I think having Kendrick Lamar or any big-time act (Jason Aldean, Garth Brooks, Beyoncé, Foo Fighters, Rolling Stones, Lady GaGa, etc.), was a lame attempt by ESPN to create a sensational, headline-grabbing and over-the-top halftime performance along the lines of what the NFL has been doing with the Super Bowl.
In this instance, the effort failed. Not so much because it was an influential, cutting edge rap artist who was performing, but because it's not what the average or majority of college football fans want from a halftime show. I was quite pleased and surprised to see The Pride of Oklahoma and UGA's Red and Black bands perform at halftime of the Rose Bowl. So, unless you are at the game, it is rare that you get to see the school bands on televised games during the season. And considering this was college football's biggest stage, they did a great disservice to the UGA and Bama bands but cutting them out of the spotlight they so richly deserved by choosing to feature another performer.
I guess I'm one of the few who thinks ESPN does get a few things "right" from time to time (No question of their SEC bias), but the decision to "go big" with their halftime performance was a huge mistake. Hope they don't repeat it going forward, but something tells me this is just the beginning of a new trend for them.