12-15-2017, 11:38 AM
Though I don't know why star players sitting out bowl games would be a factor that hits one conference harder than others, so I think using bowl records to compare conferences is still fair game (though it's not a great metric in the first place, given the disparity in bowl matchups and conference bowl affiliations).
Of course, even if every star player played in his team's bowl game, it still wouldn't make this bowl slate more watchable. Aside from Stanford-TCU, there may not be a game I watch in its entirety. Oh, I'll watch at least some parts of a few games: the Cotton Bowl (SC-Ohio State), the Fiesta Bowl (UW-Penn State), and probably the semifinal games. I'll probably watch the national title game unless it's SEC vs. SEC, in which case I won't. I mean, I'll check the scores of the Pac-12 games on my phone out of solidarity, and I reserve the right to switch on any game that is exciting late in the 4th quarter, but committing to 3-4 hours to watch Utah-West Virginia? Nah, I'm good.Â
Of course, even if every star player played in his team's bowl game, it still wouldn't make this bowl slate more watchable. Aside from Stanford-TCU, there may not be a game I watch in its entirety. Oh, I'll watch at least some parts of a few games: the Cotton Bowl (SC-Ohio State), the Fiesta Bowl (UW-Penn State), and probably the semifinal games. I'll probably watch the national title game unless it's SEC vs. SEC, in which case I won't. I mean, I'll check the scores of the Pac-12 games on my phone out of solidarity, and I reserve the right to switch on any game that is exciting late in the 4th quarter, but committing to 3-4 hours to watch Utah-West Virginia? Nah, I'm good.Â