Gophers picked for Outback Bowl vs Auburn

swingman

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from Saturday Tradition, which covers Big Ten about as well as anybody:

We now project that the B1G won’t have enough bowl-eligible teams to fill out all of its slots. One of five teams currently on the outside looking in for our projections — Illinois, Nebraska, Northwestern, Indiana and Rutgers — would have to get pretty hot to climb back in and occupy the league’s place at the Quick Lane Bowl. Right now they are all below .500 and face some really tough games in November.

As always, these projections reflect where we predict these teams will be in December, not where they stand now.

Here are our Week 8 B1G bowl projections:

Cotton Bowl (CFP semifinal): Ohio State vs. Georgia
Rose Bowl: Michigan vs. Oregon
Fiesta Bowl: Iowa vs. Mississippi
Citrus Bowl: Michigan State vs. Texas A&M
Outback Bowl: Minnesota vs. Auburn
Las Vegas Bowl: Penn State vs. Arizona State
Music City Bowl: Wisconsin vs. Tennessee
Pinstripe Bowl: Purdue vs. North Carolina
Guaranteed Rate Bowl: Maryland vs. Texas Tech

"B1G bowl projections after Week 8: Where do Nittany Lions fall after shocker?" https://saturdaytradition.com/big-t...-8-where-do-nittany-lions-fall-after-shocker/
 



I'm not sure I'd go back to the Outback Bowl as a fan. Tampa is fine but I'd rather go to the fiesta bowl or to a "lesser" bowl (Music City, Las Vegas Bowl) and not be in Tampa. This is strictly as a traveling fan. I'll be spending 10 days in FL in March, so maybe that is part of it.
 





fun to see us moving up in pecking order...i do think there is a cant go back to same bowl in short period clause
I think once every 3 years but there are some exceptions. I could be way off, not sure to Gophers being in solid bowl games that often ;)
 





Even if we win out and then lose to OSU in Indy .... I just don't think we'll get ranked high enough to beat out an 11-1 Michigan for the Rose (assuming their only loss to Ohio St), or make it into the Fiesta (probably need to be top 11, at least).
 


We already kicked their butt. Bring on someone new.

Agreed. I boo this scenario. Same destination against the same team? I would like to continue enjoying our win over Auburn....rather than put it back up for claim. Maybe the SEC powers would like to see Auburn get revenge.

You know TJ and Winfield Jr. would be patrolling the sidelines.
 





West champion should get rose bowl if they don't beat Ohio State. Certainly not Michigan!
 

Why not? I would expect the Jug to be available or the Governor's Victory Bell should they play Penn St in Indy.
I don't think it works that way. I honestly don't think the trophies are available during the B1G title game.
 

West champion should get rose bowl if they don't beat Ohio State. Certainly not Michigan!

Sadly, I think MI is a lock for the Rose Bowl if they win out except for Ohio State. The BG loss looms large for MN. The Purdon't loss looms large for Ioweege. 3 losses loom large for Whiscrap.
 

I don't think it works that way. I honestly don't think the trophies are available during the B1G title game.
I've heard this point repeated by others as well but I haven't seen any clarification on the point. No teams that have met in the B1G title game have had a rivalry trophy. Wisconsin shellacked Nebraska in '11, but they didn't yet play for the ridiculous 'Freedom Trophy'.
 

Would love to play Auburn again. I bet the Tigers and War Eagles at the game would savor a rematch too. They were in shock and are still probably trying to forget that day.

Twice would be nice in this case.
 

It sure is a lot more fun hoping the Gophers go to a really nice bowl than in past years when we were just hoping to make ANY bowl!! I would not complain about going to the Outback again, but like most I would rather see a different opponent than Auburn.
 

If we get to Indy, good shot to get to the Fiesta Bowl, probably need a win there to go to the Rose
 


It sure is a lot more fun hoping the Gophers go to a really nice bowl than in past years when we were just hoping to make ANY bowl!! I would not complain about going to the Outback again, but like most I would rather see a different opponent than Auburn.
As noted in another thread we'll be in Atlanta this weekend that includes watching GA-FL game on Saturday afternoon with a bunch of my Bulldog brethren.

Certainly for the Billds our fantasy match-up is for Minnesota to play Georgia before at least Mr. Billd dies. Although born Bulldog I'd proudly wear Maroon and Gold for that game.

For this year that would mean some remarkable events between now and mid-December.

So yes, if not Auburn then the Dawgs. On the other hand, maybe a year when the Dawgs are a little down might be better...Uff da they are playing very good football. :p
 

This is a bold but realistic take on Penn State.

They could easily finish 7-5 without anything surprising happening. Their offense is rotten.

Likely that the Gophers finish ahead of the Nits record-wise.
 

I don't think it works that way. I honestly don't think the trophies are available during the B1G title game.
That is correct- rivalry trophy games are regular season.
I have yet to see a rivalry trophy game (first time or 2nd time) played for in a Conference Championship game - across conferences.
 

Yeah the conference would almost certainly do that.
The conference will do whatever it thinks will maximize its own TV ratings and money, quite simply.

Hence why an 11-1 Michigan gets the Rose Bowl over a Gophers team that plays very tough but ultimately loses to OSU in Indy. All day, every day.
 

The conference will do whatever it thinks will maximize its own TV ratings and money, quite simply.

Hence why an 11-1 Michigan gets the Rose Bowl over a Gophers team that plays very tough but ultimately loses to OSU in Indy. All day, every day.
The money is predetermined. They don’t get a bonus from bowl game TV ratings. Plus Michigan didn’t lose to Bowling Green. If they are 11-1 they lost to tOSU. Gophers would have two losses to tOSU and a loss to Bowling Green. So yeah, I’d send the 11-1 team over the 10-3 team.
 

The money is predetermined. They don’t get a bonus from bowl game TV ratings.
They get the money and the bowls, because of historical TV ratings.

They don't go into the negotiations with the TV execs and throw darts at a board to figure things out. It's all based on what TV ratings different conferences can offer to the TV partner of each bowl.

So yeah, I’d send the 11-1 team over the 10-3 team.
Quite easy to fathom how the conference could have a rule that the runner-up should get to go to the Rose Bowl if the winner goes to the CFP.

I think a lot of fans would agree with that.
 

Would love to play Auburn again. I bet the Tigers and War Eagles at the game would savor a rematch too. They were in shock and are still probably trying to forget that day.

Twice would be nice in this case.

They are still trotting out Bo Nix.....so we'd have that going for us. But.....as I've said in this and other threads.....why play Auburn again? A team that we're unlikely to see more than once a decade. I think it's better to have that win over them in our pocket. Don't give them the chance at revenge so quickly.

I'd prefer to see the Gophers play an Ole Miss or Texas A&M team.

But this is all moot. Win the games on the schedule and get to the Rose Bowl.
 




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