There are stark opinions on the state of the college football bowl season.

When you look at some of the title sponsorships and attendance numbers at some of these games, it’s easy to see why. Some bowls are slapped with ridiculous names, while others struggle to draw crowds — even in attractive destinations.

Take Friday night’s QuickLane Bowl in Detroit, for example. You can’t tell me this game is going to make any money.

Or how about this crowd from the Bahamas Bowl earlier this week. Attractive destination, low-tier teams and no crowd.

With the thick of the bowl schedule still ahead, Saturday Down South asks the question: Are there too many bowls, not enough or just the right amount?

Let’s make the case for each.

Too Many

Many in this camp are anti-pay players and want major FBS programs to stop scheduling cupcake FCS teams. You likely don’t even peep at a bowl game until New Year’s Eve, or post-Christmas Day, at the least.

Folks on this side of the argument don’t care that it’s the television product that drives bowl games and sponsorship revenue, allowing for players to be somewhat compensated with per diem and bowl gifts. The matchups don’t intrigue you; you’re a purist and wait for the Peach Bowl, Cotton Bowl, Orange and Fiesta Bowls.

But money is the driving force nowadays and as long as big corporations and media networks own bowl games, the number of them won’t decrease. Ticket sales don’t dictate the success of a bowl anymore, the business of the game is too great.

This person also argues that 6-6, or maybe even 7-5 teams ought not be bowl eligible. You can’t fathom why a team who could only win half of its games is rewarded for such, the same way you don’t believe the last place team in Little League should get trophies.

People in this camp are often the Grinches of bowl season.

Not Enough

Those that fall in this camp love football. They advocate for football on every night of the week and don’t mind that when the college football season is over, the NFL takes over Saturday nights.

This person watches every waking second of bowl season, from start to finish. Even the dreadful MAC-AAC matchups. These types of people are sort of an oxymoronic “postmodern classicist.” You love football, but aren’t bothered by the wacky bowl name or off-the-radar destination.

Unlike the first argument, this person is pro-pay players and wants to scrap the FBS-FCS scheduling practices. You believe that because some form of compensation is on the line in bowl games, the matchups — regardless of team or conference affiliation — is more intriguing.

Just the Right Amount

People in this camp fall in the scope between. You love football, but agree that some of the matchups and names are ridiculous and that if a football game can’t draw a crowd then why is it being played?

You think all 6-6 teams are not created equally and that some deserve to be in a bowl game. This person understands money drives the decision-making today, and that ultimately, the game is better because of the current construction of bowl season. The stages are bigger, and thus, players show up and are more motivated.

The product is better, therefore fans are rewarded and the popularity rises.

The Decision

There is just the right amount of bowl games.

Money dictates all, but at the same time, it’s the number of bowl games that give college football fans classic matchups such as Miami (FL) vs. South Carolina, Nebraska vs. USC, Arkansas vs. Texas, LSU vs. Notre Dame, Boston College vs. Penn State and more.

We can look past some of the early, dreadful games and anticipate classic — sometimes historic — college football matchups.

Bowl season is great, and if more fans looked at it with the perspective of players and coaches, it’d be even better.