I'd say expected. Players going pro don't want to be injured in a meaningless game. If they were in the playoffs or a New Years day bowl then maybe I'd play if I were them.
As for the other crappy bowls early on the schedule, ESPN needs content so they will still be there.

I'll be the first to bring this up.

The players are being "paid" (via scholarships, room and board, stipends, etc.) by their colleges to play football. (There are any number of arguments that they should simply be "paid" a salary, but I won't get into that.) In any case, the players ought to show up and give it the old college try.

But there are too many bowl games.

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"Human existence is based upon two pillars: Compassion and knowledge. Compassion without knowledge is ineffective; Knowledge without compassion is inhuman." Victor Weisskopf.

There are too many bowl games. I'd cull a bunch of them but I would allow all the teams the same amount of extra practices so the bowl teams don't continue to get that advantage year over year.

Why? I can't understand the why people have a problem with the number of bowl games. If teams are willing to go and someone is willing to pay the bill, what does it matter?

I heard a guy on the radio today with an analogy, "there are a bunch of shows about Kardashians on TV but I don't care because I don't watch any of them".

Well said. Some of the lower tier bowl games are pretty good - well, if you like a lot of offense. I've seem some enjoyable shoot-outs in those bowl games and don't mind watching some teams I've never heard of.

If Middle Tennesee State gets put in a bowl and people will watch it, then go for it.

Because they actually lose money for the school usually, but they feel obligated to go to them.

Nice teammate. Way to say F U to your team.

how in the world do these lesser tier bowls make money? the stands are deserted. must be tv revenue.

It's exactly TV revenue

Many schools still lose money.

In fact, for half of all bowl games, participating colleges receive less than $2 million. Eleven games do not even pay a million dollars–and one pays a whopping $165,000. That means academics often pays for athletics, not the other way around.

http://time.com/...-college-bowl-games/

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If there are no dogs in Heaven, then when I die I want to go where they went. - Will Rogers

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