Here comes the Sun: Bulls off to El Paso

The Sun Bowl's selection committee voted Monday night to extend a formal invitation today to USF, which will play in the Dec. 31 game in El Paso, Texas.

USF officials would not confirm the invitation, but the Bulls have scheduled a 4 p.m. news conference for Tuesday afternoon. Sun Bowl officials had said they expected to choose the Big East team ranked highest in the BCS standings, and USF came in Sunday at No. 21, two spots ahead of Cincinnati.

The Bulls will have a national CBS audience for their third straight bowl game, which will also feature a Pac-10 team to be determined next week. The Sun Bowl is the Big East's top bowl next to its automatic BCS berth, and USF will get a check for $1.5-million from the Big East for playing in El Paso.

Link: http://blogs.tampabay.com/usf/

This has been reported in Cincy also. For some reason The Meineke has a huge hard on (for years to get UConn) for UConn. The Big East will probably see a 9-3 ranked UC team, 3-1 vs top 25, playing in a condemmed stadium vs. a bad S. Miss team. A pre Christmas Bowl game for a freakin ranked BCS team. If there are not many UC fans making that trip don't blame the fans. S. Miss's Sagarin ranking is #93, UC is #14.

It's in the Tampa Tribune as well, including quotes from Sun Bowl chairman John Folmer:

http://sports.tboblogs.com/index.php/spo...ated/C127/

USFFan

The deciding factor is they didnt want a UC vs Oregon State rematch....We get knocked to a lower bowl because we already beat the bowl opponent....Good luck to USF...

From Cincy Post Blog
USF to Sun Bowl

Just got off the phone with John Folmer, the chairman of the selection committee who was walking out of the meeting. He told me the Sun Bowl has decided to take USF.

"It was a pretty heated meeting," Folmer said. "We had a lot of people that were Cincinnati people. A lot of people were for USF."

One of the factors for the Sun Bowl's decision, Folmer said, was because UC beat Oregon State, and the bowl had no interest in a rematch. The Sun Bowl is obligated to take the third team from the Pac-10, so if that's where Oregon State ends up, it has to take the Beavers.

"It'd be kind of hard to have UC play Oregon State again," Folmer said. "I don't think Oregon can beat Oregon State, and at the end of the day, that weighed heavily in our decision."

SuperFlyBCat Wrote:This has been reported in Cincy also. For some reason The Meineke has a huge hard on (for years to get UConn) for UConn. The Big East will probably see a 9-3 ranked UC team, 3-1 vs top 25, playing in a condemmed stadium vs. a bad S. Miss team. A pre Christmas Bowl game for a freakin ranked BCS team. If there are not many UC fans making that trip don't blame the fans. S. Miss's Sagarin ranking is #93, UC is #14.

USF knows full well about their hard on for UConn. Two years ago, they sent their chairman to the UConn/Louisville game, making it clear that they would have taken UConn over USF had Connecticut beaten the heavily favored and then #16 ranked Cardinals in that game instead of USF, who was already fully bowl eligible. They went out of their way to make USF fans feel like we were the consolation prize, and I think it dampened the enthusiasm for the game with many fans.

By the way, Legion Field's upper deck was condemned and torn down a long time ago. The stadium is no longer condemned. It's certainly not the nicest stadium I've ever been in, but it's not THAT bad.

It sucks that Cincinnati appears to be going to Birmingham. Like Cubanbull said a few days ago, somebody was going to be unhappy with their bowl choice.

USFFan

Im happy for the Bulls but I also sympathise with whoever ends up in the Bham Bowl. While I did go to it and enjoy our win, I was not impresed with how they ran things there.
With that said I heard that they are adding events for the night before etc so im sure it will be better, I know whoever goes there wont be thrilled but at the end of the day we must support our teams and the seasons they had. Is that type of traveling base that hopefully will get us better bowl deals in future.
While dissapointed if USF was sent to Bham again, I would have gone once again.

UC fans can still hold out hope for the Muffler Bowl b/c I haven't found anything official regarding UCONN's pending invitation.

Bottom line we need better Bowls. Hopefully the UConn, UC and USF fans will show up. We need you to show up so when the next Bowl realignment comes around we can pick up some better opportunities.

This is what I would like to see in the future:

1. BCS Bowl - I like the fact we don't have an anchor bowl. We are not going to lose our BCS Bid as long as there is a BCS and like the variety of being able to switch between the Orange, Sugar, Fiesta and maybe in certain years the Rose Bowls. Payout 17 Million

2. Gator Bowl Big East/Notre Dame vs. ACC - Nothing against the Sun Bowl but it is too far West. Payout 2.5 Million. Jacksonville, FL

3. Champ Sports Bowl Big East 3 or Notre Dame vs. BIG TEN 4 or 5.
Payout 2.25 Million. Orlando, FL

4. Meineke Car Care Bowl BIG EAST 4 or Notre Dame vs. ACC 5, 6 or 7. Payout 750K. Charlotte, NC

5. Tampa Bowl BIG EAST 5 vs. ACC, SEC or C-USA. St. Petersburg, FL Tropicana Field

6. Papa John's.com Bowl BIG EAST 6 vs. C-USA. Birmingham, AL

7. IF necessary International Bowl, they would get either a BIG TEN or BIG East team.

IF we include ND and if Rutgers, USF and UConn can continue or prove they will travel we might be able to get the Champ Sports as our 3rd especially with the way WVU, UofL and Notre Dame travel.

The ACC 4 will likely be in most years Boston College, Maryland and maybe Clemson. Out of those 3 only Clemson really travels to Bowl games. If the BIG EAST can guarantee a Louisville, WVU, Rutgers, UConn-(I feel they will travel to a Florida Bowl), USF-(Not too far down the road) or Notre Dame we could steal this bowl from the ACC or Big Ten.

We had a shot at it last go around when we was an unknown conference.

It would be a flat out injustice if the Car Care Bowl chooses UConn over UC. I don't see how in the world they can justify taking an unranked team over a ranked team, not to mention the head to head score and their performance against WVU. It just does not make sense. They better have a strong list of reasons if this comes to pass.

I think some of the Sun Bowl chairman's excuses are lame, but nothing can be done about it.

bearcatfan Wrote:It would be a flat out injustice if the Car Care Bowl chooses UConn over UC. I don't see how in the world they can justify taking an unranked team over a ranked team, not to mention the head to head score and their performance against WVU. It just does not make sense. They better have a strong list of reasons if this comes to pass.

I think some of the Sun Bowl chairman's excuses are lame, but nothing can be done about it.

I don't understand why the Car Care has a hard of, for years, for UConn?

bearcatfan Wrote:It would be a flat out injustice if the Car Care Bowl chooses UConn over UC. I don't see how in the world they can justify taking an unranked team over a ranked team, not to mention the head to head score and their performance against WVU. It just does not make sense. They better have a strong list of reasons if this comes to pass.

I think some of the Sun Bowl chairman's excuses are lame, but nothing can be done about it.

Easy now...the SunBowl's decision to select USF or UC at least has some rationale to it and makes sense based on the big picture. I wouldn't have been happy if UC got the nod instead but I would at least understand and appreciate that the Sun Bowl set a predetermined criteria a few weeks ago and stuck by it.

The Muffler Bowl is another story. It would be a travesty if UC gets the shaft. I don't mean any disrespect to UCONN but its just not right for a ranked program to lose out to a team that is ranked below them in every significant poll or ranking.

CyberBull Wrote:

bearcatfan Wrote:It would be a flat out injustice if the Car Care Bowl chooses UConn over UC. I don't see how in the world they can justify taking an unranked team over a ranked team, not to mention the head to head score and their performance against WVU. It just does not make sense. They better have a strong list of reasons if this comes to pass.

I think some of the Sun Bowl chairman's excuses are lame, but nothing can be done about it.

Easy now...the SunBowl's decision to select USF or UC at least has rationale to it and makes sense based on the big picture. I wouldn't have been happy if UC got the nod instead but I would at least understand and appreciate that the SunBowl set a predetermined criteria a few weeks ago and stuck by it.

The Muffler Bowl is another story. It would be a travesty if UC gets the shaft. I don't mean any disrespect to UCONN but its just not right for a ranked program to lose out to a team that is ranked below them in every significant poll or ranking.

I have no problem with USF getting the Sun. More than likely USF will beat whoever the PAC Ten sends.

CyberBull Wrote:

bearcatfan Wrote:It would be a flat out injustice if the Car Care Bowl chooses UConn over UC. I don't see how in the world they can justify taking an unranked team over a ranked team, not to mention the head to head score and their performance against WVU. It just does not make sense. They better have a strong list of reasons if this comes to pass.

I think some of the Sun Bowl chairman's excuses are lame, but nothing can be done about it.

Easy now...the SunBowl's decision to select USF or UC at least has some rationale to it and makes sense based on the big picture. I wouldn't have been happy if UC got the nod instead but I would at least understand and appreciate that the Sun Bowl set a predetermined criteria a few weeks ago and stuck by it.

The Muffler Bowl is another story. It would be a travesty if UC gets the shaft. I don't mean any disrespect to UCONN but its just not right for a ranked program to lose out to a team that is ranked below them in every significant poll or ranking.

I have less of a problem with USF getting the Sun Bowl than I do if UConn gets the Meineke Bowl over UC.

The Oregon State reasoning was not well thought out by the Sun Bowl people. Oregon State is probably going to beat out Oregon for third place in the Pac-10. That is true. But they forgot to factor in that the Pac-10 is going to get two BCS bids. USC and Arizona State will make the BCS, Oregon State will go to the Holiday Bowl, Oregon will fall to the Sun Bowl, California will slide to the Emerald Bowl, and UCLA will end up in the Las Vegas Bowl. Ooops!

As for the future bowl line-up you want to see, Maize, it looks good but how are we going to bump the ACC out of the Champs Sports Bowl? I could see it taking place easily if we had an Orlando team in the league but, certainly if most fans posting here had their way, that might never happen. Do not forget that the International Bowl picks ahead of the Papa John's Bowl and the Big East is likely to preserve that in the bowl selection order in the future.

Really excited for my bulls. Ill try my best to get up the 700 or so dollars to make the trip out there.

I do agree that Cincy is getting screwed. I really feel bad for you guys. Cant wait until we can readjust these bowl affiliations.

Hallelujah!!

11/26/2007
Kyle Wiggs: Notes from the Big East
Kyle Wiggs

Big East Commissioner Mike Tranghese Foresees Changes

Granted, the Big East bowl lineup this year and next is less than impressive. Big East Commissioner Mike Tranghese points out that the negotiations for these games were done while the league was in a state of flux. Miami and Virginia Tech had left the conference. Boston College was a lame duck. And no one knew what to expect from expansion members Connecticutt, Louisville, South Florida or Cincinnati.

"We had no leverage," Tranghese admitted. "We were lucky to get what we got."

Tranghese has stated time after time that it was WVU's win over Georgia in the Sugar Bowl two years ago that got the league headed back in the right direction: "West Virginia winning the Sugar Bowl, and then Louisville winning the Orange Bowl last year. The fact that our television ratings have gone through the roof for these prime time games. All of this has enhanced our ability the next time around."

He says the conference doesn't start negotiating the next round of bowl deals until next year. However, Tranghese said conference officials have already done a lot of work and talked to a lot of people. "We had four bowls who we don't have agreements with now who came to our bowl outing last year," he said. "I think there is more interest about our league now. I think our bowl lineup next time around will be better than it is now."

The Big East has bowl contracts to play opponents from the ACC, Big 12 and Pac-10. Tranghese wants to add a couple of high profile conferences to that list.

"We don't play the Big-10, and we don't play the S-E-C. I would like to play both of those conferences," he said. "If we could somehow find a way to play teams from those respective leagues, that is something I would put great emphasis on."

Another thing Tranghese says may change is Friday night Big East football. Big East teams played a total of four Friday night home games and a total of five Friday night games.

"If I could not play Friday night, I wouldn't play Friday night," Tranghese said. "But again, I go back to four years ago. People were telling us our league was lousy. They were telling us we didn't deserve a BCS bid. And we had to negotiate a television contract. We were either going to play Friday night, or we wouldn't have a TV deal. But now things are changing. Our goal is that next time we negotiate a television contract and the next time we negotiate bowl agreements, we'll be in a significantly better position. Our coaches do not want to play on Friday night. If we had elected not to play those Friday night games, we would not have a television deal."

Krocker Krapp Wrote:The Oregon State reasoning was not well thought out by the Sun Bowl people. Oregon State is probably going to beat out Oregon for third place in the Pac-10. That is true. But they forgot to factor in that the Pac-10 is going to get two BCS bids. USC and Arizona State will make the BCS, Oregon State will go to the Holiday Bowl, Oregon will fall to the Sun Bowl, California will slide to the Emerald Bowl, and UCLA will end up in the Las Vegas Bowl. Ooops!

It sounds like there are still a couple ways Oregon State could end up at the Sun. Arizona beating ASU could drop the Pac 10 to one BCS slot (hard to believe). Oregon could beat Oregon State too. They can't have been winning because of only one player.

It is all a matter of timing in when they announce a pick. If they can't wait until Dec 1 they will have to pick USF to avoid a potential rematch.

Here is the line from Folmer that upsets me the most about the Sun Bowl selection -

Folmer told the Tampa Tribune that there was one more reason the committee picked USF.

"They may have lost to Cincinnati, but at the end of the day we thought USF would do a better job," he said.

What is that supposed to mean?????? A better job at what?

Congrats USF.

I don't really see where there was any decsion to make. UCONN simply was given two games it did not deserve and everyone in college football knows it. 7-5 is the legit record of UCONN with additional losses to Temple and UL.

USF was ranked as high as #2, UCONN should not be ranked at all. Please, USM is not the USM of old, but I have little doubt that they can win this game.