(11-25-2019 02:47 PM)Fighting Muskie Wrote:  Quo the not motivated excuse is one of the lamest in college sports. It’s a lousy attempt to try to devalue the accomplishment of a G5. If you get sent to a NY6 game and play on that stage you better show up to win no matter who comes out of the other tunnel. If the G5 comes in and outplays you then they deserve every bit of credit for defeating a ranked team.

I can definitely see why it is frustrating for the G5 team to have that brought up, I remember getting frustrated 10 years ago when we beat FSU in Tallahassee and FSU fans said it to me.

But, my frustration doesn't necessarily mean it wasn't true. Because the logic of it is pretty clear and hard to dismiss. In fact, the excitement of the G5 team in getting to play in a big bowl versus a big name P5 team is the inverse of what the P5 team might feel. The G5 team is hyped and excited because usually they are playing teams regarded as 'small time' on small time stages. Now, they are playing a big name team on a big state. Wooo Hooo !!!!

But the big name team feels the opposite - it is used to playing other big name teams with big stakes on the line, so playing a small-time team is a lose-lose proposition. Win and everyone shrugs, lose and you get laughed at.

No-win situations are, psychologically, de-motivating. It is what it is.