Not to mention the bowl games don’t matter to most anymore, either.
Honestly, that was almost always the case, especially for programs with higher aspirations. I realize the Rose, and to a lesser degree, the Sugar and Orange may carry some prestige. But I was there the night we crushed WVU in early 1994. First the SEC, now we win the Sugar? Felt like we couldn't get any higher. Then they turned on the jumbotron and we watched the Nebraska kicker miss the FG, giving the noles the national title. Trust me, the next week in school, there was nothing cool about bragging on a Sugar Bowl Championship to fsu fans. It didn't help that Philly was also finishing up the Kotite era and most of those dirtbag kids were also Cowboys fans. But that's not the point.
Things change and standards are elevated. The Outback Bowl is for Usce/Mizzou fans to come down in January and brag to opposing fans that they don't live in Iowa or Indiana where it
really gets cold. All while getting even fatter eating blooming onions and $12 Miller Lites, trying to imagine a way they could pull of Mons without the equally fat wife finding out.
I'd be fine with our season ending with the noles unless we've earned the right to play for something of note.