The Bowl Talk Thread

[The Dude]

A Fiesta Bowl would be a nice consolation prize if we don't make it to Indy.

 

But first things first, let's just beat Michigan and Iowa.

[mrandyk]

This is a big "if" but, if South Carolina beats LSU in the SEC title game, Bama would be out of the BCS and sent to the Gator Bowl.

If LSU lost to Georgia or South Carolina then they would be out of the BCS. Alabama would move up a spot past LSU to #2 and play in the BCS title game, but all 3 could end up in the BCS if both LSU and Oklahoma State get upset. If LSU doesn't drop below Oregon with their loss then it would be LSU Alabama for the title with Georgia/South Carolina in the Sugar Bowl. I just don't see LSU losing though.

 

Some of you aren't quite getting this, but it seems almost guaranteed that a non AQ will make a BCS bowl. The BCS is required to take the highest ranked champion of a non AQ conference if they are in the top 16 and ranked higher than the champion of any BCS conference (Big East champion isn't going to be ranked). Houston is already #11 and TCU and Southern Miss are going to slide into the top #16 since they don't have to play anyone that is remotely near being bowl eligible.

 

In order to be picked at large you need to be in the top 14, so in all likeliness there are going to be two at large spots and five teams eligible for those spots. The pool will likely be Oklahoma/OSU (both are locks) and VT/Clemson losers, Stanford, Boise, and Nebraska. I really hope that whichever bowl picks the second at large team likes us more than they like Stanford, Boise, or VT/Clemson.

[Sub-Husker]

So we wouldve have played 9 bowl eligible teams this season and possibly 10 if NW gets to 6 wins. That actually sounds pretty impressive.

 

Perhaps if you are a Clemson fan.

 

At this point in the season I expected to be in the running to win the division by winning out, not by hoping someone else loses.

 

While you have a point about the division because we have only ourselves to blame for losing to Northwestern, that doesn't eliminate everything else we've done on the year.

 

True, but this has not been an "impressive" season to date.

[sd'sker]

So we wouldve have played 9 bowl eligible teams this season and possibly 10 if NW gets to 6 wins. That actually sounds pretty impressive.

 

Perhaps if you are a Clemson fan.

 

At this point in the season I expected to be in the running to win the division by winning out, not by hoping someone else loses.

 

While you have a point about the division because we have only ourselves to blame for losing to Northwestern, that doesn't eliminate everything else we've done on the year.

 

True, but this has not been an "impressive" season to date.

so close though, and that is what is so frustrating.

[knapplc]

True, but this has not been an "impressive" season to date.

 

True. It's been a surprisingly disappointing year. But who knew coming into this season that we'd be rebuilding? Perhaps that's what's most disappointing.

[Chaddyboxer]

Yep...we have 17 returning starters if I am not mistaken...I would consider this a rebuilding year...a possible 10-2 season with 17 returning starts...WOWZA!!! I LIKE IT!

[HANC]

I truly thought that we would be 9-3 entering the season. If things play out (lose on road, win at home) that is what we will be.... Obviously, I would LOVE to finish 10-2 in our first year in the Big 10..... Seeing all of the ranked teams we have beaten is fairly impressive.....yes, the NW game sucks, but before you bash the team, how bad do you think OU feels about TT loss....a lot of really good teams lose a game each year that they should maybe win.... it is called "parity".... and we are NO LONGER or will NEVER BE the Husker's of old....get used to it.... Yes, Nebraska will play for and win another National Championship at some point, but forget seeing a "decade of dominance"......ain't happening...... I am not a downer, just not afraid to tell it the way it is.

 

If you can't be happy with a 9-3, 10-2 season, then you may want to think about switching teams, or you are going to have a miserable college football life..... Hell, while a lot of the board members were in diapers, TO teams had a lot of 9 and 10 win seasons with NO National Championships.... and that was before all of the scholarship limits and when we had the TOP facilities in the country.

 

Sorry, got a little off topic.... Somewhere earlier, KSU was mentioned.... IMO, not going to happen. KSU will not slip to Insight bowl. Winner of bedlem goes to NC, and loser gets BCS which leaves KSU in Cotton or Holiday at worst... If we slip to Insight, it will be against Texas or Mizzou ( I will HATE playing a Big 12 team).....so friggin win this weekend please

[irafreak]

The SEC automatically gets two BCS births.

 

The Pac 12 will likely have Oregon and Stanford.

 

The Big Ten will have Okie State and maybe Oklahoma.

 

An undefeated Houston will get a bid.

 

A one-loss Boise (who beat Georgia by 14) will get a bid over a two loss Big Ten team.

 

Boise St will NOT get a bid.

 

Neither will a second Big Ten team.

 

I never said anything about a second Big Ten team. In the past the Boise's, TCU's, Utah's have only gotten in undefeated. Boise has no more claim to a BCS berth than Southern Miss or Houston if you're going to look at second tier conferences. If they take the Big East and ACC champs plus 2 from SEC and Big12 then you take one from pac and B1G so you have 2 spots left. Would a 2 loss ACC team (VaTech or Clemson) deserve to go over a 2 loss B1G team? I'm assuming the PAC would send two if Oregon wins their conference and Stanford doesn't lose again.

 

You didn't say that you said that... I did.

 

A one-loss Boise State will get a BCS bid over a second Big Ten team.

 

That said, the four at large bids will go to teams from the SEC (Alabama), Big XII (Oklahoma or oSu), Pac 12 (Stanford) and Houston (if they finish undefeated).

 

Boise has a 14 point road win over highly regarded Georgia. What is the Big Ten's signature out of conference win?

 

Michigan beat Notre Dame in Ann Arbor... what else?

They can't! Boise can't get a bid because they won't win their conference. The rules state that a team from a non-qualifying BCS conference must win their conference and finish 16th or higher in the polls.....well here's the direct summary from rivals for you....

 

"A non-Big Six team that is a conference champion is guaranteed a BCS spot in two ways. One is if it finishes in the top 12; the other is if it is ranked in the top 16 and its ranking is higher than that of a conference champion with an automatic berth. This week, the Broncos are higher than any team from the Big East; indeed, there is no Big East team in the standings this week.

One problem for Boise: Unless TCU falls apart and loses to Colorado State and UNLV ? who have a combined five wins between them ? the Horned Frogs are going to win the Mountain West title. TCU is 19th in the BCS standings this week."

[VA Husker Fan]

They can't! Boise can't get a bid because they won't win their conference. The rules state that a team from a non-qualifying BCS conference must win their conference and finish 16th or higher in the polls.....well here's the direct summary from rivals for you....

 

"A non-Big Six team that is a conference champion is guaranteed a BCS spot in two ways. One is if it finishes in the top 12; the other is if it is ranked in the top 16 and its ranking is higher than that of a conference champion with an automatic berth. This week, the Broncos are higher than any team from the Big East; indeed, there is no Big East team in the standings this week.

One problem for Boise: Unless TCU falls apart and loses to Colorado State and UNLV ? who have a combined five wins between them ? the Horned Frogs are going to win the Mountain West title. TCU is 19th in the BCS standings this week."

That's only for the guaranteed spot. They could still get in as an at large team as long as they have 9 wins and are in the top 14. I seriously doubt they will get an at-large bid, but they will be eligible if they don't lose again.

[ladyhawke]

I read with interest this little conversation in the 'Monday Mail Bag' on espnu Big Ten Blog:

 

Dylan from Concordia, Kan., writes: You said in earlier posts on your blog you think Nebraska has a good chance at getting an at large bid. What are the odds that if we do, we play a Big 12 team that gets an at large, and if we do what team do you see us playing KSU or OU if OSU were to win out?

 

Brian Bennett: How about Nebraska-Oklahoma in the Fiesta Bowl? Is that something you might be interested in? I could see it happening, whether the Sooners beat Oklahoma State or not.

 

That would be SO sweet if we could play AND beat Oklahoma! That would be a blast!

[Excel]

That'd be awesome, I'd watch

 

but this is what SI is saying...Fiesta: Oklahoma (BCS at-large) vs. Stanford (BCS at-large)

 

Read more:

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2011/writers/stewart_mandel/11/14/bowl.projections.week.11/index.html#ixzz1dkm8jtoV

 

Jan. 2Outback: Nebraska (Big Ten No. 3) vs. South Carolina (SEC)

 

Read more:

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2011/writers/stewart_mandel/11/14/bowl.projections.week.11/index.html#ixzz1dkmIzCRL

[Omaha-Husker]

Going against the old ball coach would be a fun one too.

[BIGREDIOWAN]

We really need Stanford to lose one more game to be SURE we get that spot, but I don't see how the Fiesta Bowl officials will pass up a NU-OU match-up IF it's available. It would make no sense to pass up that opportunity. They are guaranteed a sellout with a huge following from both fanbases. Oh and we obviously HAVE to win out or this is all a moot point.

[BIGREDIOWAN]

Sorry - I just don't want to play any B12 teams.

 

Need a few more years to get the bad taste out.

 

Regardless, if we do end up in a non-BCS bowl it will serve as a painful and standing reminder of what happens when you take a game off. Every year it's been near misses that could have drastically changed the perception of Bo. Of course there was 09 when we could/should have won the B12C! Imagine that - instead of commentators always harping on 1999 as the last time NU won a conf. champ! HUGE HUGE moment that we let slip away (bec. of 0 offense). Then in 2010 - again 0 offense costs us games against tu, aTm and OU. 1 - maybe 2 FG's change that whole season again!

 

What a huge loss that was to NW.

 

And BTW - I don't think MSU will lose to NW.

 

historically, MSU doesn't play well at Northwestern. But then again, Iowa had not lost a home game all season until they went up against MSU.

 

Last year, was not a good year for the Big Ten in terms of bowl games. 8 teams went to bowl games, only 3 of them won their bowl games. Ohio State, Illinois, and Iowa.

If teams like NU were blowing off NW - not anymore. They now have everyone's attention including MSU's. For MSU - win that game and they get to go to the party in Indy. Just too much on the line for MSU to mess it up and if MSU's truly the better "team" then they should win, but............

 

BUT............

 

I think NW has a very good offense. Better than MSU's? IDK - but we'll see.

One thing I've noticed out of MSU since we've played them is they get gased really easily in the 3rd and 4th quarters of games with an active offense. They started having issues against us and even Iowa this last week when the offense was successful. They were sucking wind like crazy! I think if Kain Colter gets going...........MSU is in serious trouble.

[Excel]

We really need Stanford to lose one more game to be SURE we get that spot, but I don't see how the Fiesta Bowl officials will pass up a NU-OU match-up IF it's available. It would make no sense to pass up that opportunity. They are guaranteed a sellout with a huge following from both fanbases. Oh and we obviously HAVE to win out or this is all a moot point.

Maybe it would wake the two schools up to the importance of the rivalry too....it could kind of replace the old Big Ten-Big Twelve game we had in Illinois v. Mizzou with a much better incarnation. That'd be great. The SEC has its kickoff special and ACC games toward the end of the year...I'd like to see that with us toward the beginning. Iowa State plays Iowa. Nebraska plays Oklahoma. Kansas State plays Northwestern. Minnesota plays Texas. That'd be cool.