Penn State just became the perfect example of why teams should stop opting out of bowl games at the end of the season
Penn State beat Clemson in the Bad Boy Mowers Pinstripe Bowl.
The Penn State Nittany Lions just proved to everyone why end-of-season bowl games are important. This one for PSU wasn’t just any other bowl game; it showed just how much football means to the players and coaches within the program, outside of two players.
“I love Penn State, and I love football. The game has done amazing things for me & my family,” Penn State’s new era interim head coach Terry Smith said after the game with an emotional quiver.
Smith said those words just after getting a bucket or two of grass clippings dumped on him rather than Gatorade, because of the bowl game being called the Bad Boy Mowers Pinstripe Bowl. As the clock ticked down for Terry, getting the win over Clemson, all he could hear were the fans in attendance chanting his name.
You don’t get moments like those in the regular season, especially not from teams that went through what Penn State just went through. Bowl games have to stay.
Bowl games are important to college football
Bowl games are a fragment of college football that many believe will be “phased out” in some form as the CFP expands and transfer portal entries continue to amplify the roster shuffle across the country. That being said, the value that many bowls bring to the sport is immeasurable. The NCAA must find unique ways to market these sorts of matchups, with fun sponsors, exciting social media tactics, and intriguing matchups.
Suppressing the opportunity to see teams play other teams they normally would never see on their schedule adds a fun element to the sport, which is weighed down by the money and technicalities of eligibility.
Not to mention, Bowl games must be looked at as another opportunity for players to put on their best film. Many expected transfer portal entrants lose out on extra weeks of practice and a full game’s worth of film against a worthy opponent just because they’re unhappy and want a new start via the portal.
When, instead, the extra matchup should be looked at as a way to show why you should’ve played more and possibly even started for the team, since you are getting more playing time due to draftable guys sitting out or graduating. All in all, there are so many pros to these games that are being swept under the rug. That needs to change because Bowl games should be viewed as a golden opportunity, rather than a risk too large to overcome. – Adam Holt, A to Z Sports College Football Analyst
Penn State Nittany Lions News
2 Penn State players decided not to celebrate with the rest of their team after the Pinstripe Bowl win over Clemson
Penn State beat Clemson in the Pinstripe Bowl 22-10.
