There are a lot of bowl games, and it's mostly about EPSN filling air time. Here is a 60 + year history
1960- 9 bowl games
1970- 11
1980- 15
1990-19
2000-25
2010-35
2019-40 ( didn't use 20, due to covid)
2022-43
ESPN first went on the air in 1979, and is the major reason there are more games. I don't have a problem with more games, it gives you one more chance to see your team play. However if the trend of players not playing in bowl games continues and opting for the transfer portal prior to the bowl game, it will create problems in the future. And due to the NFL prospects, Portal, NIL, and 12 team playoff, adding more bowl games in the future looks unlikely to me. Going to a bowl game used to be a big deal and if you finished in the top 20, you hoped to get invited. Now a majority of the teams playing in bowls, are not even in the top 20. The whole history and tradition of the Rose, Cotton, Orange and Sugar Bowls are gone, not sure that is a good thing. Typically the winner of one of those bowls was declared the National Champ, and yes there was controversy, but that made it interesting. After a 12 team playoff will the controversy end? As long as Saban is around, and his team is not in it, there will always be controversy.