01-01-2016, 10:29 AM
The G5 Access spot in an NY6 bowl is billed as an improvement over the old BCS access for non-AQ because it is guaranteed rather than based on meeting criteria. But, it also has some significant drawbacks as well:
1) Less Exposure. In the CFP era, the great bulk of the New Year's spotlight is on the Playoff games. The other NY6 bowls get some shine but not like during the BCS era.
2) Lesser Bowls: The G5 champ is limited to three of the six bowls, and these are the lesser ones. The G5 team never gets to play in the higher-status Contract bowls, the Orange, Sugar, and Rose Bowls. Those three bowls have always been "major" and have the highest brand value. But the G5 rep gets stuck in the lesser-status Access bowls, with the Peach being particularly low-status as it has never been a major bowl.
In the BCS era, a non-AQ could play in any bowl. Hawaii and Utah played in the Sugar Bowl, NIU played in the Orange Bowl, TCU even played in the mighty Rose Bowl. But now, these bowls are off-limits to the G5 champ.
3) Opponent quality: Thanks to the CFP, the G5 champ will NEVER get to play a P5 Champ. The P5 Champs ALL play in either the playoff games or in a Contract bowl. This means that the G5 representative will always play some kind of P5 runner-up, which isn't as prestigious and doesn't allow the G5 a chance to prove itself.
In the BCS era, the non-AQ team that busted the BCS often got to play a P5 champ. TCU played B1G champ Wisconsin, UCF played Big 12 champ Baylor, Boise played Big 12 champ Oklahoma. NIU played ACC champ FSU. Those were real chances to prove your worth.
In contrast, Houston played the 3rd place ACC team yesterday. Not nearly as good an opportunity.
Lesser-status bowls, lesser exposure, lesser opponents = Ghetto "access".
1) Less Exposure. In the CFP era, the great bulk of the New Year's spotlight is on the Playoff games. The other NY6 bowls get some shine but not like during the BCS era.
2) Lesser Bowls: The G5 champ is limited to three of the six bowls, and these are the lesser ones. The G5 team never gets to play in the higher-status Contract bowls, the Orange, Sugar, and Rose Bowls. Those three bowls have always been "major" and have the highest brand value. But the G5 rep gets stuck in the lesser-status Access bowls, with the Peach being particularly low-status as it has never been a major bowl.
In the BCS era, a non-AQ could play in any bowl. Hawaii and Utah played in the Sugar Bowl, NIU played in the Orange Bowl, TCU even played in the mighty Rose Bowl. But now, these bowls are off-limits to the G5 champ.
3) Opponent quality: Thanks to the CFP, the G5 champ will NEVER get to play a P5 Champ. The P5 Champs ALL play in either the playoff games or in a Contract bowl. This means that the G5 representative will always play some kind of P5 runner-up, which isn't as prestigious and doesn't allow the G5 a chance to prove itself.
In the BCS era, the non-AQ team that busted the BCS often got to play a P5 champ. TCU played B1G champ Wisconsin, UCF played Big 12 champ Baylor, Boise played Big 12 champ Oklahoma. NIU played ACC champ FSU. Those were real chances to prove your worth.
In contrast, Houston played the 3rd place ACC team yesterday. Not nearly as good an opportunity.
Lesser-status bowls, lesser exposure, lesser opponents = Ghetto "access".