http://espn.go.com/blog/bigten/post/_/id...t-of-bowls

Don't make those bowl reservations just yet, Illinois. Rutgers' cool celebration after its comeback against Maryland might not lead to a bowl reward. Maryland's second-half collapse, meanwhile, could keep the Terrapins at home for the holidays.

You're probably wondering, what is this joker talking about?

The Big Ten could have a bowl-eligible team not end up in a bowl game this season. The league outlined the scenario -- and other postseason probables -- in a memo sent to its athletic directors Wednesday and obtained by ESPN.com.

Here's the deal: If Michigan State ends up in the Orange Bowl, a strong possibility, and only one other Big Ten team makes the New Year's six bowls, the Big Ten will be left with eight eligible teams for seven contracted spots. Remember, when the Big Ten sends a team to the Orange Bowl -- the bowl pairs an ACC team with the highest-ranked non-playoff participant from the SEC or Big Ten, or Notre Dame -- it does not fill its spot in the Citrus Bowl.

There are already 80 bowl-eligible teams for 76 available spots, all of which are contracted to certain leagues. So there will be no at-large selections this season.

(12-05-2014 12:33 PM)dbackjon Wrote:  http://espn.go.com/blog/bigten/post/_/id...t-of-bowls

Don't make those bowl reservations just yet, Illinois. Rutgers' cool celebration after its comeback against Maryland might not lead to a bowl reward. Maryland's second-half collapse, meanwhile, could keep the Terrapins at home for the holidays.

You're probably wondering, what is this joker talking about?

The Big Ten could have a bowl-eligible team not end up in a bowl game this season. The league outlined the scenario -- and other postseason probables -- in a memo sent to its athletic directors Wednesday and obtained by ESPN.com.

Here's the deal: If Michigan State ends up in the Orange Bowl, a strong possibility, and only one other Big Ten team makes the New Year's six bowls, the Big Ten will be left with eight eligible teams for seven contracted spots. Remember, when the Big Ten sends a team to the Orange Bowl -- the bowl pairs an ACC team with the highest-ranked non-playoff participant from the SEC or Big Ten, or Notre Dame -- it does not fill its spot in the Citrus Bowl.

There are already 80 bowl-eligible teams for 76 available spots, all of which are contracted to certain leagues. So there will be no at-large selections this season.

I don't think circumstances are as cut and dry as the last line suggests, as some of the secondary partners contracted with bowls may not have teams.

The Big 12 was the secondary partner for the Armed Forces Bowl if Army didn't make it. They have a good chance of not having an eligible team for this (although I see conflicting accounts on whether CUSA also has a conditional deal with this bowl).

There are scenarios where the B12 could be two teams short and not fill the Cactus Bowl. The secondary partner for this is the MWC who might not have a team either.

Look for the Armed Forces bowl if the B10 has a team.

Too many unfilled bowl slots for the Big Ten to sit a team out.

I still think they send 3 to NY Six Bowls. I hope so anyway. The AF Bowl is pretty much TxSt's only chance at the post season. While I'm pretty sure we can compete with Illinois in terms of buying tickets for this bowl, ESPN will always choose the Big 10 school over us.

(12-05-2014 06:19 PM)TStatebobcat Wrote:  I still think they send 3 to NY Six Bowls. I hope so anyway. The AF Bowl is pretty much TxSt's only chance at the post season. While I'm pretty sure we can compete with Illinois in terms of buying tickets for this bowl, ESPN will always choose the Big 10 school over us.

You would need three SEC teams and three B10 in the playoffs. If that happens, odds are an SEC team would be in the Orange instead of a B10 team. Then that would leave an ACC team needing a bowl spot. I hate to say the chance is slim and none. Slim is about to get on the bus. Still shocked SB would send a 6-6 team over a 7-5 team.

(12-05-2014 01:20 PM)krup Wrote:  

(12-05-2014 12:33 PM)dbackjon Wrote:  ... There are already 80 bowl-eligible teams for 76 available spots, all of which are contracted to certain leagues. So there will be no at-large selections this season.

I don't think circumstances are as cut and dry as the last line suggests, as some of the secondary partners contracted with bowls may not have teams.

I think its clear that the last line is take an unjustified leap in logic ... there are 80 bowl eligible teams, there are 76 available spots, all of the available spots are contracted to certain conferences ... but that does not mean that all of the available spots can be filled by the contracted conference.

And if the list of schools without spots include a MAC school, a Sunbelt school, some CUSA schools and a Big Ten school, the odds are that only one bowl spot not nailed down is required in order for a Big Ten school to land a spot.

What the memo was doing was alerting the Big Ten schools in danger of not getting a Big Ten bowl to that possibility, so they can do their work in sorting out which bowls might have an opening, make contact with those bowls letting them know that they might be available, and then keeping up that contact as the weekend progresses and the bowl picture firms up.

However, the math turns against the "at large" Big Ten bowl eligible school if either the Pokes (Go Pokes!) or the Owls win this weekend. If both win, it seems like they would almost certainly be frozen out, no matter which Go5 champion goes to the Access Bowl.

I'm fine with it. Not a fan of teams getting to a bowl game with a 6-6 record. It is ridiculous.

(12-05-2014 10:19 PM)He1nousOne Wrote:  I'm fine with it. Not a fan of teams getting to a bowl game with a 6-6 record. It is ridiculous.

While its short odds that all Bowl Eligible Big Ten schools will play, its not any big deal if one of the "I beat an FCS school and have a losing FBS record" schools stay home ... a winning record in FBS should be required for primary bowl eligibility, and only then schools with a 6-6 FBS record including the FCS exception.

If its all 6-6 schools that stay home, none of them have any right to complain about being home. All of the deserving Big Ten schools and a selection of the not so deserving ones are guaranteed a spot, because of the creation of so many "there is an open spot in the Bowl Calendar, and an audience that will watch Whodat U play U Luckytobeanywhere." bowl games.

Going out on a short limb here - ALL bowl-eligible Big Ten teams will go to a bowl game, even if it's to fill in for another conference which doesn't have enough eligible teams.

(12-06-2014 08:44 AM)Hokie Mark Wrote:  Going out on a short limb here - ALL bowl-eligible Big Ten teams will go to a bowl game, even if it's to fill in for another conference which doesn't have enough eligible teams.

After last night if Wisconsin wins and doesn't destroy Ohio State the B1G will have 3 NYD Six Bowl...the ACC will have 2 Regardless-(Georgia Tech Orange Bowl), FSU either CFP Semifinal or Peach Bowl...Arizona going to drop like a rock...SEC will have 2 in Mississippi State and Bama and the Pac 12 only one with Oregon.

IF any B1G is left out, we should be talking about 6-6 Penn State or Illinois, not 7-5 Rutgers or Maryland.

(12-07-2014 07:55 AM)madizoned-level2004 Wrote:  IF any B1G is left out, we should be talking about 6-6 Penn State or Illinois, not 7-5 Rutgers or Maryland.

That comes down to who those last three Bowls pick.

No longer an issue. With Mississippi State in the Orange Bowl, the Big 10 keeps their Citrus Bowl spot.