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Greetings from "Can't Wait For Saturday," your morning morsel of college football, courtesy of longtime Illini beat writer, AP Top 25 voter and Heisman state rep Bob Asmussen. He'll give you his views each day on the game he loves.
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Any bowl story by me should start with the following disclaimer: there is no such thing as a bad bowl. I am pro-bowl. Always have been. Always will be.
And I don't believe the playoffs have or will ruin the bowl system. Unless we get to a point where every team makes the field.
As long as there are quality teams left out of the CFP, the need for bowls will be there.
Fans love the trips. Players and coaches appreciate another game together. The networks -- mostly looking at you ESPN -- need the programming when folks have lots of free time.
How do we know bowls still have a following? Because there continue to be endless projections of the postseason from a bunch of outlets.
I usually go to ESPN.com first, but this week checked out a couple of others. SI .com projects Illinois to the ReliaQuest Bowl on Dec. 31 against Texas. It would be the second trip to the Tampa game in five seasons for Bret Bielema's team. Illinois lost to Mississippi State in the 2022 edition.
The Pro Football Sports Network also projects a Florida game for Illinois. But it is back to Orlando for the Citrus Bowl against Oklahoma. Two of the bowl reps were at the Illinois-Purdue game.
Yes, it is way too early to speculate about the postseason, but also kind of fun. For Illinois, the top goal has to be a spot in the College Football Playoff.