I know conferences send an alternate to their contracted bowl agreements if their champion is selected to the playoff. What happens if Cincinnati is selected for the playoff this year? Would UTSA get the nod as their replacement or would that just become an at large bid?

Example was last year UNC was sent to the Orange Bowl since Clemson was selected for the playoff.

Does BYU factor into any of this? Because they're currently ranked higher than UTSA.

(11-22-2021 01:18 PM)Ewglenn Wrote:  I know conferences send an alternate to their contracted bowl agreements if their champion is selected to the playoff. What happens if Cincinnati is selected for the playoff this year? Would UTSA get the nod as their replacement or would that just become an at large bid?

No, there is actually a difference between the Contract Bowl and the Access Bowls.

The 3 Contract Bowls are Rose, Sugar, and Orange. They get the next rep from their negotiated conferences if they are not hosting the semis.
The 3 Access Bowls are Fiesta, Cotton, and Peach. These get the highest rated G5 champion and the at-large selections.

Semifinal rotates and the selections are then shared based on placing all the selections.

Cincinnati getting selected for the Playoffs counts as the automatic G5 selection. The only way a second G5 gets selected is if they are rated high enough to be one of the Access Bowl selections.

Of course, there's still the option that Houston beats Cincinnati and UTSA remains higher ranked in the CFP than Houston.

(11-22-2021 01:23 PM)deb025 Wrote:  Does BYU factor into any of this? Because they're currently ranked higher than UTSA.

No, BYU is not a candidate for the highest rated G5 champion bid to an Access Bowl slot. They are only eligible as an at large selection to an Access Bowl bid.

(11-22-2021 01:23 PM)deb025 Wrote:  Does BYU factor into any of this? Because they're currently ranked higher than UTSA.

Yeah, like CoachMacLid said. The NY6 Access slots which includes the four semifinal spots in the CFP as well as the four at-large spots in the Fiesta and the Peach would be open to the highest-ranked champion of the Gang of 5 Conferences. This means the Independents are not eligible unless they are ranked high enough to receive an at-large bid.

This circumstance is likely one of the biggest reasons that Liberty decided to join Conference USA.

*IF* UTSA were to make it to the access bowl, I am assuming that comes with a nice financial windfall that they would then have to forfeit to the remaining five programs as part of their exit penalties, right?

(11-22-2021 02:46 PM)freshtop Wrote:  *IF* UTSA were to make it to the access bowl, I am assuming that comes with a nice financial windfall that they would then have to forfeit to the remaining five programs as part of their exit penalties, right?

Yep. Unfortunately, they'd be exposed. They've had a great season, but aren't elite. They'd likely be better off getting a lesser bowl, stomping tail and then using that to build off. That's if they keep their coach and can build off it. If he's about to leave then get an Access Bowl to show you did. For C-USA, UTSA getting the Access Bowl is MUCH better, regardless of the outcome.

earlier when CCU was highly ranked it was circulated that if Cincy makes the playoff it would count as the G5 access.

We need ECU to beat Cincinnati and then UH to beat them too. That way Cincinnati falls behind UTSA and UH doesn't jump them. It would be tight. This of course assuming UTSA wins out.

(11-22-2021 03:41 PM)JCMiner Wrote:  We need ECU to beat Cincinnati and then UH to beat them too. That way Cincinnati falls behind UTSA and UH doesn't jump them. It would be tight. This of course assuming UTSA wins out.

If Houston wins out, they'll likely jump UTSA and head to the NY6 Access spot in either the Peach or the Fiesta. Houston would have to lose at UConn on Saturday and then beat Cincinnati in the AAC Championship game for UTSA to have a shot. Or even an unexpectedly close game against UConn could hurt Houston in the rankings so much that beating Cincy wouldn't be enough to overtake UTSA in the CFP poll so long as UTSA routs UNT and wins the Conference USA Championship game.

Also, East Carolina beating Cincinnati wouldn't matter as much as Houston beating Cincinnati since it's the highest ranked Gang of 5 CHAMPION that goes to the NY6 Access Bowl. If Cincinnati is ranked higher than UTSA but loses the AAC Championship, they will not go to the NY6 Access Bowl because they would nor be their conference's champion even though they may be ranked higher. If the pollsters think that a Houston win over Cincy warrants raising them 12-13 spots in the polls to overtake UTSA, then they would go to the NY6 Bowl if the CFP poll is also reflective of such a ranking increase.

This is a very similar scenario to how UConn managed to back themselves into the 2010 Fiesta Bowl despite not being the highest-ranked team in their own conference.