Perhaps all hope is not lost

[Schadenfreude]

I think most of us look at the way Northern Illnois manhandled us and hold out little hope they'll lose two more games.

There is another way of looking at this season, though.

A third bowl slot might open up to the MAC just based on the fact that the math is tougher for all schoosl this year.

For the past two seasons, schools have had 12 games to get to six wins. Now they only get 11.

Last year, only a few bowl eligible teams sat home. This year, even fewer will sit home. That may mean opporunity for a divisional runner up.

I'll go anywhere in the continental United States to watch the Falcons play in a bowl game. Boise? Shreveport? Flint? Doesn't matter. I'll be there.

The Falcons need to do their part -- and it starts with whipping Temple Saturday in Philadelphia.

[huskiealum03]

wake up.. its the MAC, no way we get a 3rd bowl

[Tricky_Falcon]

wake up.. its the MAC, no way we get a 3rd bowl

I agree...it's not going to happen this year. During the game on Friday they actually had a segment that talked about the rise and fall of the MAC. The national media is not impressed with the MAC this year it would be very hard to get a third bowl.

[Orange]

But there is still hope for an at large bid, now granted we have to go undefeated from here on out, there is still a chance with so many bids going to C-USA, and the Big East.

[Schadenfreude]

Well, it is my belief that if NIU had gone 9-2 with wins over Alabama, Iowa State and Maryland this year, they would be in a bowl game even if they didn't win the division.

I don't think there is any question that the 11-game schedule is going to knock a few more teams out of the running for a bowl.

We will see.

[HuskieDan]

Well, it is my belief that if NIU had gone 9-2 with wins over Alabama, Iowa State and Maryland this year, they would be in a bowl game even if they didn't win the division.

I don't think there is any question that the 11-game schedule is going to knock a few more teams out of the running for a bowl.

We will see.

The key there are the signature wins to hang our hat on. Unfortunately, Temple is not a signature win (ISU really wasn't last year, considering they ended up 2-9). I'd love to see it happen, but we have to know that it is unlikely.

[orangeandbrown]

Well, Schad. I give you credit. You can look at the positive side of anything. I wish I could be more like that.

The odds of the MAC getting a 3rd bid this year....0%.

As they say in Detroit, you're eating the cornbread.

[Schadenfreude]

The odds of the MAC getting a 3rd bid this year....0%.

We'll see.

[FalconAwesome]

Schad,

I have to agree with you here. Navy will be a problem with this logic since they are 4-0 and will probably reach bowl eligible status. If even half of the number of teams that were 6-6 last year go to 5-6 we should get a good look if we finish strong.

[BelieveNBG]

If we win out (which would include beating Marshall) and Marshall goes on to win the MAC, that would certainly make our case strong for getting a bowl game.

The other scenario would be a 3 way tie, as it could have been 2 years ago it we had beaten Toledo. This would mean NIU needs to lose to Toledo (or any other west MAC team and we would need to beat that team which would equate to a 3 way tie.

[orangeandbrown]

We can refer this thread to the ones from last year, or most years when the MAC is trying to get an extra berth in the Big Dance. If we want a third bowl, we're going to need a contract for one.

[BGSU33]

It's a great way to think, but I won't believe it until I see it. I'm not saying it couldn't happen, I'm just saying I won't believe it until it does.

[Flipper]

Let's beat Temple and then worry about beating those punk-assed Chimpewa's from CMU.

[BGSUfanatUT]

We could win the rest of our games by a combined 2000-3 and we would not get a bowl still. Honestly, we are F"d.

[Hail Peden]

Well, it is my belief that if NIU had gone 9-2 with wins over Alabama, Iowa State and Maryland this year, they would be in a bowl game even if they didn't win the division.

I don't think there is any question that the 11-game schedule is going to knock a few more teams out of the running for a bowl.

We will see.

Your right about this. Only 57 schools will be bowl elgible in 2004 for 56 slots. On CollegeBCS.com, it projects 5 MAC schools in bowls for 2004; Marshall, NIU, Miami, Toledo and BG. It has Toledo going to the Music City as an at-large and Miami going to the Houston Bowl, and Bowling Green going to the New Orleans to fill in for CDOA. Only problem with this is the projection was made before the start of the season.

Lets say Marshall and NIU win the divisions. The next attractive candidates will probably be in order 1.BG, 2.Toledo, 3.Miami. BG has an edge for the third bowl because if they can beat Temple, that gives them 2 non-conference wins they can count toward bowl elgibility, compared with 1 for Toledo and Miami. BG will need to walk out of Peden alive, and thats not easy to do.

Nobody has brought this point up before and it good one. Despite this year, the MAC will probably land a third bowl in 2005 just because everyone else is overbowled except the SBC. Tough to see the SBC picking up a tie-in, this league is just so provisional and too small. Maybe CUSA picks up another game because of loosing the FtWorth Bowl.