The Alamo Bowl had a choice to make, and they made it crystal clear what matters to them: ticket sales, not football. Instead of picking Houston, a team that actually earned a decent bowl slot this year, they rolled with TCU. Not because the Horned Frogs were better on the field, but because their fans actually show up.
According to Joseph Duarte of the Houston Chronicle, multiple bowl reps told him flat out that Houston’s fan base just doesn’t travel. That’s not speculation. That’s the reputation Houston has earned around the league, and that reputation just cost them a shot at a higher-profile bowl game. This is the first time in a decade that the Alamo Bowl won’t even have a ranked team in the matchup, and it’s because they thought TCU would pack the house more than Houston.
That’s brutal.
And here’s the thing: this is a Big 12 problem now. Houston isn’t in the AAC anymore, where fan turnout is more of a suggestion than a requirement. They’re in a Power Four league. These bowl slots are supposed to be earned. But the bowls don’t care if you win 10 games or barely scrape by at 6-6 if your fans won’t make the trip.
It’s not just the Alamo Bowl. Duarte also noted that as of late Saturday night, Houston was still being considered for the Independence Bowl, which is pretty far down the Big 12 ladder. And all of it is tied to the same issue: support.
This should be a wake-up call for Houston. If you want to be taken seriously in this league, it starts with showing up. You can’t just coast on talent or wait for the city to get behind you. You’ve got to give people a reason to care, and then prove you can carry a crowd.
TCU got picked because they bring energy. Houston got passed over because they don’t. That’s the difference, and it’s not a good look.
If you’re a Houston fan and you’re mad, you should be. But don’t yell at the bowl. Show up next time and make them regret it.
