Bowl Game

[EastHallApp]

Congrats on the 1 zillion milestone. Sorry I missed the first... whatever a zillion minus one is.

Try right-clicking the link and selecting "Open in a new window" or "Open in a new tab." Or just copying the link, opening a new browser window, and pasting it in there. Lots of options for making the Internet work.

[APPdiesel]

Or we could just tell him it's in Orlando

twitter.com/DieselOnRadio

[EastHallApp]

Teach a man to fish and all that...

[NewApp]

Teach a man to fish and all that...

I've tried all those suggestions and they won't work. So has the guy who fixes my computer. Another problem I have is that Flash Player won't load from neither Adobe nor third party sites.

[/\PP ST/\TE GRAD 09]

Go Daddy is probably the only bowl I could not attend. I would have to do a lot of convincing to my wife. Anyone that's married knows how that goes. Two days before Christmas, and I would have to fly. Which flying into Mobile is probably the most expensive of the four. Any bowl I would have to fly, but the 19th would be much easier to convince the wife.

At this point I am hoping ULL loses to App, USA, and Troy (All strong possibilities). That would give them a 5-7 record, and they would not be eligible. Then, hopefully New Orleans would take App.

[bigdaddyg]

We discusses the bowl situation this week on the Black & Gold Podcast.

As crazy as it seems the GoDaddy, Camellia and New Orleans bowls would potentially take Ark St, S. Alabama and UL-La respectively if given the opportunity regardless of who won the Sun Belt.

As for the Cure Bowl, Georgia Southern is far closer to Orlando than App State so we could get stung there as well. I mean, if GaSo wins the rest of their schedule and goes 10-2 and we win the Sun Belt and go 11-1 (or even 10-2), why would the Cure Bowl choose a fan base that's literally double the distance from the bowl location? I don't know the answer to that question. Obviously if it was me, I'd choose App State because I believe we'd show up and be loud while being much classier than the Stink and their crowd.

We're definitely in new territory now. The FCS postseason was all about merit. Go 10-1 and you get a bye week and top seed for a seemingly easier path to the championship game.

FBS is more business minded. For example, the New Orleans Bowl may very well select a 6-6 UL-La team over "potential" 11-1 App State team. In fact, that may be likely. But I'm not the expert here.

The GoDaddy Bowl has selected Arkansas St. for the last 4 years. Memphis (Ark St's version of Charlotte) is a 6 hour drive from Mobile vs. a 9 hour drive from Charlotte. Not much difference but you have to figure that, unless we're missing something, GoDaddy may be inclined to stick with a sure thing than go with a fan base that's even farther away for a Wednesday night game. Like I said, I'm speculating the possibilities.

So basically I just wrote a bunch of stuff that essentially amounts to: I don't know what's going to happen.

First off, no way all those bowls would pass on an 10- or 11-win App team.

Secondly, if Southern goes 10-2, that means they beat UGA. Not impossible, but a stretch. And if it happens, I doubt both Alabama bowls pass on them (remember both are ahead of Orlando in the pecking order). Not sure they would pass on them at 9-3 either.

Driving distance is one factor, but not the only factor. App and Southern both travel well. The league office will be involved in the selections, and you can bet they won't want their new top dogs getting the shaft. A 6-6 USA getting picked while a 9, 10 or 11 win team gets left home would be an embarrassment.

And while it won't be their top priority, I imagine ESPN will have some input as well. Though that could hurt the Cure Bowl since it's one of the few that isn't on ESPN.

Not at all out of the realm of possibility that Stink can't beat UGA. I hate to say it but I lean toward at least 50-50. UGA is not very good.

[jwash99]

For my sake, I hope it is any other Bowl than GoDaddy. All the other bowls are on Friday and Saturday. December 23rd for GoDaddy would be tough with it being a Wednesday and the day before Christmas Eve.

[JTApps1]

We discusses the bowl situation this week on the Black & Gold Podcast.

As crazy as it seems the GoDaddy, Camellia and New Orleans bowls would potentially take Ark St, S. Alabama and UL-La respectively if given the opportunity regardless of who won the Sun Belt.

As for the Cure Bowl, Georgia Southern is far closer to Orlando than App State so we could get stung there as well. I mean, if GaSo wins the rest of their schedule and goes 10-2 and we win the Sun Belt and go 11-1 (or even 10-2), why would the Cure Bowl choose a fan base that's literally double the distance from the bowl location? I don't know the answer to that question. Obviously if it was me, I'd choose App State because I believe we'd show up and be loud while being much classier than the Stink and their crowd.

We're definitely in new territory now. The FCS postseason was all about merit. Go 10-1 and you get a bye week and top seed for a seemingly easier path to the championship game.

FBS is more business minded. For example, the New Orleans Bowl may very well select a 6-6 UL-La team over "potential" 11-1 App State team. In fact, that may be likely. But I'm not the expert here.

The GoDaddy Bowl has selected Arkansas St. for the last 4 years. Memphis (Ark St's version of Charlotte) is a 6 hour drive from Mobile vs. a 9 hour drive from Charlotte. Not much difference but you have to figure that, unless we're missing something, GoDaddy may be inclined to stick with a sure thing than go with a fan base that's even farther away for a Wednesday night game. Like I said, I'm speculating the possibilities.

So basically I just wrote a bunch of stuff that essentially amounts to: I don't know what's going to happen.

Keep in mind the conference champion is guaranteed a bowl but no bowl is designated for the league champ. So if we win the SB and then stAte, ULL, Troy, and GS are also bowl eligible then GS may be on the outside looking in as the Camellia would likely take Troy over GS.

[MtnDevil95]

It is my understanding as well that the conference champ is guaranteed a bowl (last year being the exception since GaSo was ineligible at the NCAA level). However, I do not know exactly where I got this understanding, so am willing to accept that it may not be the case.

Regardless of geographic proximity, I do think an 11-1 App State goes to the GoDaddy and faces another ranked opponent.

[asucrutch23]

We discusses the bowl situation this week on the Black & Gold Podcast.

As crazy as it seems the GoDaddy, Camellia and New Orleans bowls would potentially take Ark St, S. Alabama and UL-La respectively if given the opportunity regardless of who won the Sun Belt.

As for the Cure Bowl, Georgia Southern is far closer to Orlando than App State so we could get stung there as well. I mean, if GaSo wins the rest of their schedule and goes 10-2 and we win the Sun Belt and go 11-1 (or even 10-2), why would the Cure Bowl choose a fan base that's literally double the distance from the bowl location? I don't know the answer to that question. Obviously if it was me, I'd choose App State because I believe we'd show up and be loud while being much classier than the Stink and their crowd.

We're definitely in new territory now. The FCS postseason was all about merit. Go 10-1 and you get a bye week and top seed for a seemingly easier path to the championship game.

FBS is more business minded. For example, the New Orleans Bowl may very well select a 6-6 UL-La team over "potential" 11-1 App State team. In fact, that may be likely. But I'm not the expert here.

The GoDaddy Bowl has selected Arkansas St. for the last 4 years. Memphis (Ark St's version of Charlotte) is a 6 hour drive from Mobile vs. a 9 hour drive from Charlotte. Not much difference but you have to figure that, unless we're missing something, GoDaddy may be inclined to stick with a sure thing than go with a fan base that's even farther away for a Wednesday night game. Like I said, I'm speculating the possibilities.

So basically I just wrote a bunch of stuff that essentially amounts to: I don't know what's going to happen.

Keep in mind the conference champion is guaranteed a bowl but no bowl is designated for the league champ. So if we win the SB and then stAte, ULL, Troy, and GS are also bowl eligible then GS may be on the outside looking in as the Camellia would likely take Troy over GS.

All 6-6 teams are going bowling this year. It is almost a certainty that we have 5-7 teams making bowls. Right now there are only projected to be 75 teams at 6-6 or better, meaning FIVE 5-7 or worse teams get in.

[EastHallApp]

Troy is 2-6 and has Southern and ULL remaining, so you'd have to REALLY buy into their ability to sustain their turnaround in order to project them as bowl-eligible. USA has a pretty decent shot, though.

I doubt Southern gets passed over by the four main SBC bowls regardless. Their fan support will make them appealing. I think they wind up in Montgomery or Orlando.

[AppSt94]

Bigger games bring bigger payouts. So if go 11-1, garner some Top 25 love then a better bowl could happen. If the payout is better than the 4 SB tie ins then Benson could conceivably approach our tie ins to let App play in a bigger game to help the conference. teams to remaining to fill out our commitments.

[APPARJ]

ARJ - the GoDaddy Bowl, from what I can gather from longer term SBC fans than I, tends to take the highest ranked team available vs. a team for attendance reasons.

They have taken Ark St. the last four years as they were the highest ranked SBC team after the NO bowl made their selection. Ark St. finished 1st, 1st, 2nd, and 4th (2nd highest bowl eligible team in 2014) the last four years.

Now that may just be convenient and their bowl reps can claim they take the best team available since that best team worked out to be a fairly close road trip, hope we find out this year.

If we win Thursday and ULL is bowl eligible, ULL to NO, App to GoDaddy, Ark St. to Camellia, GS to Cure.

If we lose Thursday, ULL - NO, Ark St. - GoDaddy, App - Camellia, GS - Cure. Cure picks last of the four.

Thanks for clarifying, Saint. I don't know the rhyme or reason for any of these bowl selections that your insight is valuable. While I'll be excited for any bowl game, I have to hope against hope that we don't get the GoDaddy Bowl and that is only because it's in the middle of the week the day before Christmas Eve. If this was on a Saturday the distance wouldn't concern me as much but this would be the 3rd weekday game this season and it seems that many fans wouldn't be able to make the trip.

[BUTCH1991]

I'm looking forward to the Sun Belt Bowl this Thursday in Boone. Go App! Beat stAte!

[APPARJ]

First off, no way all those bowls would pass on an 10- or 11-win App team.

Secondly, if Southern goes 10-2, that means they beat UGA. Not impossible, but a stretch. And if it happens, I doubt both Alabama bowls pass on them (remember both are ahead of Orlando in the pecking order). Not sure they would pass on them at 9-3 either.

Driving distance is one factor, but not the only factor. App and Southern both travel well. The league office will be involved in the selections, and you can bet they won't want their new top dogs getting the shaft. A 6-6 USA getting picked while a 9, 10 or 11 win team gets left home would be an embarrassment.

And while it won't be their top priority, I imagine ESPN will have some input as well. Though that could hurt the Cure Bowl since it's one of the few that isn't on ESPN.

I forgot that GaSo still has UGA on their schedule and I definitely do not think they'll beat the Bulldogs.

It makes sense that driving distance isn't the only factor. That said, it seems to me there's not a lot of evidence that the New Orleans, Camellia or Cure Bowl would be pining for App State if there's an opportunity for a fan base better suited to travel. Saint pointed out that the GoDaddy.com Bowl tends to select the highest ranked team that's available. Based on the fact that their game takes place 2 days before Christmas in the middle of the week that logic makes sense.

Like it or not, the GoDaddy.com Bowl will probably be poorly attended by any fan base although South Alabama may make sense from an attendance perspective. Of course, Lafayette is only 3 hours away but they're probably a lock for the New Orleans Bowl if they become bowl eligible.

Like I said in my original post, I think App State will represent the Sun Belt well and I think all of these bowls should be fighting over us. I wish we know the real variables and considerations for these bowl game selections. The fact that the New Orleans Bowl may prefer a 6-win ULL team over a 10 or 11 win App State team doesn't give me confidence that we'll get the respect or recognition we deserve.

[AppSt94]

Go Daddy is probably the only bowl I could not attend. I would have to do a lot of convincing to my wife. Anyone that's married knows how that goes. Two days before Christmas, and I would have to fly. Which flying into Mobile is probably the most expensive of the four. Any bowl I would have to fly, but the 19th would be much easier to convince the wife.

At this point I am hoping ULL loses to App, USA, and Troy (All strong possibilities). That would give them a 5-7 record, and they would not be eligible. Then, hopefully New Orleans would take App.

Have you looked at flying into Pensacola? It's only about 45 minutes to Mobile straight across I-10.

[EastHallApp]

I think the upshot here is that none of us know how this will play out, and the Sun Belt has some improvements it should make in this process for the future.

1) Reward the league champion, either by locking the champ into the best bowl or allowing them to pick which bowl they attend.

2) Better align the selection order and incentives. Right now New Orleans gets first pick despite having the smallest payout, while the Cure is last despite the largest payout (by far), arguably the best destination city, second-best stadium, and a good opposing conference tie-in.

[Yosefus]

Have seen some projecting us to play Toledo. Don't know if anyone is watching them tonight against NIU but they look very beatable. Toledo only up 17-16 at halftime. They remind me a little of GaSo. Power runners.

[ASU2012]

Have a connection with the Peach Bowl and can confirm the App was added to the "potential invite list" this week. Now, we're 26th out of 26th on that list, so take it for what it's worth, but we are on the list.

[NewApp]

Indeed, it is a start.