No Northern Bowl Games

by Josh
(Tallahassee, FL)

One great disadvantage the Big Ten has in bowl games is the fact that they have to come to the south or out west to play the bowl games. This basically makes all big ten bowl games, road games. I.e. Michigan vs USC in Pasadena, CA. Michigan has played many games there against USC and UCLA.

Big Ten teams play many bowl games in Florida, Louisiana and Georgia. Where are the SEC teams from? Have the SEC teams come north and play at the end of the season and start checking records then.

That's my peace--we really just need a tournament at the end of the season.

Editor's Note Thanks Josh for the comment. This seems to be the #1 comment/complaint that big ten fans make. Of course it is true, buy my response is always -- that's life! That's where the games are played. I mean, the Big Ten has a huge advantage vs the SEC in hockey -- because they have more ice! But, in football, the climate in the South is more hospitable. That's just the way it is. Part of the game.

Thanks again.

Mo

Comments for No Northern Bowl Games

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Jan 02, 2008
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Can I get a
by: Anonymous

AMEN!

Sep 05, 2008
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We Don't Just Excel In Hockey
by: Anonymous

the hockey comment also applies to ice fishing, ice skating, igloo building and all those other fun winter activities in the great white north

Sep 26, 2008
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Additional thought
by: BigBig10fan

Look college games are actually in the spirit of amateur sports, for both the teams and the fans.

The fact is that there are no major bowls played in the north and no out of conference games played in the north by southern teams provides a few points to make.
A) it gives the Northern teams the impression that southern teams are scared to play in the cold and snow.

B) it forces our teams and students to stay home to due cost of travel, even by roadtrip these days is costly. Many fans and family that would love to drive only a few hours or less to see a bowl game up North have never been able to go in their lifetimes do to the cost involved and time of year having to be out of town that long.

C) it is always a big cash infusion to the southern economies of which Northern Cities get NOTHING for.

D) I agree its nice to make it into kind of a Vacation for the teams and the fans... BUT, if you make the trip into a vacation as a team, then you cannot expect to win. If you make it into all business, then its never a vacation even with some 'scheduled' activities.

E) additionally, by the time the bowl games come around, its been cold, snowy, and at least cold rainy up north for 2 months or so, and thats NOT the same as a sunny morning down south or out west and expect many teammates NOT to cramp up due to inability to simulate warm humid weather anymore.

Saying "thats just the way it is" is not an acceptable statement just because it favors your league.

If anyone ever says homefield advantage is true at any time, then how can you argue how good you are when you always have a Home field advantage going in? A weather related Advantage going in?
A ready fan base locally going in?
A big financial gain for your area going in?

In my opinion any team that comes into the south from somewhere else or the west from somewhere else and wins in a hostile environment after traveling some 1000 miles and settling into some hotel for 7-10 days in a different climate is WAYY better than that home team.

Sep 03, 2009
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Damn right
by: Anonymous

There needs to be a northern bowl game that's outside.
Snow, sleet, cold, and freezing rain will alter more than gameplans.

Sep 20, 2009
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Point and Case
by: Alex

the NFL plays playoff games in the north, no? Is that really 'just the way it is'? Or is the south afraid to play in the cold? If Big Ten teams were truly worse than southern teams, then the ratio of those entering the NFL would be skewed in the favor of the southern teams; It simply isn't. The big ten is at an incredible disadvantage come january bowl games.

Dec 31, 2016
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Time to Move North
by: Chris B

When you live and work in the South, everyday is like the other...business as usual. When you live and work in the North, and then get a couple weeks off to travel South in the dead of winter, it's called a vacation. Despite the efforts of coaches, keeping these kids focused on business is a daunting task. While this is true for both sides, it's worse for northern teams, where many of these kids never get to experience a vacation on their own schedule, and use this opportunity to have fun.

More importantly is that northern teams run completely different schemes than Southern teams. The north teams focus more on the running game simplify because late Oct. and Nov. are not conducive for a passing game. This not only gives the South an offensive advantage because of their predominant reliance on passing, it gives defenses a big advantage since northern defense is primarily built to stop the run. This allows southern teams to open up the field, and while northern teams are making that adjustment, southern teams don't have to.

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