Bowl Projections for the Falcons

[bg1984]

Providing this team takes care of business Saturday by controlling the line of scrimmage on both sides of the ball and establishing a consistent offensive attack they will become bowl eligible with a win over EMU. I thought it was interesting to look at the bowl projections for the Falcons after week 8. I have been watching BG play since the fall of 1980 and I can’t ever remember a year where we have been projected to be in as many different bowls as we are this year. Bowl projections are just projections and don’t mean too much in the final analysis, but after what we have suffered through the last couple of years it’s at least fun to have a bowl game as a topic of conversation. It’s been too long since BG has been relevant with 4 games left in a season so I’m going to enjoy the ride which should be a wild one.

CFN
http://cfn.scout.com/2/557866.html- no bowl

USA Today
http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nc ... /1609731/- Erik Smith: Military Bowl Vs. Wake Forest

Phil Steele
http://www.philsteele.com/bowls/12-13/b ... tions.html: New Orleans Bowl Vs. University of Louisiana Monroe

Orlando Sentinel
http://www.orlandosentinel.com/sports/b ... ?track=rss: Compass Vs. Troy

CBS Sports
http://www.cbssports.com/collegefootbal ... redictions: Military Vs. Arizona

ESPN
http://espn.go.com/college-football/bowls/projections: Mark Schlabach: Compass Vs. Arkansas. Brad Edwards: Beef 'O' Brady's St. Petersburg Vs. East Carolina

College Sports Madness
http://www.collegesportsmadness.com/foo ... rojections : Military Vs. Arizona

SB Nation
http://www.sbnation.com/college-footbal ... notre-dame : Armed Forces Vs. Air Force

[MarkL]

Projecting bowls, especially not even in November, is really just a crapshoot. However, seeing so many projects of us heading somewhere is a good thing. If our defense takes care of business the next few weeks and offense is reliable, we'll be in Detroit before a bowl game!!

One game at a time tho ... the team has that focus and that's a very good thing. Beat EMU!

[kdog27]

If we didn't make it Detroit I would love to go to New Orleans for a few days.

[Flipper]

Yeah...it is pretty cool to be back in the bowl discussion. Beef O'Brady Bowl.....that sounds really high in sodium. My doc would want me to avoid that one...

[BGFan]

Yeah...it is pretty cool to be back in the bowl discussion. Beef O'Brady Bowl.....that sounds really high in sodium. My doc would want me to avoid that one...

But tasty!

[Class of 61]

Interesting as you look thru all these "projections", and they are indeed just that....is that as many as SEVEN MAC schools are projected into one or more of the bowls:

BG Ball St. Kent Miami OU Toledo W. Mich. are all being listed as possibles.... would seem that WMU is in the "worst" position, along with Miami, unless the Hawks can take down the Bobcats on Sat.

In the meantime, ONE GAME AT A TIME!!!!!! Beat EMU!

BTW....wasn't someone earlier this season describing MAC football as weak, boring, etc.?

[MarkL]

Exciting season in the MAC so far! I thought WMU would be the MAC champs but they've disappointed at 3-5, and there are three one loss teams and one undefeated team. Good, good season for this conference!

Speaking of WMU ... two more losses and they are ineligible. Didn't see that one coming! They still have NIU, CMU, EMU, and UB. Based off how everybody's playing, I don't see 6-6 happening. I have no idea how happy the administration is with Cubit. He develops good teams and comes up with some solid wins but they never put together truly special seasons. I don't have insight into what the WMU AD wants and if he is satisfied with the results. At least, he's got to be frustrated with how many seasons WMU has had a MAC title sitting on a silver platter yet they've been unable to capitalize.

[Beaker]

Welcome 84.
Other posters are correct, that bowl speculation at this point doesn't mean much, as there's still so much to be decided on the field. That said, one thing that caught my attention, at least on Phil Steele's writeup, was that the Sun Belt#1 plays Conf USA #6 in the R+L Carrier Bowl. Also, the Sun Belt#2 plays MAC#1 in the Go Daddy Bowl. I'm not sure how to interpret this. It questions some of my preconcieved notitions, one being that I thought bowls were supposed to seek matchups of comparable teams, making for the most competitve game possible. the other being, I thought the MAC and Sun Belt conferences exist on a somewhat even plane. At risk of sounding like a homer, I would think the MAC would probably have a leg up on the Sun Belt, in terms of strength of the football members. That said, why does their #2 get our #1 in the bowl game? Given the matchup in the R+L Bowl, are they implying that Conf USA #6 is on par with MAC #!? I would take issue with that. It looks to me like the fat, cigar smoking men that make the bowl deals in back room meetings are not giving much credit to the MAC.

[BGFalconfromCincy]

The New Orleans Bowl has always had the Sun Belt #1 pick as it was the only tie in that conference had for many years until it got one with the GoDaddy.com Bowl. Now for the MAC the GoDaddy and LC Bowls trade off each year which gets to pick they MAC school they want first. GoDaddy has first pick of MAC schools this year, so likely it will have the #2 pick of MAC schools next year with LC having the #1 pick. This may be the case for the Sun Belt as well, where New Orleans and GoDaddy switch who has #1 pick of Sun Belt teams, with New Orleans having the first Sun Belt pick this year.

As for the New Orleans having a MAC school, when a conference can't fill all its spots the bowl can pick from whatever schools have not been selected to its conference's bowls. Bowls are starting to have conferences sign up as back ups just in case the contracted conference can't fill the spot. The MAC may have this kind of contract with the New Orleans Bowl to provide a team if CUSA can't.

[kdog27]

Welcome 84.
Other posters are correct, that bowl speculation at this point doesn't mean much, as there's still so much to be decided on the field. That said, one thing that caught my attention, at least on Phil Steele's writeup, was that the Sun Belt#1 plays Conf USA #6 in the R+L Carrier Bowl. Also, the Sun Belt#2 plays MAC#1 in the Go Daddy Bowl. I'm not sure how to interpret this. It questions some of my preconcieved notitions, one being that I thought bowls were supposed to seek matchups of comparable teams, making for the most competitve game possible. the other being, I thought the MAC and Sun Belt conferences exist on a somewhat even plane. At risk of sounding like a homer, I would think the MAC would probably have a leg up on the Sun Belt, in terms of strength of the football members. That said, why does their #2 get our #1 in the bowl game? Given the matchup in the R+L Bowl, are they implying that Conf USA #6 is on par with MAC #!? I would take issue with that. It looks to me like the fat, cigar smoking men that make the bowl deals in back room meetings are not giving much credit to the MAC.

This is how ESPN ranks the conferences. In my opinion there is not much difference between 4-9 this year. Drop Akron and Umass from the conversation and I think there is not much difference between the Big Ten and the MAC.

[Falco_peregrinusana]

Hey, it sure is nice to see OSU, PSU, and Central Florida winning games... Knocking off bubble teams and opening up bowl slots for our Falcons... As big Al told 'em- "Just win Baby!!"

[Falcon137]

Central Florida is playing in a bowl game this year. Their appeal isn't being heard until mid January so they are eligible this year.

[kdog27]

I would be OK if they played in the Compass Bowl too. The stadium is a dump but I can't beat the commute time

[BGFalconfromCincy]

Went to New Orleans for the first time back in May, wouldn't mind making another trip there

[RobbyFalcon]

I'm going to ask a question which will cause some of you to roll your eyes. Does the win vs Rhode Island count toward making us bowl eligible?

Beat EMU!