In the way back when years of college football, well really until 2014 when the playoff began, the “BCS Bowls” (now largely referred to as the New Year’s Six) reigned supreme as the triumph of the sport. With computers choosing two teams to play in the natty, there was real honor in winning your conference and heading off to your Rose Bowl or Cotton Bowl reward.
Then the playoff moved into town, which I think was for the better of the sport. Nonetheless, it is important to acknowledge that in doing so the NY6 bowls became less valuable.