Starts in 2020 vs Mountain West opponent:

https://collegead.com/mid-american-conference-26/

That'd be cool, I love Tucson and go every year. Only downside is it's on CBS Sports Network which not everyone gets and gets lost in the NYE shuffle but I'd be in the stands anyway.

I like this move. Arizona (more the Phoenix area than Tucson), much like Florida is to Ohioans, is the retirement/snowbird area of choice for many Chicagoans. I can see NIU Alums clamoring to get this bowl.

Now it just needs to slide up the priority list and reflect that in the broadcast coverage, as has been pointed out, and in the teams represented.

This immediately should be the top MAC vs MWC bowl usurping the Boise Bowl. In all honesty, the Boise Bowl needs to be Old Yeller'ed.

A West Bowl with the Huskies in it, NICE

I'm intrigued- it's at least a nice change up from. The MAC bowl annual line up now includes Boise annually starting in 2020, which isn't great. That's just a tough trip to make, but that deal probably had to happen as part of making the Arizona game happen.

Arizona feels like paradise when it’s cold in the Midwest.

Love it, I get to Phoenix often, but this gives me another reason to head that way.

Winter/holiday/special date airfares and hotels will get pricey, but I will gladly navigate that mess to warm up in that sunshine and catch the Huskies.

Jinx, I am not getting ahead of myself...but this location feels sooooo right :)

(07-23-2019 10:48 AM)NorthCoast Wrote:  I like this move. Arizona (more the Phoenix area than Tucson), much like Florida is to Ohioans, is the retirement/snowbird area of choice for many Chicagoans. I can see NIU Alums clamoring to get this bowl.

Now it just needs to slide up the priority list and reflect that in the broadcast coverage, as has been pointed out, and in the teams represented.

This immediately should be the top MAC vs MWC bowl usurping the Boise Bowl. In all honesty, the Boise Bowl needs to be Old Yeller'ed.

Nice.

Just heard an interview with the MAC Commish where he explained that during this upcoming Bowl Cycle the only bowl with a predetermined slot will be the Arizona Bowl with the goal of that being the MAC#2/3. All the other bowls will get best possible matchup.

It would appear that the MAC and MWC are dedicated to making this an attractive/desirable bowl. Hopefully, the MWC assigns an equal/comparable priority to its side of the bowl.

My guess is that ESPN and Mobile may still "battle" for that top MAC team (hopefully under this new arrangement the Mobile Bowl can get better matchups than a Sun Belt team), and possible the Detroit Bowl if the Big Ten can actually fill it and send a decent team, then the Arizona Bowl gets to select a team before all but 1 or 2 of the other bowl partners.

Sweet, finally a bowl I could see myself wanting to drive to from salt lake.

If we get to a bowl game this year, I don't care which one it is. No matter where and who we play, let's hope we can finally win a bowl game. For once, it would sure be a nice way to end a season.

(07-23-2019 10:48 AM)NorthCoast Wrote:  It would appear that the MAC and MWC are dedicated to making this an attractive/desirable bowl. Hopefully, the MWC assigns an equal/comparable priority to its side of the bowl.

It sure looks like it. Further evidence.

(07-25-2019 11:13 PM)HuskieTap22 Wrote:  Interesting read on the new bowl partnership. Sounds like both the MWC and MAC have committed to sending a top team to this game. Based on that seems like the MAC has completely pivoted away from Mobile as one of its top bowl games. Especially when you figure the top MAC team could make the Access Bowl or Boca Raton which is now on ABC. Trading out the Sun Belt for a top MWC seems like a nice get.

“Starting in 2020, the Arizona Bowl will choose among the top two or three teams from both the MAC and Mountain West. The actual picks will vary depending on whether any MAC or MWC teams are chosen for a “New Year’s Six” game or the College Football Playoff.”

Also mentions ESPN is involved in the game so wondering if the broadcast will shift from CBS to ESPN.

https://tucson.com/sports/local/new-cont...855ca.html

Quote:The Mountain West champion will play in a “New Year’s Six” bowl, if selected. If it isn’t, the as-yet-unnamed bowl game in Los Angeles will take the first pick, with the Arizona Bowl next. The resulting matchup “could be a blockbuster game,” said Thompson, the Mountain West commissioner.

This article (as well as the MAC Commisioner's quote about the #2/3 MAC team) makes it sound like the "2 or 3" part of the contract is contingent on either conference getting the Access Bowl.

In other words, in years when either conference earns the Access Bowl, its #1 team goes there, its remaining eligible "Top" team gets the conference's priority bowl (LA Bowl for MWC, whatever the MAC/ESPN decide for the MAC) gets pick #2, and the Arizona Bowl gets #3.

In years when neither conference gets selected for the Access Bowl, the Champ/Top team gets the conference's priority bowl (described above) and the Arizona Bowl gets the #2 team/selection of the conference.

If so, CBS needs to switch this game to OTA from CBSSN.

First year for the MAC in Arizona.

Mountain West champ #24 San Jose State vs MAC champ Ball State.

Solid matchup. Hopefully NIU can get into this game at some point soon.

(12-20-2020 12:09 AM)HuskieTap22 Wrote:  First year for the MAC in Arizona.

Mountain West champ #24 San Jose State vs MAC champ Ball State.

Solid matchup. Hopefully NIU can get into this game at some point soon.

San Jose St is a really good team. I never ever ever would have thought I would be saying that in my lifetime. They're gonna gut Ball State.

(12-20-2020 12:22 AM)HawaiiToNIU Wrote:  

(12-20-2020 12:09 AM)HuskieTap22 Wrote:  First year for the MAC in Arizona.

Mountain West champ #24 San Jose State vs MAC champ Ball State.

Solid matchup. Hopefully NIU can get into this game at some point soon.

San Jose St is a really good team. I never ever ever would have thought I would be saying that in my lifetime. They're gonna gut Ball State.

They were in the Top 25 less than a decade ago. 2012 with David Foles at QB and John Defillipo was either the OC or the QB coach, I forget which.

There was an article on ESPN a couple weeks ago about all the stuff they have gone through this year. Really cool story.

(12-20-2020 01:18 AM)TXHuskieJA26 Wrote:  

(12-20-2020 12:22 AM)HawaiiToNIU Wrote:  

(12-20-2020 12:09 AM)HuskieTap22 Wrote:  First year for the MAC in Arizona.

Mountain West champ #24 San Jose State vs MAC champ Ball State.

Solid matchup. Hopefully NIU can get into this game at some point soon.

San Jose St is a really good team. I never ever ever would have thought I would be saying that in my lifetime. They're gonna gut Ball State.

They were in the Top 25 less than a decade ago. 2012 with David Foles at QB and John Defillipo was either the OC or the QB coach, I forget which.

There was an article on ESPN a couple weeks ago about all the stuff they have gone through this year. Really cool story.

Oh wow. You're right. I forgot all about those years.

Just looked it up, DeFillipo was his qb coach at SDSU. He also scouted him when he was in JC and knew he would be a good fit with them. I also didn't realize he stepped up after Michigan's Tate Forcier transferred in and immediately left to go pro.

I always remember SDSU as the easy game on Hawaii's schedule growing up. That's a bias that just lives in my head. Wyoming used to be that way before Craig Bohl.

(12-20-2020 01:27 AM)HawaiiToNIU Wrote:  

(12-20-2020 01:18 AM)TXHuskieJA26 Wrote:  

(12-20-2020 12:22 AM)HawaiiToNIU Wrote:  

(12-20-2020 12:09 AM)HuskieTap22 Wrote:  First year for the MAC in Arizona.

Mountain West champ #24 San Jose State vs MAC champ Ball State.

Solid matchup. Hopefully NIU can get into this game at some point soon.

San Jose St is a really good team. I never ever ever would have thought I would be saying that in my lifetime. They're gonna gut Ball State.

They were in the Top 25 less than a decade ago. 2012 with David Foles at QB and John Defillipo was either the OC or the QB coach, I forget which.

There was an article on ESPN a couple weeks ago about all the stuff they have gone through this year. Really cool story.

Oh wow. You're right. I forgot all about those years.

Just looked it up, DeFillipo was his qb coach at SDSU. He also scouted him when he was in JC and knew he would be a good fit with them. I also didn't realize he stepped up after Michigan's Tate Forcier transferred in and immediately left to go pro.

I always remember SDSU as the easy game on Hawaii's schedule growing up. That's a bias that just lives in my head. Wyoming used to be that way before Craig Bohl.

They kind of inexplicably fell back off the next year BUT, they did beat then #16 Fresno State the last game of the year to set the stage for NIU going to the Orange Bowl, so even though they were 6-6 it was the best year in program history if you ask me!!!!!

(07-26-2019 10:30 AM)NorthCoast Wrote:  

(07-23-2019 10:48 AM)NorthCoast Wrote:  It would appear that the MAC and MWC are dedicated to making this an attractive/desirable bowl. Hopefully, the MWC assigns an equal/comparable priority to its side of the bowl.

It sure looks like it. Further evidence.

(07-25-2019 11:13 PM)HuskieTap22 Wrote:  Interesting read on the new bowl partnership. Sounds like both the MWC and MAC have committed to sending a top team to this game. Based on that seems like the MAC has completely pivoted away from Mobile as one of its top bowl games. Especially when you figure the top MAC team could make the Access Bowl or Boca Raton which is now on ABC. Trading out the Sun Belt for a top MWC seems like a nice get.

“Starting in 2020, the Arizona Bowl will choose among the top two or three teams from both the MAC and Mountain West. The actual picks will vary depending on whether any MAC or MWC teams are chosen for a “New Year’s Six” game or the College Football Playoff.”

Also mentions ESPN is involved in the game so wondering if the broadcast will shift from CBS to ESPN.

https://tucson.com/sports/local/new-cont...855ca.html

Quote:The Mountain West champion will play in a “New Year’s Six” bowl, if selected. If it isn’t, the as-yet-unnamed bowl game in Los Angeles will take the first pick, with the Arizona Bowl next. The resulting matchup “could be a blockbuster game,” said Thompson, the Mountain West commissioner.

This article (as well as the MAC Commisioner's quote about the #2/3 MAC team) makes it sound like the "2 or 3" part of the contract is contingent on either conference getting the Access Bowl.

In other words, in years when either conference earns the Access Bowl, its #1 team goes there, its remaining eligible "Top" team gets the conference's priority bowl (LA Bowl for MWC, whatever the MAC/ESPN decide for the MAC) gets pick #2, and the Arizona Bowl gets #3.

In years when neither conference gets selected for the Access Bowl, the Champ/Top team gets the conference's priority bowl (described above) and the Arizona Bowl gets the #2 team/selection of the conference.

If so, CBS needs to switch this game to OTA from CBSSN.

Hey, they’re listening.

Hopefully, this isn’t a one-time thing due to the pandemic.

Wish it was being played in Orlando

(12-20-2020 03:49 PM)klake87 Wrote:  Wish it was being played in Orlando

I think it would be weird if the Arizona Bowl was played in Orlando.

Kinda like the Rose Bowl being played in Texas?