ATHENS — The NIL and transfer portal has brought a whole new meaning to “The Season of Giving” this December.

Thing is, coaches and players don’t really know how much giving and taking is going on in transactions.

“… a young man could say whatever he wants, ‘Oh yeah, I was offered $1.5 million to come to this school, you better get on board or you’re not going to get me,’ " Brian Kelly once said at SEC spring meetings.

“Or maybe somebody is helping him say that — there’s a lot of moving parts. We have to get past this early part.”

College football isn’t past it yet, and it’s becoming more clear each clouded portal day of personnel transactions it’s not an optimal or sustainable model for schools or players.

In that same grinch-like vein, and moving on to the second point ….

Opt-outs seem like an outdated concept in this new world of NIL contracts and collectives.

If a player signs a contract to represent a brand, or takes money from a collective pool made up of donations from fans and boosters, it would seem there’s an expectation there to perform a job.

Is it really too much so suggest that healthy players should take the field when capable, whether it’s the first game of the season, or the last game of the season?

The old argument was, “They’re not professionals.”

Guess what? At major football programs they kind of are paid professionals, as players receive tens of thousands of dollars along with the benefits that come with a scholarship.

Bryce Young and the Carolina Panthers entered Sunday’s game with Atlanta with only one win, their game with the Falcons “meaningless” in the sense of the playoff race.

And yet, Young and the Panthers prevailed in front of a home crowd that paid hard-earned money to brave the weather, and a legion of fans sporting their team colors while watching on TV or running errands.

Thirdly, the whole idea that bowls are “meaningless” is a matter of perspective, but overall strikes me as a “cold” take.

For players, it’s an opportunity to play beside teammates one final time.

There was passion in Kendall Milton’s voice when he pledged to play in the Orange Bowl in the immediate aftermath of the 27-24 loss to Alabama in the SEC title game.

“There’s no way I would abandon my brothers,” Milton said. “I’ve been through hell and back with these boys, so there’s no way that I won’t take every opportunity that I can to be able to play with them.”

It’s also one final showcase for players and an opportunity for a program to gather offseason momentum, such as when Georgia came from double digits down to beat an previously undefeated Cincinnati to cap the 2020 season.

Remember when Azeez Ojulari sacked Desmond Ridder three times to boost his NFL draft stock?

The year before, George Pickens capped his freshman year with 12 catches for 175 against Baylor. Certainly, having a dynamic player like that didn’t hurt when Kirby Smart recruited Todd Monken to take the UGA offensive coordinator job.

Beyond the practicality, there’s a brand image and tradition at stake at Georgia.

The Bulldogs have won six straight bowl games and finished in the Top 10 six straigt years.

Further, those Georgia senior players like Milton have an opportunity to become the winningest class in school history with what would be their 50th win.

Sure, Georgia sets a goal of winning the national championship every season.

But as long as the scoreboard is turned on Hard Rock Stadium at 4 p.m. on Dec. 30 and Florida State is lined up across the ball, the Bulldogs will have something to play for.

Indeed, as anyone who has donned helmet and pads knows, football by it’s very nature carries meaning due to the brutal effort and physicality involved on each play.