**2025/2026 Bowl Games Thread**

[douglasbader]

It's that exciting time of year, boyz!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! CFB Playoffs!!!!!!! Meaningless bowl games!!!!!!!

The situation as it stands is that the Big Ten has at least 2 teams in and can still get up to 4 total. Indiana and Ohio State are locks. Oregon is in with a win against Washington next week. Michigan is in with a win against Ohio State. Most likely though is the Big Ten gets Oregon in as the 3rd team and that is it.

SEC (5), Big Ten (3), Big XII (1), ACC (1), ND (1), G5(1)

Michigan seems to be a lock for the Citrus Bowl in that scenario at 9-3. USC projected by everyone to end up in the Alamo Bowl. Washington to the Holiday.

If Iowa wins on Friday and is 8-4 (especially with Illinois suffering a bad loss), then I would bet they are headed back to the ReliaQuest Bowl (Outback) for the first time since the 2018 season. A potential matchup would be against @BillyBob 's QB crush ArchDawg and the Texas Longhorns. Could also be Vanderbilt, Tennessee or even LSU. If Iowa loses to Nebrantska, then they're headed maybe to the Las Vegas Bowl, but don't count out the Music City as a repeat because Kirk is a fucking hick and would love the drive to Nashville again.

TLDR, win Friday and play in the old Outback Bowl against a good SEC team. Lose and head out to Las Vegas against someone like Cal or to Nashville against LSU or similar.

 

[Hawk&Balls]

Duke mayo bowl or bust

 

[Hawk&Balls]

But also who cares when half the team decides to not play.

 

[Stu Beagle]

Imagine paying money to go to a bowl game in 2025

 

[iowa4ever20]

Pretty sure they have stipulations to not repeat bowls so if they lose I think they will more than likely go to Las Vegas to play someone like Utah or Arizona State.

 

[douglasbader]

Pretty sure they have stipulations to not repeat bowls so if they lose I think they will more than likely go to Las Vegas to play someone like Utah or Arizona State.

Sounds like Utah is about set for the Alamo Bowl, but yes on Arizona State if they are in the Las Vegas Bowl.

I think it does come down to either the old Outback or Las Vegas. The first would be fun if they can play Texas or Vanderbilt, if not then the Las Vegas Bowl. I don't want to fucking play Tennessee, LSU or Missouri again.

 

[douglasbader]

Imagine paying money to go to a bowl game in 2025

I'll go to either of these if they they go.

 

[BillyBob]

I have them penciled in to the faggots.com bowl

 

[douglasbader]

I have them penciled in to the faggots.com bowl

Jokes on you, they just played in that game today!

 

[Gushawk]

I’ll take an SEC over Big 12 bowl opponent every single time.

 

[Pedro]

Imagine paying money to go to a bowl game in 2025

If they play in the Outback Bowl I will likely go. My father lives in Florida, so it's another reason to attend. This will be my fourth Outback Bowl, so everything is familiar and easy. I can fly Allegiant, so it will be $150 for the flight, $150 for tickets and whatever else I decide to spend money on.

 

[Herbie2]

I’ll take an SEC over Big 12 bowl opponent every single time.

Big Ten was 5-1 against SEC in bowls last year

 

[douglasbader]

With the dominating win today and the fact that Iowa hasn't been to the Reliaquest (Outback) bowl since the 2018 season, I find it hard to believe they aren't headed back there. I'm guessing Iowa has a shot to be ranked this week as well.

The other option is the Las Vegas Bowl, but I'm guessing that goes to Illinois now. They went to the Reliaquest Bowl 2 years ago and were in the Citrus last year, so getting out of Florida for this one is likely appealing to everyone involved. Likely opponent would be Arizona State.

The only other very outside option would be if Michigan pulls the upset and Big Ten gets 4 teams in the CFP. Iowa could slide up into the Citrus Bowl in that case. I don't see Iowa dropping as the next bowl is the Music City and they just went to that.

Pencil it in for the Reliaquest Bowl on Dec. 30th vs. Texas.

 

[CamelTones]

The assumption was a win today was Tampa, a loss was Vegas.

 

[Thrawn II]

Reliaquest is the fakest sounding company I've never heard of.

 

[L. Wade Childress]

With the dominating win today and the fact that Iowa hasn't been to the Reliaquest (Outback) bowl since the 2018 season, I find it hard to believe they aren't headed back there. I'm guessing Iowa has a shot to be ranked this week as well.

The other option is the Las Vegas Bowl, but I'm guessing that goes to Illinois now. They went to the Reliaquest Bowl 2 years ago and were in the Citrus last year, so getting out of Florida for this one is likely appealing to everyone involved. Likely opponent would be Arizona State.

The only other very outside option would be if Michigan pulls the upset and Big Ten gets 4 teams in the CFP. Iowa could slide up into the Citrus Bowl in that case. I don't see Iowa dropping as the next bowl is the Music City and they just went to that.

Pencil it in for the Reliaquest Bowl on Dec. 30th vs. Texas.

do fans still attend bowls? Or is it all about tv eyeballs and ad revenue? Honestly I have no clue. I feel like I don’t hear much about travel or numbers since the CFP started…I know I haven’t gone to any.

 

[douglasbader]

do fans still attend bowls? Or is it all about tv eyeballs and ad revenue? Honestly I have no clue. I feel like I don’t hear much about travel or numbers since the CFP started…I know I haven’t gone to any.

Yes, fans still attend.

 

[BillyBob]

Reliaquest is the fakest sounding company I've never heard of.

faggots.com is a real website and a real bowl sponsor

 

[douglasbader]

faggots.com is a real website and a real bowl sponsor

How many years ago did your dad start it??? LOLOLOLOLOLZZZZZ!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[ddevries]

So what SEC team are you wanting in the ReliaQuest Bowl? I was hoping for Texas but their win last night might have knocked them out of that. I’m wondering if it would be the Tennessee-Vanderbilt winner.

 

[cloudhawk]

Man it would be AWESOME to play Tennessee again

 

[KitKatApples]

God damn it

 

[Herbie2]

Anything is better than the Vegas Bowl vs Washington, which is what some were predicting at one point

 

[Gushawk]

Vandy would be a fine matchup.

 

[Thrawn II]

 

[Gushawk]

No Tenn or Mizzou. Yes, Vandy, Texas or Oklahoma.

 

[douglasbader]

I'm going to guess that it is Iowa vs. Vandy in the Reliaquest.

Texas vs. Michigan in the Citrus bowl is too big of a matchup for them to pass up after the win last night.

 

[KitKatApples]

I'm going to guess that it is Iowa vs. Vandy in the Reliaquest.

Texas vs. Michigan in the Citrus bowl is too big of a matchup for them to pass up after the win last night.

What if Michigan pulls of the miracle again?

 

[douglasbader]

What if Michigan pulls of the miracle again?

Then Michigan is in the CFP and it's chaos scenario because you suddenly have 4 teams from the Big Ten getting in and the SEC is very likely going to be furious because they have potentially 6 teams at 10-2 or better (Texas A&M, Georgia, Ole Miss, Oklahoma, Alabama, Vandy) and 2 of them will get left out.

The committee has to be shitting themselves if Michigan wins today. It's yet another reason this thing will be going to 16 teams as soon as possible.

 

[ddevries]

I think 16 with the removal of conference championship games is ideal. Just makes for a mess when deciding the Big 12/ACC Champs with auto bids.

As much as it would help Iowa, Pettiti needs to drop the play-in stuff.

 

[CurdMan]

I think 16 with the removal of conference championship games is ideal. Just makes for a mess when deciding the Big 12/ACC Champs with auto bids.

As much as it would help Iowa, Pettiti needs to drop the play-in stuff.

I understand that it isn’t popular and I admit it’s pretty stupid, but the play in would be good for Iowa and all other teams in this realm. Rather than your season being over after 8 games, you’ve still got something to play for in November. That’s how you keep the season relevant for the tier 2 douche teams.

 

[Thrawn II]

I understand that it isn’t popular and I admit it’s pretty stupid, but the play in would be good for Iowa and all other teams in this realm. Rather than your season being over after 8 games, you’ve still got something to play for in November. That’s how you keep the season relevant for the tier 2 douche teams.

the play-in is the final surrender to admitting that this isn't about the actual sport

 

[CurdMan]

the play-in is the final surrender to admitting that this isn't about the actual sport

Fine, but you have to keep things relevant for the middle teams in the conference now that bowl games are a complete afterthought. For Iowa, this would be similar to “having a shot at the playoffs” via being in the douche west conversation up until the final week of the regular season. I understand it’s stupid and a ploy for money and would lead to teams with no business getting into the playoff, but it would help Iowa.

 

[Thrawn II]

I think 16 with the removal of conference championship games is ideal. Just makes for a mess when deciding the Big 12/ACC Champs with auto bids.

As much as it would help Iowa, Pettiti needs to drop the play-in stuff.

16 doesn't solve anything that 12 apparently didn't. People were insistent that 6/8 would have been enough and now people are upset because a Michigan team that hasn't beaten anyone else while getting dominated by Oklahoma and USC needs to be in with a win over Ohio State. At some point teams need to stop being faggots and losing regular season games.

 

[douglasbader]

16 doesn't solve anything that 12 apparently didn't. People were insistent that 6/8 would have been enough and now people are upset because a Michigan team that hasn't beaten anyone else while getting dominated by Oklahoma and USC needs to be in with a win over Ohio State. At some point teams need to stop being faggots and losing regular season games.

Shut the fuck up already. I don't like all of this either, but it is what it is. Get on board with stuff that might help Iowa, or stick with watching Drake if you want the purity of the sport.

 

[douglasbader]

Also, in the hypothetical scenario we are talking about, Michigan would be 10-2 and having beat the #1 team in the country, so your "upset because a Michigan team that hasn't beaten anyone" isn't even correct.

 

[Thrawn II]

24 with more champions would be better than 16. The incremental responses to last year's problem are killing everything.

Or just stick with 12.

 

[Thrawn II]

Also, in the hypothetical scenario we are talking about, Michigan would be 10-2 and having beat the #1 team in the country, so your "upset because a Michigan team that hasn't beaten anyone" isn't even correct.

I already accounted for that and your quote is incorrect.

 

[douglasbader]

24 with more champions would be better than 16. The incremental responses to last year's problem are killing everything.

Or just stick with 12.

No, 24 wouldn't be better. 16 has always been the right number.

 

[douglasbader]

I already accounted for that and your quote is incorrect.

Whatever, point stands!!!!!!!!!!

 

[BillyBob]

Go to 64 teams, or actually 68 teams with some play in games.

January Madness!

 

[douglasbader]

Go to 64 teams, or actually 68 teams with some play in games.

January Madness!

Fuck yeah, brah!!!!!!!!!!

ARE YOU READY FOR SOME FOOTBALL????!!!!!!

 

[The Tin Man]

24 with more champions would be better than 16. The incremental responses to last year's problem are killing everything.

Or just stick with 12.

 

[Thrawn II]

Go to 64 teams, or actually 68 teams with some play in games.

January Madness!

52 teams but the 12 biggest TV draw teams as determined by Fox/ESPN are double-elimination.

 

[douglasbader]

I'm totally shocked Lime is trying to ruin this thread. Shocked.

 

[cloudhawk]

Only Thrawn would want less football

 

[Thrawn II]

Only Thrawn would want less football

I want 24 teams or higher-stakes regular season games. You're the ones wanting 7-5 teams to get a shot via play-in games.

 

[Thrawn II]

I'm totally shocked Lime is trying to ruin this thread. Shocked.

Don't make me dig up gold of you insisting that no one would ever demand things you're now demanding, Ess!!!!

 

[cloudhawk]

You are bitching about 16 but you actually want 24....more teams allows for bigger reg season match ups and keeps teams in contention longer

 

[cloudhawk]

And by more I dont mean...Just make it 48 teams dumbfuckery