The NCAA allows bowl teams something like 15 extra practices. Should non-bowl teams be allowed the extra practices? I can't think of any reason why not. You could say it is rough on the kids but that would also be true of the kids playing in the bowl game.

At the least, I think all bowl-eligible teams should get extra practices.

Why should a team like 2012 MTSU (who went 8-4) not get the benefit of extra practices while 6-7 Georgia Tech (who needed a waiver just to get to a Bowl game) does? You're simply "punishing" MTSU because they're a member of a conference with less automatic bowl bids.

(and this isn't even considering the fact that MTSU whooped up on GT in Atlanta last year)

(08-23-2013 01:27 PM)Wolfman Wrote:  The NCAA allows bowl teams something like 15 extra practices. Should non-bowl teams be allowed the extra practices? I can't think of any reason why not. You could say it is rough on the kids but that would also be true of the kids playing in the bowl game.

I won't say it's a bad idea, but practice for what? You're kidding yourself if you think teams aren't doing things in the off-season. There's a lot of "voluntary" stuff that goes on in lieu of a formal practice.

If it meant killing off 15 meaningless bowls, sure.

Either this or just make every single team bowl eligible. All the losing teams can be paired together and meet somewhere close to home.

Southern teams can just play at someone's home field.

For northern teams, The big ten conference can sponsor a couple of bowls where The losing teams can play in local domes in the Midwest.

If another division is created it won't matter, there will be more practice.

(08-23-2013 01:27 PM)Wolfman Wrote:  The NCAA allows bowl teams something like 15 extra practices. Should non-bowl teams be allowed the extra practices? I can't think of any reason why not. You could say it is rough on the kids but that would also be true of the kids playing in the bowl game.

I think that it's a reward for going to a bowl. I think that any bowl eligible team should be allowed to have the extra practices, regardless if they actually go to a bowl or not. Obviously that excludes teams with winning records, but under a NCAA-imposed sanction.

(08-23-2013 04:46 PM)Lord2FLI Wrote:  If another division is created it won't matter, there will be more practice.

This is probably true. I think that a new division means more than just paying players. It will also be looser practice and recruiting rules, with the possibility of "spring/summer scrimmages," which would function like a pre-season.