College bowl season is upon us

Now that we've gotten some of meaningless bowl games outta the way, ie: the San Diego County Credit Union Poinsettia Bowl, it's time to get ready for the REAL games. Ok, so maybe you're not a fan of Bowl Season, or maybe just not a fan of college football in general. I agree, there are too many freakin' bowl games, and too many teams that nobody cares about playing in them. For example, the Toilet Bowl...er...R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl featured the Florida Atlantic Owls against the Memphis Tigers. Besides students at both schools, who really cares? I suppose advertisers do. And so do school officials who count on the millions of dollars a bowl game gives their institution. If the 'bowl season' is such a great college tradition, then why do 2 mediocre barely .500 teams deserve to be playing in a bowl game? It's even hard for me to remember the days when the number of bowl games reflected the few number of elite college teams. When the NCAA championship actually meant something. Don't get me started on the BCS championship and ranking system. That's a different story for a different day.

This year, there are 32 bowl games. Most involving teams that scraped by to a 7-6 record and in a lousy conference to boot! Anyway, stay tuned for the games that mean something. I'll be watching the AT&T Cotton Bowl (Mizzou/Arkansas) if I'm awake Jan. 1st. The Rose Bowl will be a good one: USC and Illinois, Jan 1st. Another interesting bowl is the FSU/Kentucky Gaylord Hotels Music City Bowl, especially after 30+ players at Florida State have been suspended for cheating. And of course, I'll be tuning in to the BCS Championship with LSU and Ohio State Jan. 7th.

Cheating scandal could leave Florida State without top players (USA Today)

For college coaches there's an incentive to win (Atlanta Journal-Constitution)

College Football Roundup New Mexico gets its first bowl win since '61 season (The Seattle Times)

The case for college bowl games (The worst sports blog ever)