Five teams from the MAC! I'll go out on a limb and say we finish between 5-0 and 0-5. Actually, I'll guess 2-3. Hope I'm wrong, and no, I'm not gonna reveal my individual picks, 'cause I don't need to make anyone mad on this board.
In its entire bowl history, this is only the second time the MAC was able to manuveur itself into five bowls. Don't get too excited, though, as it was Western Kentucky we trumped rather than Illinois or any other run of the mill team from the Graft or Corrupt Division of a Corporate Conference.
Speaking of WKU, don't sleep on those Sun Belt teams. They are competitive and have held their own against the MAC over the past several years. I'm looking at you, Northern Illinois!
A Catch-22 bit the Mountain West. Boise State couldn't get an AQ in a BCS bowl because they didn't win their league. TCU didn't get one either because Boise's higher ranking dropped the Frogs down a notch. Plus, believe it or not, Toledo's "loss" to Syracuse deprived them some additional percentage points in the BCS rankings.
Isn't it interesting Boise State would have made it to one of the major bowls, if only they had not have left the WAC.
Our best friends at Marshall are on a roll. Second straight bowl berth, 6-6 record, and playing FIU. Moving on up...
Conference USA really did get shafted this year. The Liberty Bowl cowtowed to the SEC, so CUSA's champion had to go elsewhere. But here is where it gets weird (and self-inflicted). Houston laid an egg at home and misses out on a BCS bowl. Southern Miss wins and their AD decides, rather than playing Penn State or BYU, let's have a vacation in Hawaii to take on Nevada during Christmas Eve, when everyone is sure to be watching.
UCLA and Illinois deserve each other. I'm gonna root for the Bruins, because as a result neither team in that game would wind up with a winning record. I don't think that has EVER happened as the result of a bowl game.
At least the head of the Sugar Bowl defended his picks by saying they would bring in the most people; no sense sugar-coating it not being about the $$$.
Boise State is relegated to playing a "no-win" contest against Arizona State and its departing, deceitful Coach Dennis, I'm grateful Idaho is giving me a second chance to coach again and will never leave in three months, Erickson. TCU didn't fare much better, having to go against a good Louisiana Tech team the general public doesn't respect.
Ohio's opponent, Utah State, was a whisker from beating Auburn at the beginning of the season. That reminds me, don't be surprised if you hear a smattering of boos when the Bobcats have a fourth down. It was reported in the Boise Newspaper their punter tweeted something derogatory about the state of Idaho in response to Ohio's bowl destination.
Well, that's it for now. Please add some of your own bowl snippets. I'll probably include some more later.
(12-05-2011 04:37 PM)Okie Chippewa Wrote: [ -> ]Speaking of WKU, don't sleep on those Sun Belt teams. They are competitive and have held their own against the MAC over the past several years. I'm looking at you, Northern Illinois!
Since 2002 (as far as the ESPN standings go), the Sun Belt has only had one other 10-win Sun Belt team. So NIU is probably getting the best-ever Sun Belt team in the history of their conference.
(12-05-2011 04:37 PM)Okie Chippewa Wrote: [ -> ]At least the head of the Sugar Bowl defended his picks by saying they would bring in the most people; no sense sugar-coating it not being about the $$$.
My question:
Are we (or should I say the Sugar Bowl committee) sure that Va. Tech would provide more butts in seats than Boise?
Is the assumption that Boise fans will drive only to the Fiesta Bowl???
(12-05-2011 05:29 PM)emu steve Wrote: [ -> ] (12-05-2011 04:37 PM)Okie Chippewa Wrote: [ -> ]At least the head of the Sugar Bowl defended his picks by saying they would bring in the most people; no sense sugar-coating it not being about the $$$.
My question:
Are we (or should I say the Sugar Bowl committee) sure that Va. Tech would provide more butts in seats than Boise?
Is the assumption that Boise fans will drive only to the Fiesta Bowl???
This whole ticket sales thing seems to be a non-argument. Did these BCS bowls not sell out when Boise, Utah, and TCU played in the past? Do these games ever not sell out?
(12-05-2011 05:37 PM)epasnoopy Wrote: [ -> ] (12-05-2011 05:29 PM)emu steve Wrote: [ -> ] (12-05-2011 04:37 PM)Okie Chippewa Wrote: [ -> ]At least the head of the Sugar Bowl defended his picks by saying they would bring in the most people; no sense sugar-coating it not being about the $$$.
My question:
Are we (or should I say the Sugar Bowl committee) sure that Va. Tech would provide more butts in seats than Boise?
Is the assumption that Boise fans will drive only to the Fiesta Bowl???
This whole ticket sales thing seems to be a non-argument. Did these BCS bowls not sell out when Boise, Utah, and TCU played in the past? Do these games ever not sell out?
see: Oklahoma vs. UConn last year in the Fiesta Bowl
(12-05-2011 05:40 PM)MidnightBlueGold Wrote: [ -> ] (12-05-2011 05:37 PM)epasnoopy Wrote: [ -> ] (12-05-2011 05:29 PM)emu steve Wrote: [ -> ] (12-05-2011 04:37 PM)Okie Chippewa Wrote: [ -> ]At least the head of the Sugar Bowl defended his picks by saying they would bring in the most people; no sense sugar-coating it not being about the $$$.
My question:
Are we (or should I say the Sugar Bowl committee) sure that Va. Tech would provide more butts in seats than Boise?
Is the assumption that Boise fans will drive only to the Fiesta Bowl???
This whole ticket sales thing seems to be a non-argument. Did these BCS bowls not sell out when Boise, Utah, and TCU played in the past? Do these games ever not sell out?
see: Oklahoma vs. UConn last year in the Fiesta Bowl
UConn had to return a bunch of their tickets but didn't the bowl still sell out the game?
Plus, the argument basically makes it sound like they pick BCS schools over non-BCS schools because the game won't sell out if they don't. Has that ever been true since a non-BCS school has played in the game?
Edit: University of Phoenix Stadium capacity is listed at 63,400 and last year's Fiesta Bowl had 67,232 in attendance.
This is a no-brainer.
Some programs are hot and some are cool or cold. UConn isn't a hot program.
I've always thought of Boise is hot. They could go to Miami, NOLA, Phoenix, or Pasadena and sellout their allotment.
I just thought the bowl committee needed to say here is 15K and come back for more if you need them...
Wonder if the big bowls get some sort of kickback from the network based upon television ratings. That would further explain many at-large bowl team selections past and present.
(12-05-2011 04:37 PM)Okie Chippewa Wrote: [ -> ]Isn't it interesting Boise State would have made it to one of the major bowls, if only they had not have left the WAC.
That hadn't occurred to me yet this year. Interesting point indeed!
(12-05-2011 07:23 PM)Okie Chippewa Wrote: [ -> ]Wonder if the big bowls get some sort of kickback from the network based upon television ratings. That would further explain many at-large bowl team selections past and present.
I don't think they get any immediate payments based on a single game's ratings, but you can bet that when its time to renew their contract, the average ratings over the past 5 years or so count for a lot.
Boise St and TCU aren't the only programs that got shafted by the V-Tech BCS bowl berth .....there were other more deserving programs like K-State as well.
Sugar had Utah, Cincy, Hawaii. they felt they'd done their time with non-sexy big name schools. They got burned by Cincy being amateur hour in terms of their athletic dept preparation for the bowl so they wanted someone who had been there before.
And that's the scoop.
(12-05-2011 04:55 PM)epasnoopy Wrote: [ -> ] (12-05-2011 04:37 PM)Okie Chippewa Wrote: [ -> ]Speaking of WKU, don't sleep on those Sun Belt teams. They are competitive and have held their own against the MAC over the past several years. I'm looking at you, Northern Illinois!
Since 2002 (as far as the ESPN standings go), the Sun Belt has only had one other 10-win Sun Belt team. So NIU is probably getting the best-ever Sun Belt team in the history of their conference.
I was at the WKU/FAU game-the Owls were horrible, one of the worst FBS teams I've ever seen and WKU was only a little better because of Bobby Rainey.
(12-06-2011 01:55 PM)Boca Rocket Wrote: [ -> ] (12-05-2011 04:55 PM)epasnoopy Wrote: [ -> ] (12-05-2011 04:37 PM)Okie Chippewa Wrote: [ -> ]Speaking of WKU, don't sleep on those Sun Belt teams. They are competitive and have held their own against the MAC over the past several years. I'm looking at you, Northern Illinois!
Since 2002 (as far as the ESPN standings go), the Sun Belt has only had one other 10-win Sun Belt team. So NIU is probably getting the best-ever Sun Belt team in the history of their conference.
I was at the WKU/FAU game-the Owls were horrible, one of the worst FBS teams I've ever seen and WKU was only a little better because of Bobby Rainey.
Fau could not get out of the high school districts this year. They are extremely bad and horribly coached
-- The MAC earned those two at-large bids this year. How so? First, four teams from the league tag-teamed Army (going 4-0), keeping the Cadets from their auto bid. Second, the defeat of UConn by WMU kept the Huskies from eligibility.
-- "It depends what you mean by SUSPENSION."
Purdue suspended a starting wide receiver today, but he still may play in their bowl game against WMU. Is this akin to double-secret probation?
(12-06-2011 10:22 PM)Okie Chippewa Wrote: [ -> ]-- The MAC earned those two at-large bids this year. How so? First, four teams from the league tag-teamed Army (going 4-0), keeping the Cadets from their auto bid. Second, the defeat of UConn by WMU kept the Huskies from eligibility.
Great point.
I haven't read or seen anything from Ball State complaining about being left out, but the folks at WKU are embarrassing themselves with the way they are carrying on about the
injustice of being left out.
Maybe next year you can win an out of conference game and not get blown out at home by an FCS team.
Stay classy, Bowling Green, KY.
(12-06-2011 11:21 PM)Howl-n-Prowl Wrote: [ -> ] (12-06-2011 10:22 PM)Okie Chippewa Wrote: [ -> ]-- The MAC earned those two at-large bids this year. How so? First, four teams from the league tag-teamed Army (going 4-0), keeping the Cadets from their auto bid. Second, the defeat of UConn by WMU kept the Huskies from eligibility.
Great point.
I haven't read or seen anything from Ball State complaining about being left out, but the folks at WKU are embarrassing themselves by the way they are carrying on about the injustice of being left out. Maybe next year you can win an out of conference game and not get blown out at home by an FCS team. Stay classy, Bowling Green, KY.
Got to say I thought their(WKU's) fans traveled pretty well.
(12-06-2011 12:49 PM)exCincy Kid Wrote: [ -> ]Boise St and TCU aren't the only programs that got shafted by the V-Tech BCS bowl berth .....there were other more deserving programs like K-State as well.
Quite frankly this bowl game would be a success with any number of teams.
http://www.detnews.com/article/20111206/...wl-tickets
UofM is selling tickets like crazy.
VaTech is doing fine for one day.
Boise would have done very well for a game vs. UofM.
(12-07-2011 02:05 AM)Boca Rocket Wrote: [ -> ] (12-06-2011 11:21 PM)Howl-n-Prowl Wrote: [ -> ] (12-06-2011 10:22 PM)Okie Chippewa Wrote: [ -> ]-- The MAC earned those two at-large bids this year. How so? First, four teams from the league tag-teamed Army (going 4-0), keeping the Cadets from their auto bid. Second, the defeat of UConn by WMU kept the Huskies from eligibility.
Great point.
I haven't read or seen anything from Ball State complaining about being left out, but the folks at WKU are embarrassing themselves with the way they are carrying on about the injustice of being left out. Maybe next year you can win an out of conference game and not get blown out at home by an FCS team. Stay classy, Bowling Green, KY.
Got to say I thought their(WKU's) fans traveled pretty well.
Why? Their avg. attendance is around 15K, may even be under that.
C-USA likes to throw out attendance numbers and the lesser, wannabe C-USA (SBC) has hooked their conference to the same wagon, but they can't substantiate their claims. Their avg attendance is similar to the MAC maybe slightly higher due to the higher percentage of "attendable" games because of milder weather. They don't like to admit that but it's true.
That team we're playing in the bowl, had an ESPN this year with first place on the line and the attendance was pathetic. I don't know/care what was reported, but the actual number of people at the game was sad, it looked like an EMU game. And I'm sure part of it was that there was an unseasonably frigid cold front sweeping the area. If those teams had to deal with those type of weather conditions for 2/3 of their season their numbers would be about the same or lower than the MAC's.
EDIT: Just to be clear, ATTENDANCE MEANS NOTHING. I was only responding to the traveling/attendance comment. Attendance is a talking point for those who do not have a quality football product on the field.
(12-06-2011 10:22 PM)Okie Chippewa Wrote: [ -> ]-- The MAC earned those two at-large bids this year. How so? First, four teams from the league tag-teamed Army (going 4-0), keeping the Cadets from their auto bid. Second, the defeat of UConn by WMU kept the Huskies from eligibility.
Which is exactly why there should be a playoffs, with preset criteria of how any league gets one AQ. The regular season DOES matter, and it will actually improve the match ups seen in the regular season.
(12-06-2011 11:21 PM)Howl-n-Prowl Wrote: [ -> ]I haven't read or seen anything from Ball State complaining about being left out, but the folks at WKU are embarrassing themselves with the way they are carrying on about the injustice of being left out. Maybe next year you can win an out of conference game and not get blown out at home by an FCS team. Stay classy, Bowling Green, KY.
I don't knock WKU. UCLA has a friggin
losing record. That's a travesty right there.