A GRIP ON SPORTS • Is it just us or does it seem like every bowl game thus far has pitted two teams with 6-6 records? It’s happened so often that when we turned on the Adjustable Rate Bowl, or some such nonsense, and we saw Oklahoma State was 7-5, we rejoiced. Of course, the Cowboys lost last night to 6-6 Wisconsin, so both finished the season 7-6.

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• Maybe it’s just our society’s penchant for rewarding mediocrity. Or maybe it’s just the pursuit of the almighty dollar. But the early part of the bowl season has seemed less than inspiring. Downright boring, actually.

If you’ve spent any time at all looking at the crowds in the multitude of 6-6 matchups, you see what we mean.

The gatherings seem as big as the studio audience on the old Larry Sanders show, and just about as enthusiastic.

Hey now, we know there are reasons. No one in their right mind would want to travel over these holidays. Heck, Southwest stranded three wise men in the Oakland airport the other day. They are still there. Not only did they miss a big event on Dec. 25, will they not get to the Alamo Bowl either.

A least they gifted their tickets to a family in need.

Besides, when the team you root for has lost six times and quite probably lost 10 players to the portal already – that’s the national average – then putting down four figures to watch the JV play in a bowl doesn’t seem financially prudent. The smart folks are staying home and sending half that to their school’s NIL collective, trying to help entice a new kicker to enroll.

At least the mediocre part of bowl season has wound down. From here until Monday, we all get to watch some of the more traditional games – even if the matchups aren’t all that traditional.

Sure, the Rose Bowl pits a Pac-12 school against a Big Ten one, but it’s not the best the conference has to offer. We would argue, if we were stuck in an airport somewhere and seated next to a college football fan, the Pac-12’s best team entering December was Washington. The Huskies are 10-2, sure, but outside an inexplicable loss at Arizona State, they were the most exciting and consistent team in the conference. But thanks to the folks in the league office dumping the divisional standings, though not the schedule this season nor next, they lost out on a tiebreaker that seemed quite silly.

Utah earned the second spot in the conference title game, beat the crud out of regular-season champ USC up front and earned its second consecutive trip to Pasadena. But instead of playing Big Ten champion (and undefeated) Michigan or even one-loss Ohio State, the Utes will meet Penn State, at the most the third-best team in the conference.

The matchup harkens back to the days when we were hardly sentient (like now), when the Big Ten refused to send the same team to back-to-back Rose Bowls in some misbegotten socialist-inspired attempt at spreading the wealth. That occasionally meant the conference’s best team was home for the holidays.

Unlike now, when the conference’s two best teams are in the four-team playoffs. And all its 6-6 teams are playing in the Guaranteed First Responder Will Be There Bowl.

• The Ducks are the only ranked team playing in a bowl game today. Thursday actually features a game matching two ranked teams, No. 20 Texas and No. 12 Washington in San Antonio. Friday features two ranked matchups, the Gator Bowl and the Orange Bowl. Saturday has the two CFP semifinals as well as No. 5 Alabama playing No. 9 Kansas State in the Sugar Bowl.

With New Year’s Day falling on a Sunday, Monday features the Rose, Citrus and Cotton Bowl, all of which have at least decent matchups.

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WSU: It looks as if the Cougars have zeroed in on a new offensive coordinator. Ben Arbuckle may be young (27) but proved himself at Western Kentucky this season. Colton Clark has more in this story. … Elsewhere in the Pac-12 and college basketball, Jon Wilner scopes out the conference race and the awards in the Mercury News this morning. … Colorado is back at full strength. Finally. … In football news, Oregon plays in San Diego tonight, facing North Carolina and quarterback Drake Maye in the Holiday Bowl. … Washington’s defense has to be better against Texas. … Another Jackson State player is headed to Colorado. … Kirk Herbstreit loves Utah football. … Someone who loved the Utes died recently. … What do you know? Playing at USC can be fun. … UCLA’s defensive coordinator is healthy enough to coach in the bowl game.

Gonzaga: The Zags return to the court for their final pre-WCC tuneup against Eastern Oregon in the Kennel. Theo Lawson has a preview and the key matchup.

EWU: It’s been a more productive than expected preseason for the Eagle women. They enter conference play with a 7-3 record and high expectations. Dan Thompson has this story as the Eagles begin Big Sky play Thursday night by hosting Montana. … Elsewhere in the Big Sky, Bozeman picked up a boost from GameDay’s visit. … Montana State has gotten a boost from deep on its bench. … Idaho State’s women are looking for an offensive boost as conference play begins. … In football news, new Idaho State coach Cody Hawkins has finally begun filling his staff openings.

Preps: Dave Nichols has a roundup of a crowded Tuesday night of basketball.

Seahawks: There are answers to your questions following the loss to Kansas City. Ours would always start with “Kansas City is the better team.” … Can Russell Wilson turn it around in Denver? The general manager thinks so. … Keep on eye on the rookies Sunday.

Kraken: The holiday break has allowed teammates to bond off the ice.

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• Yes, each day is getting longer. Slowly. We need sunrise about 6:30 to get here soon. It’s our alarm clock. Until later …