I have heard a lot of hoks crap on the Pop Tarts Bowl, as a minor worthless bowl, without realizing the hypocrisy of them saying so being in the Music bowl.
Outside the playoff:
The Pop Tarts bowl is the B12 2nd place bowl / The Music City bowl is the B1G 4th place bowl.
The Pop Tarts pays significantly more than the Music City bowl
The Music city bowl effectively is the 7th place spot when including playoff, the Pop Tarts is 3rd when including.
So the Pop Tart bowl is significantly higher than the Music City bowl.
Are bowls the end all be all? Nope, but they sure as hell would be celebrating too if they won. And an 11 win season vs 8 win season and is something to celebrate, I believe we have heard that from them in the past when it was flipped.
They are a very very soft and threatened fanbase for sure.
Plus we beat Miami, who like us, was in the playoff hunt for a lot of the season.