that one great shot in an otherwise crappy round of golf... and if you get lucky and knock somebody off you shouldn't have, all the better memories at the local bar 20yrs later
I’m glad teams are finally declining bowl bids to crap bowls. All that matters is the playoff. Bowl games are obsolete.
Yep!
I know us fans love it and I get that...but most of the players are done.
Season is over and no you it gets extended another month? F that.
Hmm... Do you think the players would opt out if they got paid extra (like in their "contract") to 1. Make it to a bowl and 2. Win that bowl?
Might get rid of individual players opting out too.
It's all about the money now.
Might get rid of individual players opting out too.
It's all about the money now.
I mean you don’t have to watch any bowl games you don’t want to. I am going to watch while complaining about not being in the playoff and the defensive line.
I won't watch any of the meaningless bowl games. Preseason NFL games are better than these bowl games.
It just wreaks of "Sore Loser"...
Do you like playing football or not? Do you want your team to get better? Do you want young players to get more practice and position themselves to be bigger contributors next year? Maybe the NCAA ought to say if you opt out of a bowl game, you don't get to practice in the Spring either.
These bowl games are no more meaningless now than they were before. Even before a 4 team playoff, or the BCS, you had multiple bowl games that were nothing more than exhibitions. We like to remember those rare occasions when you had 2, MAYBE 3 New Year's Day bowl games that influenced the vote for a National Champion; but those years also had a dozen or more bowl games in December that had no influence whatsoever on the NC.
Do you like playing football or not? Do you want your team to get better? Do you want young players to get more practice and position themselves to be bigger contributors next year? Maybe the NCAA ought to say if you opt out of a bowl game, you don't get to practice in the Spring either.
These bowl games are no more meaningless now than they were before. Even before a 4 team playoff, or the BCS, you had multiple bowl games that were nothing more than exhibitions. We like to remember those rare occasions when you had 2, MAYBE 3 New Year's Day bowl games that influenced the vote for a National Champion; but those years also had a dozen or more bowl games in December that had no influence whatsoever on the NC.
In theory sounds great but the players "sponsor" would have to like that idea, and I wonder if they would? Is ABC car lot or air conditioning company going to want to invest another several ten thousand dollars for this, per player, and wouldn't every player have to benefit, and not just a few? Does every player have a lucrative or profitable enough NIL company behind them to pull this off?
I thought the plan was to tear apart every conferance, put the big names in the Big and sec....then merge the Big and sec to make the mini light nfl? then there is no bowls, committees or polls, and everything is decided systematically on the gridiron?
whats holding this up?
whats holding this up?
Declining a bowl game, what's that say to your Seniors who thought they would have one more game
what about the contract from the university? with rev sharing and scholarship? Why can't the university (employer) be able to fine a player (employee) for opting out?
I admit I don't know the deets on that..honestly, I did not know there even was such a contract where the school shares revenue with the players? If schools are paying the players I missed it. But in thinking about it, that would help, assuming it was enough $$$ to get excited about as a player, but fining a kid for sitting out is never in a million years going to fly. Ever.
...i think yer talking about the deal that was just approved? I remember it now, don't know the deets though.
Time to go to a 24 team playoff and just get rid of every bowl!
But here’s the reality: those teams thought their seasons were done. Most of the seniors have literally left campus and gone home. All of their classes are online and many don’t even have finals. Trying to get everyone to come back and be motivated to practice is an uphill climb. Unfortunately guys don’t play for the name on the front of the jersey anymore..
Now, if I were the coach, I would say I’ll just take my team of sophomores and juniors and let them have a game for good experience for next year. But for teams that are not rolling in cash, these bowl games are generally a money losing proposition.
As someone that coaches HS sports I tell my players that all the time. High school sports are about the memories, the locker rooms, the bus rides, the stories.
I patronize about every small town bar within 45min of me...I live in Gretna... and I love small town bar food, and its fascinating watchin the whole place know and talk to each other. You just know a lot of those convo's are about their glory days on the gridiron or court.
Your post reminded me of that scene from Varsity Blues. Small town bar conversations talking high school football.
Yes, I watch some of them, not all. Its better than watching reruns of Matt Dillion, Chester, Doc & Miss Kitty everyday
Although I do it too.ha
It is like when I get out to golf with my college friends. The first few holes we catch up, but the 3rd hole we are just BS'ing about college time, the dorms, frat life, the bars, stuff like that. The good ole days.
Very much agree. There are way more "meaningful" benefits to playing in a bowl game for 99% of the players and coaches. Bowl games are only "meaningless" to the 1% of players who declare for the NFL or are somewhat likely to get drafted. Even for the 1%, a player can find meaning in a bowl game. It is only meaningless if a player/coach/fan chooses it to be.
A bowl game can have a lot of value. Coaches get more chances to see what plays work offensively and defensively in certain situations. Maybe similar situations arise in 2026, and the team is better prepared. Players get more chances at competition, both in practice and in a live game. The more "tape" in practice and game competition might get a less experienced player an opportunity to show what they can do in the future. It is another chance to see who has buy-in and a positive attitude. Competition is the best method to advance your skills.
My best analogy is golf, of which I have a lot more knowledge and experience. A golfer who makes the cut at a PGA event at the cut line is highly unlikely to win the tournament (similar to going 7-5 in CFB). Should they withdraw from the event because it is "meaningless" that they will win that week, or make top 10? Of course not. That gives them 2 more days of competition. The more chance at competition provides more opportunities to be successful the next time they play (even if the current event is "unsuccessful"). And the next time. And then the next time after that. From personal experience, one of my sons played golf competitively while high school age. His first few years were not instant success. He kept working hard and playing in as many local tournaments as he could (and we could afford). That turned into having some success in regional tournaments, and then some national tournaments. Eventually he developed into a D1 golfer because of the practice and competition.
Many on this board may disagree. That's OK. We are all invested differently and have differing opinions on Husker FB.
Except that PGA player that makes the cut is going home with a paycheck. Perhaps that’s what these bowls need to do is provide a pool of money for all of the players since that seems to be the only thing motivating them these days.
And they are usually not risking tearing up their body.
It is my DREAM to coach HS golf, it is kind of the dream coaching gig at the HS level.
Maybe, maybe not. Every full shot taken is a risk that some injury will occur. Over the course of 4 days of tournament play there are more chances that something happens than what a CFB player may incur. Add to that the hours of practice range swings over the course of the event.
Of course, it is not as likely that it happens -- unless you are speeding out of your driveway in your Ranger Rover while being chased with a 9-iron by your "best friend" after getting found you had an affair with a waitress from Denny's.
this feels like fat girls declaring they won't go to prom