The last two games and finish 8-3 should our bowl consideration improve despite having only played 11 games?
IF We Can Win
- Thread starter bbneutralfan
- Start date
The difference between 8-3 and 7-4 would not be much difference at all... We are very likely going to finish either tied for 2nd or alone in 3rd in the east (depending on if we beat FIU).
Also, since CUSA lets the conference champ pick its game its hard to predict, which game will be off the table.
Conventional wisdom would say the three most likely options for a bowl are Boca, New Orleans or Bahamas, since the CUSA champ isnt likely to pick those games.
Also, since CUSA lets the conference champ pick its game its hard to predict, which game will be off the table.
Conventional wisdom would say the three most likely options for a bowl are Boca, New Orleans or Bahamas, since the CUSA champ isnt likely to pick those games.
In CUSA, the number of games you win means NOTHING to bowl placement. The league and ESPN put teams where they think they can get the most fans. They have to force teams every year to go to Nassau and Honolulu.
Or they force us to go to Hawaii or the Bahamas and take our medicine.
- The difference in the G5 between 13-0 and 12-1 is a million miles wide. The difference between *12-1 and 6-6 is about the width of your thumb. Anything less than perfection and the "access bowl" means a December bowl in an odd venue sponsored by a product you never heard of before several people.
- I do not get the Bahamas/Hawaii hate. If we were selling significant tickets superior to other CUSA (MAC/SBC) teams and we get "punished" by being sent somewhere remote, then we have a gripe. We aren't. In bowls all over, we sell a couple hundred, mostly to hardcore fans, and diaspora alumni, just like everybody else. If you ain't going to Boca or St. Pete, you have no dog in the fight if we get sent to Nassau.
- I do not get the Bahamas/Hawaii hate. If we were selling significant tickets superior to other CUSA (MAC/SBC) teams and we get "punished" by being sent somewhere remote, then we have a gripe. We aren't. In bowls all over, we sell a couple hundred, mostly to hardcore fans, and diaspora alumni, just like everybody else. If you ain't going to Boca or St. Pete, you have no dog in the fight if we get sent to Nassau.
Unfortunately, it makes absolutely no difference what makes sense for MU... CUSA/ESPN have to send someone to play in those games. If you don't win the league you don't get to pick where you are sent. Eventually we are going to have to take a turn on those islands.
Yeah, it they’re going to have a team in a bowl that doesn’t travel then it would make sense to send them to Hawai’i or the Bahamas and not us. If it came down to say, MTSU sending 1000 fans to Boca or 500 fans to the Bahamas or Marshall sending 2500 fans to Boca or 500 fans to the Bahamas, seems like a no-brainer.
Those locations may like to have more visitors, but mainly they are in it to get some TV money to host the game. The main advantage for the teams is a trip in winter to a warm, sunny location. I assume we are talking with VaTech about playing a 12th game, they may need one. W or L would not make any difference on the bowl slot either, but not sure what happens about the 12th game "insurance money" via USCe.
Supposedly we have to return the insurance dough. So, unless the Hokies are willing to put up some serious $$, doesn’t make sense. I would definitely love to see us play them (2 hour drive)......
It's all about ESPN programming. If people didn't turn on the TV to watch all these useless bowl games, then they would go away as they should.
It used to be a reward to go to a bowl. Now, like the YMCA youth league, it's a participation trophy.
Agree. That bowl in particular is played in a soccer stadium in front of maybe 2000 fans. Most fans can't afford to attend. I guess it's cool for the teams.
I hate ESPN as much as anybody, but really?
How quickly we forget.
1997. We were 9-2. And a loss to Toledump equaled a 9-3 Thundering Herd with no bowl.
1998. we were 10-1. And a loss to Toledump. See above.
1999. We were 11-0. And losing 23-0 in the 3rd quarter. And under the system of that day, an 11-1 Thundering Herd would have stayed home.
2001. Only the expansion of the bowl system gave us a chance to play in one of the all time great bowls.
If you don't like the minor bowls, CHANGE THE F***ING CHANNEL. They hurt no one. They give G5 teams and their fans a nice time, and the players, who are not paid, remember, get a long trip (unlike in and out regular season games) and a swag bag of nice stuff.
www.remotes.com
Now that I'm in the Florida panhandle I would love a nice little road trip to New Orleans.
People seem to forget also, Marshall lost money going to those bowl games.
If CUSA does something right, its the bowl teams don't pay travel expenses.
EVERY game, except for Alabama - Clemson is a "participation trophy" this year.
We are still riding our basketball program getting a "participation trophy" for the first time in 30 years, and will do so until we get another or someone else "gets hot in the conference tourney and who knows".
The chances of MU football EVER playing for the I-A national championship is as close to absolute zero as can be. The chances of MU basketball EVER going past the second round is small, ever making even the Final Four is also near to absolute zero.
So do I like that? HECK YES. I'm a Marshall fan. I know what Marshall is, and am proud of what we accomplish. If you cannot accept what Marshall is, then THIS IS NOT FOR YOU. Just bandwagon on the Tide, or the Dukies, or whatever.
I get that you are fired up... And for the most part I agree with you... But there is a big difference between winning the conference and getting into a tournament that at least "in theory" gives you a chance to win a national championship and playing in the Bahamas Bowl at 3 p.m. on a random Thursday before Christmas with a 7-5 record.
Will most of us watch the bowl game on TV? Sure... But let's not pretend like it will have the appeal of playing in the NCAA basketball tournament (even if we lose in the first round). Because just making the Big Dance means that the basketball program has had a fantastic year.
Hey, I'm not down on the basketball program. I'm down on the woe is us CUSA hater AAC envy football crowd (which, BTW, forgets that save for going 13-0 and getting the "access bowl" has the same set of minor bowl tie ins CUSA does).
If MU goes to a minor bowl, and it almost certainly will, this year, then that is an accomplishment, and I will celebrate it. Just as I will celebrate whatever basketball does this year. It is a shame that so many on this board are so down on Doc and Mike and so fully of UNREALISTIC expectations that they cannot join me.
If MU goes to a minor bowl, and it almost certainly will, this year, then that is an accomplishment, and I will celebrate it. Just as I will celebrate whatever basketball does this year. It is a shame that so many on this board are so down on Doc and Mike and so fully of UNREALISTIC expectations that they cannot join me.
What does basketball have to do with bowl games? But the basketball team didn't get a participation trophy. They hanged a conference championship banner on Sunday.
I'm just saying that the bowl system has expanded a bit beyond ridiculousness and bowl wins vs equally mediocre G5 teams shouldn't be a qualifier that keeps everyone happy.
I'd like some conference championship games in football. If we lose and play in an obscure bowl game like we did in 2013, I can be happy with that. Hell, we played for something...you know, our motto--"We Play for Championships." But winning 8 games, finishing 3rd in your division, and winning the Sante Fe Cashew Bowl is a lot different than what we did in 2013 and 2014 and a lot different than what the basketball team has done the past two seasons--play for championships.
8-3 is a successful season. Maybe not what was expected but solid. Georgia Southern in NO would be good. MUs run defense would dominate the game IMHO. Boca is a good trip as well. Hawaii is good for the team , imagine 18-23 yo's getting a trip there ! Bahamas ? Yawn.
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