ESPN's Maisel/Schlabach - BG/Rutgers in International Bowl

[PGY Tiercel]

Man, Rutgers would be tough.

Also, honestly, while winning out is the surest thing -- we'd be a virtual lock in that stich -- there is a reasonable chance seven wins could get it done.

7 wins won't cut it. There are too many things we need to happen for us to even have a chance at the East title. So, the only way we go bowling is if we win out, period.

It actually might. The MAC has 3 bowls. GMAC, Motor city, International. We don't have to play in the MAC Championship to get a bowl game. There are only 4 Teams that could finish 7-5 or better.
Central Michigan
BG (both teams have room to spare, i.e. can lose 1 game.


Ohio/Miami (currently they are both 5-5, yet they still have to play each other, one will end up with at least 6 losses for sure.)
Ball State/Toledo (Same deal)

So the reality is 7 wins could get it done, assuming no other MAC team, not playing in the championship, has 7 wins.

[San Fran Falcon]

Man, Rutgers would be tough.

Also, honestly, while winning out is the surest thing -- we'd be a virtual lock in that stich -- there is a reasonable chance seven wins could get it done.

7 wins won't cut it. There are too many things we need to happen for us to even have a chance at the East title. So, the only way we go bowling is if we win out, period.

It actually might. The MAC has 3 bowls. GMAC, Motor city, International. We don't have to play in the MAC Championship to get a bowl game. There are only 4 Teams that could finish 7-5 or better.
Central Michigan
BG (both teams have room to spare, i.e. can lose 1 game.


Ohio/Miami (currently they are both 5-5, yet they still have to play each other, one will end up with at least 6 losses for sure.)
Ball State/Toledo (Same deal)

So the reality is 7 wins could get it done, assuming no other MAC team, not playing in the championship, has 7 wins.

True, but I don't want to leave it up to someone to flip a coin and choose between 2 MAC teams with 7 wins. Maybe it's me, but we always seem to end up on the loosing end when it comes down to things like this. 8 wins would make me feel much more warm and fuzzier inside.

[PGY Tiercel]

8 wins would make me feel much more warm and fuzzier inside.

I usually just use Bourbon to feel like that.

[1987alum]

8 wins would make me feel much more warm and fuzzier inside.

I usually just use Bourbon to feel like that.

mmmmmm ....

[Schadenfreude]

True, but I don't want to leave it up to someone to flip a coin and choose between 2 MAC teams with 7 wins. Maybe it's me, but we always seem to end up on the loosing end when it comes down to things like this. 8 wins would make me feel much more warm and fuzzier inside.

Four is the MAXIMUM number of MAC teams that can finish 7-5 or better.

The chances are actually reasonable that it could be fewer than four. If it's fewer than four, and Bowling Green is one of them, Bowling Green goes bowling. Period.

[TG1996]

FOX Sports isn't as Falcon-friendly, going with UT, Ball State, CMU and Miami(OH) as MAC bowl teams.... of course, as we've charted (quite well, I might add)... all the projections in the world may be meaningless depending on the outcomes on the field.

[SicSic80]

FOX Sports isn't as Falcon-friendly, going with UT, Ball State, CMU and Miami(OH) as MAC bowl teams.... of course, as we've charted (quite well, I might add)... all the projections in the world may be meaningless depending on the outcomes on the field.

UT.........??????? You have got to be kidding me?????? As has just been proven again, FOX Sports does NOT have a clue!!

[Schadenfreude]

FOX Sports isn't as Falcon-friendly, going with UT, Ball State, CMU and Miami(OH) as MAC bowl teams.... of course, as we've charted (quite well, I might add)... all the projections in the world may be meaningless depending on the outcomes on the field.

UT.........??????? You have got to be kidding me?????? As has just been proven again, FOX Sports does NOT have a clue!!

It would be pretty darned unlikely for Ball State and Toledo to both go to bowls. This weekend is basically a knock out game; the loser can only finish 6-6. Only way we get to 6-6 teams going bowling is if there aren't enough 7-5 teams to meet our commitments.

[JohnnySwoop '85]

I think 7-5 is a minimum condition if you aren't one of the two teams playing in the Conf championship.
There's a lot of teams that are 6-6 or above in the BCS conferences that get to go, but the Mid Majors (MAC, WAC) will have to have at least 7-5 to go.

What happens if we finish with same record as Miami and Ball state, I guess Miami goes but not sure what the breakers are with Ball state...but BS or Toledo are doubtful for BOTH finishing better than us.

So its back to the "one game at a time mentality" and freak called the Buff game important about 5 weeks ago...and it is huge, and if we lose its do or die against Toledo to get to 7-5

[TG1996]

There's a lot of teams that are 6-6 or above in the BCS conferences that get to go, but the Mid Majors (MAC, WAC) will have to have at least 7-5 to go.

We have 3 bowl tie-ins. If the third place MAC team is 6-6, they'll go bowling.

[tiznow]

8 wins would make me feel much more warm and fuzzier inside.

I usually just use Bourbon to feel like that.

mmmmmm ....

Makers mmmm. I need to go pour myself one now. Thanks 87!

[San Fran Falcon]

8 wins would make me feel much more warm and fuzzier inside.

I usually just use Bourbon to feel like that.

mmmmmm ....

Makers mmmm. I need to go pour myself one now. Thanks 87!

Now, just think how nice a shot of Makers would taste if we won 8 games. Pretty deep, huh?

[The Niz]

There's a lot of teams that are 6-6 or above in the BCS conferences that get to go, but the Mid Majors (MAC, WAC) will have to have at least 7-5 to go.

We have 3 bowl tie-ins. If the third place MAC team is 6-6, they'll go bowling.

I believe we actually have four. This was news to me when I was told. For Band we were instructed to hold the dates open for the following games:

Motor City Bowl
GMAC Bowl
International Bowl
Papa Johns Bowl

I don't know if its a bowl commitment or not, but when the band gets instructions to hold dates open, it always looks likely that a M.A.C. team will be going to each one.

[BGSUfalcons]

There's a lot of teams that are 6-6 or above in the BCS conferences that get to go, but the Mid Majors (MAC, WAC) will have to have at least 7-5 to go.

We have 3 bowl tie-ins. If the third place MAC team is 6-6, they'll go bowling.

I believe we actually have four. This was news to me when I was told. For Band we were instructed to hold the dates open for the following games:

Motor City Bowl
GMAC Bowl
International Bowl
Papa Johns Bowl

I don't know if its a bowl commitment or not, but when the band gets instructions to hold dates open, it always looks likely that a M.A.C. team will be going to each one.

Unless something has changed, the Papa John's Bowl is Big East v. C-USA. As far as I can tell, both conferences should be able to fill those slots. I guess the MAC is the backup.

By the way, CBS Sportsline predicts BG in the GMAC v. UCF. I doubt the International Bowl would want a Cincy v. Miami rematch:

http://www.sportsline.com/collegefootba ... redictions

[Schadenfreude]

[
I believe we actually have four. This was news to me when I was told. For Band we were instructed to hold the dates open for the following games:

Motor City Bowl
GMAC Bowl
International Bowl
Papa Johns Bowl

I don't know if its a bowl commitment or not, but when the band gets instructions to hold dates open, it always looks likely that a M.A.C. team will be going to each one.

That's very interesting. Very interesting.

The PapaJohns.com bowl is the newish Birmingham game that tries to pit Conference USA against the Big East. But they do have some kind of agreement with the MAC.

Different Web sites are saying different things, but I believe the deal is that if the Big East can't supply a team to the game, the MAC would back them up.

So, in other words we have three bowls locked down for sure -- Detroit, Mobile and Toronto -- and we do have this backup agreement with Birmingham if the Big East falls short.

Here are there arrangements along with hypothetical Big East teams, based on the standings:

1. BCS bowl of some kind. Hypothetically: Connecticut (4-0, 8-1). I'm assuming a second Big East team doesn't get an invite. I don't know how safe that assumption is.
2. Gator Bowl (Jacksonville, Fla.) or Sun Bowl (El Paso, Texas). Hypothetically: West Virginia (2-1, 7-1)
3. Meineke Car Care Bowl (Charlotte, N.C.). Hypothetically: Cincinnati (2-2, 7-2)
4. Texas Bowl (Houston). Hypothetically: South Florida (1-3, 6-3), since they are the only remaining Big East team with six wins right now.

Then you get down to these left over bowls with Big East tie ins:

5. International Bowl (Toronto)
6. PapaJohns.com (Birmingham, Ala.)

And you get down to these teams, with remaining schedules included:

Pittburgh (4-5): Rutgers, South Florida, W.Va.
Louisville (5-4): West Virginia, South Florida, Rutgers
Rutgers (5-4): Army, Pittsburgh, Louisville

Rutgers is almost certainly going to qualify. Beating Army would be enough.

Pittsburgh and Louisville may have a tough time. If one of them does get to six -- and that's where I would lay my money, that one of them does -- then I don't see any opening for the MAC, unless the BCS takes two Big East teams.

I'd be interested to know what others think.