In reference to the recent trend of players skipping the bowl games, Alabama coach Nick Saban told ESPN.com last week that the College Football Playoff has minimized the importance of all the other bowl games.
Maybe he’s right. How much does Monday’s St. Petersburg Bowl really matter? Mississippi State doesn’t even have a winning record, and Miami (OH) started the season 0-6 before winning its last six to become bowl eligible.
"I would say it does matter," Mississippi State linebacker Richie Brown said. "I think it kind of sets the tempo for your offseason.