We’re off to the races, sports fans! It’s a nice easy start to the challenge with two games, one of which was a great regular-season matchup between Army and Navy that caught many of us off guard, and the other the first of the 48 bowls.
It’s GREAT to be back at the prognostication game!
Though, we’re not sure what to make of the fact that before we’ve watched two full bowl games, this portal-addled league has given the SBBPA a real conundrum.
It seems that the good ol’ Thundering Herd of Marshall, having experienced an unfortunately timed, pre-bowl coaching change, have lost most of their starting roster and coaching staff to the portal or other teams. Consequently, Marshall forfeited the Radiance Technologies Independence Bowl. In a stupefying response, the Independence Bowl quickly added 5-7 Louisiana Tech from Conference USA to face Army.
The SBBPA board has been meeting all afternoon and into the evening to determine the correct course of action in response to this turn of events.
While the NCAA, ESPN, and the Independence Bowl feel that it’s important to play this game, the SBBPA feels that that the new matchup is, in a word, pathetic. So, instead of asking all of you to reconsider your pick for this one game, we’ve decided to forfeit the Independence Bowl for everyone.
Allowing players to portal before the season is over may seem like a win-win for players who can negotiate for more NIL money and starting time. But, in the end…
NOBODY WINS!
We’ll be providing semi-regular updates as more of the games unfold! Unless, of course, the other teams decide not to play because their players opt out!
Stay tuned!
Aaaaand…last night South Alabama, the favorite by 7, beat Western Michigan by a score of 30-23, which means the game ended in a PUSH! Neither South Alabama nor Western Michigan covered, so…you guessed it…
NOBODY WINS!