CFN Early Bowl Predictions

[crambone]

usf needs higher goals than st pete bowl

It's not really USF's "goal" per se, but Brett McMurphy has stated that if USF doesn't make the BCS bowl, we'd most likely end up in St. Pete to give a good showing for the inaugural bowl.

[Matt]

wouldnt happen.  for a few reasons,

1- bowl selection teams traditionally HATE regular season rematches.

2- we will have a better season then that

3- they would want some teams from outside of the area to come in to play in this first game ever.  the whole purpose of having this bowl was to attract cold weather fans down to sunny florida in the middle of winter.

[Bull Martin]

wouldnt happen.  for a few reasons,

1- bowl selection teams traditionally HATE regular season rematches.

2- we will have a better season then that

3- they would want some teams from outside of the area to come in to play in this first game ever.  the whole purpose of having this bowl was to attract cold weather fans down to sunny florida in the middle of winter.

I have a pretty good feeling that while not both of us (UCF and USF) will end up at this game, one of us will.  As long as we dont tank UCF is goign to be there to up the attendence.  Letting I'm guessing UL come to town.  That's right heard it here first UCF and UL.

[Da Bulls]

http://cfn.scout.com/2/754896.html

St. Petersburg Bowl

TBD Dec. 21 to 23 / 9 p.m. ET  St. Petersburg, Fl.

Tie-Ins: Big East vs. Conference USA 

Way Too Early Projection: South Florida vs. UCF

Top 5 Others Considered: 1) Cincinnati, 2) Rutgers, 3) Southern Miss, 4) Tulsa, 5) Pitt

[flsportsfan83]

already posted

[I_Bleed_Green&Gold]

If we dont win the Conference it is very likely we will be in St Pete.

This bowl makes the 4th selection out of the BEAST/ND.  If we come in second in conference we more than likely wouldn't go to this bowl.  3rd place? yes we could go to this bowl then.

[#1 BULLMAN]

They also have considered for the Gator Bowl and Mieneke Car Care Bowl............Like the site says WAY TO EARLY....But still FUN to predict!!!

[Mama_Bull]

If we dont win the Conference it is very likely we will be in St Pete.

This bowl makes the 4th selection out of the BEAST/ND.  If we come in second in conference we more than likely wouldn't go to this bowl.  3rd place? yes we could go to this bowl then.

I'm not so sure that it's the 4th selection.

Brett McMurphy previously wrote that he had spoken with the BE conference and they said that St Pete/PapaJohns were equal as the 5th-6th selection and that ESPN which owns both would work it out as to which teams go to those bowls. Surprisingly, the International Bowl gets the 4th pick under their contract. That was reported in his blog at the time of the announcement that the St Pete bowl had been approved, but that doesn't mean it's 100% accurate. LOL

[I_Bleed_Green&Gold]

If we dont win the Conference it is very likely we will be in St Pete.

This bowl makes the 4th selection out of the BEAST/ND.  If we come in second in conference we more than likely wouldn't go to this bowl.  3rd place? yes we could go to this bowl then.

I'm not so sure that it's the 4th selection.

Brett McMurphy previously wrote that he had spoken with the BE conference and they said that St Pete/PapaJohns were equal as the 5th-6th selection and that ESPN which owns both would work it out as to which teams go to those bowls. Surprisingly, the International Bowl gets the 4th pick under their contract. That was reported in his blog at the time of the announcement that the St Pete bowl had been approved, but that doesn't mean it's 100% accurate. LOL

I get the whole ESPN angle, but that just makes my point even more.  I was just replying that just because we don't win the conference doesn't necessarily relegate us to the St Pete Bowl. 

I was basing it on last season.  BCS-WVU, Sun/Gator-USF, Mieneke-UCONN, PAPA-Cincy, and Intl-Rutgers.  INTl did in fact receive the 5th selection last year.  It may be different this year but I don't see why.

[Mama_Bull]

I found the blog entry by Brett on the bowl situation. That was written before Houston was officially out for 2008:

Big East 2008 bowl primer

Posted April 30, 2008 by Brett McMurphy

Updated Apr 30, 2008 at 10:56 PM

Now that the St. Pete Bowl - or if you prefer The Beach Bowl - is officially set for this December - still to be determined on either the 20th, 22nd or 23rd and the payout has not been decided yet - here’s some other Big East bowl news to share with you about the upcoming season.

Big East bowl lineup: Here’s the official 2008 Big East bowl lineup according to Big East associate commissioner Nick Carparelli.

Champion (BCS)

Second selection (Gator/Sun) Gator gets first choice of either Big 12, Big East or Notre Dame; if Gator picks Big 12 team, Sun must take Big East team or Notre Dame

Third selection (Meineke Car Care)

Fourth selection (International). Yes, that’s right International is fourth.

Fifth/sixth selection (Papajohns.com and St. Pete) The bowls share this pick and work together to chose teams that will be most attractive to both bowls.

Seventh selection (Texas)

Life’s a beach for Bulls: As I wrote last month, if the University of South Florida doesn’t win the 2008 Big East title, the Bulls likely would be the obvious choice for the first Beach Bowl in Tropicana Field.

The good news for Bulls fans: at least the bowl wouldn’t want a USF-UCF rematch in St. Petersburg.

Remember after the Big East champion, the remaining bowls make its selection based on who they want. It doesn’t matter what place a team finishes, as long as the team is within one conference win, meaning a bowl can pick a 3-4 Big East team over a 4-3 team.

So if USF does not have two more Big East wins than the league’s fifth place team (where St. Pete picks), then the Bulls could fall to the St. Pete Bowl.

Of course if USF finishes second in the Big East and is nationally ranked and there are no other ranked teams, USF could end up in El Paso again or at the Car Care or Papajohns. But if it’s a logjam in the middle of the pack in the Big East - as it has been the past three years - then USF will Reach the Beach (a very good The Fixx album for you old-timers).

Goodbye Houston? The Texas Bowl in Houston has the seventh selection from the Big East - “as of today,†Carparelli told me - but that could change. Don’t be surprised if the Texas Bowl opts out of its Big East contract for 2008 - it was the final year anyway - and seeks a conference with a better geographical fit.

“I don’t think it [the Houston Bowl] is a priority,†Carparelli said. “But if they stay in our lineup, that’s fine too.â€Â

Even if Houston remains a Big East bowl in 2008, the Big East’s 2009 bowl lineup will be: BCS, Gator/Sun, Meineke Car Care, International, St. Pete and Papajohns.com

After 2009, the bowl contracts expire with each conference, meaning you could see a free-for-all with bowls changing conference affiliations. The Papajohns.com upgrading from C-USA to the SEC on Wednesday is one example. And yes, Notre Dame remains eligible for any Big East bowl (other than the Big East champion BCS slot).

http://www.tboblogs.com/index.php/sports/comments/big-east-bowl-primer/