Gopher Bowl game question

[Solo]

This is going to sound like sacrilege prior to the biggest game of the year, but I'm looking for some bowl insight and opinions on what bowl will they go to if the Gophers lose to Wisconsin ?
We are taking a vacation to Orlando (with grandkids) after Christmas through New Years, and it's been planned since well before I thought there would be Rose Bowl implications. So now I'm trying to determine if it's not the Rose Bowl or the Bowl Championship series- where would the Gophers land ? Is it likely they'd end up in Orlando or Tampa ? Those are probably the only 2 places close enough that I could get to without deserting the family for more than a day.
I have looked at flights from Orlando to LAX just to see how much it would be, but I really like being married and I think my wife wouldn't be too happy if I left her to fend for herself.
So, any ideas on probabilities of what bowl they go to if they lose on Saturday ?

 

[RodentRampage]

It does look like if the Gophers don't make the Rose Bowl they'll be playing in Florida.

 

[MGGopher]

This is going to sound like sacrilege prior to the biggest game of the year, but I'm looking for some bowl insight and opinions on what bowl will they go to if the Gophers lose to Wisconsin ?
We are taking a vacation to Orlando (with grandkids) after Christmas through New Years, and it's been planned since well before I thought there would be Rose Bowl implications. So now I'm trying to determine if it's not the Rose Bowl or the Bowl Championship series- where would the Gophers land ? Is it likely they'd end up in Orlando or Tampa ? Those are probably the only 2 places close enough that I could get to without deserting the family for more than a day.
I have looked at flights from Orlando to LAX just to see how much it would be, but I really like being married and I think my wife wouldn't be too happy if I left her to fend for herself.
So, any ideas on probabilities of what bowl they go to if they lose on Saturday ?

Really tough to say (as I'm sure you guessed). Almost certainly either Outback in Tampa or Citrus in Orlando. Would depend on who the Rose Bowl takes of PSU, Wisconsin, and maybe Michigan. PSU went to Citrus last year, so they obviously want a new team. Minnesota was there in 2014 and technically shouldn't return, but they seem high on a MN - Auburn matchup. That said, Minnesota has NEVER been to the Outback, so this would be a prime year to snag them.

All that said, nobody has any idea

 

[amk8930]

Really tough to say (as I'm sure you guessed). Almost certainly either Outback in Tampa or Citrus in Orlando. Would depend on who the Rose Bowl takes of PSU, Wisconsin, and maybe Michigan. PSU went to Citrus last year, so they obviously want a new team. Minnesota was there in 2014 and technically shouldn't return, but they seem high on a MN - Auburn matchup. That said, Minnesota has NEVER been to the Outback, so this would be a prime year to snag them.

All that said, nobody has any idea

Is there something special about Auburn this year that the Bowls want us versus them so badly? Play style or anything? Seems like they just want a good SEC team to curb stomp the little Big Ten team that could to me.

 

[BeerFueledFF]

A third possible bowl would be the Orange bowl in Orlando, but that likely requires 2 SEC teams in the playoff to happen.

 

[Veritas]

Is there something special about Auburn this year that the Bowls want us versus them so badly? Play style or anything? Seems like they just want a good SEC team to curb stomp the little Big en team that could to me.

That is pretty much always the core thinking behind many bowl games. Local excellent team will play not so excellent guys from the North. That being said, we have beaten that set up several times before.

 

[Cobra]

Gophers would boat race auburn!

 

[MGGopher]

Is there something special about Auburn this year that the Bowls want us versus them so badly? Play style or anything? Seems like they just want a good SEC team to curb stomp the little Big Ten team that could to me.

Both the Citrus and Outback committees think those two fan bases would travel like crazy this year. AFAIK, that's the only reason. I think some info got leaked from the Citrus committee a couple weeks back to that effect, so a lot of bowl predictions changed...