Bowl Analysis -- Detailed by Conference -- Week 9

[Guest]

I dont see Pitt anywhere in the Big East.... did we drop them from football finally?

Pitt doesn't meet the criteria for the list... needing 3 wins for eligibility or 3 losses for ineligibility - I just don't seem them making a bowl.

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Thanx again Jim ... just don't see UM going to the Gator ... and WOW  You don't have FSU in a bowl ?!?

Go BULLS !!!

Maybe I'm being optimistic that Miami can win a few more and the Gator will look for a Florida team to balance the Big 12.

I also think Troy wins the Sun Belt, FAU closes the season @ Troy.

Right, and I think FAU will bear Troy.

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i really don't see OSU losing this year. that defense is way too good.

OSU will lose to Michigan and maybe Illinois... they are above average, but not that good.

[Guest]

disapPointed you dont have troy in a bowl game.

there to me a very good team with great potential with there QB Omar Haughboock ,sp.

The problem is a lack of open slots... I only see one: the WAC's Hawaii bowl slot ... and I think all of the Big Ten teams will have 7 or more wins, making Indiana more attractive than Troy.

[Bulls 8_va]

Yea...Troy is good, but it would be great for FAU to win out...for our SOS. 

Not sure how I feel about one of those FA/IU teams going to a bowl game...

GO BULLS!!!

[USF Colby]

Can Western Kentucky make a bowl?

[Guest]

Can Western Kentucky make a bowl?

I don't think so... but I like listing them as "eligible" when Notre Dame isn't!! :-)

[South_Florida_Flip]

I have to agree with Jim on Pitt. They still have to play Rutgers, WVU, Louisville and USF. If I am not mistaken, they only play us at Heinz Field and the others on the road. Good luck with that.

Louisville is also flirting with not making a bowl. They still have to go to WVU and USF. They get Pitt and Rutgers at home.

[GarySJ]

Comments:

I think you mean to have USM, not SMU, going to the Armed Forces Bowl from C-USA.

The New Mexico Bowl has some kind of restriction where they can only pick UNM once in a three-year period. This would require them to pick a different MWC team this year. I'd put Wyoming or Air Force here.

The Mountain West champ goes to the Las Vegas Bowl, and BYU has a one-game lead and tiebreaker vs Air Force. It should be BYU in Las Vegas, unless you're picking them to collapse late.

Western Kentucky is a transitional I-A team and not eligible for post-season play.

Of Rutgers' three bowl trips in school history, two have been against Arizona State. I think there'll be some assignment juggling rather than repeat this pairing again. Ditto for South Carolina-Ohio State, who played in 2000 and 2001.

Clemson has a huge fan base and will not fall all the way to the Meineke Car Bowl. Move them up at least two slots, maybe three. Bump Georgia Tech up too.

Buffalo? Surely you jest. Bowling Green is a much better candidate for the International game. Even Central Michigan is more likely.

[Guest]

Great thoughts, Gary...

Comments:

I think you mean to have USM, not SMU, going to the Armed Forces Bowl from C-USA.

Thanks for the note, that was a typo on my part...

The New Mexico Bowl has some kind of restriction where they can only pick UNM once in a three-year period. This would require them to pick a different MWC team this year. I'd put Wyoming or Air Force here.

I didn't know that. Thanks.

The Mountain West champ goes to the Las Vegas Bowl, and BYU has a one-game lead and tiebreaker vs Air Force. It should be BYU in Las Vegas, unless you're picking them to collapse late.

The Las Vegas bowl picks first, it's not necessarily the champion.  BYU went last year.

Western Kentucky is a transitional I-A team and not eligible for post-season play.

I know. See my post above.

Of Rutgers' three bowl trips in school history, two have been against Arizona State. I think there'll be some assignment juggling rather than repeat this pairing again. Ditto for South Carolina-Ohio State, who played in 2000 and 2001.

Good catch... I didn't really look at matchups, just looked at each conference individually.

Clemson has a huge fan base and will not fall all the way to the Meineke Car Bowl. Move them up at least two slots, maybe three. Bump Georgia Tech up too.

I just thought Clemson and Georiga Tech would end up no better than 7-5... and I thought Charlotte would be a better option for Clemson than, say, Nashville.

Buffalo? Surely you jest. Bowling Green is a much better candidate for the International game. Even Central Michigan is more likely.

Ah, well, this was a bit of "wishful thinking" ... they are in first place in their division (although they still have to play Miami and Bowling Green)... I was just channelling Chris Berman... "No one rallies wagons like the Buffalo Bulls"...

[DawgPound]

I always liked coming over and reading your analysis, Jim.  You do good work.  While I might not agree with all of it(Don't see Texas Tech getting such a good bowl, don't see Ohio State falling out of a BCS bowl or the Big East getting 2 teams in), you tend to be pretty objective.

I seem to recall the Hawaii Bowl switching back to CUSA this season instead of the PAC-10.  I'm not 100% sure on that though.

[Meccariello]

thats very cool... is there a way that you can post that as a .jpg so that i can download it?