All Things Bowl Game Speculation

#18 ranking takes the 10% chance of Rose Bowl to less than .01% chance.
That it does. I've been saying 1%, but it's now far less. It also sets this up so that Minnesota can tumble quite a way in the selection order. If Wisconsin goes to the Rose Bowl, the B1G can now justify putting Michigan in the Citrus because they're ranked higher than Iowa and Minnesota. That puts PSU in the Outback and Iowa in the Holiday Bowl. Minnesota into the Gator which is where a lot of people have been projecting Indiana.

Sigh. That'll bug me until next Sunday. The one wild card is if PSU makes a NY6 Bowl...but with FLorida ranked above them, I think they snag the Orange spot.
 

The committee has spoken - we don’t get a bowl this year.
 

Interested to know the answer, would fans rather play a team like say Bama/Aub with the idea that it would be higher profile but also larger chance to take the L or would you rather play a team like Tenn that we seem likely to beat but its not as high of a profile win.

Always nice to say "2020 outback bowl champions, 11-2!" but also nice to play one of the big boys to really test yourself.

just thought of this as I saw a few projections that had us in the outback vs Tenn.
I would absolutely prefer to see them play against Alabama or Auburn. I don't see the logic in wanting to see them play against a lesser opponent.

Maybe another question that could be asked is whether some of the posters that would like to see them play a weaker opponent, such as Tennessee, also wanted to see the Gophers in the Rose Bowl this season (against an opponent that's probably the caliber of Alabama/Auburn).
 




Gator Bowl is the probable destination.

January 2 vs Tennessee or A & M.
 

The upside is that we play a weaker team so our chances of winning are increased. I think that having a win in a bowl game carries over and helps motivate folks in the off season, especially if we can let some of our backups and redshirts get some reps in the game. Not good for this year, but maybe best for next year...
 

Well the latest CFP rankings aren't the screw job the softball team had in 2017, but they are obviously not good.

One thing is for sure, NCAA/postseason committees don't like Minnesota teams that have even the hint of an easier schedule. With being said, I'm thinking it will be either the Outback or the Gator Bowl depending upon rules regarding selection.
 

OutBack Bowl cannot choose Iowa and Michigan They would be repeat teams. It will still be Minnesota.
 



I'm thinking it will be either the Outback or the Gator Bowl depending upon rules regarding selection.

This is the thing I'm curious about too. Are the bowls bound to pick in the CFP order? Or in the order of overall record? Or do they have a lot of latitude?
 

This is the thing I'm curious about too. Are the bowls bound to pick in the CFP order? Or in the order of overall record? Or do they have a lot of latitude?
No. Plus they don't have to take repeat teams etc. Still a decent chance we're in the Outback/Gator. But this certainly gives Bowls an excuse to pass on us. I wasn't even pondering the Pinstripe Bowl. Now it seems scarily possible.
 

No. Plus they don't have to take repeat teams etc. Still a decent chance we're in the Outback/Gator. But this certainly gives Bowls an excuse to pass on us. I wasn't even pondering the Pinstripe Bowl. Now it seems scarily possible.
Pinstripe after this season would be a kick in the pants.... I wouldn't even bother making that trip with family.
 

The bowls have agreements with the Big Ten, not the CFP. In the Big Ten standings, Minnesota placed above everyone except Wisconsin and Ohio State. That's gotta hold some water in bowl selection.
 



Gator Bowl is the probable destination.

January 2 vs Tennessee or A & M.

TBH this is just the Outback Bowl with less of a hangover and probably better TV ratings. It's in Florida against either A&M or TN (whichever doesn't go Outback), and it's on Jan 2 in primetime not opposite the Citrus at 11 am on NYD. Other than the NYD mythology the Gator's really not any worse.
 

The B1G and the bowls work together to place teams based on a combination of factors that aren't overtly explained. The only thing we know for sure is no team will go to the same bowl in consecutive years and the conference aims to provide variety for fanbases and host cities (i.e., 5 different teams in 6 years). https://bigten.org/documents/2019/10/7//2019_Bowl_Determination_Procedures.pdf?id=6568

As miffed as I was by tonight's rankings, Minnesota has never been to the Outback Bowl -- and has only been to a Florida bowl once in my lifetime -- so I'm still holding out hope that it's the most likely landing spot. Michigan and Iowa have been to Florida a million times.
 

These take into consideration who recently played in the bowls the Big Ten is aligned with as the Conference now tries to send teams to different bowls. This also assumes OSU beats Wisconsin in BT Championship.

CFP - Ohio State
Rose - PSU (Wisconsin should drop past PSU with a loss and even if they don't it might not matter as the Rose can take who it wants.)
Citrus - Wisconsin (PSU-Minnesota-Michigan recently played there)
Outback - Minnesota (Iowa-Wisconsin-Michigan recently played there)
Holiday - Iowa (Wisconsin-Minnesota-MSU recently played there)
Gator - Michigan (Iowa and PSU recently played there)

If the Rose does take Wisconsin then Minnesota would likely drop to the Gator:
CFP - Ohio State
Rose - Wisconsin
Citrus - Iowa (PSU-Minnesota-Michigan recently played there)
Outback - PSU (Iowa-Wisconsin-Michigan recently played there)
Holiday - Michigan (Wisconsin-Minnesota-MSU recently played there)
Gator - Minnesota (Iowa and PSU recently played there)

Not that I need any extra motivation but I will be rooting even harder for an OSU beatdown of Wisconsin now!
 

Yep based on this link describing the big ten standings and no repeats preferred (as well as wisconsin getting whooped with no at large new years day six picks)...

Penn st = Rose
Wisky = Citrus
Minn = Outback
Iowa = Holiday
Mich = Taxslayer
Illinois = Pinstripe
Indiana = Redbox
Mich St = Quicklane

 

It's very very likely the Gophers end up playing in a Florida NFL team's stadium in January against either Texas A&M or Tennessee.

The more I learn about the 2020 version of the Gator Bowl the better it sounds than Outback - similar location, opponent, January...but primetime by itself on FOX. Past Taxslayers were on much worse timeslots and networks.
 
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There is absolutely no chance, zip, nada, that it will be the Pinstripe.
 

I'm betting on Citrus Bowl vs Alabama of course as is Jerry Palm who is almost always right. Not kidding.
 



Rose Bore scare may threaten the entire Rose crop. Stay tuned for further details.
 


That it does. I've been saying 1%, but it's now far less. It also sets this up so that Minnesota can tumble quite a way in the selection order. If Wisconsin goes to the Rose Bowl, the B1G can now justify putting Michigan in the Citrus because they're ranked higher than Iowa and Minnesota. That puts PSU in the Outback and Iowa in the Holiday Bowl. Minnesota into the Gator which is where a lot of people have been projecting Indiana.

Sigh. That'll bug me until next Sunday. The one wild card is if PSU makes a NY6 Bowl...but with FLorida ranked above them, I think they snag the Orange spot.
No way Wisconsin goes to the Rose Bowl with 3 losses. The Committee separated the Gophers and Penn State far enough in the rankings to ensure that a 10-2 Penn State team goes to the Rose Bowl instead of a 10-2 Gopher team, even though Minnesota beat them. Obviously the committee hated our body of work.
 

Not so sure. Two of the losses to #1 tOSU PSU beat by MN The same MN that Wisc just beat up on.
 


Outback Bowl
Raymond James Stadium, Tampa, Florida
Jan. 1, 1 p.m., ESPN

Bonagura: Minnesota vs. Alabama
Schlabach: Minnesota vs. Tennessee

Alabama ... or Tennessee

The range of difficulty there is pretty damn wide.
 

Not so sure. Two of the losses to #1 tOSU PSU beat by MN The same MN that Wisc just beat up on.
Wisconsin had a very bad loss against Illinois, maybe those don't count anymore. Penn State only 2 looses and are positioned to move ahead of Wisconsin with the last poll. That would put Minnesota and Penn State with 2 losses each. There is no way the Rose Bowl wants a three loss team in their game.
There is no way the committee thinks that Minnesota is deserving of Rose Bowl bid, therefore the extreme separation between MN and PSU
 

Wouldn’t that just be some crazy shit if the Rose Bowl committee was like, “hey, I know Minnesota may not be the most qualified in ranking and with their losses to Iowa and Wisconsin, but they’re an exciting team with a fan base that’s craving the opportunity to come to our bowl, they had a heck of a season and they haven’t been here in forever. We’re giving them the bid.”

I’m posting this right now so there’s proof I said it, just in the craziest, slightest chance ever that it were to happen.
 


Outback Bowl
Raymond James Stadium, Tampa, Florida
Jan. 1, 1 p.m., ESPN

Bonagura: Minnesota vs. Alabama
Schlabach: Minnesota vs. Tennessee

Alabama ... or Tennessee

The range of difficulty there is pretty damn wide.

I only watched Bama once all year and it was against Tennessee. They were closer than you might imagine, especially once Tua had his first injury in that game. Vols had a chance until a 99 yard scoop and score made the score look worse in the last minute.
 




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