Jeezus, Auburn played in their own back yard and MSU practically did too. You can't tell me that South Carolina doesn't care about playing North Carolina tomorrow or Tennessee won't care playing in Nashville against Purdue.
No way in hell Missouri would have gone 7-2 in the Big Ten this year.
I know dozens of rabid SC fans. The game is about 90 minutes away from here. I know 0 people who are going. They don't care. They care about next year and insist Spencer Rattler will be the savior. Tennessee doesn't care. Purdue doesn't care and will be playing without its two best players, both of whom are really freaking good.
You're right about Missouri. They would have gone 8-1 in the Big Ten.
You know how sometimes mediocre Iowa State teams beat decent Iowa teams? It's because they think it is the super bowl. That is what is happening in shit tier bowl games now. Has been for a few years. The bowls are good for getting younger guys reps in practice, but in terms of probative value of relative strength of two teams they have been relegated to meaningless.