There is no doubt that:
CFP has significantly killed interest in the non-CFP bowls
NFL money has significantly affected players' interest in bowls
A team with more players expected to be drafted playing in a non-CFP bowl will have more opt-outs than a team with fewer (or no) NFL prospects
COVID knocked out many players and entire teams (not just us) from this year's bowls.
The SEC consistently recruits the best players in the nation per conference
The SEC consistently puts the most players into the NFL per conference
The bdf is the only "P-5" conference that has never won a single game since the CFP started.
The NFL is very efficient at evaluating NFL talent
Most Aggies wish tu and OU were staying in the bdf
The leadership of the bdf wishes that tu and OU did not want to leave their conference
tu and OU leaving the bdf will decrease the value of future TV revenues for the conference
No team leaves a successful conference to go to a less successful conference
The bdf (Big 12 - 2 - 2 + 2 - 2 maybe + 2) is not a stable conference. Just look at what is inside the parentheses.
If you want to read something into this year's non-CFP bowl games to determine the level of play in the bdf versus the SEC, I guess that's your own prerogative and you should "live your best life" exactly where you are.
No material on this site is intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. See full
Medical Disclaimer.