Bowl Game

[/\PP ST/\TE GRAD 09]

There was a thread last week very well put together on how we could POTENTIALLY make it to the Peach Bowl. I personally don't think the stars will align for that to happen, but it made me begin to wonder...If we go 11-1, is there any other bowl we could be invited to outside of the 4 tied to the conference? The fact we made a bowl game excites me enough, but wondering everyone's thoughts?

Also, isn't it common for bowls to begin offering before the end of the season?

Beat Arky State

[EastHallApp]

No.

Only way a Sun Belt team goes to a bowl other than those four is if another conference fails to produce enough eligible teams to fill all its bowls, and the Sun Belt has more than four eligible. But in that case, the Sun Belt bowls will pick first, and they aren't all going to pass on an 11-1 team so some bowl that would have had the 11th pick from the ACC can have App instead.

[WVAppsfan]

Wait and see, it will be fun to watch where we go. As far as the bowl affiliations with the Sun Belt I say that the Cure Bowl will fight for App., especially if the Rajen Cajuns becomes bowl eligible. Maybe looking forward to a ECU vs App bowl game in Orlando.

[bigdaddyg]

Based on how ECU has looked lately that match up isn't as appealing as it did earlier in the year. While from a regional aspect it would be cool ultimately we could be looking at an 11-1 App team versus a 6-6 ECU team. If that is the way it pans out and we were to go on and wax them, to me it could take a little shine off of an awesome season. In my mind, if we do run the table I would rather see us play a Toledo or another top notch G5. Amazing how things can change for programs.

[hapapp]

While a match up with ECU would generate some interest in NC, I would like us to play the best possible opponent. I would be far more interested in playing a Toledo than I would an ECU.

[Saint3333]

If we play ECU in a bowl game that would be a disappointing season (compared to where we stand today) as it would mean we didn't win the SBC.

If we beat Ark St. this week I can't see a scenario in which we don't play in the NO or Go Daddy Bowl.

[APPARJ]

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.

[AppfaninCAALand]

If App finishes 11-1 and wins the championship, it will almost certainly be the GoDaddy Bowl v Toledo or Bowling Green, which from a competitive stand point would be the best outcome in my opinion (though the date would be hard for a lot of us). The Sun Belt champ is guaranteed a spot in either NO or Mobile.

One positive about the Montgomery bowl is it is a couple hours shorter drive than Orlando and Mobile from NC.

[EastHallApp]

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.

[Saint3333]

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.

[EastHallApp]

If App finishes 11-1 and wins the championship, it will almost certainly be the GoDaddy Bowl v Toledo or Bowling Green, which from a competitive stand point would be the best outcome in my opinion (though the date would be hard for a lot of us). The Sun Belt champ is guaranteed a spot in either NO or Mobile.

One positive about the Montgomery bowl is it is a couple hours shorter drive than Orlando and Mobile from NC.

Is that true? I've never heard that before.

[EastHallApp]

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

Other than collapsing and getting left out entirely, this is probably the worst scenario I can think of. But you are right that it is entirely possible.

Better win Thursday!

[rbarthle17]

Latest projection I saw was facing Toledo in the GoDaddy Bowl. Beyond the personal implications for me (live in a suburb of Toledo), I think this would be a great game.

[rbarthle17]

The Sun Belt champ is guaranteed a spot in either NO or Mobile

You sure about that? All I have seen says the champ is guaranteed a spot in a bowl. None of the bowls have to take the champ if they have other options within the SB to them.

[hotrod2001]

If we go against Toledo, it gives us a shot to take down another nationally ranked team, which could have nice pre-season poll implications for us. If we play ECU, that would have the nice inter-state ties and maybe get us on the AAC radar in the event seismic shifts occur down the road.

[NewApp]

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.

Where is the Cure Bowl played?

[EastHallApp]

Before the season when people first came up with the idea of an App-ECU Cure Bowl, I (like a lot of people) thought it sounded like a best possible outcome. But that was when I was thinking maybe a 9-3 App vs. a 7-5 ECU. We'd still probably be an underdog in that scenario, what with their tougher competition and bigger name. (And that could still happen, of course.)

But if App winds up 10-2 or 11-1 and ECU is 6-6, that doesn't sound quite as good to me. It starts to become a no-win - beat them, and it's just one more mediocre team we beat. Lose, and people will say our best team couldn't beat one of their weaker ones.

[EastHallApp]

Where is the Cure Bowl played?

http://bfy.tw/2boc

[BeauFoster]

Where is the Cure Bowl played?

http://bfy.tw/2boc

Beat me to it.

[NewApp]

For the zillionth time, I don't click on links on this board because my computer won't let me back page to this site. Too, I expect it is that dumb azz google that a couple smart azzes have responded with.