(12-09-2016 09:53 AM)ken d Wrote: I don't view the PAC 12 as having a problem with bowls. This year is a bit unusual in that they only had 6 teams eligible and 2 of those were committed to NY6 bowls. I am a bit puzzled by the matchup of Utah and Indiana. I assume that has to do with the bowl pecking order in both conferences.
Last year they had nothing to complain about. They had 10 bowl teams.
The problem is the relatively low payouts, poor timing, and less prestigious opponents.
Let's compare the PAC with the B1G last year, when the PAC had 10 bowl teams and only one in the NY6 so was basically getting all they could for non-NY6 bowls. In contrast, the B1G put 3 teams in the NY6 so had only 7 non-NY6 to cash in on:
Payouts
PAC
New Mexico Bowl ... $456k
Las Vegas ............. $1.3m
Sun ..................... $2.15m
Heart of Dallas ...... $1.1m
Foster Farms .......... $2.2m
Armed Forces .......... $675k
Holiday ................. $2.8m
Alamo .................. $3.85m
Cactus ................... $3.325m
Total ...... $17.875m
B1G
Taxslayer .................. $2.75m
Outback .................... $3.5m
Citrus ........................ $4.25m
Holiday ...................... $2.825m
Quick Lane ................. $1.2m
Foster Farms .............. $2.2m
Pinstripe ..................... $2m
Total ........................... $18.725m
So we see that the B1G made more money from 7 bowls than the PAC did from 9 bowls.
Opponents
Whereas only 1 of 7 B1G bowls were against G5, 4 of 9 PAC bowls were against G5.
Timing
We all know that the more high-profile, prestigious bowls tend to be played closer to NY's Day, whereas the less prestigious "junk" bowls are around and before Christmas.
For the PAC, two of their nine bowls were played the opening day of bowl season, 12/19, and three more were played the day after Christmas.
Only three of their nine bowls - Holiday, Cactus, and Alamo - were clustered around New Year's Day.
In contrast, the B1G didn't play any bowl games until after Christmas, 12/26, and four of their seven bowl games were clustered around NYD, including two on NY Day itself, whereas the PAC had no teams playing on NYD in non-NY6 Bowls.
So it's really all three factors. The PAC does not see itself as inferior to anyone, but the bowls aren't the greatest. Their bowls are ACC-level, not SEC/B1G level.