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Just listing their picks for the non-BCS bowls and the possible ones that get left open:

San Francisco (1 non-BCS): BC (BigEast 5) Wake Forest (MWC 3/4)
Liberty (2): TCU (C-USA champ) ColSt (MWC champ)
H-Bowl (1): Boise State (WAC 1/2/3) Oklahoma State (Big12 No. 8)
SVCB (1): OregSt (Pac-10 6) Mississippi (WAC 1/2/3)
Seattle (1): Clemson (ACC 6) Miami(OH) (MWC 3/4)
Houston (1): Texas Tech (Big 12 No 5) Southern Miss (C-USA)
MotorCity (1): BGSU (MAC 1/2) USF (Big Ten No. 7)
Las Vegas (1): Air Force (MWC No. 2) UCLA (Pac-10 No. 5)
Hawaii (2): Hawaii (WAC 1/2/3) UAB (C-USA 4/5)
GMAC (2): Marshall (MAC 1/2) Louisville (C-USA 2)
NewOrleans (2): NMSU (SBC champ) Tulane (C-USA 4/5)

15 non-BCS bowl slots by contract (3 left unfilled - MWC #3 #4 and WAC #3)
1 BCS slot left unfilled (MotorCity by Big11)
===================================================
14 by selection (assumes 2 MWC vacancies filled by ACC and MAC, and WAC vacancy filled by SEC, MCB vacancy filled by independent)

Observations:
Since NIU is left out and will at least win 7 games (since EMU is still on the schedule and both Toledo and BGSU have to play at NIU) they must expect all replacements to be at least 7-5. No smack at Toledo but they have to play NIU away and still have to play BGSU so they may not get to 7-5.

Mississippi (SEC extra) is 5-4, so they have to 2 of the last 3 to be eligible to fill an at-large spot over NIU. They have Georgia and LSU on the road before they get to play MissSt at home. Anyone think they can beat LSU or Georgia? I don't. They'll get to 6 wins easy, but improving that to 7-5 with that remianing schedule looks very unlikely.

WakeForest (ACC extra) woould need to win both of theri remaining games - one against Navy (should be an easy win) and the other against 7-2 Maryland at Maryland. Agsin, I think they expect too much from mediocre BCS teams down the stretch.

The MWC will get a 3rd bowl team eligible - even if it means paying oiff some refs to make sure BYU, NewMex or UNLV wins enough games for at least one more bowl-eligible team (they need only 6 wisn - unless they play 13 games because they are already tied to the bowl). BYU has the best chance since they play only one team that isn't already bowl ineligible down the stretch.

It also assumes that the Big12 has 9 eligibles teams (2 BCS invites) by counting on OklaSt to be eligible. They could be 6-6, but this still counts on the Big12 getting the extra BCS bid (Oklahoma and Texas) and not the Big11 (Iowa and OhioSt). I'm more in line with the thought that the Big11 gets 2 bids and the MusicCity also goes unfilled by the BCS.



<!--EDIT|nert|Nov 8 2002, 05:54 PM-->
nert Wrote:Observations:
Since NIU is left out and will at least win 7 games (since EMU is still on the schedule and both Toledo and BGSU have to play at NIU) they must expect all replacements to be at least 7-5.
So what you're saying is that they'll win at least one of those games at home....right?

I know you don't mean to imply that NIU will beat EMU on the road....do ya?
Just curious as to why they have Wake Forest and Miami, OH listed as (MWC 3/4) instead of ACC and MAC, respectively.
Disregard. I got it. Duh.
A minor point, but I would wonder why the GMAC would want U of L at this point.........they are now what, 5-4, and I've seen them play 3 times now and two times they absolutely stunk and the other was that upset in the pouring rain against FSU. I sense that if TCU wins C-USA the GMAC will take So. Miss with its second pick........that'll guarantee a sell out crowd, whereas U of L travels well but if they go 7-5 I'm not sure how many fans will make the trip to Mobile.

Also, as a Miami alum I find it interesting that at least two projections now place us in Seattle.......geez, I'd love us to be in a bowl (ANY BOWL!), but Seattle is about the worst place I can imagine us playing in terms of taking any fans. (sure would love to be in the Music City Bowl, though, as we'd take some fans down there!) 04-cheers



<!--EDIT|exCincy Kid|Nov 9 2002, 04:01 AM-->
exCincy Kid Wrote:Also, as a Miami alum I find it interesting that at least two projections now place us in Seattle.......geez, I'd love us to be in a bowl (ANY BOWL!), but Seattle is about the worst place I can imagine us playing in terms of taking any fans
Texas A&M just called and they want to trade the H-Bowl for the Seattle game. How would Miami(Ohio) fans travel to Boise to watch a game outside in December?

See, I can think of a worse place.

PS - if you want to Music City spot - root for Ohio State and Iowa to win out and Miami (to lose to Tenn and Virginia Tech) or Oklahoma to stumble once or twice (Nebraska and the Big12 championship game). While you're at it - root for USC to beat Notre Dame too.

And of course, just hope Purdue loses one too many games (one more besides the Ohio State one this weekend - which I'm already penciling in as a loss).





<!--EDIT|EMUHuron|Nov 9 2002, 04:14 AM-->
EMU Huron.....for the sake of the MAC I'd love to root against all BCS teams and thus free up more bowl slots, but I'm torn about Purdue and the MCB. As MAC fans we really need the bowl for our champion to be successful, and having someone like USF in that bowl (instead of a B10 team) would be a recipe for failure (i.e. crowd of less than 30K maybe).

P.S. I would think Miami would take about the same number of fans to Boise as we would out to Seattle......just my gut reaction. Personally outside of the MCB (or the Music City Bowl) I'd kind of like to see Miami in the GMAC........I'd like to go down there 'cause it's before the holidays and wouldn't "mess up" my family plans around Xmas! :)
ECK...
Are you coming to Huntington?
EMUHuron Wrote:So what you're saying is that they'll win at least one of those games at home....right?

I know you don't mean to imply that NIU will beat EMU on the road....do ya?
I thought we played EMU last weekend....

Wait, that was an open week...nevermind. Simple mistake, anyone would make it. 04-cheers
HerdFan4Life: I will be in Greenville, SC on business next week during the game, but I have "cleared the decks" in terms of avoiding business meeting commitments that evening so I can watch the game from my temporary "Miami HQ's" at my Marriott Hotel.

I expect it to be a great game, and hope Leftwich can play. 04-bow
It would be a damn shame if BL doesn't play--if Mi. wins it will be a bit hollow, though I'm sure they'll take it. If Ma. wins w/o BL, great for them, but it doesn't say much for Mi. or the MAC that the herd can take the next best team in the div. with a backup QB on a team whose main strength is its QB--esp after Akron showed what it could do to them w/o BL.
He's gotta play--and I believe he will, or at least he'll try to.
We need to have both teams gunning at full strenglth--no excuses.

04-cheers
DogTracks Wrote:I thought we played EMU last weekend....
That would expain why we looked so tired and weak losing to Central...now I feel better.
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