FALLOUT. The Northern Illinois football team learned a lot at the Poinsettia Bowl.

Motivation won't be an issue for Northern Illinois during its winter 6 a.m. offseason workouts.

The problem: Texas Christian's one-sided victory will probably inspire some sports pundits to question the policy of giving preference to seven-win teams from conferences without bowl ties over six-win teams from conferences with bowl ties. USA Today's Erick Smith notes additional evidence of inefficiently many bowls.

International Bowl — Western Michigan vs. Cincinnati, Jan. 6, noon

This game screams out as the poster child for the gluttony of bowl games that now exist. And I am not even mentioning the venue of Toronto in January. Western Michigan 20, Cincinnati 19.

In other cheerful news, the basketball winning streak ended in Chicago.