Gophers possible bowl destinations...

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Go Gophers Rah

Go Gophers Rah

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I know half of you have no interest in whether/where we go to a bowl, but for the rest of us, I have run through as many scenarios as I can think of for how the Big Ten bowls work out, here are the possibilities:

With Iowa's loss, it becomes pretty hard to come up with a scenario in which the Big Ten sends more than one team to a BCS bowl. Its mathmatically possible - but very unlikely. If the Big Ten were to have 2 BCS teams, the Gophers would move up one bowl in each of the following scenarios:

Champs Sports Bowl: We beat SDSU & Iowa :rolleyes: AND Michigan State loses to both Purdue and Penn State AND Northwestern loses to either Illinois or Wisconsin;
Insight Bowl: We beat SDSU & Iowa AND Northwestern loses to either Illinois or Wisconsin OR We beat SDSU but lose to Iowa and Northwestern loses to both Illinois and Wisconsin;
Motor City Bowl: We beat SDSU but lose to Iowa and Northwestern beats either Illinois or Wisconsin.
At-Large Bowl Bid: In the very unlikely event that Illinois beats Northwestern, Cincinnati AND Fresno State and that Northwestern beats Wisconsin.
No bowl: If we lose to both South Dakota State and Iowa.
 

Please no Detroit. I really want to go to a bowl game, but I can't see spending my money in Detroit. Please, win two more for me..

Side note: Sat, Sep 01 2012 UNLV at Las Vegas, Nev. I'm at that one for sure..
 


So much to play out in the last couple weeks. We'll know a lot more after Saturday, especially after the MSU-Purdue & Illinois-NW results.

At this point it sure looks like there are going to be a lot of mediocre/cruddy 6-6 Big 10 teams going bowling. I'm sure they're all thinking the same thing. ... please don't send us to Detroit.

Illinois (highly unlikely)
Indiana (highly unlikely)
Michigan (highly unlikely) -- Rich-Rod heads to the unemployment line
Michigan State (possible)
Minnesota (probable)
Northwestern (definitely)
Purdue (possible)

Most likely scenario is Sparty, Goldy and NW (all either 7-5 or more likely 6-6) crossing their fingers to avoid the Pizza-Pizza Bowl.
 



I dont care where we go.

We need to win whatever bowl game we go to. Sure it would be nice to go to a bigger name bowl but I think the extra practice for next season and a win in a bowl game no matter who we play is far more important than where we play. Going to be a bigger bowl is nice but if we lose it isnt all that good. Get to a Bowl any bowl and win.
 


ButchNashGuy said:
Doesn't Alamo Bowl pick before Champs Bowl?
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Champs picks before Alamo this year.

I really wanted to get into one of those games because 1. I'm tiring of Tempe, 2. It's the last year the Big Ten is affiliated with either bowl and 3. Detroit sucks, but we'd now have to beat Iowa to have a chance. I'm looking into flights to Detroit...
 

Stu Mandel still thinks Iowa will go to the Orange if they lose to Ohio State this weekend. The Orange Bowl often has attendance problems if a Miami or Florida State isn't involved in the game, so I don't think it's that big a stretch that if they end up 10-2 with OSU going to the Rose Bowl that Iowa ends up in Miami.

Michigan State vs. Purdue is basically for a bowl game this week.
-MSU wins, they're bowl eligible. If they lose, they're 5-6 with Penn State still looming, so they may be looking at 5-7 and a non-bowl season.
-Purdue, wins, they're 5-6 with Indiana coming; they could end up 6-6, but 5-3 in the Big Ten, which most likely would vault them up a bit.

I think you'll see only one of MSU & Purdue heading to a bowl, with it being the winner this weekend.

Michigan's losing both & being bowl ineligible seems likely.
 



Go Gophers Rah said:
I know half of you have no interest in whether/where we go to a bowl, but for the rest of us, I have run through as many scenarios as I can think of for how the Big Ten bowls work out, here are the possibilities:

With Iowa's loss, it becomes pretty hard to come up with a scenario in which the Big Ten sends more than one team to a BCS bowl. Its mathmatically possible - but very unlikely. If the Big Ten were to have 2 BCS teams, the Gophers would move up one bowl in each of the following scenarios:

Champs Sports Bowl: We beat SDSU & Iowa :rolleyes: AND Michigan State loses to both Purdue and Penn State AND Northwestern loses to either Illinois or Wisconsin;
Insight Bowl: We beat SDSU & Iowa AND Northwestern loses to either Illinois or Wisconsin OR We beat SDSU but lose to Iowa and Northwestern loses to both Illinois and Wisconsin;
Motor City Bowl: We beat SDSU but lose to Iowa and Northwestern beats either Illinois or Wisconsin.
At-Large Bowl Bid: In the very unlikely event that Illinois beats Northwestern, Cincinnati AND Fresno State and that Northwestern beats Wisconsin.
No bowl: If we lose to both South Dakota State and Iowa.
Click to expand...

Why did you not include the Alamo Bowl (Big Ten #5 selection) as a possibility? It falls between the Champs Bowl (Big Ten #4 selection) and Insight (Big Ten #6 selection). To me, that's the mostly likely place we end up.
 

Assuming the Gophers beat SDSU & lose to Iowa, it seems the worst-case scenario for the Gophers is if MSU wins out and Northwestern beats either Illinois or Bucky. That would pretty much seal a trip to Detroit, absent the Big 10 getting two teams into the BCS.

Sparty would be 7-5, 5-3
NW would be (at worst) 7-5, 4-4
Gophers would be 6-6, 3-5

Though, it's possible the Gophers could jump Northwestern because of wins over both Sparty/NW and NW's even worse fan support than Minnesota. Bottom line: Gopher fans want NW and Sparty losses this weekend.
 

SelectionSunday said:
Assuming the Gophers beat SDSU & lose to Iowa, it seems the worst-case scenario for the Gophers is if MSU wins out and Northwestern wins another game. That would pretty much guarantee a trip to Detroit, absent the Big 10 getting 2 teams in the BCS.

Sparty would be 7-5, 5-3
NW would be 7-5, 4-4
Gophers would be 6-6, 3-5

Though, it's possible the Gophers could jump Northwestern because of wins over both Sparty/NW and NW's even worse fan support than Minnesota. Bottom line: Gopher fans want NW and Sparty losses this weekend.
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Hodger, if the above scenario were to play out, the Gophs couldn't be picked over NU or Sparty because 6-6 teams can't be picked ahead of 7 win teams - unless of course the B10 gets 2 BCS teams and I just don't see that happening. Iowa will lose badly at OSU this weekend and that gives Iowa, OSU, and PSU 2 losses each. OSU will go to the Rose and that's it.
 

Art Vandelay said:
Hodger, if the above scenario were to play out, the Gophs couldn't be picked over NU or Sparty because 6-6 teams can't be picked ahead of 7 win teams - unless of course the B10 gets 2 BCS teams and I just don't see that happening. Iowa will lose badly at OSU this weekend and that gives Iowa, OSU, and PSU 2 losses each. OSU will go to the Rose and that's it.
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For the last time - a 6-6 team can jump a 7-5 team if all Big Ten bowl eligible teams have a place to go. In other words, if there are 7 bowl eligible teams and 7 spots, then a 6-6 team can jump a 7-5 team. In fact, for the Insight Bowl, a 6-6 can jump an 8-4 team (although that would be unlikely). Now, if there are 8 bowl eligible teams and only 7 spots, then a 6-6 team cannot be chosen over a 7-5 team. The 7-5 team cannot be left home, but it can certainly be jumped if there are enough spots for everyone.

And, a 10-2 Iowa team is still a possilibity for one of the two BCS at-large spots. There will only be about four teams vying for those two spots: 10-2 Iowa, 10-2 USC, the non-automatic qualifier TCU/Boise State, and 10-2 Penn State. That's it. Iowa is likely more attractive for the Orange and Fiesta Bowl than any of those other teams. Despite its national namebrand, USC doesn't travel well, and the Orange almost certainly would choose Iowa over TCU/Boise State in this economy.
 



Thanks Art. I guess what I'm trying to say is -- absent a win over Iowa -- the Gophers are most likely headed to Detroit. I doubt the Pizza-Pizza Bowl wants a CMU-Sparty rematch, plus I think Sparty will beat Penn State to take themselves out of the Pizza-Pizza equation.
 

I would think Motor City wants MSU if they can get them.
 

Good point Rouser. I should rephrase. ... the last thing MSU wants is to stay in-state for its bowl game.
 

tjgopher said:
Why did you not include the Alamo Bowl (Big Ten #5 selection) as a possibility? It falls between the Champs Bowl (Big Ten #4 selection) and Insight (Big Ten #6 selection). To me, that's the mostly likely place we end up.
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Because I forgot that Champs picks ahead of Alamo this year. I also forgot that the Motor City Bowl has changed its name to the Little Ceaser's Pizza Bowl. I would edit the original post, but then it would make many of the responses nonsensical.

Thanks for pointing out my error.
 

Actually, the rumors in Detroit is that George Perles, who runs the pizza-pizza bowl, would blow a donkey on the internet to get either MSU or SCum into his bowl game. Either school would put a lot more fannies in the seats than we would. Especially all of meechigan's walmart alumni who can't afford a trip anywhere south of Toledo.
 

Go Gophers Rah said:
Because I forgot that Champs picks ahead of Alamo this year. I also forgot that the Motor City Bowl has changed its name to the Little Ceaser's Pizza Bowl. I would edit the original post, but then it would make many of the responses nonsensical.

Thanks for pointing out my error.
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It would be good protocol to edit it with a tag at the bottom

EDIT: Edited based on comments below.

People would then know that the original post was edited (without checking for the italics edited post and looking at the time stamp), and they would understand that some of the posts below helped reshape the original post.
 

SelectionSunday said:
Good point Rouser. I should rephrase. ... the last thing MSU wants is to stay in-state for its bowl game.
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According to a column in the Detroit Free-Press, Michigan State actually WANTS the Pizza Bowl.

Michigan State officials already are privately campaigning for the Little Caesars Pizza Bowl over the Insight Bowl in Phoenix because it could make more money with reduced travel expenses.
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Now, if the Champs Bowl or Alamo Bowl are on the table, I'm sure that changes Sparty's mind. But it's interesting that they would prefer Detroit to Tempe.

Also, if the Big Ten only gets one team in the BCS, Iowa and Penn State probably take the two NYD bowls, dropping Wisconsin to the Champs. But I could see a deal worked out with the Alamo so that Sconnie doesn't go back to Central Florida for the 17th consecutive bowl season. Sparty has also played in Orlando each of the last two years, so who knows, that could put Minnesota and Northwestern in play for that game. Lots of moving parts....
 

few predictions:

Gophers vs. Oklahoma in Alamo bowl....

Gophers vs. Va Tech or Clemson...

(according to espn.com)
 

I stand (sit) corrected. Sharp makes a good point. ... MSU and especially Michigan should take any bowl they can get this year.
 


tjgopher said:
And, a 10-2 Iowa team is still a possilibity for one of the two BCS at-large spots. There will only be about four teams vying for those two spots: 10-2 Iowa, 10-2 USC, the non-automatic qualifier TCU/Boise State, and 10-2 Penn State. That's it. Iowa is likely more attractive for the Orange and Fiesta Bowl than any of those other teams. Despite its national namebrand, USC doesn't travel well, and the Orange almost certainly would choose Iowa over TCU/Boise State in this economy.
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Keep in mind that Iowa is ranked 12 & 13 in the two polls right now. In the scenario where they lose big to tOSU, and they might - their QB was 9 for 27 last week - they may drop far enough back that they are out of the top 14, a BCS at large requirement.
 

badgergopher said:
Keep in mind that Iowa is ranked 12 & 13 in the two polls right now. In the scenario where they lose big to tOSU, and they might - their QB was 9 for 27 last week - they may drop far enough back that they are out of the top 14, a BCS at large requirement.
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There is a chance of that, no doubt. Iowa is #10 in the BCS rankings right now. If they lose to OSU, the computers won't punish them all that much. The human polls could drop them to #18-21 or so, which would likely (guessing) put them around #13-17 in the BCS. If they beat us to go 10-2, then they will likely move to the cusp of or back into the Top 14. Plus, Pittsburgh, Houston, Arizona, Utah, Oklahoma State, Oregon, USC, Miami (FL), etc. all have games they could lose, which if a couple of them do, would likely move Iowa back into the Top 14.
 

SelectionSunday said:
Assuming the Gophers beat SDSU & lose to Iowa, it seems the worst-case scenario for the Gophers is if MSU wins out and Northwestern beats either Illinois or Bucky. That would pretty much seal a trip to Detroit, absent the Big 10 getting two teams into the BCS.

Sparty would be 7-5, 5-3
NW would be (at worst) 7-5, 4-4
Gophers would be 6-6, 3-5

Though, it's possible the Gophers could jump Northwestern because of wins over both Sparty/NW and NW's even worse fan support than Minnesota. Bottom line: Gopher fans want NW and Sparty losses this weekend.
Click to expand...

Well, the worst case scenario pretty much played itself out today:

1) NW wins to get to 7.
2) MSU wins to get bowl eligible.
3) Gophers look horrible in win over an FCS team.

The only good thing that happened today was that Michigan lost, which virtually knocks them out of bowl contention (considering they play OSU next week). We're pretty much screwed regarding bowl selection. Head-to-head wins over NW and MSU will mean squat come Dec 6th. They'll both end up with better conference records...and the fallacy of our "no travel" fanbase will haunt us once again. Damn. Detroit, here we come. :(
 

I would have to think it will turn out as follows unless Iowa gets into a 2nd BCS bowl.

Rose - Ohio State
Cap One - Iowa
Outback - Penn State
Champs Sports - Wisconsin
Alamo - Northwestern
Insight - Michigan State
Little Ceasar's Pizza - Minnesota
 

The best way to avoid Detroit is to beat Iowa and have Penn State blow out Michigan State. If we lose, then even with a PSU blow out, it's 50/50 MSU goes to the Insight Bowl. The other alternative is for the B10 to get two BCS slots meaning that the conference wouldn't fill all of it's bowl slots. If Cinncinati were to beat Pitt but lose to the Illini things would get interesting and a second BCS slot would be likely (a very unlikely scenario).
 

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