[Farm93]

"Beat them at their best" is a nice thing to say if you are a coach talking to the media during the week.  "Watching both teams competing at their best" is the type of thing a neutral spectator might say.

I was perfectly happy watching Stanford win the 2016 Rose Bowl and really didn't care that a few key Hawkeyes were playing hurt.
I was perfectly happy watching Stanford win the 2013 Rose Bowl and really didn't care that the coaching changes likely hurt Wisconsin.
I was not very happy at the end of the Stanford loss in the 2014 Rose Bowl.  Though I suspect those neutral spectators enjoyed watching two very evenly matched defensive oriented squads battle to the end.

If I am indifferent about a contest then I certainly would prefer a high quality close contest for the entertainment value, but as a Stanford I am not indifferent and don't need it to be close or entertaining.

And in the world of college football entertainingly close games are rankings and selections killers.  It is much better to be beating opponents big week after week.

[Farm93]

"Beat them at their best" is a nice thing to say if you are a coach talking to the media during the week.  "Watching both teams competing at their best" is the type of thing a neutral spectator might say.

I was perfectly happy watching Stanford win the 2016 Rose Bowl and really didn't care that a few key Hawkeyes were playing hurt.
I was perfectly happy watching Stanford win the 2013 Rose Bowl and really didn't care that the coaching changes likely hurt Wisconsin.
I was not very happy at the end of the Stanford loss in the 2014 Rose Bowl.  Though I suspect those neutral spectators enjoyed watching two very evenly matched defensive oriented squads battle to the end.

If I am indifferent about a contest then I certainly would prefer a high quality close contest for the entertainment value, but as a Stanford I am not indifferent and don't need it to be close or entertaining.

And in the world of college football entertainingly close games are rankings and selections killers.  It is much better to be beating opponents big week after week.