I guarantee you the value of having Western in a major bowl would skyrocket. It'd energize their fanbase and match them up with one of the premiere names of the sport.

They need to arrange for this to happen.

I think that would be an ideal match-up for thee Cotton Bowl

It wouldn't be an ideal matchup, it'd be THE ideal matchup. No matchup involving Navy, Temple or San Diego State could compare. They may be partial to Temple-Penn State.

Western Michigan needs to drop the Michigan and is just go by Western. Be similar to Northwestern. Even though it is directional it works! It is in the Western part of Michigan but is also in the original western frontier of America.

(12-01-2016 04:59 AM)_C2_ Wrote:  It wouldn't be an ideal matchup, it'd be THE ideal matchup. No matchup involving Navy, Temple or San Diego State could compare. They may be partial to Temple-Penn State.

A rematch that nobody wants to see.

I don't see this happening. Both Penn st and Wisconsin would have to jump Michigan for Michigan to go to cotton bowl

(12-01-2016 08:08 AM)solohawks Wrote:  I don't see this happening. Both Penn st and Wisconsin would have to jump Michigan for Michigan to go to cotton bowl

Yes, and that isn't happening. If Michigan doesn't go to the CFP, they will be in either the Rose or Orange Bowls.

(12-01-2016 08:08 AM)solohawks Wrote:  I don't see this happening. Both Penn st and Wisconsin would have to jump Michigan for Michigan to go to cotton bowl

Not necessarily. Depends on how the Big Ten Bowls want to pick. Cotton gets the highest at large available to go against the G5.

(12-01-2016 08:11 AM)quo vadis Wrote:  

(12-01-2016 08:08 AM)solohawks Wrote:  I don't see this happening. Both Penn st and Wisconsin would have to jump Michigan for Michigan to go to cotton bowl

Yes, and that isn't happening. If Michigan doesn't go to the CFP, they will be in either the Rose or Orange Bowls.

The Rose Bowl will take the winner of Penn State/Wisconsin. (assuming they don't jump into the Top 4)

Yeah, I dont see how Michigan could end up there. They are either 3rd or 2nd higheat ranked Big Ten team at end of the year which means either playoff bowl, Rose Bowl (highest outside playoff most likely to be choosen although may avoid a rematch with Colorado), or Orange Bowl (takes highest SEC or Big Ten team left and this year that will be a Big.Ten team).

Unless Michigan has an inexplicable drop or sneaks into the playoffs they are going to the Orange bowl

(12-01-2016 04:20 AM)Realignment Wrote:  I think that would be an ideal match-up for thee Cotton Bowl

Doesn't Rose Bowl get first selection? I think they would want a USC vs Michigan match up, if it plays out that way.

(12-01-2016 08:14 AM)ohio1317 Wrote:  Yeah, I dont see how Michigan could end up there. They are either 3rd or 2nd higheat ranked Big Ten team at end of the year which means either playoff bowl, Rose Bowl (highest outside playoff most likely to be choosen although may avoid a rematch with Colorado), or Orange Bowl (takes highest SEC or Big Ten team left and this year that will be a Big.Ten team).

I was under the impression that the Rose Bowl goes to the B1G champion unless they are in the final four. Assuming Ohio State is in the CFP, that would allow Michigan to be available for the Cotton if ESPN wants this to happen. The Orange Bowl wouldn't be hurt by having Wisconsin or Penn State.

(12-01-2016 10:19 AM)ken d Wrote:  

(12-01-2016 08:14 AM)ohio1317 Wrote:  Yeah, I dont see how Michigan could end up there. They are either 3rd or 2nd higheat ranked Big Ten team at end of the year which means either playoff bowl, Rose Bowl (highest outside playoff most likely to be choosen although may avoid a rematch with Colorado), or Orange Bowl (takes highest SEC or Big Ten team left and this year that will be a Big.Ten team).

I was under the impression that the Rose Bowl goes to the B1G champion unless they are in the final four. Assuming Ohio State is in the CFP, that would allow Michigan to be available for the Cotton if ESPN wants this to happen. The Orange Bowl wouldn't be hurt by having Wisconsin or Penn State.

The Big Ten Champion does go to the Rose Bowl sorry. Michigan going to the Rose Bowl would happen if the Wisconsin/Penn State winner and Ohio State were both in the playoff bowls (what I was trying to get at, but didn't word right).

The Orange Bowl takes a team before the committee selects who goes to the Cotton Bowl though and my impression is they pretty much have to go for highest ranked SEC/Big Ten/Notre Dame unless it is a rematch or if they are in danger of not filling the minimum requirements for the two conferences (no danger of this year).

In short, by the time the committee gets to decide who goes to the Cotton Bowl, Michigan is already in a bowl. The only way really around that is if they ranked both Wisconsin and Penn State ahead of Michigan and I just don't see how that would happen.

Edit: ESPN really has no role this year outside of creating hype which affects rankings a little. The Orange Bowl selection will probably basically be automatic and the only open bowl for the committee to put teams in is the Cotton and there is no real choice for them there. It is just their highest ranked team left vs. the best Group of 5 Champion based on their rankings.

If Big Ten gets 2 teams in playoff, no chance of any big ten team in Cotton Bowl.
If Big Ten gets 1 team in playoff, Cotton Bowl slot would be between Penn St/Wisconsin loser, Washington(if they lose to Colorado), or USC.

(12-01-2016 10:19 AM)ken d Wrote:  

(12-01-2016 08:14 AM)ohio1317 Wrote:  Yeah, I dont see how Michigan could end up there. They are either 3rd or 2nd higheat ranked Big Ten team at end of the year which means either playoff bowl, Rose Bowl (highest outside playoff most likely to be choosen although may avoid a rematch with Colorado), or Orange Bowl (takes highest SEC or Big Ten team left and this year that will be a Big.Ten team).

I was under the impression that the Rose Bowl goes to the B1G champion unless they are in the final four. Assuming Ohio State is in the CFP, that would allow Michigan to be available for the Cotton if ESPN wants this to happen. The Orange Bowl wouldn't be hurt by having Wisconsin or Penn State.

Correct about the Rose Bowl getting the Big Ten champ unless they're a playoff team.

That being said, though, the Orange Bowl doesn't give two craps about helping out the Cotton Bowl or ESPN. They want the best national brand name available that also sells the most possible tickets... and that's *definitely* going to be Michigan over the Big Ten championship game loser (assuming the Big Ten champ ends up at the Rose Bowl instead of the playoff).

Western Michigan vs. Michigan might be really interesting for G5 fans and people on this board that like to focus on the P5/G5 divide. However, the average sports fan (who ESPN cares about the most) is likely MUCH more interested in a Michigan vs. Florida State matchup in the Orange Bowl based on prestige and brand name power.

One point- the Orange Bowl has absolutely NO choice in the team. They will get the highest rated remaining team from the SEC, Big Ten, and Notre Dame- after the contract bowls are selected.

(12-01-2016 11:01 AM)stever20 Wrote:  One point- the Orange Bowl has absolutely NO choice in the team. They will get the highest rated remaining team from the SEC, Big Ten, and Notre Dame- after the contract bowls are selected.

That's incorrect. The Orange Bowl actually very much has a choice because it *is* a contract bowl and get priority over the access bowls. At the same time, they can take the "best available" school remaining from the SEC, Big Ten and Notre Dame, but it doesn't necessarily mean that it *has* to be the highest ranked team left. "Best available" could certainly mean "the school that we think will sell the most tickets and draw the highest TV ratings". The same thing applies to, say, the Sugar Bowl's SEC tie-in (where they could take LSU instead of the SEC Championship Game loser or Auburn if they really wanted to do so). I'm not saying that this *would* happen (as the practical application has generally been to take the highest ranked team available), but the contracts still explicitly provide this type of flexibility.

Of course, I think the point is moot since, if no upsets occur, Michigan is going to be the highest ranked team out of the SEC/Big Ten/ND pool AND they're going to be the team that's going to sell the most tickets and draw the highest TV ratings. The Orange isn't passing up on Michigan if they're available. The only way the Orange doesn't end up with Michigan is if the Wolverines make it into the playoff (which could certainly happen with a single top 4 upset considering that Michigan has beaten Wisconsin, Penn State AND Colorado head-to-head).

(12-01-2016 11:23 AM)Frank the Tank Wrote:  

(12-01-2016 11:01 AM)stever20 Wrote:  One point- the Orange Bowl has absolutely NO choice in the team. They will get the highest rated remaining team from the SEC, Big Ten, and Notre Dame- after the contract bowls are selected.

That's incorrect. The Orange Bowl actually very much has a choice because it *is* a contract bowl and get priority over the access bowls. At the same time, they can take the "best available" school remaining from the SEC, Big Ten and Notre Dame, but it doesn't necessarily mean that it *has* to be the highest ranked team left. "Best available" could certainly mean "the school that we think will sell the most tickets and draw the highest TV ratings". The same thing applies to, say, the Sugar Bowl's SEC tie-in (where they could take LSU instead of the SEC Championship Game loser or Auburn if they really wanted to do so). I'm not saying that this *would* happen (as the practical application has generally been to take the highest ranked team available), but the contracts still explicitly provide this type of flexibility.

Of course, I think the point is moot since, if no upsets occur, Michigan is going to be the highest ranked team out of the SEC/Big Ten/ND pool AND they're going to be the team that's going to sell the most tickets and draw the highest TV ratings. The Orange isn't passing up on Michigan if they're available. The only way the Orange doesn't end up with Michigan is if the Wolverines make it into the playoff (which could certainly happen with a single top 4 upset considering that Michigan has beaten Wisconsin, Penn State AND Colorado head-to-head).

you missed the word that I used. after the CONTRACT bowls are selected. Rose and Sugar are selected first.

It's actually very possible, if not likely that Michigan will be in the Rose Bowl. If the Big Ten champ makes the playoff, Michigan would be Rose Bowl bound.

The Orange has ZERO choice in things though. It is selected for them by the committee.
This is from 2 years ago 1st year- but it still applies:
http://game.orangebowl.org/assets/1/7/Ro..._(web).pdf
During the eight years when the Orange Bowl does not host a semifinal it will feature the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) Champion, or if the champion is participating in the College Football Playoff the next highest ranked ACC school (selected by the CFP selection committee), against the highest ranked available school from either the Big Ten Conference, Southeastern Conference (SEC) or Notre Dame (as chosen by the CFP selection committee).

(12-01-2016 11:30 AM)stever20 Wrote:  

(12-01-2016 11:23 AM)Frank the Tank Wrote:  

(12-01-2016 11:01 AM)stever20 Wrote:  One point- the Orange Bowl has absolutely NO choice in the team. They will get the highest rated remaining team from the SEC, Big Ten, and Notre Dame- after the contract bowls are selected.

That's incorrect. The Orange Bowl actually very much has a choice because it *is* a contract bowl and get priority over the access bowls. At the same time, they can take the "best available" school remaining from the SEC, Big Ten and Notre Dame, but it doesn't necessarily mean that it *has* to be the highest ranked team left. "Best available" could certainly mean "the school that we think will sell the most tickets and draw the highest TV ratings". The same thing applies to, say, the Sugar Bowl's SEC tie-in (where they could take LSU instead of the SEC Championship Game loser or Auburn if they really wanted to do so). I'm not saying that this *would* happen (as the practical application has generally been to take the highest ranked team available), but the contracts still explicitly provide this type of flexibility.

Of course, I think the point is moot since, if no upsets occur, Michigan is going to be the highest ranked team out of the SEC/Big Ten/ND pool AND they're going to be the team that's going to sell the most tickets and draw the highest TV ratings. The Orange isn't passing up on Michigan if they're available. The only way the Orange doesn't end up with Michigan is if the Wolverines make it into the playoff (which could certainly happen with a single top 4 upset considering that Michigan has beaten Wisconsin, Penn State AND Colorado head-to-head).

you missed the word that I used. after the CONTRACT bowls are selected. Rose and Sugar are selected first.

It's actually very possible, if not likely that Michigan will be in the Rose Bowl. If the Big Ten champ makes the playoff, Michigan would be Rose Bowl bound.

The Orange has ZERO choice in things though. It is selected for them by the committee.
This is from 2 years ago 1st year- but it still applies:
http://game.orangebowl.org/assets/1/7/Ro..._(web).pdf
During the eight years when the Orange Bowl does not host a semifinal it will feature the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) Champion, or if the champion is participating in the College Football Playoff the next highest ranked ACC school (selected by the CFP selection committee), against the highest ranked available school from either the Big Ten Conference, Southeastern Conference (SEC) or Notre Dame (as chosen by the CFP selection committee).

Ok - fair enough. You're correct there and I was mistaken.

I do think that it's actually more likely for Michigan to end up in the playoff instead of the Rose Bowl, though. We basically have a perfect storm of a CFP conundrum if Colorado beats Washington because that means Michigan would be sitting at #5 with head-to-head wins over both the Big Ten champ (whether PSU or Wisconsin) AND the Pac-12 champ (Colorado) for the last playoff spot. In most years, I would have said that the conference championship would be valued more. However, this year's situation has actual and unambiguous head-to-head results between the schools in question... and my gut feeling is that the head-to-head results would take priority over the conference championships (which favors Michigan).