Current Bowl Projections

MGGopher

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After the disastrous loss in College Park, who would've thought the Gophers would be in the bowl mix late in the year? Here's what I found this afternoon:

ESPN:
TransPerfect Music City Bowl
Nissan Stadium (Nashville, Tennessee)
3:30 p.m. on ESPN and the ESPN App

Bonagura: Minnesota vs. Tennessee
Schlabach: Minnesota vs. Kentucky

Sporting News:
Dec. 26Guaranteed Rate BowlWest Virginia vs. Minnesota

CBS:
None

24/7:
None
 


If the Gophers beat the Badgers on Saturday....they'd finish fifth in the conference....believe it or not.

The Music City Bowl would be a nice landing spot. Tennessee would be a fun matchup.
 

This year I'll take any landing spot. Agree, Music Bowl would be a nice landing spot.
 

With three of the Big Ten's contracted bowls getting canceled and no minimum requirements preventing other conferences from filling their slots, there are relatively fewer openings.

Assuming Ohio State and Indiana are in the NYD6 and Northwestern/Iowa are in the Citrus/Outback, the rest of the league is battling for Charlotte, Nashville and Phoenix.

Penn State will be the most lucrative option, likely riding a four-game win streak. After that, it's a crapshoot. Minnesota/Wisconsin winner almost assuredly gets a bid. Maryland beats Michigan State to get to .500, Rutgers beats Nebraska to get to four wins, both good stories.
 



So far

LSU (self imposed bowl ban ... :p)

Stanford

Pitt

Virginia

Boston College

All have opted out o bowl games

I wonder if we will.
 

So far

LSU (self imposed bowl ban ... :p)

Stanford

Pitt

Virginia

Boston College

All have opted out o bowl games

I wonder if we will.
I find it interesting that all these people who always whine there are too many bowls will probably wine this year that there aren’t enough bowls
 










With three of the Big Ten's contracted bowls getting canceled and no minimum requirements preventing other conferences from filling their slots, there are relatively fewer openings.

Assuming Ohio State and Indiana are in the NYD6 and Northwestern/Iowa are in the Citrus/Outback, the rest of the league is battling for Charlotte, Nashville and Phoenix.

Penn State will be the most lucrative option, likely riding a four-game win streak. After that, it's a crapshoot. Minnesota/Wisconsin winner almost assuredly gets a bid. Maryland beats Michigan State to get to .500, Rutgers beats Nebraska to get to four wins, both good stories.

What three were cancelled? I only heard that the Pinnstripe was cancelled?
 

I wonder if we will.

I doubt it but that's just a guess. Mo Ibrahim was MVP as a redshirt freshman in the Detroit Bowl. He might have been the MVP in the Outback Bowl last year if not for Tyler Johnson. Fleck isn't going to deprive Mo of another showcase (or Tanner or Autman-Bell either) unless the situation is desperate.
 

With three of the Big Ten's contracted bowls getting canceled and no minimum requirements preventing other conferences from filling their slots, there are relatively fewer openings.

Assuming Ohio State and Indiana are in the NYD6 and Northwestern/Iowa are in the Citrus/Outback, the rest of the league is battling for Charlotte, Nashville and Phoenix.

Penn State will be the most lucrative option, likely riding a four-game win streak. After that, it's a crapshoot. Minnesota/Wisconsin winner almost assuredly gets a bid. Maryland beats Michigan State to get to .500, Rutgers beats Nebraska to get to four wins, both good stories.

Yes, but since teams in the ACC (3) and Pac 12 (1) have declined bowl bids that will also create openings in contracted bowls to those conferences.
 


After the disastrous loss in College Park, who would've thought the Gophers would be in the bowl mix late in the year? Here's what I found this afternoon:

ESPN:
TransPerfect Music City Bowl
Nissan Stadium (Nashville, Tennessee)
3:30 p.m. on ESPN and the ESPN App

Bonagura: Minnesota vs. Tennessee
Schlabach: Minnesota vs. Kentucky

Sporting News:
Dec. 26Guaranteed Rate BowlWest Virginia vs. Minnesota

CBS:
None

24/7:
None

I'm fine with WV in the Guaranteed Rate Bowl (although that's only a week after Dec. 19th) or KY in the Music City. I don't think TN should be allowed to play in the Music City.
 


Only way we opt out is by losing to Wisconsin.
No one seems to be thinking of that, with all the euphoria over playing Wisconsin at Madison. A 3-4 team is not likely to get a bowl bid. What clout Alvarez has to upend the entire crossover arrangement - or is it just a weak B10 Commissioner?
 

Can’t blame any players if they just want to move on after Saturday. On the other hand the bowl game would only be 10 or so days away. But those ten days cover Christmas. I hope we play in a bowl but also totally get it if the guys say “no thanks”.
 


No one seems to be thinking of that, with all the euphoria over playing Wisconsin at Madison. A 3-4 team is not likely to get a bowl bid. What clout Alvarez has to upend the entire crossover arrangement - or is it just a weak B10 Commissioner?
They’re going to pass on 3-4 Minnesota for 4-5 Rutgers?
Not sure. It’s all a crapshoot.
Wisconsin game is the most important game we play this year. Important to keep the rivalry IMO

if it costs us a Covid guaranteed rate bowl. Well worth it.
 

No one seems to be thinking of that, with all the euphoria over playing Wisconsin at Madison. A 3-4 team is not likely to get a bowl bid. What clout Alvarez has to upend the entire crossover arrangement - or is it just a weak B10 Commissioner?

Longest running rivalry without a break in college football history. Makes complete sense to switch things around. Indiana should have been playing Iowa if the original crossover plan stuck. But playing for the Old Oaken Bucket is more important.
 

They’re going to pass on 3-4 Minnesota for 4-5 Rutgers?
Not sure. It’s all a crapshoot.
Wisconsin game is the most important game we play this year. Important to keep the rivalry IMO

if it costs us a Covid guaranteed rate bowl. Well worth it.

Completely agree.
 

I'm pretty sure that those are new to the conference this year.
The Belk Bowl is renamed to the Duke’s Mayonnaise Bowl. I am not s__ting you. It’s still on and will feature Big Ten vs ACC.

Las Vegas bowl is split between the Big Ten and SEC. They get it to start in 2020, we’ll get it in 2021, and so on.
 



Yes, but since teams in the ACC (3) and Pac 12 (1) have declined bowl bids that will also create openings in contracted bowls to those conferences.

Doesn't matter in a year with no minimum requirements for bowl eligibility. Conferences will keep being offered bowl bids until every team in the league is placed or has opted out, so you could see teams like 3-7 Georgia Tech or Arkansas in the postseason.

Conversely, the Pac-12 is down to four bids, so they could have teams end up with winning records who don't get a bowl.
 

Holiday Bowl also cancelled.

Albeit also because they don't have a venue with Qualcom being demolished, but COVID was plenty a good reason.

Holiday was Pac-12 vs ACC this year so that wouldn't impact us, but underscores how tight the Pac-12's bowl picture is. They were down to three bids before a late agreement with the Armed Forces Bowl.
 




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