Bowl eligibility. We have 7 bowl tie-ins this year. AS I look at the schedule for remaining games, we are in REAL danger of not locking up all 7 bowls...and that would be a shame for C-USA. We are already not matching last year's OOC performance, and our stock has dropped as a result. Not achieving all 7 Bowl match ups would further erode our perception. (OF course, we need to win all of those bowl match-ups, too.)

Marshall and Western Kentucky, have locked up their post season appearance with 6 or more wins each.

LaTech currently sits at 5-3. Remaining games: @Rice; North Texas, @UTEP; Southern Miss. Lock for 6 or more wins. I can easily see at least 7-5, or more probably 8-4.

Southern Miss currently at 5-3. Remaining games with UTEP; @Rice; OldDominion; @LaTech. Probable lock for 6 or more wins. Must win one of two home games. Games on the road will be tough.

Rice is 4-3. Remaining games with LaTech; @UTEP; Southern Miss; @UTSA; Charlotte. Likely lock and finishing at 6-6 or 7-5. Games at UTEP and UTSA will be key. Charlotte a win. Southern Miss game a challenge.

So that's 5, with teams with a winning record at this point. I feel pretty confident with those teams being bowl eligible, if they take care of the business they have on their plate. Capturing 2 more will be tough with FIU and Middle Tennessee the only two possible.

FIU. Stands at 4-4. If they can handle their rivalry game @FAU, they will finish at 6-6. I'll call it possible. Charlotte at home will be a win, but WKU and Marshall will present stiff challenge.

Middle Tennessee. Currently 3-5. Possibility to win 3 more games is there, but not a lock. Marshall at home will be a test, but winnable. The key will be winning 3 games that they should win: @FAU; North Texas; and @ UTSA. I think they will win 3 of those last 4 and finish at 6-6.

ODU at 3-4. While they do have a favorable schedule with winnable games @UTSA, UTEP, FAU, they aren't playing all that well, and getting all three of these is going to be a challenge. Likely ending 5-7.

UTEP at 3-4. I can see two more wins for them as a possibility, but gamew @ Southern Miss, Rice, LaTech, are going to be big challenges. they have a big travel to ODU, ,which might take some of the fight out of them, and the final game at North Texas is going to be tougher than expected. I can honesty see no more than 5-7.

NO change for UTSA, FAU, Charlotte, and North Texas is already out with 7 losses.

So, 7 bowl teams IS possible, in my view, but some chips are going to have to fall the Conference's way.

Looking more likely that there will be less than 80 teams finishing 6-6 or better this season. And the current rules to make additional teams eligible won't have any impact. The bowl saturation point may finally be reached this year.

Good analysis, Regarding Tech, I will be disappointed with anything less than 9-3. Tech should be favored in its remaining games by Vegas and Sagarin.

Next week should be the toughest test on the road against Rice. No time for a mid-season let down. I think we win our remaining home games and against UTEP.

I see Marshall, WKU, LT, Rice, and So Miss as definitely as was stated. We need all of the others to reach 6-6 so we can steal some of these bids, but IMO MTSU and FIU fill our 7 spots.

This is how I currently see it:

WKU: St. Petersburg Bowl
Marshall: Miami Beach Bowl (Interchangeable with St. Pete)
Heart of Dallas: LA Tech
New Orleans: USM
New Mexico: Rice
Bahamas: MTSU/FIU
Arizona: Unfilled
Independence: I could see LA Tech going to this one, but I don't think this can "hop" one of our tie-ins even if they need a team.

(10-25-2015 12:15 PM)FriscoDawg Wrote:  Looking more likely that there will be less than 80 teams finishing 6-6 or better this season. And the current rules to make additional teams eligible won't have any impact. The bowl saturation point may finally be reached this year.

Could teams that finish 5-7 be picked in order of best APR if all other categories of eligibility are exhausted?

ODU at 3-4. While they do have a favorable schedule with winnable games @UTSA, UTEP, FAU, they aren't playing all that well, and getting all three of these is going to be a challenge. Likely ending 5-7.

Going 5-7 for ODU is a long shot and i personally think is not possible. We will have the first losing season since we started football.

Have I missed something? Can a 5-7 team go to a bowl now?

These predictions change after each weeks games but what I found humorous was ESPN's two commentators having FIU playing USF, one in the Miami Bch Bowl and the other in the St. Pete. Do the lines get any more clear cut than that?

(10-26-2015 09:53 AM)usmbacker Wrote:  Have I missed something? Can a 5-7 team go to a bowl now?

There are 80 bowl slots. If there aren't enough teams at 6-6 or better teams with losing records will need to be considered or some bowl games wouldn't take place.

6-7 teams would get priority over 5-7 teams.

(10-26-2015 10:32 AM)Funslinger Wrote:  

(10-26-2015 09:53 AM)usmbacker Wrote:  Have I missed something? Can a 5-7 team go to a bowl now?

There are 80 bowl slots. If there aren't enough teams at 6-6 or better teams with losing records will need to be considered or some bowl games wouldn't take place.

6-7 teams would get priority over 5-7 teams.

Yeah, but the ONLY way there can be a 6-7 team is a 6-6 team that wins its division and then loses the CCG (a la UCLA). I don't think that'll happen this year...

(10-25-2015 11:05 AM)Cnelson203 Wrote:  Bowl eligibility. We have 7 bowl tie-ins this year. AS I look at the schedule for remaining games, we are in REAL danger of not locking up all 7 bowls...and that would be a shame for C-USA. We are already not matching last year's OOC performance, and our stock has dropped as a result. Not achieving all 7 Bowl match ups would further erode our perception. (OF course, we need to win all of those bowl match-ups, too.)

Marshall and Western Kentucky, have locked up their post season appearance with 6 or more wins each.

LaTech currently sits at 5-3. Remaining games: @Rice; North Texas, @UTEP; Southern Miss. Lock for 6 or more wins. I can easily see at least 7-5, or more probably 8-4.

Southern Miss currently at 5-3. Remaining games with UTEP; @Rice; OldDominion; @LaTech. Probable lock for 6 or more wins. Must win one of two home games. Games on the road will be tough.

Rice is 4-3. Remaining games with LaTech; @UTEP; Southern Miss; @UTSA; Charlotte. Likely lock and finishing at 6-6 or 7-5. Games at UTEP and UTSA will be key. Charlotte a win. Southern Miss game a challenge.

So that's 5, with teams with a winning record at this point. I feel pretty confident with those teams being bowl eligible, if they take care of the business they have on their plate. Capturing 2 more will be tough with FIU and Middle Tennessee the only two possible.

FIU. Stands at 4-4. If they can handle their rivalry game @FAU, they will finish at 6-6. I'll call it possible. Charlotte at home will be a win, but WKU and Marshall will present stiff challenge.

Middle Tennessee. Currently 3-5. Possibility to win 3 more games is there, but not a lock. Marshall at home will be a test, but winnable. The key will be winning 3 games that they should win: @FAU; North Texas; and @ UTSA. I think they will win 3 of those last 4 and finish at 6-6.

ODU at 3-4. While they do have a favorable schedule with winnable games @UTSA, UTEP, FAU, they aren't playing all that well, and getting all three of these is going to be a challenge. Likely ending 5-7.

UTEP at 3-4. I can see two more wins for them as a possibility, but gamew @ Southern Miss, Rice, LaTech, are going to be big challenges. they have a big travel to ODU, ,which might take some of the fight out of them, and the final game at North Texas is going to be tougher than expected. I can honesty see no more than 5-7.

NO change for UTSA, FAU, Charlotte, and North Texas is already out with 7 losses.

So, 7 bowl teams IS possible, in my view, but some chips are going to have to fall the Conference's way.

UTEP's best shot, and it's not a great one, is to win both the ODU and UNT games plus upset Rice. ODU and UNT games are on the road and Rice is at UTEP so there is an outside chance for UTEP to get to 6 wins. An upset this week over resurgent USM would be a huge boost.

(10-26-2015 09:27 AM)TechAlum05 Wrote:  

(10-25-2015 12:15 PM)FriscoDawg Wrote:  Looking more likely that there will be less than 80 teams finishing 6-6 or better this season. And the current rules to make additional teams eligible won't have any impact. The bowl saturation point may finally be reached this year.

Could teams that finish 5-7 be picked in order of best APR if all other categories of eligibility are exhausted?

The official rules say "Top 5 APR". That's part of why the NCAA will have to fly by the seat of its pants on this one if it happens.

(10-26-2015 10:38 AM)THUNDERGround Wrote:  

(10-26-2015 10:32 AM)Funslinger Wrote:  

(10-26-2015 09:53 AM)usmbacker Wrote:  Have I missed something? Can a 5-7 team go to a bowl now?

There are 80 bowl slots. If there aren't enough teams at 6-6 or better teams with losing records will need to be considered or some bowl games wouldn't take place.

6-7 teams would get priority over 5-7 teams.

Yeah, but the ONLY way there can be a 6-7 team is a 6-6 team that wins its division and then loses the CCG (a la UCLA). I don't think that'll happen this year...

Any team that plays at Hawai'i can finish 6-7. Don't know how many scheduled 13 games this year.

(10-27-2015 09:00 AM)BeliefBlazer Wrote:  

(10-26-2015 10:38 AM)THUNDERGround Wrote:  

(10-26-2015 10:32 AM)Funslinger Wrote:  

(10-26-2015 09:53 AM)usmbacker Wrote:  Have I missed something? Can a 5-7 team go to a bowl now?

There are 80 bowl slots. If there aren't enough teams at 6-6 or better teams with losing records will need to be considered or some bowl games wouldn't take place.

6-7 teams would get priority over 5-7 teams.

Yeah, but the ONLY way there can be a 6-7 team is a 6-6 team that wins its division and then loses the CCG (a la UCLA). I don't think that'll happen this year...

Any team that plays at Hawai'i can finish 6-7. Don't know how many scheduled 13 games this year.

And I stand corrected. Forgot about Hawai'i....as most do.

Ha. Maybe not corrected. I don't know if anyone scheduled 13 games this year since there is one less off week.

(10-27-2015 09:38 AM)BeliefBlazer Wrote:  Ha. Maybe not corrected. I don't know if anyone scheduled 13 games this year since there is one less off week.

ULM in the Sun Belt is playing 13. Don't believe anyone else is

Only 2. Colorado (4-4) and ULM (1-6)

Buffs have UCLA, Stanford, USC, Wazzou, and Utah left. Gonna be tough for them to get 6-7 but possible.

(10-25-2015 12:15 PM)FriscoDawg Wrote:  Looking more likely that there will be less than 80 teams finishing 6-6 or better this season. And the current rules to make additional teams eligible won't have any impact. The bowl saturation point may finally be reached this year.

I hope so. I want there to be a bowl or two that can't find qualified teams.

(10-26-2015 11:40 AM)MinerInWisconsin Wrote:  

(10-25-2015 11:05 AM)Cnelson203 Wrote:  Bowl eligibility. We have 7 bowl tie-ins this year. AS I look at the schedule for remaining games, we are in REAL danger of not locking up all 7 bowls...and that would be a shame for C-USA. We are already not matching last year's OOC performance, and our stock has dropped as a result. Not achieving all 7 Bowl match ups would further erode our perception. (OF course, we need to win all of those bowl match-ups, too.)

Marshall and Western Kentucky, have locked up their post season appearance with 6 or more wins each.

LaTech currently sits at 5-3. Remaining games: @Rice; North Texas, @UTEP; Southern Miss. Lock for 6 or more wins. I can easily see at least 7-5, or more probably 8-4.

Southern Miss currently at 5-3. Remaining games with UTEP; @Rice; OldDominion; @LaTech. Probable lock for 6 or more wins. Must win one of two home games. Games on the road will be tough.

Rice is 4-3. Remaining games with LaTech; @UTEP; Southern Miss; @UTSA; Charlotte. Likely lock and finishing at 6-6 or 7-5. Games at UTEP and UTSA will be key. Charlotte a win. Southern Miss game a challenge.

So that's 5, with teams with a winning record at this point. I feel pretty confident with those teams being bowl eligible, if they take care of the business they have on their plate. Capturing 2 more will be tough with FIU and Middle Tennessee the only two possible.

FIU. Stands at 4-4. If they can handle their rivalry game @FAU, they will finish at 6-6. I'll call it possible. Charlotte at home will be a win, but WKU and Marshall will present stiff challenge.

Middle Tennessee. Currently 3-5. Possibility to win 3 more games is there, but not a lock. Marshall at home will be a test, but winnable. The key will be winning 3 games that they should win: @FAU; North Texas; and @ UTSA. I think they will win 3 of those last 4 and finish at 6-6.

ODU at 3-4. While they do have a favorable schedule with winnable games @UTSA, UTEP, FAU, they aren't playing all that well, and getting all three of these is going to be a challenge. Likely ending 5-7.

UTEP at 3-4. I can see two more wins for them as a possibility, but gamew @ Southern Miss, Rice, LaTech, are going to be big challenges. they have a big travel to ODU, ,which might take some of the fight out of them, and the final game at North Texas is going to be tougher than expected. I can honesty see no more than 5-7.

NO change for UTSA, FAU, Charlotte, and North Texas is already out with 7 losses.

So, 7 bowl teams IS possible, in my view, but some chips are going to have to fall the Conference's way.

UTEP's best shot, and it's not a great one, is to win both the ODU and UNT games plus upset Rice. ODU and UNT games are on the road and Rice is at UTEP so there is an outside chance for UTEP to get to 6 wins. An upset this week over resurgent USM would be a huge boost.

This. USM is having an up year and Rice is having a down year. Still hope for the Miners.