<a href='http://sports.tbo.com/sports/MGAGMM3OQ8D.html' target='_blank'>Troubling, but not suprising.</a> The MAC, MWC, CUSA, WAC, and Sun Belt are going to have to start acting as one like the BCS has or they will be sent to D-1AA before this is all over. Until they cooperate and work together to get a fair share, the BCS teams will continue to do what they want, regardless of fairness.
Could a solution be arrived at by refusing to play ANY BCS teams, home OR away? They would then be forced to eat each other for their required 1A wins. Meanwhile, all the teams from the conferences left out of the mix play only each other. Could even lead to the exclusion of all 1AA opponents, raising the SOS, and ensuring that we all have our necessary 1A numbers. Might be funny to see some of these BCS schools have to pick up games against 1AAs.
The NCAA has a chance to put it's foot down here, or to bow down to the money. Wanna bet which they do? :mad:
A typical conference team gets 3 OOC games a year. The Mid Majors need to play their 1 money game and then play a home game and an away game versus an other Mid Major. We should not schedule any 1-AA games. When the BCS teams have to play each other, they will knock each other out of the bowl games and the Mid Majors will be there to pick up the peices.
I dont think it will ever happen, but this is what would be the logical thing for us to do.
Oh, they have "no shame", do they?? (but we already knew that).
I agree that part of the solution is to avoid playing them when possible, and band together to get good 1 for 1 match-ups with other non BCS schools while continuing to work on cooperative bowl opportunities (like the GMAC and the new bowl in Ft. Worth next year) for non-BCS conferences.
I saw where CBS Sportsline already changed their bowl projections from yesterday (not sure if it has anything to do with this latest desperate measure from the BCS to make sure all "deserving" (i.e. .500) BCS teams find a bowl or not), and now have Washington playing NIU in the MCB. Marshall is pegged as playing UL in the GMAC, a good match-up.
I don't know how you could read the Tampa article and conclude anything other than that the Seattle Bowl is planning to do whatever it takes to ensure that U-Dub plays there.
Ergo, no dog fight (Huskies vs. Huskies) in Detroit.
Here is the attendance for games involving 6-5 teams from BCS confrences that had to travel out of their local area. I think any MAC team could have produced these numbers. It isnt about running a business for these guys, it is about controlling the perception that they travel better and have a better product. You replace any of those BCS teams in those bowls with Miami, UCF, BGSU, WMU, or NIU and would guarantee you the attendance would be within a few thousand either way.
Tangerine Bowl (NCSU vs Pitt) 25,562
Las Vegas Bowl (USC vs Utah) 30,894
Humanitarian Bowl (Clemson vs La Tech) 23,472
Silicon Valley Classic (Mich. State vs Fresno State) 30,456
The bowls largely are more concerned with locals showing up for the game than a school bringing 20K fans. It'd be nice, but there aren't a ton of schools out there that would bring that many to a remote destination, especially some of the places like El Paso, Boise, Nashville, Charlotte, Shreveport, Memphis in December.
If the MAC had a slim chance at a 3rd bowl previously, it is over now.
Definitely Wash. to Seattle. Why wouldn't they? In most years, they would be playing a bigger bowl elsewhere and this is a chance for some home bowl cookin'. Of all the 7-5, 6-6, and mids, who would be a better draw?
Ans.: no one.
:rolleyes:
I'd rather see the likes of a Washington in the MCB than USF anyday. Next year with another bowl agreement, the MAC should be good for at least 3 bowls.
KC
Except, where is the MCB in the pecking order of bowls?? Who wants to play in it and has anything to gain from playing the champ of a non-BCS conf?The MCB is WAY down on the list of bowls BCS teams want to go to--it may even be last or next to last. :(
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