A Unique Perspective on Bowl Games Nobody Is Talking About

Sonny Dykes offers insight into why bowl games mean more than just a game

Head coach Sonny Dykes speaks to the players after a spring scrimmage. | TCU Football X/Twitter

Ahead of the Alamo Bowl between the TCU Horned Frogs and the No. 16 USC Trojans, Sonny Dykes discussed the importance of bowl games in a time when they feel unusually taken for granted.

Several bowl-eligible teams continue to opt out of bowl games, including Notre Dame, Iowa State, and Kansas State. Even programs that finished 5-7 and were offered a bowl game, such as Florida State, Auburn, UCF, Baylor, Kansas, Rutgers, and Temple, have declined. While for one of these teams, their decision is a protest against the College Football Playoff committee, for the others, it leaves a bad taste in the mouth for Dykes.

He said, “I don’t think that’s good for college football, quite frankly. I think that we’re in the pickle that we’re in with college football because everybody has made decisions in their best interest. If my team doesn’t go play in a bowl game, that’s not good for the teams that it means the world to them to play in a bowl game.”

Dykes has played in three bowl games as TCU's head coach, including the Fiesta Bowl, the National Championship, and the New Mexico Bowl. He pointed out that while some bowl games come with a higher meaning, that they all offer a unique opportunity to the team’s players and coaches that is unforgettable.

“That’s what bowl games are about. You get to spend time with players, staff, and people that you don’t interact with that much, and that can be very impactful. That’s what makes bowl games important and unique,” Dykes said.

He continued, “[It’s about] the unique opportunities of interactions with our players and the experience. In a world where all anybody talks about is money, winning, and losing, that stuff matters, too. I think it helps shape those players’ lives, and I know those guys have an impact on me.”

In a world where players leave programs for more money and attention, what TCU can additionally offer is the community and camaraderie aspect. This is how relationships and lifelong bonds are made. Whether it be a magical season that leads the team to a National Championship appearance, or an up and down campaign that gives a team the opportunity play meaningful postseason football.

For the sake of college football, the importance and criticality of bowl games cannot be lost.

What’s Next for the Horned Frogs?

Sonny Dykes and TCU will continue to prepare for the No. 16 USC Trojans ahead of their Alamo Bowl matchup on Dec. 30. Kickoff is set for 8:00 p.m. CT from The Alamodome in San Antonio, TX. The game will be nationally televised on ESPN.