5-step process for BG to land a bowl game

BGSU33 · Post by **BGSU33** » Mon Oct 04, 2004 3:12 pm

The way I see it, for BG to get back to a bowl this season, it breaks down to about five important issues:

#1 - BG must win out and go 9-2, period.

#2 - Two MAC teams out of the same division (the West) get picked for a bowl. Unless NIU somehow loses two MAC games (which is not likely to happen) and BG ends up finishing ahead of NIU, this might have to happen.

#3 - BG somehow lands in a bowl that was slotted for another conference because they failed to qualify (which is also probably unlikely to happen).

#4 - If NIU does win out and wins the West, it would help BG chances at getting a bowl if NIU also won the MAC Championship and dealt the East team another loss, especially if that team is Marshall.

#5 - If Marshall does win the East, the conference shops another "MAC" team besides Marshall since they are bolting for C-USA, and somehow deal the next best team in line, which could be BG.

I think #1 can happen, I believe we can win out. But until 2-5 happen, it's hard to envision those things actually taking place until they do. It would be great if they did for BG, but I am afraid we might have a repeat of 1994 when we went 9-2 overall, 7-1 in the MAC and sitting at home during bowl season.

As far as what bowl we may go to, I could care less this season as long as we get to one. If NIU ends up running the table, I could very easily see the Motor City Bowl wanting NIU. NIU is also close to Detroit and NIU has been averaging about 25,000 fans per home game the last couple years. I'd love to go back to the Motor City Bowl again, but I'll take playing in the GMAC or any bowl for that matter.

Warthog · Post by **Warthog** » Mon Oct 04, 2004 3:22 pm

If we win out, which would include a win over Marshall, we finish with two losses. In that case Marshall has four losses heading into the MACC game. (Assuming they don't lose to someone else.) If they then lose the MACC to NIU, they have five losses. I think BG at 9-2 would be a better option than Marshall at 7-5.

BGSU33 · Post by **BGSU33** » Mon Oct 04, 2004 3:30 pm

Exactly, which would apply to step #2 & #4 - picking two teams from the same division, and NIU winning the MACC, and step #5, shopping around another team.

rollalongFF0304 · Post by **rollalongFF0304** » Mon Oct 04, 2004 3:55 pm

Warthog wrote:I think BG at 9-2 would be a better option than Marshall at 7-5.

I think deep down inside we all know that the bowls would still take Marshall.

We need Chryst's intervention to make this work.

BGSU33 · Post by **BGSU33** » Mon Oct 04, 2004 4:05 pm

True, and even if it doesn't apply to BG this year, I believe it could really help the MAC if Chryst and the MAC were to look out for its own. I know Marshall officially is still in the MAC, but as far as I'm considered, Marshall and UCF are already gone. It's like giving your boss a two-weeks notice when your boss really wants you to stay, and then expecting the boss to bend over backwards to pamper you while they are still there with there being zero chance you'll change your mine. I say, let them go and do what's best for the others who are and want to stay.

Obviously, I am biased to this being something to help BG, but I feel strongly about letting the door hit Marshall and UCF on the way out. I think it would hurt us more than it would help us to have Marshall in a bowl game this year. I'd rather see a "true" MAC team go to a bowl and lose than to see Marshall go to a bowl game and win this year.

MAC Falcon · Post by **MAC Falcon** » Mon Oct 04, 2004 4:30 pm

What is the tie breaker scenario if Toledo beats NIU, BG wins out and Toledo's only conference loss is to BG? It is a 3 way tie for first who gets the tie breaker?

Dayons_Den · Post by **Dayons_Den** » Mon Oct 04, 2004 4:32 pm

rollalongFF0304 wrote:
Warthog wrote:I think BG at 9-2 would be a better option than Marshall at 7-5.

I think deep down inside we all know that the bowls would still take Marshall.

We need Chryst's intervention to make this work.

Ultimately though can Chryst over rule who a bowl invites? I mean the bottom line of college football bowls are to generate revenue and ticket sales. Marshall, despite the fact we all hate them, can sell tickets, and they can sell tickets well. There are quite a few things as to why they are such a solid program in this regard, but that is not the point now, just the fact that they can sell more tickets than any other team in our conference is enough to make them a more desirable MAC bowl team.

rollalongFF0304 · Post by **rollalongFF0304** » Mon Oct 04, 2004 4:54 pm

MAC Falcon wrote:What is the tie breaker scenario if Toledo beats NIU, BG wins out and Toledo's only conference loss is to BG? It is a 3 way tie for first who gets the tie breaker?

Not sure of the math or logic behind it, but I belive NIU would go to the MACC. Something like this happened two years ago.

BGSU33 · Post by **BGSU33** » Mon Oct 04, 2004 5:07 pm

We can't have a tie and go to the MACC, we either have to win it outright or we'll lose the tie-breaker because of a long story........

Schadenfreude · Post by **Schadenfreude** » Mon Oct 04, 2004 5:09 pm

BGSU33 wrote:We can't have a tie and go to the MACC, we either have to win it outright or we'll lose the tie-breaker because of a long story........

I believe the relevant tie breaker in the three-way tie some of us are hoping for comes down to this: "the team that has has waited the longest to go to a bowl game goes to the MACC."

Isn't that what we finally decided?

BGSU33 · Post by **BGSU33** » Mon Oct 04, 2004 5:13 pm

Yeah, I think that's what it came down to in a nutshell.

BGSUfanatUT · Post by **BGSUfanatUT** » Mon Oct 04, 2004 5:52 pm

I think getting a bowl game that another conf cannot fill is looking pretty good. with only 11 game schedules, there will hopefully be less bowl elligible teams, and with about half of the teams getting bowls, its a good bet I think.

ab1994 · Post by **ab1994** » Mon Oct 04, 2004 7:02 pm

You know, I've decided I'm not going to waste any time and energy thinking of possible bowl scenarios. I'm prettty much resigned to the fact that unless NIU loses two games, we'll be sitting home.

Does it make the season a waste? Heck no. 9-2 is still a great season, especially since it means beating Toledo.

Does sitting at home at 9-2 stink? Yes.

Does it hurt the program? No. Everyone will be talking about us getting left out of the bowl picure and what a good team we have.

The third MAC bowl will come, eventually. Unfortunately it won't be this year. The East and West winners will go the bowls (I know they don't have to, but they will). Marshall at 7-5 is more attractive then BG at 9-2, and Chryst doesn't have a say so in who goes where.

Metz · Post by **Metz** » Mon Oct 04, 2004 7:05 pm

ab1994 wrote:You know, I've decided I'm not going to waste any time and energy thinking of possible bowl scenarios. I'm prettty much resigned to the fact that unless NIU loses two games, we'll be sitting home.

That's a really crappy outlook on things. Sorry but NIU really doesn't need to lose 2 games to get in. The top 2 teams from the ENTIRE MAC get in. Unless someone in the East wins the MACC, we actually have a legitimate shot to be the #2 team and still get a bowl game!

BGSUfanatUT · Post by **BGSUfanatUT** » Mon Oct 04, 2004 7:05 pm

as much as I jsut posted that i think we will get a bowl, I agree with you, my heart says NIU needs to lose twice for us to have a chance, it really sucks we had to play that game so early...