SMQ: Are we really seeing more blowouts in bowl games in 2017?

What does this all mean about 2017?

In terms of the way this year has played out so far, there are far more games falling in the 20-plus points range for average margin of victory than there are under that mark. This year looks more like 1944 than 1952 in that regard.

A pair of close games on the two weekends so far are all that separates 2017 from passing the two historic years it is chasing for this absurd if interesting record. Given the rise in offense, it almost seems more strange that we have never previously seen a bowl season average more than 20 points per game between the winning score and losing score.

There is still plenty of time to normalize to right around where we might expect. The current highest season of the 21st century came in 2015, and this year is on pace to add five points per game to the record. That 2015 season, though, was more like 1952 than 1944 in terms of having a few statistical outliers from an otherwise normal rate of scoring.

Next: 2017 bowl game predictions

But as of now, we have seen a little slice of history be put on the table. It is something of a dubious record, given the fact that it means suspicions that there have been a lot of mismatches is confirmed. The best part, though, is that it might also mean we’ve seen the vast majority of the true blowouts that will naturally transpire over the course of any postseason this large.

Stay tuned to see if teams make history over the next few weeks, or whether the games get more competitive over the stretch run of 2017 and into the new year.