Way too early bowl predictions

[All4TheHerd]

No. Three years ago, Marshall was a coward and chose to not play a Big 10 in order to play NIU.

Still waiting for anyone to brag about our win against Maryland...

Funny how people will complain about who we didn't play over mentioning who we did, and beat.

 

[Herd Fever]

RK mentioning anything in a positive light about Marshall is a pipe dream.

 

[mubaseballking]

I miss the military bowl . Saw a report saying we could play navy in some horse trading scenario.

That would be an interesting match-up. I would think that plenty of MU fans would show up again in Annapolis.

 

[C.K. Ocsevol-Evad]

Mic drop

Explain this.

Fever claims that Marshall's top bowl priority is and will always be a P5 school. I stated that just three years ago, we were cowards and turned down two P5s for a MAC school, which clearly shows fever's statement to be wrong.

Yet it's a "mic drop" when he contradicts his own statement by saying that one of the P5s wasn't good?

Brilliant.

 

[C.K. Ocsevol-Evad]

You mean the Big 10 team who was second ranked in their State and got smashed by CUSA runner up?

Yes, the P5 that fits what you claimed was Marshall's top priority. Of course, they were well below a MAC team that lost by 40 to a 2-6 SEC school.

 

[All4TheHerd]

Explain this.

Fever claims that Marshall's top bowl priority is and will always be a P5 school. I stated that just three years ago, we were cowards and turned down two P5s for a MAC school, which clearly shows fever's statement to be wrong.

Yet it's a "mic drop" when he contradicts his own statement by saying that one of the P5s wasn't good?

Brilliant.

You try too hard.

 

[herdfootball]

That would be an interesting match-up. I would think that plenty of MU fans would show up again in Annapolis.

Had a good crowd in Annapolis last trip, fun bowl game would love to go back.

 

[PullmanFinger]

Explain this.

Fever claims that Marshall's top bowl priority is and will always be a P5 school. I stated that just three years ago, we were cowards and turned down two P5s for a MAC school, which clearly shows fever's statement to be wrong.

Yet it's a "mic drop" when he contradicts his own statement by saying that one of the P5s wasn't good?

Brilliant.

I can’t even read your handle on here let alone interpret your comments

 

[Herd Fever]

im trying to figure out who was the second P5.

Its funny that you would bring up the Arkansas lost but dismiss the Northwestern win as well as their 11-2 record coming into the game. Or just ignore the fact they made it to the Orange Bowl 2 years prior.

And you completely dismiss the fact we played Maryland the year before and completely destroyed them in their own backyard.

How did destroying a 6-6 Illinois team do for the profile of Louisiana Tech?

 

[WV_Celt]

Can this please get back to talking about possible bowl games in the teams FUTURE? Not what happened 3 or 4 years ago?

 

[sistersville]

I can’t even read your handle on here let alone interpret your comments

U graduate from marshall

 

[pdbailey]

Explain this.

Fever claims that Marshall's top bowl priority is and will always be a P5 school. I stated that just three years ago, we were cowards and turned down two P5s for a MAC school, which clearly shows fever's statement to be wrong.

Yet it's a "mic drop" when he contradicts his own statement by saying that one of the P5s wasn't good?

Brilliant.

You called us cowards you ****ing idiot. We beat a NIU team that was getting votes in both polls, was in the CFP rankings, had a 11-2 record, and beat that shit P5 team you said we were too cowardly to play. Why the **** are you on this board as you certainly don't want MU to be successful? I bet the athletic department has you blocked from even interviewing for a position based on the shit you spew about them as you must know they do monitor these boards. You are a clown that needs to go away.

 

[Herd Fever]

They didnt play Illinois that year fyi

 

[Y.A.G Si Ye Nots]

I can’t even read your handle on here let alone interpret your comments

My comments are articulated clearly for somebody with a bit of intelligence.

Its funny that you would bring up the Arkansas lost but dismiss the Northwestern win as well as their 11-2 record coming into the game. Or just ignore the fact they made it to the Orange Bowl 2 years prior.

Yes, I brought up their Arkansas loss to show that they got destroyed against a bad SEC team.

You mentioned their Northwestern win. How did Illinois do against Northwestern? Don't waste your time- they beat them worse than NIU did. NIU played a weaker schedule than Marshall (hard to imagine), yet they only had one FBS win by more than 14 points.

Beating a MAC school does nothing for Marshall. Beating Maryland, Illinios, and other P5s do far more for the program. Not only does it help them in rankings and votes that year, but it also carries over into more votes and higher expectations the following year.

For smaller programs, the name of the game is beating P5s. You don't get any true respect nationally until you do that.

And you completely dismiss the fact we played Maryland the year before and completely destroyed them in their own backyard.

And that was far more beneficial for Marshall's program than beating a MAC school, just like beating Illinois would have been.

You called us cowards you ****ing idiot. We beat a NIU team that was getting votes in both polls, was in the CFP rankings, had a 11-2 record, and beat that shit P5 team you said we were too cowardly to play. Why the **** are you on this board as you certainly don't want MU to be successful? I bet the athletic department has you blocked from even interviewing for a position based on the shit you spew about them as you must know they do monitor these boards. You are a clown that needs to go away.

"Idiot" and "clown" yet you can't even read a schedule correctly. NIU didn't beat Illinois that year. Doh! Moron.

 

[Herd Fever]

we beat Purdue, they said.....

"Its Purdue"

If anything CUSA for not having the power to convince a P5 to play a bowl game in Florida against our Conference Champion.

 

[mubaseballking]

Some of the bowl predictions after week 9, as of October 31st.

SI - vs USF - St. Pete
SB Nation - vs Ohio - Bahamas
Sporting News. - vs USF - Boca
CBS Sports. - vs C. Michigan - Quick Lane (Detroit)
College Football News - vs USF - St. Petersburg
ESPN - (Bonagura) - vs Troy - New Orleans
ESPN - (Hale) - vs Army - Armed Forces Bowl
USA Today - vs Northern Illinois - Bahamas
Bleacher Report - vs Fresno State - New Mexico Bowl

 

[Herd Fever]

SI - vs USF - St. Pete
Sporting News. - vs USF - Boca
College Football News - vs USF - St. Petersburg
ESPN - (Bonagura) - vs Troy - New Orleans
ESPN - (Hale) - vs Army - Armed Forces Bowl

Only ones who get it

 

[Herd-in-ATL]

Funny we lose a game, and this I'm seeing less predictions (a good thing) for the Bahamas.

 

[i am herdman]

The way we played Saturday we better hope we win some more games. We are bowl eligible right now, not bowl guaranteed.

 

[Herd Fever]

CUSA has like 7 bowl bids and we are Marshall(Pun Intended) so we are always bowl guaranteed.

 

[mlblack16.]

No. Three years ago, Marshall was a coward and chose to not play a Big 10 in order to play NIU.

I don't know if it was so much Doc and Hamrick being cowards as it was just another hilljack, amateur move on their part. It's their way of thinking that keeps us down. Idiots on here who tried to argue we would garner more respect nationally by beating a MAC team vs mud-stomping a B1G are also to blame with this mentality.

The longer the list of wins over teams from major conferences the better, regardless of how good/bad they were the year we played. They would be far more memorable than, "yeah, we beat the MAC champion that year."

 

[mubaseballking]

Some of the bowl predictions after week 10, as of November 7th. To be honest, I don't understand some of these predictions.

SI - vs USF - St. Pete
SB Nation - vs Louisville – Belk
Sporting News. - vs SMU – Boca Raton
CBS Sports. - Appy State – Cure Bowl
College Football News - vs Boston College – Independence Bowl
ESPN - (Bonagura) - vs Houston – St. Petesburg
ESPN - (Hale) - vs Oregon – Heart of Dallas Bowl
USA Today - vs Houston – Boca Raton
Bleacher Report - vs Appy State – New Orleans Bowl

 

[All4TheHerd]

Some of the bowl predictions after week 10, as of November 7th. To be honest, I don't understand some of these predictions.

SI - vs USF - St. Pete
SB Nation - vs Louisville – Belk
Sporting News. - vs SMU – Boca Raton
CBS Sports. - Appy State – Cure Bowl
College Football News - vs Boston College – Independence Bowl
ESPN - (Bonagura) - vs Houston – St. Petesburg
ESPN - (Hale) - vs Oregon – Heart of Dallas Bowl
USA Today - vs Houston – Boca Raton
Bleacher Report - vs Appy State – New Orleans Bowl

Bring on Oregon, Louisville, or Boston College then!!!

 

[The Real SamC]

Belk - This is supposed to be SEC-ACC. SEC has eight regular bowls. If we assume BOTH Alabama and Georgia make the playoffs, then that is 10. There are currently 5 6-win teams in the Greatest Conference and, at least theoretically, no eliminated teams (except probationed Ole Miss) as anybody could win out. Bit of a stretch to see the SEC not having enough teams, and who would be all that interested in seeing MU play Louisville. The Charlotte based bowl would much rather have a more local team than Louisville, and, obviously WKU or Middle make more sense for a "rival" to Louisville.

Indy - Likewise SEC-ACC. See above for SEC discussion. Geography (notheren Louisiana) makes even less sense for either MU or BC.

HOD - Supposed to be Big 2/Little 8 - CUSA. That woeful league has 6 regular bowl slots. With five already filled and Texas needing only to beat WVU or Texas Tech (and Kansas, which is virtually automatic) you have to get Oklahoma or TCU in the playoffs and have Kansas State lose out for it to be short and that ain't happening. Again, if the HOD loses the local Big 2/Little 8 team, it certainly would take a local Texas CUSA team over one from 1500 miles away.

 

[sistersville]

Have you seen U.K. play? They suck. We would beat them.

Wrong

 

[mubaseballking]

Some of the bowl predictions after week 11, as of November 14th. IF these are the choices, I think you play Houston in Boca or Army in Fort Worth.

SI - vs Akron - St. Pete
SB Nation - vs Louisville – Belk
Sporting News. - vs Temple – Boca Raton
CBS Sports. - Army – Armed Forces Bowl
College Football News - vs Northern Illinois – Bahamas Bowl
ESPN - (Bonagura) - vs Appy State – New Orleans Bowl
ESPN - (Hale) - vs Central Michigan – Bahamas Bowl
USA Today - vs Houston – Boca Raton
Bleacher Report - vs Western Michigan – Bahamas Bowl

 

[Dreh_Nagi_HC_IM]

Some of the bowl predictions after week 11, as of November 14th. IF these are the choices, I think you play Houston in Boca or Army in Fort Worth.

If the Herd somehow had the choice to play a P5 in a much better bowl game (Belk) at a location such as Charlotte, I don't think you pass that up. With that said, I doubt they would have that opportunity, but who knows.

 

[dangerousdaneerfan]

Reading Chucky's column today and he feels Marshall would go for the sure win against a nobody rather than taking $$$$ for playing Louisville. If Marshall goes that route and avoids Louisville IF OFFERED, then Hamrick needs canned.

 

[All4TheHerd]

Reading Chucky's column today and he feels Marshall would go for the sure win against a nobody rather than taking $$$$ for playing Louisville. If Marshall goes that route and avoids Louisville IF OFFERED, then Hamrick needs canned.

The day people believe Chucky more than they believe reality, the Earth and life as we know it, needs canned.

 

[RhinoD]

Some of the bowl predictions after week 11, as of November 14th. IF these are the choices, I think you play Houston in Boca or Army in Fort Worth.

SI - vs Akron - St. Pete
SB Nation - vs Louisville – Belk
Sporting News. - vs Temple – Boca Raton
CBS Sports. - Army – Armed Forces Bowl
College Football News - vs Northern Illinois – Bahamas Bowl
ESPN - (Bonagura) - vs Appy State – New Orleans Bowl
ESPN - (Hale) - vs Central Michigan – Bahamas Bowl
USA Today - vs Houston – Boca Raton
Bleacher Report - vs Western Michigan – Bahamas Bowl

If those games are on the table... They aren't, but if they were...

1. You play Louisville in Charlotte – Easy drive for fans, good "rivalry" between teams that have played over the years, good venue, best money, etc.
2. You play Houston in Boca – Best recruiting area we have, good opponent, not a bad travel destination.
3. You play Army in Dallas – Fun matchup against a service academy, great time slot, not a bad travel destination.

Playing a MAC team, especially a MAC team that is not the league champion, should not even be on the radar unless there are absolutely no other options.

 

[The Real SamC]

The Belk Bowl scenario seems hard to do. Belk is supposed to be SEC-ACC. SEC has 8 regular bowl slots. With UGa losing it seems far less likely that two SEC teams make the "playoffs", so that is 9 total slots. So the SEC already has 8 bowl eligible teams (UGa, USC, UK, Bama, Auburn, LSU, Mississippi State, and TAMU), MIzzou is 5-5 and plays 4-6 Vandy this week. Mizzou wins, that is 6 wins. Vandy wins, it play hapless UT the next week. One or the other seems likely to get to 6 either way.

So the only way the SEC comes up short of filling 8 regular slots is Vandy beats Mizzou but loses to Tennessee, or there is big chaos in the playoffs (Auburn wins the Iron Bowl making the SEC Championship Auburn Georgia and UGa wins, Bama and UGa both make the playoffs, or Bama wins the Iron Bowl but loses a close game to UGA in the SEC Championship, adn the same result.

 

[RhinoD]

Just a quick look at tie-ins and records... Going by the CFN bowl commitments for each conference (likely means 5-5 or better).

American Athletic Conference - 7 tie-ins, 6 eligible teams with 1 more likely
Atlantic Coast Conference - 10 tie-ins, 7 eligible teams with 2 more likely
Big 10 - 8 tie-ins, 7 eligible teams with 1 more likely
Big 12 - 7 tie-ins, 5 eligible teams with 2 more likely
Conference USA - 7 tie-ins, 6 eligible teams with 2 more likely
Mid-American Conference - 5 tie-ins, 5 eligible teams with 1 more likely
Mountain West Conference - 7 tie-ins, 5 eligible teams with 1 more likely
Pac 12 - 6 tie-ins, 5 eligible teams with 3 more likely
SEC - 9 tie-ins, 8 eligible teams with 2 more likely
Sun Belt - 7 tie-ins, 3 eligible teams with 2 more likely

This of course does not count independents (Notre Dame, Army and Navy are going bowling)... Nor does it include the 4 teams that make the playoffs. Based on the top four right now, the ACC could have as many as 3 open bowl tie-ins to fill with one probably going to Notre Dame. The Sun Belt is not going to fill its tie-ins.

 

[TwolfHerdfan]

Anywhere but the Bahamas.

 

[The Real SamC]

If you add up RhinoD's list and assume every "likely" team makes it, that is only 70. There are 39 bowls 2 x 39 is 78. That means 8 5-7 teams, right? Wow, that is bad.

As to us, there is always going to be a divide among all G5 fan bases, with some wanting to play "a big team" even if that "big" team is 6-6 or 5-7, and some wanting to play the "best team" which is going to be a fellow G5 team. There are point on both sides and everyone has an opinion. IMHO, playing the best team looks better right now, but five years later as the fog of memory move in, fan bases live off "remember when we beat ____ " forgeting that was one of their bad seasons.

That aside, it seems no one wants to go to the Bahamas, and I get that, very limited live gate potential and played on a weekday afternoon. Still probably the team would enjoy it.

Of the CUSA tie ins, IMHO:

- New Orleans and New Mexico, played on the 16th, almost do not even seem like bowls, too early. We are neither one's first choice, as they would want a more local team that is going to buy tickets.
- Boca Raton or St. Pete are fine, we recruit Florida obviously, have a lot of moved there fans there already and it is a doable trip for most people. Probably where we end up. One is the same as the other to me.
- The Armed Forces vs. Army in Ft. Worth, again, I don't think we are their first choice. They would rather have a Texas or Louisiana team to sell tickets. It would be a great deal to play a service academy and all of that, a good TV show, but not very many people are going to travel on the Saturday before a Monday Christmas, meaning coming home on Christmas Eve, one of the worst travel days of the year.
- Arizona, the next week end you can say about the same about, although New Years is a very different holiday than Christmas in terms of home and family. I don't think we ever get a western bowl as long as CUSA is structured as it is.

 

[THUNDERGround]

I wouldn't mind playing a P5 in the Military Bowl if some horse-trading is done.

 

[islandherdfan]

Playing Army in the Armed Forces bowl would be neat as it would be the 20 year anniversary of possibly the most replayed highlight in college football- Randy Moss leaping an Army defender on his way to the end zone.

 

[RhinoD]

Anywhere but the Bahamas.

How about this for a counter point... Lets say we split the last two games and go 8-4... Should we willingly take the Bahamas trip this year over putting it off and potentially getting screwed in the future?

Next year we should be even better based on who we have returning. So lets say we beg our way out of the Bahamas this year and then go 10-2 next year but lose in the CUSA championship game, based on CUSA saying that "everyone is going to take a turn going to the Bahamas Bowl" we could get stuck there next season with a better record and a better team against a MAC opponent.

Maybe we should eat it this year, go wax some third-place MAC team, finish with a win and get the Bahamas out of the way for the next five years.

 

[All4TheHerd]

It all is about perception.

Beating a 6-6 KState team holds much more merit than beating an 11-2 NIU team, if comparing the two.
You have basically Joe Paterno in Bill Snyder (except the child raping thing) with a nationally respected brand.
You beat KState in ANY year in football, its a good win.
Compare that to beating someone with little to no football history in the same conference, like Iowa State or Kansas in football...its nothing.

I think thats why people would argue (and I am not trying to dig up another goddamn debate on this) Marshall beating a 6-6 Clemson was better than beating a 2-10 Purdue...even though Purdue's conference reputation is better than Clemsons.

National perception.

When compared to Illinois, NIU was a favorable choice. NIU was not far removed from a BCS bowl, they had a good record, and I believe had a P5 win over a decent Northwestern team.
Their national perception was still present and one even ESPN guys talked about as being a top 10 bowl matchup to watch.

Playing Illinois was basically playing Purdue...just because they are associated with a very powerful conference, does not mean THEY are a powerful team.

Oregon at 6-6 is a very good option. Same with Kansas State. Because Oregon has made themselves a brand. Kansas State is too.

Boston College would have me just take a look at other options. Still a notable team but not nearly as notable as the prior 2 choices.
And I would likely pick BC in the end if the other 2 weren't a choice.

At this point, I would examine the P5 we would likely play and compare them to the G5 teams we'd get and see who is more impactful.

Lets face it...who would you rather have beaten in a bowl game?
Same score as the Maryland game...

Illinois or Maryland

 

[mlblack16.]

It all is about perception.


National perception.

When compared to Illinois, NIU was a favorable choice. NIU was not far removed from a BCS bowl, they had a good record, and I believe had a P5 win over a decent Northwestern team.
Their national perception was still present and one even ESPN guys talked about as being a top 10 bowl matchup to watch.

I was with you until this...NIU has already been forgotten about as ever reaching a BCS bowl and then they got embarrassed anyways, so they may as well have never gone.

NIU gained us credit with fans of MAC teams. That's about it. Illinois has never been a traditional power in football, but at least plays with the big boys. If you want to sit at the table with mid-majors, that's how you do it, playing mid-majors over a team from a major conference.

 

[All4TheHerd]

I was with you until this...NIU has already been forgotten about as ever reaching a BCS bowl and then they got embarrassed anyways, so they may as well have never gone.

NIU gained us credit with fans of MAC teams. That's about it. Illinois has never been a traditional power in football, but at least plays with the big boys. If you want to sit at the table with mid-majors, that's how you do it, playing mid-majors over a team from a major conference.

Since 2001...Illinois posted winning seasons 5 times. 2 of those being major BCS bowls, 2001 and 2007.

Since 2001...NIU posted 2 SEASONS NOT REACHING A BOWL, 2007, and 2016...with their most recent major BCS bowl being in 2012...2 years before we got them.

In a 16 year span...

Illinois' winning seasons 5/16.
NIU's winning seasons 14/16.

I think if you compared these two, NIU is for sure the better team and earned more respect in that time than Illinois did.

Now, if Illinois posted some winning seasons more consistently, then I would agree with your statement. Thing is, they aren't likely to get anywhere anytime soon.

I also would like to add that this sort of criteria doesn't apply to everyone. It certainly doesn't apply to Illinois the way it would apply to someone like Texas, Louisville, Oregon, FSU, Clemson, K-State, Ole Miss, Arkansas, etc., teams who may not have much in terms of winning but are very recognizable. Even Maryland, I would put in there...Under Armour and their whole sort of brand is somewhat recognizable...but that's about the limit for me, in my opinion.