Thirty two bowl games just isn't enough. ESPN owning 5 bowl games just isn't enough. Nope, we need more college bowl games!.
So, at least two more games will be added for the the 2008 season, boosting the total to 34. Which means that 57% of all D-1 football teams will make bowl games. ESPN has petitioned the NCAA for approval for a new bowl game to be held in St. Petersburg, Florida, pairing the Big East and Conference USA. The new game - if approved - would give the Big East seven bowl possibilities for the conference's eight teams. In 2007, five of the eight Big East teams has winning records, while Louisville (6-6), Pittsburgh (5-7) and Syracuse (2-10) were the bottom three. Conference USA now has a possible eight bowl tie-ins as well.
The St. Petersburg bowl would make the Tampa Bay area the fifth community to host two bowl games along with Orlando (Champs Sports, Capital One), New Orleans (New Orleans, Sugar); Phoenix/Glendale, Ariz. (Insight, Fiesta); and San Diego (Poinsettia, Holiday).
Then there is the Congressional Bowl. This one will feature either Navy or Army against an ACC team. So Navy gets to play against the ACC team that didn't qualify for the BCS Championship series, and isn't going to the
Champs Sports
Chick-fil-A
Emerald
Gaylord Hotels Music City
Meineke Car Care
MPC Computers
Toyota Gator Bowl Games
Of course, the ACC only had 8 teams with winning records, but hey Maryland was 6-6.
As the bowl games proliferate, more and more teams are finding out what Texas Tech did at this year's Gator Bowl - it wasn't that good for the bottom line.
So in mid-December lean back in the lounger and take in the St. Petersburg Bowl Pittsburgh-Houston matchup. Then get ready for the classic Navy-North Carolina St. battle.
I can hardly wait.