I'm not here to complain about how it all worked out. I'm excited to go back to Montgomery and even more excited to see what we have against a very good team. Honestly, could be a matchup between two top 10 G5 teams.

But I was thinking, if South Alabama had won just one more game we could really, really be screwed. And this is significant because what if it happens in the future? The NCAA and bowl games are money hungry machines, that showed with New Orleans picking Louisiana Lafayette with the first pick. But what if South Alabama had won one more game, then they could have been picked at the same time as anyone else. It is very, very reasonable to believe if they had won one more and finished 7-5 Montgomery would have chosen them over us, due to the local proximity and the fact that a lot of bowls don't want the same team in consecutive years (unless you have the marriage Lafayette/NO do). The fact that SoBama didn't reach all the standards for typical qualification meant they had to be picked after the rest of the Sun Belt teams.

But if they had won one more, there's clearly a great chance Camellia Bowl would take them. So then us or Arkansas St (the two conference champs) would have completely gotten screwed with one of us going to Arizona. I'm just saying, the whole bowl selection process could really bite us in the ass somewhere down the road. We got lucky this year. App's location in regards to the rest of the teams in the conference could be an issue one day when it comes to stuff like this. A great solution would be to let the best teams PICK where they go, but we know this would never ever happen in a million years.

I guess now is not the time to worry about this, we need to prepare for Toledo. But it's hard not to find it interesting.

No

Preface: I'd be grateful to go to any bowl and the fact we're having this discussion is a sign of our team's incredible success in FBS

Geographically, we do seem to be the odd man out.

Imagine a (not unlikely) scenario over the next few years where Louisiana, Ark St, Georgia Southern, Troy, and App are all bowl eligible.

1. New Orleans is married to the Cajuns - rare that they take a team besides UL, Ark St and Troy.

2. Mobile loves Arkansas State, historically (and Southern)

3. Camellia has been good to us, but will they consistently take us over Troy (in-state) or Georgia Southern, both much closer?

4. Cure is the same situation as Camellia. The choice would be between App and a team significantly closer.

Being pessimistic for a minute - us going to Arizona is not unlikely if this bowl situation continues for years to come.

I also don't see a situation where we ever go to the New Orleans Bowl.

From what I understand is if Louisiana had lost on Saturday, we were NO bound.

No, the provisional status did not matter. It's about matchups and the Camellia Bowl has a matchup of two 9-3 teams with good fanbases. Regarding the provisional status, South Alabama still made a Sun Belt bowl as a provisional school ahead of 8-4 Idaho. Idaho was moved to the Potato Bowl to allow South Alabama to play in Arizona.  

Cincy App wrote:No, the provisional status did not matter. It's about matchups and the Camellia Bowl has a matchup of two 9-3 teams with good fanbases. Regarding the provisional status, South Alabama still made a Sun Belt bowl as a provisional school ahead of 8-4 Idaho. Idaho was moved to the Potato Bowl to allow South Alabama to play in Arizona.  

Isn't it probably more likely that Idaho got placed in the potato bowl because they're Idaho? I think it's their third time in that bowl, and I can't imagine a better fit.

There is one thing in our control, if we were to become known as a team who travels very well, our options become much better.

We can also hope that the Arizona bowl closes shop and Charleston takes its place .

hapapp wrote:From what I understand is if Louisiana had lost on Saturday, we were NO bound.

You are correct, and there were tow options, ULL lost Big Easy bound, ULL wins Montgomery here we come. Only two options.

appchicago wrote:

Cincy App wrote:No, the provisional status did not matter. It's about matchups and the Camellia Bowl has a matchup of two 9-3 teams with good fanbases. Regarding the provisional status, South Alabama still made a Sun Belt bowl as a provisional school ahead of 8-4 Idaho. Idaho was moved to the Potato Bowl to allow South Alabama to play in Arizona.  

Isn't it probably more likely that Idaho got placed in the potato bowl because they're Idaho? I think it's their third time in that bowl, and I can't imagine a better fit.

Idaho needed a non-Sun Belt bowl home before South Alabama could be placed in a Sun Belt bowl due to their provisional status. I wasn't really clear on that. It does make sense for Idaho to play in Boise from a geography perspective although it seems many of their fans preferred Arizona.

If USA had gone to the Camellia, App would have been in Orlando, and Ark St. would have been going to AZ. And that was very close to happening.

hapapp wrote:From what I understand is if Louisiana had lost on Saturday, we were NO bound.

I realize this, but that's not really the point of the thread. Plus they are one of the better programs in the conference, it is reasonable to assume more years than not they will be bowl eligible.

Saint3333 wrote:If USA had gone to the Camellia, App would have been in Orlando, and Ark St. would have been going to AZ. And that was very close to happening.

This is just as much of a crime, and others have said it is reasonable to think this could be a scenario one day. One of the conference champs getting sent to Arizona would have been a crime.

diehardapp18 wrote:

hapapp wrote:From what I understand is if Louisiana had lost on Saturday, we were NO bound.

I realize this, but that's not really the point of the thread. Plus they are one of the better programs in the conference, it is reasonable to assume more years than not they will be bowl eligible.

The statement was made that there was no scenario by which we go to NO. Actually there was.