SEC Upsets Fuel CFB Bowl Season Intrigue As Ratings Rise

In the first season of the expanded, 12-team College Football Playoff, non-CFP bowl games are staying relevant, despite being threatened by the sport’s ever-shifting landscape.

TV ratings, attendance, and quality of play have all been largely strong so far during Bowl Season, which is the official moniker for college football’s postseason matchups.

With the traditional New Year’s Six bowl games being a part of the CFP this season, the spotlight has been on other bowl matchups to deliver—and they have.

Upset Season

On New Year’s Eve, underdogs from the Big Ten upset two SEC teams that many felt were more deserving of being in the CFP than SMU or Indiana. Michigan beat Alabama in the ReliaQuest Bowl in Tampa, and Illinois defeated South Carolina in the Cheez-It Citrus Bowl in Orlando. Both games had announced crowds of around 50,000.

The Valero Alamo Bowl drew 64,621 fans in San Antonio as BYU’s 36–14 rout of Colorado garnered an Alamo Bowl record TV audience of eight million viewers on ABC on Saturday night. That was likely the final collegiate game for Colorado stars Shedeur Sanders and Travis Hunter, who is set to sign with Lil Wayne’s agency, Young Money APAA Sports, for on-field representation in the NFL. 

BYU-Colorado is the most-watched non-CFP bowl game so far this year. Through Dec. 28, non-CFP bowl games were up 18% in viewership compared to the same point last year, according to Nielsen ratings.

Not Done Yet

On Friday night, Minnesota and Virginia Tech will square off in the Duke’s Mayo Bowl, where the winning coach will be doused in mayonnaise—one of many odd new Bowl Season traditions (including the Pop-Tarts Bowl ceremonial pastry sacrifice) that are becoming commonplace as game sponsors look beyond the field of play to gain attention.