Why is the Sun Bowl looking like a ghost town of talent?
And that is the million-dollar question that every single person in El Paso is too polite to ask because they have been hosting this party for ninety-two years and do not want to look like ungrateful hosts. But let us be real for a second. Because the reality of the situation is that Arizona State is showing up to this fight with one hand tied behind its back and the other hand busy signing transfer papers. It is a joke. But it is a joke that we are all expected to pay for while the network executives pretend this is a high-stakes clash of titans. The Sun Devils are short-handed in a way that should honestly be illegal under the trade descriptions act. You have got a roster that looks more like a volunteer fire department than a Power Four football team. Because when the portal opens, the loyalty flies out the window faster than a Duke fan fleeing a conversation about their basketball recruiting class. It is pathetic. And yet we sit here. We wait for the kickoff like junkies waiting for a fix of mediocre collegiate athletics. Because we have no choice. It is the only game in town. But do not expect a masterpiece. Because what we are going to get is a messy, uncoordinated scramble for relevance in a bowl system that is dying a slow and painful death right before our very eyes.
Is Kenny Dillingham actually a miracle worker or just lucky?
But people want to talk about the energy. They want to talk about how Dillingham has revitalized the desert. And sure, he has got more caffeine in his system than a Starbucks warehouse, but energy does not tackle people in the open field. Because at the end of the day, you need bodies. You need guys who actually want to be in Tempe for more than a semester. And right now, the Sun Devils are looking like a revolving door at a cheap motel. It is messy. Because you cannot build a culture when half the depth chart is looking at their phones to see which SEC school is sliding into their DMs with a bag of NIL cash. But Dillingham keeps smiling. He keeps selling the dream. And you have to wonder if he is selling it to us or to himself. Because it takes a special kind of delusion to look at a depleted roster and think you are going to walk into El Paso and bully an ACC team that is basically built on fundamental boredom. It is a mismatch of philosophies. But mostly it is a mismatch of available personnel. Because ASU is missing the very pieces that made them interesting in the first place. It is like going to see a cover band and realizing the lead singer is actually the drummer’s cousin. Sad.
Why should we even care about Duke in this scenario?
And then there is Duke. But Duke is such a strange animal in this landscape. Because they are the Blue Devils. They are supposed to be the smart kids. But here they are, playing in a bowl game that feels like a consolation prize for a season that started with a bang and ended with a whimper. Because Manny Diaz is there now. And Manny Diaz has a reputation for being a defensive mastermind, but let us be honest about his track record. It is spotty. It is inconsistent. Because he talks a big game about aggression and turnovers, but his teams often look like they are overthinking the simple act of hitting someone. It is frustrating. But Duke fans are used to frustration. They are used to being the underdog in a sport that they only truly care about until the first tip-off of the basketball season. Because for them, football is just a long, sweaty tailgate before the real action starts in Cameron Indoor. And that is the problem. Because you have a team that is talented but distracted. But they are playing an ASU team that is gritty but empty. It is a recipe for a 13-10 final score that will make everyone in the stadium wish they had stayed home to watch reruns of The Price is Right. It is boring. But we will watch anyway. Because we are masochists. And because the gambling lines are the only thing keeping this entire industry afloat.
Does the transfer portal deserve to be burned to the ground?
Because let us talk about the elephant in the room. And that elephant is currently carrying a suitcase and headed for the airport. The transfer portal is a cancer. It is a beautiful, player-empowering cancer that is eating the soul of the sport from the inside out. But nobody wants to say it. Because they are afraid of looking like old men shouting at clouds. But look at these rosters. Because when you see ‘short-handed’ in a headline, what it really means is that players quit on their teammates because they got a better offer elsewhere. It is business. I get it. But do not tell me about the ‘spirit of the game’ while these kids are treating the Sun Bowl like an optional internship. It is insulting to the fans who fly out to El Paso. It is insulting to the city. Because El Paso puts its heart and soul into this game. They roll out the red carpet. They give these kids hospitality that they do not deserve. And in return, the best players on the team say ‘thanks but no thanks, I have got a meeting in Tallahassee.’ It is disgusting. And it is only going to get worse. Because until there are actual contracts and actual consequences, the bowl season is just a series of exhibition games for the backups. It is a tragedy. But it is a tragedy with a high television rating. So nothing will change. Because money talks and loyalty walks.
Is El Paso the real victim in this collegiate circus?
And what about the people of West Texas? Because they deserve better than a game where the stars are sitting on their couches. The Sun Bowl is a tradition. It is a piece of history. But the NCAA and the TV networks are treating it like a filler episode of a bad sitcom. Because they do not care about the pageantry. They do not care about the Tony the Tiger sponsorship. They only care about the inventory. And that is what this is. Inventory. Because as long as there is a game on the screen, the ads will sell. But the quality is plummeting. And the people in the stands are paying full price for half a product. It is a scam. But it is a legal scam. Because we keep buying the tickets. We keep tuning in. And as long as we do, the powers that be will keep serving us this watered-down version of what used to be a great sport. It is exhausting. But you cannot help but feel for the local businesses that rely on this influx of fans. Because if the game continues to lose its luster, the fans will stop coming. And when the fans stop coming, the Sun Bowl dies. And that would be a shame. Because there is something special about football in the desert. But that magic is being traded for pennies on the dollar in the NIL era. It is shameful.
What is the degenerate gambler supposed to do with this game?
And let us get down to the brass tacks. Because if you are betting on this game, you are either a genius or you need professional help. The lines are moving like a snake on hot asphalt. Because nobody knows who is actually going to be on the field. You have staff picks, you have odds, you have spreads. But they are all based on data that is forty-eight hours old in a world where rosters change every forty-eight seconds. It is a nightmare. But the sharps are licking their chops. Because they love chaos. They love when the public is confused. And the public is definitely confused. Because is Duke a favorite? Sure, on paper. But is ASU’s desperation a factor? Maybe. Because a cornered Sun Devil is a dangerous thing. But a short-handed Sun Devil is just a tired one. It is a mess. But if I were a betting man—which I am—I would stay far away from the spread and look at the under. Because with these depleted offenses and the wind in El Paso, we are looking at a punting clinic. It is going to be ugly. It is going to be slow. And it is going to be exactly what we deserve for supporting this broken system. But hey, at least the stadium is pretty. Because the mountains in the background do not care about the transfer portal. They just stand there while we ruin everything else. It is poetic. But it is also very, very sad.
Will the ACC ever recover from its identity crisis?
But let us look at Duke’s conference. Because the ACC is a dumpster fire in a tuxedo. They are fighting for their lives against the SEC and the Big 10. And games like this are supposed to be their chance to prove they belong. But how can you prove you belong when your representative is a basketball school playing a depleted Big 12 team? It proves nothing. Because if Duke wins, everyone says ‘of course they won, ASU had no players.’ And if Duke loses, everyone says ‘wow, the ACC really is trash.’ It is a lose-lose situation. But that is the ACC’s brand lately. It is a conference of high academics and low football expectations. Because they are stuck in a TV deal that is basically a blood oath to ESPN. And while they struggle to keep up with the big boys, their teams are stuck playing in the Sun Bowl against the remnants of Arizona State. It is a humbling experience. But maybe humility is what they need. Because the arrogance of the ‘Power Five’ labels is what got us into this mess. We labeled these games as important, and now we are realizing that without the players, the labels are just empty stickers on a cardboard box. It is a reality check. But nobody is checking the mail.
Is there any hope for the future of the Sun Bowl?
And finally, we have to ask if this is the beginning of the end. Because the Sun Bowl has survived world wars and economic crashes. But can it survive the apathy of the modern athlete? That is the real test. Because if the players do not care, the fans eventually will not care. And if the fans do not care, the sponsors will vanish. But maybe there is a way back. Maybe we need to stop pretending these are ‘championship’ caliber games and just embrace the chaos. Call it what it is. A scrimmage with a trophy. Because if we lower our expectations, we might actually enjoy the spectacle of two short-handed teams trying to remember their playbooks. It is a reach. But it is all we have left. Because the old version of college football is dead and buried. It was killed by greed and ego. And now we are just dancing on its grave in El Paso. It is a grim thought. But it is the truth. And the truth is the only thing that is not short-handed this week. Because while the rosters are thin, the drama is thick. And in the world of tabloid sports, drama is the only currency that matters. So grab your popcorn. But do not expect any five-star performances. Because the stars have already left the building. And they took the integrity of the sport with them. It is a tragedy. But at least it is televised.
