http://www.cbssports.com/college-footbal...in-cotton/

If Western Michigan isn't selected for the automatic berth in the Cotton Bowl, negotiations are ongoing that would make the Broncos available to potentially half of the 34 remaining bowls below the New Year's Six level.

An undefeated Western Michigan is viewed as such a good story with hot coach P.J. Fleck that it could possibly be placed in a bowl beyond the Mid-American Conference's seven bowl partners.

The possibilities include 12 bowls owned and operated by ESPN Events. Two of those bowls -- Bahamas and Famous Idaho Potato -- are already MAC partners. The Bahamas Bowl has already agreed to terms with Eastern Michigan and Old Dominion.

The ESPN-run bowl possibilities for Western Michigan include the Armed Forces, Birmingham, Boca Raton, Camellia, Celebration, Hawaii, Heart of Dallas, Las Vegas, New Mexico and St. Petersburg.

A source told CBS Sports that talks are ongoing regarding that wide array of bowls to arrange the best matchup and time slot for the Broncos if they end the season undefeated.

There is concern within the MAC that an undefeated Western Michigan (at 13-0 after Saturday) will be beaten out by a would-be 11-2 Navy for the Cotton Bowl berth, which automatically goes to the highest-ranked Group of Five conference champion.

Considering the Pac-12 is unlikely to fill it, the Las Vegas vs. a MWC team would make quite a bit of sense.

Would get some pretty good ratings for ABC on that Saturday before Christmas weekend too.

(11-30-2016 04:55 PM)Nittany_Bearcat Wrote:  Considering the Pac-12 is unlikely to fill it, the Las Vegas vs. a MWC team would make quite a bit of sense.

Would get some pretty good ratings for ABC on that Saturday before Christmas weekend too.

prob. unlikely as that would not be known until the Saturday before the game.

I could see them trying to set up WMU vs Houston somewhere.

(11-30-2016 05:00 PM)stever20 Wrote:  prob. unlikely as that would not be known until the Saturday before the game.

I could see them trying to set up WMU vs Houston somewhere.

The committee is doing NOBODY any favors if they don't decide on Sunday whether WMU or Navy (assuming both win) gets the NY6 Bowl spot.

The committee should make a decision then and there --- if Navy loses to Army, so it goes. People have plans to make and all these Bowl games need to get their match-ups set.

As for WMU vs Houston --- the Miami Beach Bowl is MAC vs AAC so that would be pretty easy to set up.

The ideal would be to find a matchup that is good for Navy OR WMU. That way the only 2 schools that will be undecided are Navy & WMU, pending the Navy-Army game.

Based on that metric, Houston is out.

Las Vegas vs the MWC champ would be decent.

I'd personally love to see them play a big name school that's having a down year - give them a chance for some great publicity. Since the Big 10 isn't going to fill all of its slots - how about the Pinstripe Bowl vs Miami? Or the Music City Bowl against LSU? I'd watch those.

(11-30-2016 06:57 PM)Captain Bearcat Wrote:  The ideal would be to find a matchup that is good for Navy OR WMU. That way the only 2 schools that will be undecided are Navy & WMU, pending the Navy-Army game.

Navy is committed to the Armed Forces Bowl (they've already sold a bunch of tickets) if they don't make the Cotton.

So, the only "Navy OR WMU" scenario would be for the Armed Forces Bowl slot to be "Navy or WMU" (with the Cotton also being "Navy or WMU").

The Armed Forces Bowl is supposed to have a Big XII team --- although the Big XII may not have enough teams to fill that slot. Houston would be the most ideal replacement (especially for attendance given the Bowl's kind of crummy date, a mere 2 days before Christmas), but as you said, that doesn't work because they're in the same conference as Navy. Perhaps Western Kentucky or a MWC team (or drawing some 4th team into the contingency plans).

Something possibly workable would be:

Navy or WMU to the Cotton Bowl.
The other of Navy or WMU to the Armed Forces Bowl.
Houston or Western Kentucky to the Armed Forces Bowl. (Houston vs WMU or Navy vs WKU)
The other of Houston or Western Kentucky to the Heart of Dallas Bowl. (to play a B1G team, likely Indiana, Maryland or Northwestern)

If ESPN is doing this, then the easiest thing for everyone is what I suggested in the other thread: Find a bowl that will take whomever of WMU and Navy isn't chosen for the access spot.

The Armed Forces Bowl is on that list of ESPN games. That bowl has a tie-in for this season with Navy. Just designate that as WMU's game if they are not chosen for the Cotton Bowl. The other team in that game is a Big 12 team.

You have to send them to Birmingham to match up against one of those great (eyes rolling) SEC teams.

(11-30-2016 07:23 PM)Wedge Wrote:  If ESPN is doing this, then the easiest thing for everyone is what I suggested in the other thread: Find a bowl that will take whomever of WMU and Navy isn't chosen for the access spot.

The Armed Forces Bowl is on that list of ESPN games. That bowl has a tie-in for this season with Navy. Just designate that as WMU's game if they are not chosen for the Cotton Bowl. The other team in that game is a Big 12 team.

It would have to be a bowl that doesn't have an AAC or MAC opponent so that either Navy or WMU can play in it. Ft Worth probably makes sense as there is a B12/B10 tie there. Just plug whoever isn't in the access bowl in there. Its not played until the 23rd so its not a super early bowl game---which helps the situation.

(11-30-2016 06:57 PM)Captain Bearcat Wrote:  The ideal would be to find a matchup that is good for Navy OR WMU. That way the only 2 schools that will be undecided are Navy & WMU, pending the Navy-Army game.

Based on that metric, Houston is out.

Las Vegas vs the MWC champ would be decent.

I'd personally love to see them play a big name school that's having a down year - give them a chance for some great publicity. Since the Big 10 isn't going to fill all of its slots - how about the Pinstripe Bowl vs Miami? Or the Music City Bowl against LSU? I'd watch those.

I'd like them to go to the pinstripe bowl. I get free tickets every year for that. It'd be nice to watch WMU in person.

(11-30-2016 08:15 PM)GhentFan Wrote:  

(11-30-2016 06:57 PM)Captain Bearcat Wrote:  The ideal would be to find a matchup that is good for Navy OR WMU. That way the only 2 schools that will be undecided are Navy & WMU, pending the Navy-Army game.

Based on that metric, Houston is out.

Las Vegas vs the MWC champ would be decent.

I'd personally love to see them play a big name school that's having a down year - give them a chance for some great publicity. Since the Big 10 isn't going to fill all of its slots - how about the Pinstripe Bowl vs Miami? Or the Music City Bowl against LSU? I'd watch those.

I'd like them to go to the pinstripe bowl. I get free tickets every year for that. It'd be nice to watch WMU in person.

Are they in the Big 10 or the ACC? That answer solves your (non-)problem.

(11-30-2016 07:56 PM)Attackcoog Wrote:  

(11-30-2016 07:23 PM)Wedge Wrote:  If ESPN is doing this, then the easiest thing for everyone is what I suggested in the other thread: Find a bowl that will take whomever of WMU and Navy isn't chosen for the access spot.

The Armed Forces Bowl is on that list of ESPN games. That bowl has a tie-in for this season with Navy. Just designate that as WMU's game if they are not chosen for the Cotton Bowl. The other team in that game is a Big 12 team.

It would have to be a bowl that doesn't have an AAC or MAC opponent so that either Navy or WMU can play in it. Ft Worth probably makes sense as there is a B12/B10 tie there. Just plug whoever isn't in the access bowl in there. Its not played until the 23rd so its not a super early bowl game---which helps the situation.

The Armed Forces Bowl then, because it has a tie in with Navy for this year. FYI It's not an AAC Bowl this year from what I've learned, it's technically a Navy Bowl agreement. The Las Vegas Bowl featuring an all Bronco match up between Boise and WMU would be a fun one.
Cheers!

(11-30-2016 07:21 PM)Nittany_Bearcat Wrote:  

(11-30-2016 06:57 PM)Captain Bearcat Wrote:  The ideal would be to find a matchup that is good for Navy OR WMU. That way the only 2 schools that will be undecided are Navy & WMU, pending the Navy-Army game.

Navy is committed to the Armed Forces Bowl (they've already sold a bunch of tickets) if they don't make the Cotton.

So, the only "Navy OR WMU" scenario would be for the Armed Forces Bowl slot to be "Navy or WMU" (with the Cotton also being "Navy or WMU").

The Armed Forces Bowl is supposed to have a Big XII team --- although the Big XII may not have enough teams to fill that slot. Houston would be the most ideal replacement (especially for attendance given the Bowl's kind of crummy date, a mere 2 days before Christmas), but as you said, that doesn't work because they're in the same conference as Navy. Perhaps Western Kentucky or a MWC team (or drawing some 4th team into the contingency plans).

Something possibly workable would be:

Navy or WMU to the Cotton Bowl.
The other of Navy or WMU to the Armed Forces Bowl.
Houston or Western Kentucky to the Armed Forces Bowl. (Houston vs WMU or Navy vs WKU)
The other of Houston or Western Kentucky to the Heart of Dallas Bowl. (to play a B1G team, likely Indiana, Maryland or Northwestern)

This is a good solution. Make the AFB the fallback for both (it already is, for Navy). Ideally you'd have the same opponent either way, so maybe bring in WKU to play whoever is there. B12 probably won't fill this slot, and do you really want a 5-7 North Texas, Miss. State, or Texas as opponent. Rather see a 10-3 WKU or similar team there.