Okay, I know I am the same guy who started the disucssion about the MAC potentially only having one bowl team a few weeks back, but if things break just right, the MAC could end up with a fourth bowl. For details see our week 11 update at MAC Report Online which also includes:
--Recaps with notes and quotes from each game last week
--Team offensive and defensive leaders
--Offensive and defensive players of the week
at:
http://www.macreportonline.com
Can someone help clarify all the bowl possibilities provided there will be 3 bowl bids for the MAC.
If Miami wins out, that makes them 7-5 (they beat Ball State) so I assume that gives them the tiebreaker?
If BG wins out, that makes them 8-4. What happens if they lose 1 of their last 2 and finish in a 7-5 tie with BSU (this all depends on Ball State beating NIU).
With all the above possibilities, is there still a good chance Ball State wins out and sits at home?
Frozenbaugh Wrote:Can someone help clarify all the bowl possibilities provided there will be 3 bowl bids for the MAC.
If Miami wins out, that makes them 7-5 (they beat Ball State) so I assume that gives them the tiebreaker?
If BG wins out, that makes them 8-4. What happens if they lose 1 of their last 2 and finish in a 7-5 tie with BSU (this all depends on Ball State beating NIU).
With all the above possibilities, is there still a good chance Ball State wins out and sits at home?
If Miami wins out, they're in the MAC championship game and get one of the three bowl slots. But even if that weren't the case, records mean absolutely nothing if more than one team not in the title game has seven wins. It's up to the bowls to pick who they want. Records, opponents, none of that really matters.
Some background: Only the MAC champion is guaranteed a bowl game, regardless of record. Traditionally, division champions have gotten one, but the NCAA has never been asked to make an exception for a division champion with a .500 or worse overall record. I believe HuronDave has asked the MAC office about this scenario, and they said they did not expect any help from the NCAA on that.
So here's the reality:
Central Michigan (6-4) has clinched the west and can clinch a bowl bid with one more win. They have two regular seasons games to get a seventh win, and obviously if they win in Detroit, they'll go bowling, probably in Detroit against a Big Ten team.
Miami (6-5) can clinch the East if Buffalo loses to Bowling Green Saturday, but they won't clinch a bowl bid until they either beat Ohio or win the MAC title game. If they clinch, I'd expect to see these guys in Mobile.
Assuming CMU and Miami clinch games, there might be a beauty contest between Ball State (6-5) and Bowling Green (6-4) for the final bowl game in Toronto. Both teams need seven wins, minimum, to elevate above 6-6 MAC teams. Ball State has a game at Northern Illinois left. Bowling Green has games at Buffalo and with Toledo left.
Buffalo (4-6) still has a glimmer of hope, but they have to win the MAC in order to secure a bowl game.
If Miami loses to Ohio and Buffalo wins their final two games, Buffalo would win the East. They could clinch a bowl bid by beating Central Michigan in Detroit. Otherwise, they'd be 6-7 and sitting home.
So there you go. If every team I've mentioned loses out, then we could reach a point where a 6-6 team is considered for a game. But it isn't very likely. And, as long as there are 7-5 teams available, they have to be taken, by NCAA rule, ahead of the 6-6 teams.
Schadenfreude Wrote:Some background: Only the MAC champion is guaranteed a bowl game, regardless of record.
Nope. Both division winners are guaranteed a bowl game.
From the MAC's weekly press release check out the box on page 6.
MikeSpicer Wrote:Schadenfreude Wrote:Some background: Only the MAC champion is guaranteed a bowl game, regardless of record.
Nope. Both division winners are guaranteed a bowl game.
From the MAC's weekly press release check out the box on page 6.
I know what that says, but the NCAA requires a team to be .500 or better unless it is the conference champion. A division winner/CC loser will not get a bowl with a 6-7 record. It's not the MAC's call.
Let's just hope we have two 7-5 teams in the MACC....it's embarrassing to think that one of our divisional winners could be bowl ineligible after the MACC.
axeme Wrote:I know what that says, but the NCAA requires a team to be .500 or better unless it is the conference champion. A division winner/CC loser will not get a bowl with a 6-7 record. It's not the MAC's call.
And that's what I meant.
Here is a possibly senario.
Ohio beats Miami
BGSU beats Toledo
Akron beats CMU
NIU beats Ball State
Miami beats CMU in MAC title game
Motor City Miami 7-6
GMAC Bowl Bowling Green 8-4
International would have to pick between 6-6 Ball State and Ohio. Ohio being 2-0 vs the MAC's 2 other bowl teams while Ball State would be 0-1. Would Ohio with Solich be picked in hopes of getting a more national audience for that game and pulling in Nebraska loyalists. Who would buy more tickets Ohio or Ball State could be a factor. Ball State has the better non-conference rsesume with a win over Navy, but would Ohio's wins over Miami and BGSU carry more weight. Only common opponnet would be Miami and Ohio would have a win while Ball State a loss. Ohio would be closer to the Bowl and perhaps bring in lots a alumni from Cleveland who could fly or drive in.
talk about worst case seniro. GMAC could let BG go to Toronto, & pay off MAC to stay home & take 6-6 Ala. I don't know if they could it, but if I was running GMAC that's what I do.
templefootballfan Wrote:talk about worst case seniro. GMAC could let BG go to Toronto, & pay off MAC to stay home & take 6-6 Ala. I don't know if they could it, but if I was running GMAC that's what I do.
That's not possible. NCAA is decidedly trying to prevent hanky panky.
So long as the MAC has an available team with 7 wins or more, or 6 - 6, then the MCB, GMAC and I-Bowl must take a MAC team.
Another thought:
Remember when looking at 7 - 5 teams for a 4th bowl.
There will be other conferences with 7 - 5 teams without a bowl.
Case in point will be Indiana. They are 7 - 5 but don't have a BT contracted bowl to go to (BT has 8 eligible teams but 7 bids).
I wonder if MSU will "refuse" the MCB and then IU might take their place? Possible, I guess but would cause a LOT of hard feelings.
Then once IU is selected for the MCB, MSU will accept an at-large bid (believe there is one).
emu steve Wrote:Remember when looking at 7 - 5 teams for a 4th bowl.
There will be other conferences with 7 - 5 teams without a bowl.
Case in point will be Indiana. They are 7 - 5 but don't have a BT contracted bowl to go to (BT has 8 eligible teams but 7 bids).
I wonder if MSU will "refuse" the MCB and then IU might take their place? Possible, I guess but would cause a LOT of hard feelings.
Then once IU is selected for the MCB, MSU will accept an at-large bid (believe there is one).
I suppose that scenario is technically possible, and probably legal enough, but Michigan State better make sure they have any secret deal with an outside bowl locked up iron tight. More than a few bowls are well known for changing their minds at the last minute.
Steve, I have absolutely no insider info like you, but look for it to be IU in the MCB...MSU will no doubt find a way to bowl elsewhere, and Purdue is more attractive as an at large team to fill an open slot. IU has the least leverage, and will get "stuck" with the MCB. Again, that isn't necessairly bad for the MAC (I realize MSU would've generated a sellout), as the MAC would have a much better shot at beating IU, plus they haven't been to a bowl in a decade and have a "feel good" story about getting into a bowl for recently deceased Coach Hoeppner...they even had a SO game against Purdue, a real rarity for IU football.