The Slow, Inevitable Death of the Bowl Game

December 28, 2025

TL;DR

Several college football programs, including Notre Dame, have opted out of bowl games this season.
The cultural importance of bowl games has decreased since the introduction of a national championship game in 1998 and subsequent playoff expansions.
The current 12-team playoff system has made bowl games largely irrelevant, turning them into consolation prizes for teams not in the playoff.
Historically, bowl games like the Rose Bowl were major cultural events and highly anticipated.
The need for a definitive national champion led to the creation of the Bowl Championship Series (BCS) and later expanded playoff formats.
The expanded playoff system offers significant financial incentives and viewership, further overshadowing traditional bowl games.
There is a possibility of further expansion of the playoff system in the future.

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