Bowl question

[PMWinSTP]

We haven't been there in two decades, but when we were there the perception is that we didn't travel well. Gaard seems to think that's still their concern.

They should reach out to Penn State or UCLA and ask how we travel.

 

[gophersfan]

Its quite a day when you are gaming out bowl possibilities, and have USC, Michigan, Nebraska and Wisconsin mentioned as "jumping ahead" of you

Remember USC is not going to be sloted with the Big Ten in bowl games. As they will be sloted with the Pac 12 for bowl games.

 

[restovich]

Remember USC is not going to be sloted with the Big Ten in bowl games. As they will be sloted with the Pac 12 for bowl games.

and Washington as well - they will get one of the old PAC-12 games

 

[W404613]

Detroit, here we come

I don't like to be the downer guy here, but I'm afraid this is the most likely outcome. Following Gopher bowl bids for decades, we should know by now that somehow another loophole works against our favor.

Gaard always likes to say the Gophers aren't the only team that gets screwed on these bowl bids by bringing up the Citrus bowl and how we jumped Nebraska that year. The part he always leaves out is Nebraska couldn't go to the Citrus bowl because they had been there the year prior. I can't remember a time in which Minnesota gets pulled up to a bowl based on anything within MN's control (IE head-to-head with said team, better conference record vs overall, perception of fans traveling better, etc...). Nope, we've only been pulled up based on another team ahead of us not being able to fill a spot because of XYZ rule.

I remember last year the Big Ten had an outline of bowl placement rules posted on their website. I can't seem to find it anymore and I recall reading an article explaining how the bowl's themselves have mor autonomy in the selection process given the new playoff format. But if we assume last year's guidelines on selection process, what will give us any confidence we won't end up in Detroit? Hypothetically speaking, if we assume the top four teams go the playoffs, that leaves Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota, Michigan, Nebraska, Wisconsin as likely bowl eligible teams all in that 6-7 win 'tier'. All of which are going for the Citrus, Reliaquest, Music, and Mayo bowls. From that list of teams, My money is on MN being the one left out. That bumps us down to New York, Phoenix, or Detroit. My money is on Rutgers as a solid lock for New York leaving just Phoenix and Detroit left and two teams from the aforementioned teams above to fill those spots.

It's also a good possibility only three Big Ten teams go to the playoffs pushing us down even further.

Still a lot can happen, and I know NE, MI, and WI aren't bowl eligible. My money is they all will be, and their brand and clout will easily pull them ahead of even a 7-win MN team. Hope I'm wrong.

 

[tjgopher]

The part he always leaves out is Nebraska couldn't go to the Citrus bowl because they had been there the year prior.

Nebraska was in the Gator Bowl the year prior. And, didn't travel well at all. Sold less than 2000 tickets from their allotment. That scared the Citrus Bowl, so they took the Gophers over the Huskers.

Cornhuskers fans are well known for traveling to regular season road games all over the country, but won't travel to mid level bowl games very well. Although they haven't been to a bowl game in nearly a decade, so maybe that would change this year.

That said, I generally agree with you. The Gophers usually get screwed by the bowls and will likely suffer the same fate this season.

 

[CoachBrewMotivator]

The "Gophers don't travel to bowl games" gig is a self-fulfilling prophecy. When the Gophers qualify for a January 1st bowl game in Florida, there has been incredible attendance.

However, sites like the Music City Bowl not taking the Gophers because they don't think we attend well sends us to bowls that fans don't care to visit as much. Attendance was alright at the Guaranteed Rate bowl in 2021, but cold weather bowl games in Detroit (again) or NYC against .500 MAC/ACC teams just doesn't draw fan interest.

The bowls that fans want to attend may not offer bids because of "poor attendance" which relegates the Gophers to bowl locations Gopher fans have either recently attended or aren't drawn to, no wonder the attendance falters.

 

[MGGopher]

Iowa and Illinois are likely to win out and land in the Citrus and Reliquest IMO. Iowa hasn’t played in Tampa forever and is obviously known to travel extremely well.

That leaves MN, Rutgers, Mich, and one of Wisconsin/Neb for Music City, Mayo, Pinstripe, and Phoenix. If both Wisconsin and Nebraska (or a dark horse like MSU) become eligible, then Detroit is in play for all.

• If MN goes 2-0, almost certainly Nashville. Tampa would be in play if Iowa stumbles, but unlikely
• 1-1, I’d bet almost any amount it’s Mayo (where they’ve never played)
• 0-2, any game is in play, but I’d honestly probably still wager on Mayo given the B1Gs active role in placement.

 

[bleedsmaroonandgold]

Is overall record more important than B1G standings? I game likely puts 5-6 teams in same tier.

The biggest factors have nothing to do with performance.