2008 bowl projections

[J-Town Cajun]

Right now we should be pulling against teams who are not bowl eligible from the conferences that include CUSA, SEC, Big 12, and Big East.

The Big 12 has 9 possible bowl tie-ins. The currently have 6 teams that are all ready bowl eligible which include Texas Tech, Texas, Oklahoma, Oklahoma St., Missouri, and Kansas. That leaves 3 spots available Nebraska is (5-4), Kansas St. (4-5), and Colorado (4-5) with hope still alive. I think the Big 12 only fills 7/9 of their slots leaving 2 bowl games open.

In the SEC there are currently 6 teams eligible with 9 bowl tie-ins. Those teams include Alabama, Florida, Georgia, LSU, So Carolina, and Kentucky. There are 3 spots available for Vandy (5-3), Ole Miss (5-4), Tennessee (3-6), Auburn (4-5), and Arkansas (4-5). The SEC will most likely fill 8/9 slots leaving 1 bowl spot open.

The Big East currently has 5 teams bowl eligible in West Virginia, Pitt, Cincy, UConn, and So Florida. Louisville is (5-3) and Rutgers is (3-5) still has a chance. The Big East is alloted 7 bowl tie-ins and it looks like they will only have 6 teams eligible. This will open 1 spot.

Now the most ridiculous thing the bowls. CUSA is alloted 6 bowl tie-ins in a not so great conference. Right now they have only 2 teams eligible in Tulsa and Rice. That leaves 4 bowl spots will be fought out by ECU (4-3), Marshall (4-4), Houston (4-4), Memphis (4-5), UTEP (3-5), and So Miss (3-6). They may fill all 6 spots and then again there may be 2 or so spots available.

So there you have it, you will know who to pull for over the next few weeks. I will update this post weekly has I have been following this since we beat Ark St.

It must be noted that the Big 12 and Big East 9 and 7 bowl tie-ins respectively are not hard tie-ins. It is more like 7+2 for the Big 12 and 5+2 for the Big East. It makes this much more difficult to predict. What happens is the Gator Bowl matches up (ACC vs. Big 12/Big East/Notre Dame) and the Sun bowl matches up the (Pac-10 vs. Big 12/Big East/Notre Dame). Notre Dame should get bowl eligible taking one of these slots and if one conference does not have enough bowl eligible teams then they can go to the other conference first before going outside such as the Sun Belt. Under this crazy scenario I do not see one of the Big 12 or Big East bowl tie-ins being available. Our best chance is one from CUSA or the SEC.

[Clutch0364]

_ Right now we should be pulling against teams who are not bowl eligible from the conferences that include CUSA, SEC, Big 12, and Big East.

The Big 12 has 9 possible bowl tie-ins. The currently have 6 teams that are all ready bowl eligible which include Texas Tech, Texas, Oklahoma, Oklahoma St., Missouri, and Kansas. That leaves 3 spots available Nebraska is (5-4), Kansas St. (4-5), and Colorado (4-5) with hope still alive. I think the Big 12 only fills 7/9 of their slots leaving 2 bowl games open.

In the SEC there are currently 6 teams eligible with 9 bowl tie-ins. Those teams include Alabama, Florida, Georgia, LSU, So Carolina, and Kentucky. There are 3 spots available for Vandy (5-3), Ole Miss (5-4), Tennessee (3-6), Auburn (4-5), and Arkansas (4-5). The SEC will most likely fill 8/9 slots leaving 1 bowl spot open.

The Big East currently has 5 teams bowl eligible in West Virginia, Pitt, Cincy, UConn, and So Florida. Louisville is (5-3) and Rutgers is (3-5) still has a chance. The Big East is alloted 7 bowl tie-ins and it looks like they will only have 6 teams eligible. This will open 1 spot.

Now the most ridiculous thing the bowls. CUSA is alloted 6 bowl tie-ins in a not so great conference. Right now they have only 2 teams eligible in Tulsa and Rice. That leaves 4 bowl spots will be fought out by ECU (4-3), Marshall (4-4), Houston (4-4), Memphis (4-5), UTEP (3-5), and So Miss (3-6). They may fill all 6 spots and then again there may be 2 or so spots available.

So there you have it, you will know who to pull for over the next few weeks. I will update this post weekly has I have been following this since we beat Ark St.

It must be noted that the Big 12 and Big East 9 and 7 bowl tie-ins respectively are not hard tie-ins. It is more like 7+2 for the Big 12 and 5+2 for the Big East. It makes this much more difficult to predict. What happens is the Gator Bowl matches up (ACC vs. Big 12/Big East/Notre Dame) and the Sun bowl matches up the (Pac-10 vs. Big 12/Big East/Notre Dame). Notre Dame should get bowl eligible taking one of these slots and if one conference does not have enough bowl eligible teams then they can go to the other conference first before going outside such as the Sun Belt. Under this crazy scenario I do not see one of the Big 12 or Big East bowl tie-ins being available. Our best chance is one from CUSA or the SEC. _

Also you have to take into account that the SEC and Big 12 will more than likely have 2 teams in bcs games.

[J-Town Cajun]

_ Also you have to take into account that the SEC and Big 12 will more than likely have 2 teams in bcs games. _

Yes, how could I have forgot that. The BCS games will only help open up more slots. Ideal senario would be to have the Big 12 and the SEC in the BCS championship game and this would open up 2 more slots.

[Arkstfan]

My sleepy projections.

SEC
OUT: Tennessee and Mississippi State, both can make it and UT has the better chance but they have to be perfect.
PROBABLY OUT: Auburn (has to beat either UGA or Bama) Arkansas (has to win 2 of Miss St, LSU, and South Carolina)
Unless something odd happens Bama and Florida make the BCS. They might manage to get one of UT, Auburn and Arkansas eligible but I don't see two and think three is close to impossible.

C-USA
OUT: USM, UAB, Tulane, SMU. Tulane has to win out and has 3 of 4 on the road. USM has to win out and has 2 of 3 on the road though one is SMU.
IN: Tulsa and Rice
BUBBLE: Marshall (needs to win 2, has UCF and Tulsa at home and goes to ECU and Rice), ECU (needs two wins with 5 left, winner of ECU/Marshall probably in), Memphis (must win two, travel to SMU, host UCF and Tulane), UCF (has to win four of five), Houston (has to win 2 of 4 and 3 are at home) UTEP (has to win 3 of 4 and only one is at home and its their easiest game, SMU).
I say they get five probably shorting Houston UNLESS Houston is one of the five then they short New Orleans, it they trip up and only get four they will short Houston and New Orleans.

Big XII
IN: Six teams
OUT: Iowa State, Baylor and TAMU. Baylor has to win out and still have to play UT and TT. TAMU has to win 2 of three that means they have to beat Baylor and one of UT and OU.
BUBBLE: Nebraska (needs one of three, has Kansas and CU at home go to K-State), Colorado (needs two of three, host Iowa State and Okie St, travel to Nebraska), Kansas State (needs two of three, travel to Mizzou, host Nebraska and Iowa State).
Houston has their 8th team, since they'll place two BCS, they need 9 to fill Houston and 8 to fill Indy. I think Houston is vacant, Shreveport quite likely.

[J-Town Cajun]

ArkSt. fan do you see 3 SBC teams getting in?

[Arkstfan]

_ ArkSt. fan do you see 3 SBC teams getting in? _

If we get three eligible, I think so.

Birmingham is going to be open for one slot and they have to take an available Sun Belt.
Indy is a closer call but they could potentially be short on both sides. If they are open, they have to take an available Sun Belt if one is left after Birmingham/St. Pete take teams (I don't think St. Pete will be short).

Even if Indy doesn't have a spot, I don't think the Texas Bowl is going to have one or both of their contracted teams. Even though they don't have a deal with the Sun Belt, they don't have anyone in the neighborhood to pick from other than a Sun Belt team.

Right now the big thing is getting three eligible.

[Arkstfan]

Don't forget there is a second Sun Belt bowl dark horse other than ASU. FIU has to win three of the final four but of the four, three are at home and the other is grueling trip to FAU.

[HoustonCajun]

_ ESPN released their bowl predictions.

Bowl (Matchup)	Mark Schlabach	Bruce Feldman
R+L Carriers New Orleans (C-USA vs. Sun Belt)	Houston vs. Louisiana-Lafayette	Tulane vs. Louisiana-Lafayette

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/bowlpr...n=2008&week=10

Interestingly, they have Troy in the Papa Johns Bowl and Arkansas State in the Independence Bowl. I suppose they feel the bottom of the SEC won't make it to 6 wins. It would be nice to give the Belt a chance to make some noise. _

UL is a HOT item right now on a national level. Our Homecoming theme was "We are LOUISIANA". When is UL going to take a stand with the national media and tell them to call us UL and Louisiana, athletically? We may never have a better time to do so. And, I don't mean just the statement in the Football Media Guide. I mean sending out a statement nationally that athletically, we want to be called Louisiana. It worked at Kansas State. It will work nationally, if we have the ba**s to do it.

[Jeaux]

Watch the replay on CST. It will make you proud.

When we get to the NO Bowl we will have a National Stage to make a statement.

[El Sidonio]

when is the replay on CST?