Along with the increased number of bowls is the increased number of bowl eligible teams. Some of you may remember when the Gator Bowl was the 5th best bowl behind the Rose, Sugar, Orange, and Cotton.
How many of us remember these events in bowl history? First of all...1970, I believe. The first year Notre Dame appeared in a bowl (in "modern" times). Prior to that time, it was Notre Dame's official policy to not play in bowl games. Remember 1966? The tie for the Gipper? What made it so bad is that since Notre Dame didn't play bowl games, there was no way we could get a shot at them. Now, with Notre Dame playing in bowls, that's one more bowl eligible team most years.
Remember who we beat in the Sugar Bowl after the 1977 season? Ohio State. What was significant about that? Prior to 1977, the only Big Ten and Pac Ten teams that went bowling were the conference winners...to the Rose Bowl. Everyone else stayed home. So that now accounts for, what, maybe 10 more bowl eligible teams?
Also, look at the rise of conferences like the Big East, the Mountain West, and others. Many of those schools weren't even playing Division I football until recently. Heck, UAB didn't even have a team.
It's pretty sad that Utah still has Sugar Bowl tickets for sale.
