Jerry Palm updated his predictions as follows:

12-22 Miami Bowl ECU v BYU

12-26 Bitcoin Bowl @ St. Pete BG v UCF

12-26 Quick Lane @ Detroit NCS v Temple

12-27 Military @ Annapolis BC v UC

1-2 Armed Forces @ Ft. Worth UH v Ohio

1-3 Birmingham Memphis v S. AL

The selections seem to make attendance sense. UCF 2 hours to St. Pete. UH to Ft. W. Memphis easy drive to Birmingham.

I think Detroit has a MAC tie-in if the ACC or Big Ten can't fill their slot.... so he sends a MAC team to St. Pete, huh? Why wouldn't the Military take ECU? He has Cal in the Independence Bowl when the backup has to come from the American or C-USA.

I am still very concerned that six wins will leave UC at home but seven wins should be enough. If Temple has more than seven wins, I would start to worry if UC finished behind them in the standings. Houston is going to play in Forth Worth, UCF is going to St Pete, ECU should be a lock for the Military, and Memphis will be in Birmingham unless the independence bowl opens up and the Tigers prefer that matchup. Even though UC and BYU are schedule to meet the next two seasons, TV people at ESPN would rather see UC versus BYU than Temple versus BYU.

Wow....a trip to Miami to play BYU would be awesome

(11-02-2014 10:53 AM)bearcatlawjd Wrote:  I think Detroit has a MAC tie-in if the ACC or Big Ten can't fill their slot.... so he sends a MAC team to St. Pete, huh? Why wouldn't the Military take ECU? He has Cal in the Independence Bowl when the backup has to come from the American or C-USA.

I am still very concerned that six wins will leave UC at home but seven wins should be enough. If Temple has more than seven wins, I would start to worry if UC finished behind them in the standings. Houston is going to play in Forth Worth, UCF is going to St Pete, ECU should be a lock for the Military, and Memphis will be in Birmingham unless the independence bowl opens up and the Tigers prefer that matchup. Even though UC and BYU are schedule to meet the next two seasons, TV people at ESPN would rather see UC versus BYU than Temple versus BYU.

If UC can't win two of the final four to reach seven wins I'm not sure they're deserving. But I bet some bowl somewhere would take the 'Cats at-large with six wins because UC now has a strong bowl travel reputation--maybe the best in the American.

Since bowls are all about selling tickets (TV money is already guaranteed regardless of opponents) what bowl committee in their right mind would take Temple over UC? Unlike the Big East where UC had to wait their turn in the early years for the better bids, Cincinnati should be the opponent of choice for most any of these bowls.

Finally, I'm no happier than the next person with G5 status but I can't see all the complaining about these particular bowls. UC has the ability to face P5 competition in mostly warm cities on national TV. Aside from the two BCS bowls, UC has faced three P5 teams in bowl games, winning close over unranked Vandy and unranked Duke and losing big to unranked UNC. So how is a game this season against a Boston College or BYU so inferior?

(11-02-2014 01:40 PM)indycat Wrote:  

(11-02-2014 10:53 AM)bearcatlawjd Wrote:  I think Detroit has a MAC tie-in if the ACC or Big Ten can't fill their slot.... so he sends a MAC team to St. Pete, huh? Why wouldn't the Military take ECU? He has Cal in the Independence Bowl when the backup has to come from the American or C-USA.

I am still very concerned that six wins will leave UC at home but seven wins should be enough. If Temple has more than seven wins, I would start to worry if UC finished behind them in the standings. Houston is going to play in Forth Worth, UCF is going to St Pete, ECU should be a lock for the Military, and Memphis will be in Birmingham unless the independence bowl opens up and the Tigers prefer that matchup. Even though UC and BYU are schedule to meet the next two seasons, TV people at ESPN would rather see UC versus BYU than Temple versus BYU.

If UC can't win two of the final four to reach seven wins I'm not sure they're deserving. But I bet some bowl somewhere would take the 'Cats at-large with six wins because UC now has a strong bowl travel reputation--maybe the best in the American.

Since bowls are all about selling tickets (TV money is already guaranteed regardless of opponents) what bowl committee in their right mind would take Temple over UC? Unlike the Big East where UC had to wait their turn in the early years for the better bids, Cincinnati should be the opponent of choice for most any of these bowls.

Finally, I'm no happier than the next person with G5 status but I can't see all the complaining about these particular bowls. UC has the ability to face P5 competition in mostly warm cities on national TV. Aside from the two BCS bowls, UC has faced three P5 teams in bowl games, winning close over unranked Vandy and unranked Duke and losing big to unranked UNC. So how is a game this season against a Boston College or BYU so inferior?

It had to happen sooner or later...

Dossbig is absolutely right.
Period.

(11-02-2014 01:40 PM)indycat Wrote:  So how is a game this season against a Boston College or BYU so inferior?

BYU is not a P5 team.

I don't get the big attraction of playing a G5 independent that has a loss to a middle of the pack AAC team as some kind of reward. But for many, it is Miami in December so the opponent doesn't matter. It will be interesting to see how they wedge a football field in that smaller baseball stadium.

Interesting seating arrangement - Miami Beach Bowl.

Section 315 would be fun.

Rag, didn't suggest that BYU was a P5 but rather that they're not an inferior opponent. They have considerably more of a national following and big-time tradition than Vandy and Duke don't you think?

When UC drew bowl games with Western Michigan and Southern Miss people complained about playing directional schools from inferior (code for non-BCS) conferences. Having lived through most of the 47 year UC bowl drought I'm always glad for the 'Cats to play one more. We've done far worse than these AAC bowls, drawing MAC opponents in snowy Detroit and Toronto in C-USA days.

So again, I'm not happy with the AAC, but until the B12 or ACC comes calling I'm going to enjoy the postseason. If that's BYU in Miami Beach or BC in Annapolis it will beat either of the next best alternatives: cheering for a different team (unacceptable) or sitting home lamenting the state of the conference situation (unenjoyable).

My friends who cheer for P5 neighbors Indiana and Kentucky would gladly take a bowl bid at this point...anywhere, anytime against any opponent. And IU and UK have always had more resources and larger fan bases than UC.

Sorry, I don't get the reverence for BYU. But you are certainly not the only one that has expressed their favor for BYU. In the last 15 years, they have played in 11 bowl games, but none bigger than the Liberty Bowl. They played in the Las Vegas bowl 5 times, and other low level bowls like the New Mexico Bowl, Armed Forces, Poinsettia, Fight Hunger and even the Motor City Bowl. It's been a long time since the days of the Holiday Bowl.

It was a good thing that they broke their 4 game losing streak against MTSU, or their bowl eligibility would have been in doubt. But considering BYU will be a regularly scheduled opponent throughout the AAC in the future, I don't get the thrill since UC will play them anyway in 2015. In other words, where is the incentive to play a team that if you go 0-12, you get to play them anyway a few months later. UCF surely doesn't want to play them again....and I know, the MBB won't schedule it anyway.

The best thing about a bowl invite of any kind is the extra days of practice awarded. I, too, went to Detroit (both times) and Toronto. But that was before we went to the Orange, Sugar, Liberty, and even the Belk. Now, other than the Access Bowl which went out the door with Memphis's 12 minute kneel down, the other's IMHO are just like the New Orleans Bowl, Ft. Worth Bowl, International Bowl, and everyone's favorite Motor City Bowl like in C-USA days.

(11-02-2014 03:38 PM)Ragpicker Wrote:  Sorry, I don't get the reverence for BYU. But you are certainly not the only one that has expressed their favor for BYU. In the last 15 years, they have played in 11 bowl games, but none bigger than the Liberty Bowl. They played in the Las Vegas bowl 5 times, and other low level bowls like the New Mexico Bowl, Armed Forces, Poinsettia, Fight Hunger and even the Motor City Bowl. It's been a long time since the days of the Holiday Bowl.

You illuminate your ignorance with comments like that. The 2008 poinsettia bowl featured 9th ranked Boise State and 11th ranked TCU. They were ranked higher than the two teams playing in the 2009 Orange bowl, i.e. Us and Va tech. Compare that to our two Belk bowls and our Liberty bowl against Vandy. I'm sorry, but we've also played in the Motor City Bowl. Can we stop pretending, that just because our conference had an automatic bid, that that actually meant we were on par with most of the teams in the BCS circuit? We lost. Both times. And a lot of those BYU teams were good on both sides of the ball. The defense on our 09 team was putrid.

(11-02-2014 04:01 PM)DMT Wrote:  

(11-02-2014 03:38 PM)Ragpicker Wrote:  Sorry, I don't get the reverence for BYU. But you are certainly not the only one that has expressed their favor for BYU. In the last 15 years, they have played in 11 bowl games, but none bigger than the Liberty Bowl. They played in the Las Vegas bowl 5 times, and other low level bowls like the New Mexico Bowl, Armed Forces, Poinsettia, Fight Hunger and even the Motor City Bowl. It's been a long time since the days of the Holiday Bowl.

You illuminate your ignorance with comments like that. The 2008 poinsettia bowl featured 9th ranked Boise State and 11th ranked TCU. They were ranked higher than the two teams playing in the 2009 Orange bowl, i.e. Us and Va tech. Compare that to our two Belk bowls and our Liberty bowl against Vandy. I'm sorry, but we've also played in the Motor City Bowl. Can we stop pretending, that just because our conference had an automatic bid, that that actually meant we were on par with most of the teams in the BCS circuit? We lost. Both times. And a lot of those BYU teams were good on both sides of the ball. The defense on our 09 team was putrid.

Illumination is all on you. A 7-5 BYU team plays a 9-3 San Diego State team in their home town in the 2012 Poinsettia Bowl and you want to reference a Top 15 game held in 2008. Maybe the Poinsettia had its days, but it sure didn't when BYU played in '12.

Outside of the games associated with the college football playoff, playoff and bowls games, everything else is pretty much second tier in the system. Yes the power five conferences have some attractive second tier game; however, most bowl games are not very appealing. UC's bowl situation is not that much different than it was in the Big East when outside of 2008 and 2009. Right now I am not too thrilled with only having five bowls games tied to the American because a team could be left out if things break the wrong way. Hopefully UC wins out and gets to pick their destination.

(11-02-2014 04:26 PM)Ragpicker Wrote:  Illumination is all on you. A 7-5 BYU team plays a 9-3 San Diego State team in their home town in the 2012 Poinsettia Bowl and you want to reference a Top 15 game held in 2008. Maybe the Poinsettia had its days, but it sure didn't when BYU played in '12.

It's still a better game than us vs a 6-6 Vandy or ******* Duke. XD I'd play a 9-3 Sandiego State over either of those two teams. What has Duke won in football? They haven't won ANY bowl game since 1961!
I'm sorry but there's no reason to act like we're above BYU right now. None, at all.
They have a bigger fan base, they've had more solid teams and they have WAY better defense than we've had since the Dantonio days. I'm sorry, but reality runs contrary to your snobbery. We aren't in a position to look down on Boise or BYU. Get over it.

(11-02-2014 04:32 PM)bearcatlawjd Wrote:  Outside of the games associated with the college football playoff, playoff and bowls games, everything else is pretty much second tier in the system. Yes the power five conferences have some attractive second tier game; however, most bowl games are not very appealing. UC's bowl situation is not that much different than it was in the Big East when outside of 2008 and 2009. Right now I am not too thrilled with only having five bowls games tied to the American because a team could be left out if things break the wrong way. Hopefully UC wins out and gets to pick their destination.

Yes, some of our Big East second tier games were not very appealing. Unfortunately, we kept them. I did feel second tier bowls like the Liberty and Belk were much better than what we have now.

And by the way, UC will not get "to pick" their destination. All contracted bowls (except Access) get to choose who they want. We should be attractive with our recent travel history. Sure hope we have a big crowd for ECU, so bowl reps can see we support our team. Our last chance to make an impression will be our only other home game in early December.

(11-02-2014 05:00 PM)DMT Wrote:  

(11-02-2014 04:26 PM)Ragpicker Wrote:  Illumination is all on you. A 7-5 BYU team plays a 9-3 San Diego State team in their home town in the 2012 Poinsettia Bowl and you want to reference a Top 15 game held in 2008. Maybe the Poinsettia had its days, but it sure didn't when BYU played in '12.

It's still a better game than us vs a 6-6 Vandy or ******* Duke. XD I'd play a 9-3 Sandiego State over either of those two teams. What has Duke won in football? They haven't won ANY bowl game since 1960!
I'm sorry but there's no reason to act like we're above BYU right now. None, at all.
They have a bigger fan base, they've had more solid teams and they have WAY better defense than we've had since the Dantonio days. I'm sorry, but reality runs contrary to your snobbery. We aren't in a position to look down on Boise or BYU. Get over it.

OK, you are a BYU fan, or a Boise fan, or a MWC fan. I get it. My point is not looking down on them. I don't see the incentive to play a team that we, and many others in AAC like UCF this year, will be playing anyway during the regular season. Congrats, CTT, you fought all year to become bowl eligible, overcame injuries, and your reward is to play a G5 team that you will be playing anyway on Oct. 17, 2015.

And for those that hope this game happens, better hope UC wins. If BYU gets their QB back and we play Bad News Bearcat defense, how will the B12 sell to their membership that Cincinnati is the right choice over BYU?

(11-02-2014 05:09 PM)Ragpicker Wrote:  OK, you are a BYU fan, or a Boise fan, or a MWC fan. I get it.

Pssshhhhh LOL I don't care about magic underwear or potatoes. Listen, we were in an orange bowl that wasn't that great and we lost. We were in a Sugar Bowl and massacred. Every year, teams like Boise, BYU and Notre Dame play name brand schools and WIN. They have fan bases that don't suck, victories against the upper echelon of FBS football and what do we have? It's not a matter of fanhood, it's a matter of FACT. If you had told me 10-15 years ago, that UC would be going to the bcs, I'd have laughed at you. I'm not saying we haven't made strides, but to say BYU is unworthy? Have you watched our performances over the years?

I'm not being a downer, it's just that we need to keep our heads tethered to this planet. All the smugness and attitude in the world, doesn't do anything. We're in a bad situation, yes; but if given a choice between BYU or a basketball school or the south's APR school, I'm taking the one that actually has a history as a football program. No one care about the bowl amount, with what petty little change we're getting in the current conference anyway. It's a much better opponent than much of what's left out there. I don't care that we don't play Vandy during the regular season, it's still Vandy and they're remembered as being awful. Just because a power 5 team shows up, doesn't inherently make them good. That's just a stupid way of looking at it.

And when it comes to showing off to the big 12, do you really think on-field performance has anything to do with membership? Have you seen Kansas football lately?

Edit: I meant going to the BCS, not FBS :(

(11-02-2014 04:32 PM)bearcatlawjd Wrote:  Right now I am not too thrilled with only having five bowls games tied to the American because a team could be left out if things break the wrong way.

Did some checking, and it looks like the AAC may have some secondary agreements to fill spots that have openings due to non-qualifiers. I believe that is the case with the Liberty Bowl.

Annapolis, Detroit and even Birmingham I would make the trip. Miami a few days before Xmas is a tough ask, I would price the flights but I doubt I would go.

As Rag stated below, I think this gem of a conference has several secondary tie ins so hopefully UC can end up in a better spot.

Only one of these new and nifty bowls I will possibly attend is the one in Annapolis on 12/27. The remainder are either too small time, too crappy a destination, too awful how it falls on the calendar, or too all of the above.