• In the current era, non-College Football Playoff bowl games are no longer the automatic celebration they once were. • A team's approach to a bowl game can determine whether it's a success or a disappointment.

Let’s be honest and upfront here: The Boca Raton Bowl isn’t the prize Louisville football was playing for when the season began. But the Cardinals ' game against Toledo still can be a gift if handled the right way.

Of course, this used to be a no-brainer. Making a bowl was a reward for a successful regular season even after the proliferation of bowls and admission of 6-6 teams made some games seem more like participation trophies.

We’re in a new era now.

Bowl games that aren’t involved with the College Football Playoff don’t automatically evoke the celebration they once did. E

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