Make Bowl Season Great Again. Keep cutting loose the dead weight

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Make Bowl Season Great Again. Keep cutting loose the dead weight

Make Bowl Season Great Again. Keep cutting loose the dead weight

Matt Hayes, USA TODAY · USA TODAY Sports

Wed, Feb 11, 2026 ·

4 min read

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I know this is going to shock you, but Detroit became the latest to shutter its doors to the college football postseason.

I'm sure players are distraught at the thought of missing a few days in D-Town, in the dead of winter, to play in front of a couple thousand fans in an utterly meaningless bowl game .

Here's a novel idea moving forward: Cut loose more struggling, straggling bowls, and make bowl season great again.

That's right, I said it.

Ladies and gentlemen, we've reached the point where — I can't believe I'm writing this — the idea any December ball is good ball is now a wild miscalculation.

Most December bowl ball is unwatchable.

When you're begging teams with losing records to play in bowl games that are nothing more than content for ESPN — and when some of those teams with losing records are turning down invitations — it may be time to start rethinking this process.

Are 41 bowls too many? One TV network wants more

Detroit's exit earlier this week followed game cancellations from the LA Bowl , and the Bahamas Bowl. A full-blown tragedy, I know.

1 /30

Best of bowl season: Mascots, trophies, celebrations, Gatorade baths

Defensive back Tony-Louis Nkuba #21 of the Arizona State Sun Devils celebrates by jumping into an inflatable bowl of Kellogg's Frosted Flakes after intercepting a pass against the Duke Blue Devils during the first half of the Tony The Tiger Sun Bowl game at Sun Bowl Stadium on December 31, 2025 in El Paso, Texas

(Sam Wasson, Getty Images)

Tony the Tiger stands on the field after the coin toss before a football game between Duke and Arizona State in the Tony the Tiger Sun Bowl at Sun Bowl Stadium in El Paso, Texas, on Wednesday, Dec. 31, 2025.
(Gaby Velasquez/ El Paso Times)

Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets quarterback Haynes King (10) greats the Pop-Tarts mascots before the Pop-Tarts Bowl against the BYU Cougars at Camping World Stadium.
(Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images)

Pop-Tarts mascots celebrate with BYU Cougars after beating Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets in the Pop-Tarts Bowl at Camping World Stadium.
(Nathan Ray Seebeck, Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images)

The Cheez-It Citrus Bowl mascots perform on the field before a game between the Michigan Wolverines and Texas Longhorns at Camping World Stadium.
(Matt Pendleton-Imagn Images)

Louisville Cardinals players celebrate after defeating the Toledo Rockets in the Boca Raton Bowl at Flagler CU Stadium.
(Jeff Romance, Jeff Romance-Imagn Images)

Washington Huskies head coach Jedd Fisch holds the LA Bowl championship belt presented by Rob Gronkowski after defeating the Boise State Broncos at SoFi Stadium.
(Jayne Kamin-Oncea, Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images)

Musical artist/rapper Snoop Dogg holds the championship trophy after the Fresno State Bulldogs defeated the Miami (OH) RedHawks 18-3 to win the 2025 Snoop Dogg Arizona Bowl at Casino Del Sol Stadium on December 27, 2025 in Tucson, Arizona.
(Chris Coduto, Getty Images)

Actor Keegan-Michael Key receives the game coin prior to the 2025 Bush's Boca Raton Bowl of Beans game between the Louisville Cardinals and the Toledo Rockets at Flagler Credit Union Stadium on December 23, 2025 in Boca Raton, Florida.
(Leonardo Fernandez, Getty Images)

Comedians Theo Von, left, and Nate Bargatze watch from the sidelines during the first half of the ReliaQuest Bowl between Iowa Hawkeyes and Vanderbilt Commodores at Raymond James Stadium on December 31, 2025 in Tampa, Florida.
(Mike Carlson, Getty Images)

Head coach Jeff Traylor of the UTSA Roadrunners is doused with water by Jamel Hardy #13 during the fourth quarter against the FIU Panthers in the 2025 SERVPRO First Responder Bowl at Gerald J. Ford Stadium on December 26, 2025 in Dallas, Texas.
(Sam Hodde, Getty Images)

Army Black Knights head coach Jeff Monken gets splashed with Powerade after Army beat UConn 41-16 in the Wasabi Fenway Bowl at Fenway Park.
(Danny Wild, Danny Wild-Imagn Images)

Interim head coach Drew Svoboda of the North Texas Mean Green is doused after his team defeated the San Diego State Aztecs 49-47 in the Isleta New Mexico Bowl at University Stadium on December 27, 2025 in Albuquerque, New Mexico.
(Sam Wasson, Getty Images)

Northwestern Wildcats players dump Gatorade on head coach David Braun of the Northwestern Wildcats after defeating the Central Michigan Chippewas in the 2025 GameAbove Sports Bowl at Ford Field on December 26, 2025 in Detroit, Michigan.
(Getty Images)

Head coach John Hauser of the Ohio Bobcats is doused with water after winning the game against the UNLV Rebels at the Scooter's Coffee Frisco Bowl at Ford Center on December 23, 2025 in Frisco, Texas.
(Tim Heitman, Getty Images)

Virginia Cavaliers head coach Tony Elliott is doused with Gatorade after winning the TaxSlayer Gator Bowl at EverBank Stadium Saturday December 27, 2025 in Jacksonville, Fla. Virginia defeated Missouri 13-7.
(Doug Engle/Florida Times-Union)

Fresno State Bulldogs head coach Matt Entz is doused with gatorade after defeating the Miami (OH) RedHawks during the Snoop Dogg Arizona Bowl at Casino Del Sol Stadium.
(Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images)

Head coach Clay Helton of the Georgia Southern Eagles receives a Powerade dunk after winning the JLab Birmingham Bowl by beating the Appalachian State Mountaineers 29-10 at Protective Stadium on December 29, 2025 in Birmingham, Alabama.
(Jason Clark, Getty Images)

Interim Head Coach Terry M. Smith of the Penn State Nittany Lions lifts the championship trophy following the game against the Clemson Tigers during the 2025 Bad Boy Mowers Pinstripe Bowl at Yankee Stadium on December 27, 2025 in New York City.
(Evan Bernstein, Getty Images)

BYU Cougars quarterback Bear Bachmeier (47) and head coach Kalani Sitake are presented a large pop-tart to eat after they beat the against the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets at Camping World Stadium.
(Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images)

Ken Seals #9 of the TCU Horned Frogs celebrates with teammates after defeating the USC Trojans in the game at the Alamodome on December 30, 2025 in San Antonio, Texas.
(Kenneth Richmond, Getty Images)

Head coach Willie Fritz of the Houston Cougars celebrates with the Texas Bowl Trophy after defeating the Louisiana State Tigers during the Kinder's Texas Bowl at NRG Stadium on December 27, 2025 in Houston, Texas.
(Tim Warner, Getty Images)

Conner Weigman #1 of the Houston Cougars is named Texas Bowl MVP during the Kinder's Texas Bowl against the Louisiana State Tigers at NRG Stadium on December 27, 2025 in Houston, Texas.
(Tim Warner, Getty Images)

Maverick McIvor #7 of the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers reacts as he recieves the MVP trophy after his team defeated the Southern Mississippi Golden Eagles to win the R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl at Caesars Superdome on December 23, 2025 in New Orleans, Louisiana.
(Sean Gardner, Getty Images)

Old Dominion Monarchs hoist the Cure Bowl trophy after beating the South Florida Bulls at Camping World Stadium.
(Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images)

Jacksonville State Gamecocks running back Khristian Lando (22) hoists the trophy as Troy Trojans take on Jacksonville State Gamecocks during the IS4S Salute to Veterans Bowl at Cramton Bowl in Montgomery, Ala. on Wednesday, Dec. 17, 2025. Jacksonville State Gamecocks defeated Troy Trojans 17-13.
(Jake Crandall/ Advertiser)

Interim head coach Drew Svoboda of the North Texas Mean Green raises the championship trophy after his team defeated the San Diego State Aztecs 49-47 in the Isleta New Mexico Bowl at University Stadium on December 27, 2025 in Albuquerque, New Mexico.
(Sam Wasson, Getty Images)

Micah Alejado #12 of the Hawai'i Rainbow Warriors holds up the Hawai'i Bowl Championship trophy after winning the Sheraton Hawai'i Bowl over the California Golden Bears at the Clarence T.C. Ching Athletics Complex on December 24, 2025 in Honolulu, Hawai'i.
(Darryl Oumi, Getty Images)

NC State Wolfpack head coach Dave Doeren receives the trophy after beating Memphis Tigers in the Gasparilla Bowl at Raymond James Stadium.
(Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images)

Northwestern played Central Michigan in December in the (insert sponsor) Detroit Bowl, and won 34-7. For those who pine for the pristine bowl age of days gone by, a Northwestern-Central Michigan game in September is called a body bag game.

In other words, Northwestern is paying CMU to come to Evanston and take a whipping. But three months later, whoa, buddy, now we're talking.

Flat out electric.

Can we cut to the chase here? If you're watching Troy play Jacksonville State in the Salute To Veterans Bowl from Montgomery, Ala., on a random Tuesday in mid-December, you may have a problem.

Want a Salute to Veterans? Don't make them watch that slop.

Or how about the 68 Ventures Bowl, where Louisiana and Delaware played to see who could reach seven wins first. I'm gonna venture to say no thanks.

There's the Xbox Bowl and the Myrtle Beach Bowl. The Gasparilla and Boca Raton Bowl, and yep, something called the Scooter's Coffee Frisco Bowl.

And who could forget the Snoop Dogg Arizona Bowl ? Want to impress me, Doggfather?

Money ball: One solution to FSU's $437 million debt — win. Mike Norvell, you're up

Take a stand: Time for SEC to force Big Ten to join CFP party, or go it alone

Bring your pals Ricky, Bubbles and Julian to the joint, and make the trophy a replica sterling silver double wide. Way she goes, bud.

Seriously, it's almost as though those running college football — for the 1,000th time, the presidents of the SEC and Big Ten — are giving the non-SEC and Big Ten schools a ball of yarn stuffed with catnip and calling it bowl season.

There were 41 bowl games this season, everyone. Forty-flipping-one .

Let's do some quick math, shall we? That's 82 of the 136 FBS teams playing in the postseason, or 60%.

The elite of college football haven't separated from the pack as much as they've allowed bowl season to water down the postseason — and by proxy, the sport itself.

College football was once built and sustained on its irreplaceable regular season of every game matters. Now it doesn't, but that doesn't mean you reinforce that now huge blindspot by underscoring it in the postseason.

The new CFP is the marquee product of college football, and shouldn't be dragged down by five-win Mississippi State praying coach Jeff Lebby gets a bucket of mayo dumped on his noggin — and avoids an eighth loss. He didn't, for the record.

Playing in a bowl game is a reward, not a right depending on how many random cities can convince donors to come up with enough cash to pay teams and keep the stadium lights on.

You want a December to remember? Lop off 20 bowls, leave 16 (not including the CFP bowls) and watch how important those games become to programs trying to find a way to the elite of the game.

Watch how important it makes November — the regular season — with teams vying for one of those spots.

Watch attendance increase, and television ratings jump and college football postseason popularity take off like it never has before. Watch cities compete for games, and get creative with financial packages ― and watch college football make even more money.

Watch something good come out of this hellish train wreck of the past five seasons of paradigm change in the sport.

Make bowl season great again.

Matt Hayes is the senior national college football writer for USA TODAY Sports Network. Follow him on X at @MattHayesCFB .

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Get rid of more bowl games, watch college football postseason flourish

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