Bowl Eligibility

[foutsrouts]

Hate to pee on the party, but with Arkie State, LALA, and FIU now looking to be Bowl eligible, do we even have a reasonable shot to go Bowling as a FOURTH SBC team? Even AFTER we beat WKU, we're both looking to likely be 6-6, so I'm guessing that we really need to kick butt next week to even have a prayer of playing a 13th game. Any thoughts?

[NT03]

I'm not even going to think about it until after we play WKU

[Mean Green 93-98]

Even if we beat WKU, they could also end up bowl eligible, leaving the Belt with 5 bowl eligible teams. And no, I don't see us going to a bowl under those circumstances. How many possible bowl tie-ins does the Belt even have? 3? I'd have to think we'd be on the outside looking in.

[pastorgrant]

6-6 is absolutely awesome, even if we don't go bowling.

[Mean Green 93-98]

6-6 is absolutely awesome, even if we don't go bowling.

Considering where we have been, I agree 100 percent!

[NT91]

And 5-3 In the SBC would be great.

Edited November 13, 2011 by NT91

[BIG DAWG]

I have thought about this...it will be difficult because there could easily 5 bowl eligible teams from the Belt, and we won't all go, and the conference champion gets an automatic bid...that leaves 4 teams fighting for 2 spots, and we have lost to 2 of them, LaLa and FIU. To get to 6 wins ourselves we will have to beat WKU, so we would be ahead of them, but not the other 2. It could come down to who would draw more fans to a bowl game...that would hurt FIU, but does it help us?

It is anyone's guess...all we can do is win out and be in the conversation

GO MEAN GREEN!

[foutsrouts]

I have thought about this...it will be difficult because there could easily 5 bowl eligible teams from the Belt, and we won't all go, and the conference champion gets an automatic bid...that leaves 4 teams fighting for 2 spots, and we have lost to 2 of them, LaLa and FIU. To get to 6 wins ourselves we will have to beat WKU, so we would be ahead of them, but not the other 2. It could come down to who would draw more fans to a bowl game...that would hurt FIU, but does it help us?

It is anyone's guess...all we can do is win out and be in the conversation

GO MEAN GREEN!

Pretty much my thoughts exactly, but I'm still not sure if a fourth SBC team might have a remote possibility. Guess that depends on just how many teams end up eligible, and many teams still have three to play. We just need to get there as strongly as we can and hope to slip in at the end of the line. Maybe Happy Valley will decide to bow out and push open a spot at the bottom. Or maybe more of the never ending scandals could do likewise for us. Ya never know.

[greenjoe]

It seems to me that we used to travel well to the 4 New Orleans Bowls we went to. Bowl committees only want fans in seats. If we finish 6-6 I would think we'd get some consideration. Sort of a "rags-to-riches" story.

But first Beat the Hilltoppers

GO MEAN GREEN

[Green Mean]

There won't be an SBC team in a bowl game outside of our tie ins and those two will go to ASU and ULL.

[VideoEagle]

There won't be an SBC team in a bowl game outside of our tie ins and those two will go to ASU and ULL.

There have been at least 3 and I think 4 times before. Once the Belt could have gotten two teams in when we only had one bowl, but La Tech refused to play a Belt team in a bowl game. I cost MT a bowl and cost the WAC about $200,000 extra. Gotta love La Tech.

[Mean Green Matt]

The answer to this is "it depends". Ignore the bowl tie-ins that the SBC has. I believe the SBC has four though. What we need to root for are a minimal number of bowl eligible teams, and then a favorable location of a bowl game close to us with an open slot. At this point, there are not enough bowl eligible teams to fill all of the slots. Granted, there are three weeks left, but just sayin'. If we can beat WKU and MTSU, and then Troy can knock of WKU, then I see us getting the nod over FIU for the SBC secondary tie in because of our larger fan base. It all depends on a lot of things, but all we can do for ourselves right now is get to 6-6, which will be an accomplishment whether or not we go bowling. I have a sheet with a bunch of scenarios on it for bowl games that I will post in a couple days once I get a little time.

[Mean Green Matt]

There won't be an SBC team in a bowl game outside of our tie ins and those two will go to ASU and ULL.

Can I borrow your crystal ball? Your statement is 100% impossible to prove right now. WAY to many variables are left for this season.

[ParksAndRecRick]

Great win! Incredible turn-around season! Let's win the last two at home! We need the entire Mean Green Nation!

[Green Mean]

Can I borrow your crystal ball? Your statement is 100% impossible to prove right now. WAY to many variables are left for this season.

I don't have any crystal ball. Just the way I personally see it. Not sure what the -1's are for whoever gave it to me...it's nothing personal as I'd be ecstatic to win 6 games and go to a bowl but I personally don't think we'll be going bowling if we do get to 6 wins.

[Mean Green Matt]

I don't have any crystal ball. Just the way I personally see it. Not sure what the -1's are for whoever gave it to me...it's nothing personal as I'd be ecstatic to win 6 games and go to a bowl but I personally don't think we'll be going bowling if we do get to 6 wins.

I didn't give you the minus one, as all you did was state an opinion, but what I am saying is that right now, there is no way to know that. I've been looking into it, and would put our odds at about 30% of going to a bowl game if we win out. A few things just need to go our way, incuding wins over WKU and MTSU.

[meangreen]

Not to lower the standards, but I think we should worry about WKU before we even begin to ponder over the potential bowl scenarios. Regardless of how the season wraps up, when you look at it from the correct perspective this has been an amazing season and a great start to a brand new era. It is so obvious that things are going in the right direction. I'd love to go bowling but would survive if we don't.

[Mean Green Matt]

Not to lower the standards, but I think we should worry about WKU before we even begin to ponder over the potential bowl scenarios. Regardless of how the season wraps up, when you look at it from the correct perspective this has been an amazing season and a great start to a brand new era. It is so obvious that things are going in the right direction. I'd love to go bowling but would survive if we don't.

I don't disagree with the sentiment, but just as being bowl eligible is contingent upon us winning against WKU and MTSU, actually going to a bowl is contingent on their being an open spot. I don't think anyone on here discussing possible bowl scenarios is forgetting that we have two more games to win. I certainly am not. WKU is a good team and MTSU is always tough against us no matter what.

[GreenGuy123]

If we can get past WKU...then we can talk about possible bowl eligibility. Either way, I am proud of these guys and think the coaching staff is doing an excellent job. For the first time in a long time, I feel good about the direction of our football team.

[McKinneyMiner]

One thing that could help the Belt get an extra team into bowl, whether it be UNT or WKU is the down year the service academies are having...

They are automatically tied to at least one bowl and I think maybe a second one...

Right now Army can finish no better than 5-7...

Navy has to win out to finish 6-6...

If Air Force were to lose out they would finish 5-7...

So, it is conceivable that there will be no service academies in bowl games this year...

That's how the Belt gets an extra bowl team...

[Rudy]

I thnk we should replace Penn State in their bowl game.

[Eastwood Eagle]

One thing that could help the Belt get an extra team into bowl, whether it be UNT or WKU is the down year the service academies are having...

They are automatically tied to at least one bowl and I think maybe a second one...

Right now Army can finish no better than 5-7...

Navy has to win out to finish 6-6...

If Air Force were to lose out they would finish 5-7...

So, it is conceivable that there will be no service academies in bowl games this year...

That's how the Belt gets an extra bowl team...

Something strange and uncomfortable about rooting against the Navy, Army and Air Force.

Oh well, GMG!

Edited November 13, 2011 by Eastwood Eagle

[foutsrouts]

I thnk we should replace Penn State in their bowl game.

That's actually not beyond the realm of possibilities. No telling what kind of additional dirt could come out of that situation before Bowl acceptance time. They turn down a Bowl (or get banned) because of their dirt, and we move on up and in at the bottom of the Bowl picture. Could happen.

[oldguystudent]

I count 94 teams with 6 or fewer losses vying for 70 bowl spots. Of those 94 teams, 41 have not yet reached the magic 6 win total. So 53 teams in, 17 spots left, 41 teams fighting for those. Those 41 teams will inevitably play each other in conference, probably leaving 20 teams. It'll be tough. Over the past several years, with the number of bowl games constantly increasing, it's pretty rare to get left out if you reach that sixth win. Oh. I'm not accounting for teams that at at exactly 6 wins, and could finish at 6-6. It'll be an interesting result to see what happens if there are indeed five bowl eligible teams in the Sunbelt. But please, don't go crying to your mommy if we get passed over. There isn't a conspiracy. We haven't earned it yet. But should we go to 6-6 this year after the horrendous experiment out of Detroit automobile manufacturing, it's got to catch outside eyes and bring us credibility in the future.

[Adub4ever]

I don't have any crystal ball. Just the way I personally see it. Not sure what the -1's are for whoever gave it to me...it's nothing personal as I'd be ecstatic to win 6 games and go to a bowl but I personally don't think we'll be going bowling if we do get to 6 wins.

you are just being a kill joy that why i -1'd you... if we get 6 wins we'll have a chance... ASU and ULL are going to a bowl game thats a lock, but if FIU, WKU, and NT all have 6 wins.... the bowl will decide.... who knows how it will work out we have 3 more weeks...

ill settle for a 6-6 season regardless of a bowl game or not...

After wk 1 vs FIU i was expecting a 2-10 year! Great turn around for Coach Mac! GMG 4 Life