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Paul Sullivan: Jim Harbaugh is still overpaid. Recapping the highs — and lows — of one of the craziest college football bowl seasons.
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Paul Sullivan: Jim Harbaugh is still overpaid. Recapping the highs — and lows — of one of the craziest college football bowl seasons.

  • Paul Sullivan, Chicago Tribune
  • Jan 4, 2022
  • Jan 4, 2022 Updated Jul 6, 2026
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One of the craziest bowl seasons ever is almost over, and despite COVID-19-related cancellations, some stars opting out to prepare for the NFL draft and others ditching their bowl game to enter the transfer portal, it has been interesting to say the least.

I didn’t get to see all the bowl games for various reasons, including work, the holidays, family time and inopportune periods of napping.

I ignored the Duke’s Mayo Bowl because of my utter distaste for both Duke and mayo, even though it had nothing to do with the university or its basketball team.

I caught only a glimpse of the Jimmy Kimmel LA Bowl to see if the world’s most powerful T-shirt cannon could launch a T-shirt out of Sofi Stadium — which it did, clearing the upper deck and landing in the parking lot.

And I was obligated to watch the bitter ending of the Armed Forces Bowl because my alma mater was involved, and seeing Mizzou collapse is part of my DNA.

But I did spend an inordinate amount of time watching 6-6 teams play 7-5 teams in near-empty stadiums. Here are seven observations of this year’s bowl happenings.

1. The SEC title game doesn’t need to be replayed.

1. The SEC title game doesn’t need to be replayed.

But it indeed will be replayed Jan. 10 in Indianapolis because Alabama needs to beat Georgia once again in the national championship game to prove what we knew all along: No one can beat the Crimson Tide.

Can America get excited over another all-SEC matchup in the title game? I doubt it.

This is why we need an eight-team playoff — to reduce the possibility of seeing two teams from the same conference play for all the marbles.

7. The ‘Crying Pitt’ fan is the gift that keeps giving.

7. The ‘Crying Pitt’ fan is the gift that keeps giving.

Pittsburgh blew a 21-10 fourth-quarter lead in a 31-21 loss to Michigan State in the Peach Bowl, another New Year’s Six bowl game that was virtually meaningless to everyone besides ESPN. But the ESPN cameras homed in on a Pitt fan who was sobbing in the final minutes of the loss, and soon he went viral.

Maybe he was crying because Heisman trophy finalist Kenny Pickett, Pitt’s quarterback, opted out to protect his life and limbs for the NFL draft? Who knows?

But you can bet Pickett wasn’t crying, knowing he’s about to be a multimillionaire.

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