Help Me Reason Through This Bowl Stuff . . .

[Sawnee Cat]

Reminder, you may have got the e-mail. Today is the last day you can order priority tickets through UK. Best seats.

 

[The-Hack]

Here’s an odd tidbit I did not know: The Liberty Bowl by rule is the one that gets left out of the Group of Six Bowls if the SEC has only 5 available to fill them.

So Gator, even with the lowest payout, will very likely be filled.

A press report from Jacksonville seems to lean toward UT.

The Gator has announced it will be a Big Ten team playing an SEC team.

 

[Crankdatmustard]

Louisville is a near lock for Music City. I can't imagine the Music City not wanting a matchup against Tennessee.

I saw a projection this morning that had UK in the Outback. Don't see how that is possible but would be awesome.

 

[LosGatos]

Here’s an odd tidbit I did not know: The Liberty Bowl by rule is the one that gets left out of the Group of Six Bowls if the SEC has only 5 available to fill them.

Very interesting. I'd heard Liberty would likely be left out but not heard it was by rule. Have a link/source?

 

[LosGatos]

I can't. Bama lost without their #1 QB because of a gimme FGA that was high off the side pole AND a 100 yard interception return with an inexperienced QB. And whether the officials were right or not they were one second away from Auburn not getting the FG. I don't think Auburn is a better team.

Is this your opinion of what the committee WILL do or what you think they SHOULD do?

 

[Rembrandt90]

I think it’s BS that they dropped that far, the committee obviously trying to keep the number of NYD6 bowl teams from the SEC down to a reasonable number.

Bama is still one of the top college football teams in the country, and ought to be ranked a lot higher than #12. Despite losing their All American QB and their All American LB to injuries, they have lost only two games, to other highly ranked teams, by a total of 8 points. One of those losses was played in one of the nation’s most difficult road venues and was lost because of a missed FG and a couple of very questionable calls by the refs. If the refs had called a cleaner game, Bama very well might have beaten Auburn in JHS without needing the late FG.

GA lost at home to SC. That was a really bad loss, so I cannot put them in my top 4. And I don’t believe GA can handle LSU in the SEC championship, even though LSU has to travel.

My current top four would be-

1. LSU
2. OH St
3. Clemson
4. Utah

But if Utah can’t beat OR in the PAC 12 championship this week, then I was wrong about them and OK should be #4.

 

[STUCKNBIG10]

If Transfer U were to go to the Music City Bowl and play Thug U it would be impossible to root for either of the cheaters. They disqualified the Thug U thug the first half of their bowl game for stepping on the players face (he knew the refs couldn't see it) AFTER the game was over. Their best player, by the way, one of their two excellent WRs. Thompson, the DB, freshman All American DB, was also charged with domestic assault before the season started, and of course he is out there like nothing happened. Maybe our FOURTH DEGEREE ASSAULT speedster that was kicked out of the state (probably) will be able to transfer to Thug U. I thought it was a classic that Prewitt complained about the ESPN complaint that he fired the medical staff in charge of giving the OK for players to play by saying he wasn't in charge of that. Guess who is? The AD, Phat Phil, lol.

And I don't know, it wouldn't be that bad to play Transfer U again, get to run all over them again, maybe Bowden would end up leading the nation in rushing, lol.

I despise both programs, but I think I'd actually root for UT over UL. Let's hope it doesn't happen.

 

[The-Hack]

Very interesting. I'd heard Liberty would likely be left out but not heard it was by rule. Have a link/source?

I think it was a Herald-Leader story.

 

[Bill Withers]

I think we might move up higher in the bowl pecking order than many believe

 

[billoliver40]

As of 5 pm thursday night, ESPN has UK either in Belk v Pitt or Gator v Wisconsin.

There's gonna be a bit if shifting still, depending on results of Saturday games.
Blowout losses could drop a couple folks down a few spots.

 

[yoshukai]

There is a story that MCB really wants Louisville and UT.

If the MCB is set on U of L, that would eliminate Kentucky from playing there. Also, a couple of years ago, I read that the Group of Six bowls and the SEC offices preferred no repeats, or “twice-in-three-year” appearances. We played in Nashville in 2017, so that would militate against Nashville for us.

The UT thread regarding the MCB wanting UT is interesting: 60 percent are angry by the thought and 40 percent are thanking God for a bowl![/QUOTE.

Man , if those two teams meet in Nashville it will take months of pressure washing and sterilizing to get the filth , $hit, and germs out of that town . Hope they have lots of HAZMAT suits ! lol

 

[yoshukai]

Wow. Always thought the Gator Bowl was one of the leaders, maybe a sign of my age.

I've always considered the Gator bowl as more prestigious than the MCB . I'm surprised too .

 

[BoulderCat]

Wow. Always thought the Gator Bowl was one of the leaders, maybe a sign of my age.

Me to. On both counts.

It’s crazy how the bowl predictions vary by source. I have a ton of respect for Georgia but I think LSU beats them. I’d like to see Utah get in, but those upset by that thought should realize they have only a slightly better than 50% chance of beating Oregon. They lose, problem solved. They win and it’s anybody’s guess if it’s them or the winner of the OU/Baylor game. Could come down to victory margin.

 

[EKCAT4YRS]

I despise both programs, but I think I'd actually root for UT over UL. Let's hope it doesn't happen.

by a score of 2-0!

 

[johnnyrockets]

All the hand wringing about Aub/Bama at 11/12 and thus out of NY6 is silly. Wisconsin is losing to OSU and will drop below. SEC will have 4 teams in NY6 almost assuredly. If you want to hedge emotionally throw a few bucks on Wisc ML.

Very possible the B12 champ game loser also falls out. So Aub and Bama might both end up in top 10.

(Pac 12 champ game doesn't matter, either Utah wins and stays up or Oregon wins and jumps in with Utah falling out.

Having the rankings each week is a just a money/ratings grab. The committee is going to look stupid when Wisconsin loses and they have to decide whether to a) move Alabama back above Auburn despite neither playing or b) put 3 loss Auburn in the NY6 and leave 2 loss Bama out.

 

[johnnyrockets]

Thinking/reading more and required bowl tie ins make this a bit more complicated than I thought.

Rose bowl has to have PAC 12 v Big 10. Sugar bowl has to have SEC v Big 12. Orange has to have ACC.

Assuming Clemson beats UVa, that puts UVa in Orange. Assuming OSU beats Wisc (and they drop below Aub/Bama). Assuming Georgia loses, the following are possible:

Utah beats Oregon and gets 4th CFP spot. Oregon (well outside top 10) gets Rose. B12 champ winner gets Sugar. So Fiesta/Peach get LSU, OSU, Clemson, Utah. Orange has UVa + at large (has to be SEC, B10, or ND). Sugar has UGa + B12 champ winner. Rose has Penn St + Oregon. Cotton has 2 at large. 1 at large goes to G5 winner. So 2 total at large bids between B12 champ game loser, Florida, Aub, Bama, Wisc. In this instance need committee to drop both Wisc and B12 champ loser below 2 of SEC teams.

OR

Oregon beats Utah, giving B12 champ the 4th CFP spot. In this scenario Oregon still gets Rose. B12 champ loser gets Sugar. Fiesta/Peach get LSU, OSU, Clemson, Oklahoma (for sake of argument but essentially swappable with Baylor). Orange has UVa + at large (has to be SEC, B10, or ND). Sugar has UGa + Baylor. Rose has Penn St + Oregon. Cotton has 2 at large. 1 at large to G5 winner. So 2 total at large bids between Utah, Florida, Aub, Bama, Wisc. Same as above, need both Wisc and Utah to drop.

Seems like if the champ games go as expected, there will be two bids and five teams. Florida very likely to get one, I have to think Wisc losing to OSU would drop them below Aub/Bama as well. Would need either Utah or B12 loser to drop also. In which case we're good.

If somehow UVa beats Clemson, that's not great. Opens the door for BOTH B12 and Pac 12 champs to make CFP (assuming UGa lose and the committee drops Clemson out which they shouldn't but I hear they might). Clemson takes an at large, B12 and P12 losers gets Sugar and Rose respectively, and one less at large game to go around.

If Wisc beats OSU, that hurts. Wisc would get Rose, OSU stays in CFP, and Penn St moves from Rose to at large, taking a bid away as they're above Bama/Aub. So, go Bucks (ugh).

If UGa beats LSU, the CFP is OSU, Clemson, UGa, and LSU. Orange is UVa + at large. Sugar is Florida v B12 champ winner. Rose is Penn St vs Pac 12 champ winner. Cotton is 2 at large. So 3 at large between B12 champ loser, Pac 12 champ loser, Aub, Bama. Almost definitely works for us as at least 4 SEC teams get NY6 bowls (Orange Bowl has to take either SEC, B10, or ND).

After going through all that, I think the game that matters the most is still the Big 10 championship game. Need OSU to win, and would be nice for them to win handily.

If you just need rooting interests, best case is UGa beating LSU. Other than that, root for Clemson to win and OSU to win big. Prob would prefer Utah win than Oregon but that one's not as big a deal.

All JMO of course.

 

[trueblujr2]

There is a story that MCB really wants Louisville and UT.

If the MCB is set on U of L, that would eliminate Kentucky from playing there. Also, a couple of years ago, I read that the Group of Six bowls and the SEC offices preferred no repeats, or “twice-in-three-year” appearances. We played in Nashville in 2017, so that would militate against Nashville for us.

The UT thread regarding the MCB wanting UT is interesting: 60 percent are angry by the thought and 40 percent are thanking God for a bowl!

I’m sure the MCB wants UT and UofL. Relatively Close proximity to both means lots of tickets sold. With the game being 3:00 in the afternoon though, hotels will not like it much as most of the fans will just make it a day trip.