The Big East has a new agreement with the Motor City Bowl. If the Big Ten does not have enough bowl-eligible teams to fill the Motor City Bowl slot, the slot will now go to a bowl-eligible Big East team. The obvious concern now is; Will the Indy Bowl, something that is desperately needed, and crucial for future growth and perhaps even the survival of the MAC, and often mentioned as a MAC, Big East, probable tie-in, further weaken, the already shaky third Bowl probability, and opportunity by this agreement?
My guess would be that the Big East would get a tie-in to the Indy bowl still. In the years that the Big Ten can't fill the MCB slot, the Big East would send a team there and the Indy Bowl would have an opening for another bowl eligible team.
Of course this is assuming the Indy bowl does happen.
I think it hurts. The fact of the matter is, there needs to be bowl contraction. There are just too many bowls, and virtually everybody knows it.
If CF can get rid of the SVFC and the Seattle Bowl (isn't that on it's 2nd version?) and perhaps the NO or Houston bowls, things would be in good shape.
The Indy Bowl then might be forced to take an xBCS team, but that might not be so bad.
The bowls also need to cooperate to make good pairings.
Tomznj Wrote:The Big East has a new agreement with the Motor City Bowl. If the Big Ten does not have enough bowl-eligible teams to fill the Motor City Bowl slot, the slot will now go to a bowl-eligible Big East team. The obvious concern now is; Will the Indy Bowl, something that is desperately needed, and crucial for future growth and perhaps even the survival of the MAC, and often mentioned as a MAC, Big East, probable tie-in, further weaken, the already shaky third Bowl probability, and opportunity by this agreement?
Short term, obviously, this is good news.
And, longer term -- the Motor City continues to push to move up in the Big Ten's pecking order.
If the Motor City moves up just one slot, then the Big East agreement would be moot.
Financially, elevating the Motor City a bit makes a ton of financial sense. I forget, off hand, which bowl is sixth in the order right now, but I would think travel costs eat up the entire payout. That wouldn't be the case with the Motor City.
I read the agreement and I think this is a good deal for the MAC.
Previously, when the Big 10 couldn't fill its slot the MCB was left to pick up straggler from a non-BCS conference. In 2002, that straggler was Boston College, but it could just as easily been a Troy St or Rice type program which would of been a disaster.
The Big East only has four bowls right now; Orange, Gator, Insight, and Continential Tire. The Gator is talking about dumping the Big East for the ACC, and the Insight is talking about dumping the Big East for the MWC in the future. The agreement with the Motor City Bowl says if the Big 10 isn't elgible and the Big East has a 7-4 team they can have the MCB slot.
Not bad deal for the MAC to have a 7-4 Big East team in there. Then if the Big East loses the Gator and Insight, the MCB could move up the pecking order for the Big East. Clearly the Big East has interest in this bowl if they are willing to send a 7-4 team there. Maybe the MAC could just strike an agreement with the Big East for the Motor City Bowl if they'll provide the #3 Big East team.
Then the MAC could push the Indy Bowl off on the Big 10.
DrTorch Wrote:I think it hurts. The fact of the matter is, there needs to be bowl contraction. There are just too many bowls, and virtually everybody knows it.
Yes.
I'd like to see a 7 win requirment for bowls.
My take is that is a one year gig to protect the MCB.
In '05 hopefully it will be BT #6 (instead of #7) and the BE/MCB agreement would be de facto or de jure moot.
BE would be the partner in the '05 Hoosier Bowl.
MAC and BE just beginning to partner.
We need to read the tea leaves when the bowls start realigning after this year's bowls are completed.
Schadenfreude: I don't think the Big11 teams are worried about the travel costs eating up their revenue from their #6 Bowl - since it's all the way in Nashville. That game is also against an SEC team and unless something really unexpected happens - I don't think they'll be dumping any SEC opponent for any MAC opponent.
Music City SEC # 6 or # 7 vs. Big Ten # 6
Kit-Cat: the Gator Bowl isn't going to dump the BigEast for the ACC - since the ACC is already playing on one side of that card. Perhaps you mean some other conference.
The BigEast's Bowls:
a BCS bowl vs. ???
Gator vs. ACC
Insight vs. Pac-10
Continental Tire vs. ACC
the gator may well dump the be but not for the acc... the gator bowl now is ACC vs BE
The only problem is after Pitt, Syracuse, WVa, the Big East is Clown City.
A MCB game vs Cincy or Louisville again? Yawn.
Then what's left? USF, Rutgers, UConn What joy is there in playing these schools in a bowl?
I think UCONN could very well be even with those top 3 Big East schools within a year or two. They are dedicated to making football a winner like their men's and women's basketball programs are and they have made some great strides in the last year or so.
rocketfootball Wrote:I think UCONN could very well be even with those top 3 Big East schools within a year or two. They are dedicated to making football a winner like their men's and women's basketball programs are and they have made some great strides in the last year or so.
remains to be seen, i have not seen that they are more competitive than average mac teams right now. so we will see.
You may be right about UConn. But the idea of playing them in a bowl doesn't stir any passion.
MacLord Wrote:You may be right about UConn. But the idea of playing them in a bowl doesn't stir any passion.
Not yet, but in a year or two that could be different.
I mean how many schools thought that playing Miami University in a bowl game was appealing before 2003. Now the Redhawks have a lot of recognition.
Recognition, yes, but TCU sure didn't want to play them in a bowl. :)
As a fan of the MAC, I will watch any game a MAC team is in, but the real wish I have is to see MAC teams play renowned teams from the major conferences and beat them. UConn has not been to a bowl in their brief history.
I will add to this that am actually annoyed that UConn has accomplished so quickly what it has taken MAC teams a long time to do. And how by some foolish circumstance, they are now closer to the BCS than their betters in the MAC.
yeah conn got the breaks .... just like USF... both with less than 3 years in 1a and on the bcs gravy train.
UCONN got the breaks because their basketball teams are great and play in the Big East. This got their football team into the BE. They also have money, between the b-ball programs and being in the Big East.
MAC schools are at a disadvantage because we don't have that money coming in.
goodknightfl Wrote:the gator may well dump the be but not for the acc... the gator bowl now is ACC vs BE
Yeah the Gator is talking about dumping the Big East for the SEC.