Watchability Index: Ranking all bowl games by interest level
By Zach Bigalke
33. Bahamas Bowl: Toledo vs. FIU (Dec. 21)
Toledo and Florida International play in the Makers Wanted Bahamas Bowl, a game in its fifth year on the bowl calendar that is now sponsored by an industrial park in Illinois. But the opportunity to travel to the islands for a postseason reward is glamorous even if the sponsor isn’t so much, and people don’t watch bowl games because of the sponsors.
This year, the MAC-versus-Conference USA showdown offers the chance to see two of the best special-teams return units in the country against one another at a stadium that traditionally holds soccer matches and track and field meets. The unique setting has resulted in close contests 2014 and 2016, while the odd-numbered years in between resulted in blowouts. Hopefully the trend holds in this even-numbered year.
Toledo averages 41 points per game, while the Panthers average nearly 35 per game. FIU missed its chance to play for the Conference USA title when they fell 28-25 to Marshall at the end of the regular season, but in terms of consolation prizes the Bahamas Bowl is hardly something to be endured.
It probably isn’t a game that you want to risk your job over, if you are working on the Friday before the long Christmas weekend. But if you have the time off, this year’s showdown offers a more watchable contest than the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl that follows on December 21.