Predict the bowls

[bigdaddyg]

Schools won't go for the 11 game regular season. Too many will lose a home game and reducing the season only benefits a few schools. Again, it makes logical sense but al sense of logic goes out the window now that money rules NCAA football.

[appbio91]

I like the idea of a G5 playoff but In reality it would be treated like the FCS playoffs. No real prestige or respect in the FBS world. The only way is to expand the main playoff and have a guaranteed G5 slot. Having said that I hate our bowl setup. This year is tough because we could have a three way tie or us as outright champ. But in a season with an outright champion I think 1 and 2 should be rewarded. This setup we have is lame, 6-6 is the same for us as 9-3. We are looking at a situation where a 6-6 ULL with some terrible losses gets picked first because of money. I understand that's what drives this boat but still.

[ASU_MBA]

"If Houston went undefeated they would have been a G5 School in the 4 Team Playoff. No doubt in my mind."


Wow, I really don't think Houston would have much of a chance to be in the Playoff 4 - Say they were undefeated who would they knock out of the current 4 if all win? - Alabama 13-0 - NO, Ohio State 11-1 - NO, Clemson 12-1 - NO, Washington 12-1 - NO
I just don't see it - we all want the "little guy" to get his shot but it isn't in the interest of the P5s to spread the wealth ---

It is pure speculation but yes I believe if Houston went undefeated with wins over Oklahoma, Navy, Louisville, etc. they would be in the Playoff 4. They would have been ranked around 3 or 4 when they played Louisville and that victory would have all but clinched a spot for them. Trust me, big IFs here but I really think the selection committee would not have denied Houston a spot.

In week 6 before any teams lost, Houston was ranked 6 in the AP and 5 in the Coaches poll, ahead of Washington in one of the polls before Washington lost. Had Houston continued to win they would be the 4th team in over one loss Washington.

But that is a rare example of what it takes for a G5 school to even have a chance. They basically need to beat two top 10 teams in impressive fashion and run the table. A more consistent Houston could have pulled off this huge task.

[WVAPPeer]

Your argument holds about as much water as mine does
Which team would you have bumped out? ---

[appst89]

Your argument holds about as much water as mine does
Which team would you have bumped out? ---

If Houston would have gone undefeated and everything else was as it is now, then Houston would have been in over Washington. The CFP committee has already shown it has doubts about Washington's SOS. An undefeated Houston would have had a substantially better overall schedule. If that were the scenario, I am 99.99% certain that Houston would have gotten the nod over Washington.

Washington's position is very precarious as it is. There are some who believe that even a win tonight might not be enough to keep them in the top 4.

[MtnDevil95]

I'll begin by saying that a separate G5 playoff would essentially bust the FBS into 2 leagues. Meaning there would be no more FBS, only the P5 (CFP eligible) and the G5. Even if the NCAA somehow managed to keep the slot in P5 New Year's Six Bowls for 1 G5 team, the G5 playoff then becomes the equivalent of the Not Invited Tournament in basketball . . .

There are a great many things not to like about the CFP and the bowl system in general. One of my biggest complaints is the time lapse between conference championship games and the final four. I know there's a ton of money involved, but I'd prefer the CFP be expanded to 6 Bowls plus the Championship, and start with 4 bowls the weekend of Christmas (Elite Eight), then 2 bowls over New Year's (Final Four), and the Championship only 1 week after the Final Four. Let the NFL have January already.

But I digress some. . . even if there was an 8 team playoff this year, there is not a G5 team ranked high enough to be included. As this season played out, perhaps surprisingly, an 8 team playoff would largely amount to a B!G10 conference tournament (who would ever predict the SEC would only have 1 team in an 8 team playoff?) . . . I think/hope this season is unusual and there would be more parity among the P5 and 1 or even 2 G5 teams in the top 8.

Really, I'm getting to the point, I swear it! I think fans everywhere (except maybe PAC12/B!G10 and their Rose Bowl) would prefer to see the conference tie-ins just go away. I think the tie-ins protect some lesser known programs from being excluded, but I am not convinced that reward is worth the disadvantage of being locked into the same 4 bowls every year (in our case).

[Stonewall]

We left 1-aa .

[EastHallApp]

"If Houston went undefeated they would have been a G5 School in the 4 Team Playoff. No doubt in my mind."


Wow, I really don't think Houston would have much of a chance to be in the Playoff 4 - Say they were undefeated who would they knock out of the current 4 if all win? - Alabama 13-0 - NO, Ohio State 11-1 - NO, Clemson 12-1 - NO, Washington 12-1 - NO
I just don't see it - we all want the "little guy" to get his shot but it isn't in the interest of the P5s to spread the wealth ---

Think they would have had a good shot over Washington. As it is, some think the Wisconsin-Penn State winner could get in over them.

[goapps93]

I may have missed it but has anyone addressed the madness that both UM and OSU could be in the playoff(one definitely will) yet neither are playing in their conference championship game this weekend. A G5 school must be their conference's champion in order to play in a NY6 bowl. There's a lot broken with this system and still no real way to crown a true national champ.

[appst89]

Putting either Ohio St. or Michigan into the playoff renders the conference championships meaningless. The CFP committee has painted itself into a corner and there doesn't appear to be a logical way out for them.

[Boone Goon]

I like the idea of a 24 team playoff. The top 8 (consisting of the P5 conference champions and the top 3 ranked of the G5 conf champs and the three independents are given byes to the second round. The remaining 16 play the first week. All games until the championship are played at the home of the highest seeded team. The NCAA keeps the gates minus gameday operating expenses and travel cost for the visiting team. All teams that don't make the playoffs and the losers of week 1 are eligible for bowl games. It is a formula that has been proven to work.

24 team playoff????

Why don't we take the top 64 teams at the end of the season and let them play one game against a similarly ranked team on a neutral site. Then have the national experts decide who is the best based on the full body of work. Maybe even put out a final poll showing these rankings.

Think about the money that could be generated...we would name the neutral site games after flowers or local historically significant items, maybe even get a couple of corporate sponsors to have title rights to the game. Fans could travel in a couple of days early to hang out and have fun. Maybe even do a parade!

Then we could then spend the next 6 months arguing over which team is better than another, until it's time for the new season to start.

[bcoach]

I realize that this shared idea will be struck down as FCS thinking but what is so wrong with a G5 playoff? The fact that there are already clearly defined P5 and G5 conferences means something. There is absolutely no way any G5 makes a 4 team playoff. For that matter there are really only about 15 (maybe) schools that will really ever have a legit shot. How far does Wake or Kansas or some other P5 cellar dweller have to go? I kind of like the idea of a G5 final 6- conference champions and a wildcard with the highest ranked 2 teams receiving byes- incentive to still play and win tough non-conference games. Play initial games at home sites and championship at a good bowl.

There is nothing wrong with it. It would give us something to play for. I know that most everyone likes the bowls but they are not a reward for being the best they are a reward for being at least .500, well for some a little less. The extra game is GREAT but being the best is better. An expanded DIV 1 playoff is good also for an extra game maybe two but is there any realistic chance of beating Alabama? The argument of making the division between G5 and P5 any bigger is assuming the false narrative that it is not the Grand Canyon already. I am not arguing with anyone as we all have our opinions that fit our own wants and needs. I just don't understand why we want to realistically give up the chance to be the champion of our level. I am being sincere so please don't start the go back to fcs chatter as that is worn out. Really why would we not want a championship we could compete in and have a chance of winning?

[bigdaddyg]

I realize that this shared idea will be struck down as FCS thinking but what is so wrong with a G5 playoff? The fact that there are already clearly defined P5 and G5 conferences means something. There is absolutely no way any G5 makes a 4 team playoff. For that matter there are really only about 15 (maybe) schools that will really ever have a legit shot. How far does Wake or Kansas or some other P5 cellar dweller have to go? I kind of like the idea of a G5 final 6- conference champions and a wildcard with the highest ranked 2 teams receiving byes- incentive to still play and win tough non-conference games. Play initial games at home sites and championship at a good bowl.

There is nothing wrong with it. It would give us something to play for. I know that most everyone likes the bowls but they are not a reward for being the best they are a reward for being at least .500, well for some a little less. The extra game is GREAT but being the best is better. An expanded DIV 1 playoff is good also for an extra game maybe two but is there any realistic chance of beating Alabama? The argument of making the division between G5 and P5 any bigger is assuming the false narrative that it is not the Grand Canyon already. I am not arguing with anyone as we all have our opinions that fit our own wants and needs. I just don't understand why we want to realistically give up the chance to be the champion of our level. I am being sincere so please don't start the go back to fcs chatter as that is worn out. Really why would we not want a championship we could compete in and have a chance of winning?

I agree coach and I am on the side of the G5 championship, such that it is. By no means do I want to go back to FCS. Man we have progressed to a level where we now get some big boys up to the rock, play on ESPN or the deuce a couple times a year and are a perennial conference power. We all want to be a top 10 program, as do the other 127 FBS schools but reality is what it is. What if next season we go 11-1 with a win over Wake and a narrow loss to Ga and we run the table in the conference we will be going nuts for two weeks awaiting the bowl announcement and we will be debating about whether we would have gotten the NY6 bid had we not lost by 3 to a 9-3 Ga team. If there were a G5 playoff we would be waiting to see if we would get a bye or who we would host in mid December. I guess we got so used to FCS that guys want no part of anything close. It would be interesting to see a list of FBS schools who have never finished the season in the top 10, much less the top 20- forget being number 1. Very long list!

[Boone Goon]

I realize that this shared idea will be struck down as FCS thinking but what is so wrong with a G5 playoff? The fact that there are already clearly defined P5 and G5 conferences means something. There is absolutely no way any G5 makes a 4 team playoff. For that matter there are really only about 15 (maybe) schools that will really ever have a legit shot. How far does Wake or Kansas or some other P5 cellar dweller have to go? I kind of like the idea of a G5 final 6- conference champions and a wildcard with the highest ranked 2 teams receiving byes- incentive to still play and win tough non-conference games. Play initial games at home sites and championship at a good bowl.

There is nothing wrong with it. It would give us something to play for. I know that most everyone likes the bowls but they are not a reward for being the best they are a reward for being at least .500, well for some a little less. The extra game is GREAT but being the best is better. An expanded DIV 1 playoff is good also for an extra game maybe two but is there any realistic chance of beating Alabama? The argument of making the division between G5 and P5 any bigger is assuming the false narrative that it is not the Grand Canyon already. I am not arguing with anyone as we all have our opinions that fit our own wants and needs. I just don't understand why we want to realistically give up the chance to be the champion of our level. I am being sincere so please don't start the go back to fcs chatter as that is worn out. Really why would we not want a championship we could compete in and have a chance of winning?

I agree coach and I am on the side of the G5 championship, such that it is. By no means do I want to go back to FCS. Man we have progressed to a level where we now get some big boys up to the rock, play on ESPN or the deuce a couple times a year and are a perennial conference power. We all want to be a top 10 program, as do the other 127 FBS schools but reality is what it is. What if next season we go 11-1 with a win over Wake and a narrow loss to Ga and we run the table in the conference we will be going nuts for two weeks awaiting the bowl announcement and we will be debating about whether we would have gotten the NY6 bid had we not lost by 3 to a 9-3 Ga team. If there were a G5 playoff we would be waiting to see if we would get a bye or who we would host in mid December. I guess we got so used to FCS that guys want no part of anything close. It would be interesting to see a list of FBS schools who have never finished the season in the top 10, much less the top 20- forget being number 1. Very long list!

JG & Coach,

I think we're saying similar things: we love watching our Mountaineers play and a chance to tangle with the big boys of the P5 gives us the opportunity to prove our mettle. No argument from me with that at all. I would love to get a do-over against Tennessee and Miami.

I'm all in on the belief, that we can always improve and do things better than we did yesterday. But I think our attention has to be fortifying our current position before we push for the next peak. We've all seen the Johnny come lately flash upon the scene only to crater for a decade to come. Anyone remember a basketball program from FGCU? How about football from Rutgers? We need to get our season ticket sales over 10,000 first and foremost! If we want to get a legit shot at a NY6 bowl, we need 15K+ App fans at this and next year's bowl game.

JG, you and I have a former co-worker from Clemson who now lives on the west coast. He's going to be at the ACC championship game this weekend, then is heading to the semis and the championship games if his Tigers keep on rolling. He's dropping at least $2K on football over the next month. We have to have an alumni/fan base willing to do the same thing every year, if we're going to run with the big dogs. I know most everyone on this board is willing to do the same, but we've got to bring more people into the fold if we're really going to reach the next summit.

Sunday we'll find out where we're really going. Don't just come to the game. Bring someone with you who hasn't been to a game this year. If we all do this we're doing our part to get us to that next level we so desperately want to see our Mountaineers reach.

Thanks for the friendly banter and creative ideas. Let's GO APP!

[AppinVA]

We play in FBS. Our postseason is a bowl game, and I'm happy with that.

[Stonewall]

Football isn't basketball as far as wear and tear on the body.12 or 13 games is plenty

[Rick83]

We play in FBS. Our postseason is a bowl game, and I'm happy with that.

Don't forget that in 2018 the SBC will be adding a championship game, which we should challenge for each year...so that'll be in addition to a bowl game...so potential for 14 games per season.

[EastHallApp]

I agree, no ones cares about our opinions - but 12-16 with all conf champs isn't going to happen ---

This year you could have ---
Temple - 10-3 (with a loss to Army)
VT - 10-3 (with a loss to Syracuse)
OK St - 10-2 (with loss to Central Michigan)
Penn St - 11-2 (with a loss to Pitt)
La Tech - 9-4 ( with a loss to TXTech
Ohio - 9-4 (with a loss to TEXAS STATE)
SDSU - 10-3 (with a loss to SOUTH ALABAMA)
Colorado - 11-2 (with a loss to USC)
Florida - 10-3 (with a loss to Arkansas)
Arkansas State - 7-5 (with losses to Utah State and 1-AA Central Ark)

I agree, it probably won't. But you're picking a scenario where the underdog (in some cases big underdogs) wins every single conference title game. Odds of that happening are extraordinarily unlikely.

Rewrite this list Sunday with the actual conference champions and see how it looks then.

Just to revisit, a 16 team playoff with 10 auto-bids this year would look something like this:

1. Alabama (13-0, SEC champs)
16. Appalachian State (9-3, Sun Belt champs)

8. Wisconsin (10-3, at large)
9. USC (9-3, at large)

-----
5. Penn State (11-2, B1G champs)
12. Western Michigan (13-0, MAC champs)

4. Washington (12-1, Pac-12 champs)
13. Temple (10-3, AAC champs)
-----

6. Michigan (10-2, at large)
11. Florida State (9-3, at large)

3. Ohio State (11-1, at large)
14. San Diego State (10-3, Mountain West champs)
-----

7. Oklahoma (10-2, Big 12 champs)
10. Colorado (10-3, at large)

2. Clemson (12-1, ACC champs)
15. Western Kentucky (10-3, CUSA champs)

------

[Cro-Magnon App]

I thought this thread was to predict the bowl games.