i'm todd buchholz. >> susie: 1,400 hours, over 16 states, and $281 million in payouts. that's this season's crop of almost three dozen college football bowls. tonight's "beyond the scoreboard" looks at whether there are too many bowl games. here's rick horrow of horrow sports ventures. >> reporter: i'm here at the belt bowl in charlotte, north carolina, one of 35 bowls that cynics say is way too many. they miss the point for four reasons. one, it gives 70 schools a moment in the sun. significant recruiting, alumni donation, admission, all tied up in their one big day versus about 20% or 30% of schools participating in basketball and baseball. you understand the difference. second, scarborough research says that bowl viewers on tv are the most prolific buyers for all advertisers. they want to get in front of these fans. that's why they sponsor the games. third and probably most important, the significant dollars that are generated by corporate america, $80 million of exposure by tostitos for the fiesta bowl a couple of years ago. >> a couple of years ago, allstate, a sig