Uconn article for Sun Bowl

[smazza]

Birmingham is a fine town.  The stadium was crappy, and the team we played was crappy, but don't knock the town.

depends on what side of birmingham youre talking about.  the side where legion's field is, is pretty run down.  i remember when we went out the night before the bowl game last it was like a **** ghost town.  however, when we flew into birmingham for the auburn game, that side of the city going towards auburn was VERY nice....upscale, etc etc.

all of bham is  rundown

a real chithole

[GarySJ]

I think we should pull for UConn to get the Sun Bowl invitation. Why? Because I suspect the Meineke Bowl would rather have UConn than us, but would rather have us than Cincinnati.

We might even root for UConn to beat West Virginia. That gives UConn the automatic BCS bid. The Sun Bowl would jump on West Virginia, leaving us to compete with Rutgers and Cincinnati for the slot in Charlotte. I think we win that battle.

Even better: if UConn wins the Big East, West Virginia could get a BCS at-large invite at 10-2, which would get USF into the Sun/Gator Bowl discussion. At worst we'd get the Meineke Bowl. And if Louisville beats Rutgers, the Big East would have six teams in bowl games. Wouldn't you love to see Louisville in the PapaJohn's Bowl? Give Conference USA the bowl opponent they deserve: a sixth place, 6-6 also-ran. And I bet Louisville wins that game. Seriously, have you seen any Conference USA football this season? Me neither. But their record in non-conference play suggests the league isn't very good.

Though I think some USF fans may prefer that WVU wins out, just to keep alive whatever tiny chance the Mountaineers have to get into the national championship game. Can't you just see the bumper sticker on Dale Mabry? "USF Bulls 21, National Champs 13." That, combined with the financial benefits and credibility boost of having a Big East team in the national title game, may be so beneficial to USF that we wouldn't mind falling from the Meineke Bowl to the PapaJohns bowl. Who played in the Meineke Bowl last year? Who won? You don't know, do you?

The Toronto Bowl has said in the past they want teams that are driving distance away. They won't take USF unless we are their only choice. We won't be. I say Rutgers goes there, though I hope Louisville beats them just so their 8-4 doesn't look comparable to our 9-3. One-win rule or not, I can't see 7-5 Rutgers being taken over 9-3 USF.

This all assumes that USF can dispose of Pitt this Saturday and get to 9-3 (4-3). That should be no problem unless USF can't stop whatever ultra-vanilla inside-the-tackles gameplan Dave Wannstupidt has cooked up. Which happened in 2005. So let's take Pitt seriously. Just like we did UCF.

So I say, the Sun Bowl is key. If UConn goes to El Paso, we go to Charlotte. If Cincinnati goes to El Paso, UConn goes to Charlotte and we head back to Birmingham.

Some people may not like going to Birmingham again, but: Birmingham is our worst case bowl scenario. It's hard to believe now, but I'd bet three months ago a lot of our fans would have been happy to be in that position.

[Guest]

birmingham blew my noots.  our bowls suck.

Ah yes they do... but here's the thing... YOU have the power to help change that.

Yes, you - me - every USF fan.

Are you tired of Birmingham and Toronto as bowl options?  Wanna do something about it?

PROVE to the other "better" bowls that they would be happy with USF as a selection...

Go to the game.

Yes, that's right.  Going to Birmingham now can help prevent us from ever having to go back there again.

The Big East is in this position because the bowls perceived the Big East teams AND fan bases were weaker now.

The teams have done their part on the field.

Now it is our turn.  Rutgers fans. U Conn fans. Cincy fans.  USF fans.  It is our turn.

We have to show them our fan base is just as strong as any in the ACC or SEC.

We have to turn out.  Buy tickets.  Stay over in hotel rooms.  Travel to armits like Birmingham and Toronto.

Otherwise these other bowls will be proven right... and in 2010 they will tell the Big East to go fly a kite.

[Guest]

Gary ... Your analysis seems pretty spot on...

[BullsFanInTX]

I'm more worried about Cincy taking the Meineke than Rutgers.  I am not worried about RU at all.  I think they are going to Toronto. I also think UConn has the Sun in the bag unless they lose by 50 in which place we would come into play for Sun.  That will leave Meineke between us and Cincy, and sorry guys, I think that's a 50/50 chance either way.  We need to win big at Pitt and hope Cincy struggles at SU.  I mean really win big like the last 2 weeks.  Run it up if necessary.  Otherwise I am starting to think we could head back to Birmingham.

[Cubanbull]

According to the Big East boards. Cincy has been taking down payments for Bowl games the past week and its those numbers that seem to have caught the eyes of the Meineke Bowl.

If that is the case everyone better get ready for Bham once again. By the way according to the Bham site they will be having a celebration with team's bands etc the night before the game.

[Joe]

I am worried about Rutgers, they brought numbers to Houston and are a very atractive pick for Charlotte.

[SANJAY]

I am worried about Rutgers, they brought numbers to Houston and are a very atractive pick for Charlotte.

I agree.  They can take 15K to charlotte, whereas both us and Cincy would be less.

[BullsFanInTX]

I am worried about Rutgers, they brought numbers to Houston and are a very atractive pick for Charlotte.

I agree.  They can take 15K to charlotte, whereas both us and Cincy would be less.

We would also bring good numbers to Charlotte.  A lot more than the 6200 we brought last time.  I predict we bring 10-12K to charlotte, and a lot more than that if given the shot at Gator (15-20K easy).

[Joe]

I heard from someone in athletics our Charlotte numbers were closer to 4500 and there were a few hundred tix sold as souviners.

I think the 10k estimate might be a little high, but we would bring more than last time.

The problem is Rutgers has brought those numbers...