I think ECU goes to the Belk Bowl and plays Pitt.

If this came to fruition and if we played in Charlotte against Duke/ Pitt anyone from the ACC it doesnt matter we would flock to Charlotte. Its an easy trip still in NC that all our fans wouldnt have to fly too so it would fairly inexpensive. I hope for all parties involved that this happens.

Okay so according to Wikipedia (take with a grain of salt) the ACC CG runner-up can not fall further than the Sun Bowl (pick 4) which is above Belk Bowl (pick 5). Again deals can be made, esp with only a one pick difference, but yeah. Maybe the AAC will be fine giving us the Pinstripe (I've never been to NYC...)

ECU isn't headed to the Belk. Maybe if they were Conference runner ups but not while sitting 4th in CUSA.

ECU going to the Belk has been discussed a few months ago. Whether or not it happens will remain to be seen but it was first reported by the media so its not something that is completely unfounded. If we can play in Charlotte or Annapolis that would be a good drive for the fan base and we have alot of alum in the Maryland/VA/DC area so we can still have alot of fans there.

Either way, we're rooting for USF (against Rutgers) and UCF (against SMU) next weekend. The least amount of bowl eligible teams, higher the chances we get a bid.

(11-30-2013 10:10 PM)Old Dominion Navy Wrote:  

(11-30-2013 10:08 PM)DrBox Wrote:  Why would the AAC give up that bowl? What's in it for them? It's a good bowl.

Because the don't have enough teams to fill it.

Sure they do. The ACC just doesn't have enough teams fill Birmingham and St Pete. The AAC gets nothing for giving up that bowl. Let's say CUSA was short bowl teams, they might be willing to give incoming member W Kentucky a bowl, but it wouldn't be their top bowl. They are not giving WKU the Liberty or HOD. CUSA would give WKU the Hawaii Bowl--a bowl that tends to be one of the least preferred bowls among the member schools.

Not to mention, CUSA has 6 binding bowl agreements. So all 6 bowls have to be willing to pass on ECU before ECU is free to go to the Belk. I'm sure the Miltary as well as several other bowls might not be too crazy about being stuck with a lower CUSA pick that doesn't travel as well so ECU can go to a bowl that didn't sign a deal with CUSA.

This is pure fantasy. There is no way in the world ECU is headed to the Belk.

(12-01-2013 08:20 AM)PurpleReigns2012 Wrote:  Money is a non-issue that can quickly get worked out so nothing is lost/gained.

Yea? ECU can write a check for 1.275 million?
I seriously doubt that the bowl has some burning desire for ECU anyway.

(12-01-2013 09:24 AM)PurpleReigns2012 Wrote:  

(12-01-2013 09:16 AM)OwlFamily Wrote:  Is this heresay or are there whispers?

There were whispers a couple weeks ago that Belk wanted Duke vs ECU if ECU didn't go to Liberty. AAC fans at the time were pissed at the thought of ECU getting one of their slots.

Yesterday it came about that the AAC could potentially only fill 4 of their 6 slots. So with the earlier words from Belk officials, the fact AAC has open slots, and CUSA has one extra this could very well happen if all parties work something out that they can agree on.

AAC season is not over though, Rutgers and SMU can qualify for a bowl win wins next week.

(12-01-2013 09:53 PM)EdisonDoyle Wrote:  

(12-01-2013 08:20 AM)PurpleReigns2012 Wrote:  Money is a non-issue that can quickly get worked out so nothing is lost/gained.

Yea? ECU can write a check for 1.275 million?
I seriously doubt that the bowl has some burning desire for ECU anyway.

1. I won't address the money issue, I know nothing about the finances involved in a FBS program.

2. Look at how we've traveled to previous bowl games. All but Hawaii of course.

3. Look at how we've showed up in Charlotte in the past. 4 hours from campus, 2.5 from Raleigh/Durham area, 1-1.5 from Greensboro, etc. Good amount of fans in Charlotte too (I see a healthy number of them as I live in Charlotte).

(12-01-2013 11:07 PM)ECU_Drummer Wrote:  

(12-01-2013 09:53 PM)EdisonDoyle Wrote:  

(12-01-2013 08:20 AM)PurpleReigns2012 Wrote:  Money is a non-issue that can quickly get worked out so nothing is lost/gained.

Yea? ECU can write a check for 1.275 million?
I seriously doubt that the bowl has some burning desire for ECU anyway.

1. I won't address the money issue, I know nothing about the finances involved in a FBS program.

2. Look at how we've traveled to previous bowl games. All but Hawaii of course.

3. Look at how we've showed up in Charlotte in the past. 4 hours from campus, 2.5 from Raleigh/Durham area, 1-1.5 from Greensboro, etc. Good amount of fans in Charlotte too (I see a healthy number of them as I live in Charlotte).

Exactly. That's the main reason why they will never make it to the Belk. CUSA has signed contract agreements with 6 bowls. Each of them has the right to select a bowl eligible pick from CUSA. Why on earth would all of them pass on the ECU fan base if they can contractually get them? ECU would have to make a deal with most every CUSA bowl other than the Liberty (since the Champ goes there) as I suspect most CUSA bowls would love to invite ECU.

Attack thats not how it works. The C-USA bowls have a right to a bowl eligible CUSA team that doesnt let the bowls pick which team. If ECU gets a better bowl invite well then you still have 6 CUSA bowl eligible teams to fill those slots.

Whether or not SMU and Rutgers get bowl eligible will have no bearing on if ECU plays in the Belk Bowl. We currently have 4 eligible teams and the Belk bowl is one of our top 4 bowls.

The only way I see ECU playing in the Belk Bowl is if the AAC gets the HoD Bowl and $500k from CUSA (the difference in payout). This would allow Houston to play in Dallas against a Big Ten team and ECU to play in Charlotte against an ACC team.

However, CUSA might not be on board with this. It would mean giving their #2 bowl to a departing member who didn't even win their division. Even if Rice goes to the Liberty Bowl and Marshall wants the Military bowl for travel reasons, you still have UTSA and UNT available for the HoD bowl.

UTSA is still in transition. They wont be eligible for a bowl until next year.

(12-02-2013 11:04 AM)MechaKnight Wrote:  Whether or not SMU and Rutgers get bowl eligible will have no bearing on if ECU plays in the Belk Bowl. We currently have 4 eligible teams and the Belk bowl is one of our top 4 bowls.

The only way I see ECU playing in the Belk Bowl is if the AAC gets the HoD Bowl and $500k from CUSA (the difference in payout). This would allow Houston to play in Dallas against a Big Ten team and ECU to play in Charlotte against an ACC team.

However, CUSA might not be on board with this. It would mean giving their #2 bowl to a departing member who didn't even win their division. Even if Rice goes to the Liberty Bowl and Marshall wants the Military bowl for travel reasons, you still have UTSA and UNT available for the HoD bowl.

More good points. Like I said, there are just too many hurdles to overcome and too many teams (and bowls) that have to willing step aside and take a lesser bowl (or team) for this to ever happen. Schools and bowls do what is in their own best interests---I just don't see conferences, schools, and bowls suddenly becoming charitable enough to make this happen.

(12-02-2013 12:43 PM)Attackcoog Wrote:  

(12-02-2013 11:04 AM)MechaKnight Wrote:  Whether or not SMU and Rutgers get bowl eligible will have no bearing on if ECU plays in the Belk Bowl. We currently have 4 eligible teams and the Belk bowl is one of our top 4 bowls.

The only way I see ECU playing in the Belk Bowl is if the AAC gets the HoD Bowl and $500k from CUSA (the difference in payout). This would allow Houston to play in Dallas against a Big Ten team and ECU to play in Charlotte against an ACC team.

However, CUSA might not be on board with this. It would mean giving their #2 bowl to a departing member who didn't even win their division. Even if Rice goes to the Liberty Bowl and Marshall wants the Military bowl for travel reasons, you still have UTSA and UNT available for the HoD bowl.

More good points. Like I said, there are just too many hurdles to overcome and too many teams (and bowls) that have to willing step aside and take a lesser bowl (or team) for this to ever happen. Schools and bowls do what is in their own best interests---I just don't see conferences, schools, and bowls suddenly becoming charitable enough to make this happen.

Not to mention the time constraint. If this was for a game in a year, it would be more likely. But all of this would need to get sorted out in less than a week. Too many parties involved:

Belk Bowl
CUSA
AAC
Other bowl partners
ACC schools
ECU
etc.

(12-02-2013 12:43 PM)Attackcoog Wrote:  

(12-02-2013 11:04 AM)MechaKnight Wrote:  Whether or not SMU and Rutgers get bowl eligible will have no bearing on if ECU plays in the Belk Bowl. We currently have 4 eligible teams and the Belk bowl is one of our top 4 bowls.

The only way I see ECU playing in the Belk Bowl is if the AAC gets the HoD Bowl and $500k from CUSA (the difference in payout). This would allow Houston to play in Dallas against a Big Ten team and ECU to play in Charlotte against an ACC team.

However, CUSA might not be on board with this. It would mean giving their #2 bowl to a departing member who didn't even win their division. Even if Rice goes to the Liberty Bowl and Marshall wants the Military bowl for travel reasons, you still have UTSA and UNT available for the HoD bowl.

More good points. Like I said, there are just too many hurdles to overcome and too many teams (and bowls) that have to willing step aside and take a lesser bowl (or team) for this to ever happen. Schools and bowls do what is in their own best interests---I just don't see conferences, schools, and bowls suddenly becoming charitable enough to make this happen.

It was stated earlier this season that the Heart of Dallas Bowl would take the best CUSA West team available, whether that was the division champion or the second place team if the division champion went to the Liberty Bowl. Every indication out there suggests that the Heart of Dallas would be happy to have either Rice or North Texas. North Texas is probably rooting for a Rice win because a Rice loss likely means a trip to Hawaii or a scramble to find an at-large closer to home.

While we are on this subject, you can almost guarantee that the Hawaii Bowl will end up with a first year CUSA team. Likely either North Texas, for the reason stated above, or Middle Tennessee.

Middle Tennessee is an interesting case because their location makes for a potentially interesting matchup in Birmingham against either Mississippi school or possibly even Vanderbilt. Putting them here or them or North Texas in the Independence Bowl likely frees up the Beef for FAU.

I a not at all convinced that the Beef wants FAU. I would not be surprised to see that bowl insist on Middle Tennessee, but Middle Tennessee would likely get shipped off to Hawaii if Rice wins Saturday.

A Marshall loss on Saturday is where things get really interesting, because then the Military Bowl suddenly has both CUSA teams it wants available. The team that loses out on the Military Bowl would then either have to go to the Beef, or work out a deal for Birmingham or Shreveport, assuming that Middle Tennessee doesn't get picked instead and one of those two teams gets shipped to Hawaii.

Note that in virtually none of these realistic scenarios does ECU get to take over another conference's higher payout bowl against a higher picked ACC team. If I were them, I'd be rooting hard for Marshall on Saturday.

(12-02-2013 02:49 PM)PGPirate Wrote:  

(12-02-2013 12:43 PM)Attackcoog Wrote:  

(12-02-2013 11:04 AM)MechaKnight Wrote:  Whether or not SMU and Rutgers get bowl eligible will have no bearing on if ECU plays in the Belk Bowl. We currently have 4 eligible teams and the Belk bowl is one of our top 4 bowls.

The only way I see ECU playing in the Belk Bowl is if the AAC gets the HoD Bowl and $500k from CUSA (the difference in payout). This would allow Houston to play in Dallas against a Big Ten team and ECU to play in Charlotte against an ACC team.

However, CUSA might not be on board with this. It would mean giving their #2 bowl to a departing member who didn't even win their division. Even if Rice goes to the Liberty Bowl and Marshall wants the Military bowl for travel reasons, you still have UTSA and UNT available for the HoD bowl.

More good points. Like I said, there are just too many hurdles to overcome and too many teams (and bowls) that have to willing step aside and take a lesser bowl (or team) for this to ever happen. Schools and bowls do what is in their own best interests---I just don't see conferences, schools, and bowls suddenly becoming charitable enough to make this happen.

Not to mention the time constraint. If this was for a game in a year, it would be more likely. But all of this would need to get sorted out in less than a week. Too many parties involved:

Belk Bowl
CUSA
AAC
Other bowl partners
ACC schools
ECU
etc.

The Charlotte Convention and Visitors' Bureau, the hotel sponsors, the swag providers, the local businesses sponsoring events tied to the bowl, the local charities who get to make the video clips with the players from the two teams...there has to be at least half a dozen more I am forgetting.

ESPN has Rutgers to the Compass Bowl and they are not even bowl eligible yet.

GO BULLS!

http://espn.go.com/college-football/bowls/projections