As a Dawg fan "back in the day", I mean 60s etc, making a bowl game was a good year. Way to go! Making a major bowl was a very good year, and winning one was icing. About the top finishes were #4, a top ten finish was terrific, being #1 was basically not in the cards. That went to OSU Texas ND Nebraska et al. If you happened to upset Alabama, that was a good year.
Now of course anything short of an NC is a terrible year, fire the coach, pull your hair out, etc., last year is a good example.
Is it more "fun" now? In a way it is, in a way too stressful. Then add in NIL and portaling and it starts to ... dim. I dunno, I still pay attention obviously.
I have no clue why it means anything, I guess because it doesn't..