The Front Row: Bowl games edition

This year, I approached bowl season with a much different mentality.

Typically, I spend Dec. 31 and Jan. 1 glued to the couch, surrounded by a mountain of junk food in an attempt to watch as much college football as I can.

Unfortunately, this is in direct conflict with my annual resolution to live a healthier lifestyle.

Instead of breaking this resolution by kickoff of the Cotton Bowl, I decided to take a “less is more” approach to bowl season.

I decided to watch bits and pieces of some of the more intriguing bowl matchups and take breaks from the television to assure that I didn’t develop carpal tunnel syndrome in my remote-control hand.

I even mixed in a leafy green salad into my pizza-and-chicken-wings food rotation.

Needless to say, I feel much better today than I usually do during the first week of January.

I worried that this might restrict my ability to form strong opinions about the bowl season, but if anything, taking a step back allowed me to see the forest from the trees, so to speak.

THE MORE, THE MERRIER: One common complaint I tend to hear about college football is how there are far too many “meaningless” bowl games.

I find this sentiment perplexing, because outside of the national championship game, all of these bowl games are more or less meaningless.

Does that make them less enjoyable? Not at all.

While I might not have any personal connection to, say, the Liberty Bowl, I’m sure the fine folks from Central Florida and Mississippi State relished the opportunity to participate in a postseason game, even if this particular contest was the most dreadfully boring exhibition of football in years.

Just because roughly half of the nation’s college football programs now participate in some sort of bowl game doesn’t make the Rose Bowl or Sugar Bowl any different.

As far as I can tell, most football fans simply love watching football.

SPEED IT UP: In contrast, one valid complaint I don’t hear often enough is how long the average college football game lasts.

For example, Texas defeated Arizona State in the Holiday Bowl 52-34, but it took more than four and a half hours to complete the game.

This is how long it takes to watch “The Godfather,” with time left over to watch “The Godfather: Part Two” until Michael Corleone gives his brother Fredo the kiss of death.

That is a really long time.

With all of these pass-happy spread offenses infiltrating college football, games take forever, since the clock stops on every incomplete pass and every first down.

College football must find a way to wrap games up in less time than it takes to watch the trials and tribulations of the Corleone family. I'm on board for any reform in this area.

THE SYSTEM IS ARBITRARY: Part of college football’s appeal is the endless debate about who is definitively the best team each season.

While everyone can agree that the current BCS system is at least somewhat ridiculous, it’s better than the previous system (which can best be described as “put on a blindfold, spin around and point”).

Still, most college football fans believe the winner of Monday night’s game between LSU and Ohio State couldn’t beat either Georgia or USC right now.

The simple solution? In Georgia’s case, don’t lose at home to South Carolina. If you’re USC, don’t lose at home to Stanford.

However, since it’s becoming increasingly clear that college football will never institute a playoff, we’re left with a system that creates more questions than answers.

The only team with a real gripe is Missouri, who was inexplicably passed over by the Orange Bowl, forcing them to blow out an inferior Arkansas team in the Cotton Bowl for far less money.

Even the most ardent BCS supporter can’t justify Kansas’ participation in last night’s game, regardless of the outcome.

But instead of getting angry at the system, all fans can do is attempt to enjoy the absurdity and revel in the endless debate.

THE PAC-10 IS A MIXED BAG: Everyone knew USC was going to blow out Illinois, but few could see a Dennis Dixon-less Oregon posting 56 points on South Florida.

Oregon State turned in a solid performance against Maryland, but UCLA lost a heartbreaker to BYU.

The aforementioned Arizona State squad had no chance to stop Texas’ offense, even with four Colt McCoy fumbles.

California appeared to be in serious trouble against Air Force until a Shaun Carney injury and a resurgent Golden Bears offense led to a 42-36 triumph.

What does this mean for 2008? It looks like the same story as it is every season for the Pac-10.

USC will be dominant and everyone else will be talented, yet inconsistent.

The more things change, the more they stay the same.

nprevenas@gvnews.com | 547-9747