Sun Belt to stage championship game

[CrazyCajun]

Determining a true champion is all fine and dandy. But there are too many unanswered questions for me to get all excited and tingly up my leg. 1) There is no sponsor at this time to cover the cost of travel for the visiting team, how much will it cost each SBC football playing member or the SBC to put on this game? 2) How is the host team determined if both programs have the same conference and out of conference records? 3) With a championship game, will that mean bowls such as the New Orleans Bowl agree to wait in order to invite a non-champion like UL in the past, or will it no longer take any team from the SBC but the champion or 2nd and 3rd place team in the given years?

My leg certainly isn't tingling, but it's not a meaningless game. If a championship game is meaningless then what are bowl games? And I'm not one who thinks bowl games are meaningless.

[CajunT]

My leg certainly isn't tingling, but it's not a meaningless game. If a championship game is meaningless then what are bowl games? And I'm not one who thinks bowl games are meaningless.

Let me put it to you this way, if the occasion occurs that a SBC team miraculously finishes the season undefeated and ranked but loses to the lower RPI team in the championship game, how does that help the SBC or that program? There is only one slot for the highest ranked G5 team to play, the SBC is not the SEC that can afford to have a team lose in the championship game and still play in the NCAA Playoffs. On it's face a championship game is a great concept, but there are consequences financially and when it comes to the G5 slot.

[CrazyCajun]

Let me put it to you this way, if the occasion occurs that a SBC team miraculously finishes the season undefeated and ranked but loses to the lower RPI team in the championship game, how does that help the SBC or that program? There is only one slot for the highest ranked G5 team to play, the SBC is not the SEC that can afford to have a team lose in the championship game and still play in the NCAA Playoffs. On it's face a championship game is a great concept, but there are consequences financially and when it comes to the G5 slot.

I get all that... And do you honestly think a SBC team gets that slot without bring 13-0? If the committee needs an excuse to leave us out, there it is...no championship game. Any other G5 would get in at 12-1 over us at 12-0. Probably a couple teams would get in at 11-2 over 12-0 SBC team. Certainly Boise state,northern Illinois,Houston etc. I don't think it's some wonderful thing....but it isn't meaningless. Losing a meaningless game wouldn't keep you out of anything if it's truly
Meaningless.

[Bankruptcyman]

They probably play the championship game on Wednesday night.

[duggie85]

Let me put it to you this way, if the occasion occurs that a SBC team miraculously finishes the season undefeated and ranked but loses to the lower RPI team in the championship game, how does that help the SBC or that program? There is only one slot for the highest ranked G5 team to play, the SBC is not the SEC that can afford to have a team lose in the championship game and still play in the NCAA Playoffs. On it's face a championship game is a great concept, but there are consequences financially and when it comes to the G5 slot.

I think you make good points, but if an undefeated team loses in Conf championship and blows chance at the playoff, would it be fair to say that that team really wasn't good enough to make it anyway and may have saved further ridicule/embarrassment for rest of country complaining about a SBC team making the playoff to only get blown out?

Edit: I know (and agree) that just make it to the playoff, collect $$ and worry about results later, but I'm thinking it could hurt future opportunities at getting that slot.

[CajunT]

I get all that... And do you honestly think a SBC team gets that slot without bring 13-0? If the committee needs an excuse to leave us out, there it is...no championship game. Any other G5 would get in at 12-1 over us at 12-0. Probably a couple teams would get in at 11-2 over 12-0 SBC team. Certainly Boise state,northern Illinois,Houston etc. I don't think it's some wonderful thing....but it isn't meaningless. Losing a meaningless game wouldn't keep you out of anything if it's truly
Meaningless.

I don't think it's entirely meaningless, but in most years it will be mostly irrelevant. No, I don't think a SBC has a chance at the G5 slot without going undefeated. But why ____ the can at our only chance by playing the extra game? It's not meaningless in terms of the actual championship, but it is irrelevant on the national level.

[CrazyCajun]

I don't think it's entirely meaningless, but in most years it will be mostly irrelevant. No, I don't think a SBC has a chance at the G5 slot without going undefeated. But why ____ the can at our only chance by playing the extra game? It's not meaningless in terms of the actual championship, but it is irrelevant on the national level.

If they don't want us in, they have a long list of convenient excuse as to why. If it was criteria consisted of "if there is only one undefeated team, they get the access" then I see where you are coming from. To me, the only way a SBC team would have a shot is if a 12-0 team beats another 10-2..11-1 team for the 2nd time in the same season. Our entire conference is irrelevant on the national level. Do we really want to be the only FBS conference without one?

[CajunRebel]

Yes, its 1 (potential) additional game that means absolutely nothing! That is the whole point. It means ABSOLUTELY NOTHING, so why have it?

It means nothing? You've got to be kidding me. It means EVERYTHING. I mean, why even join a conference if winning the conference means nothing to you?

Beating out 10 other teams for a title is a huge accomplishment. I don't care what conference you're in.

[CajunT]

I think you make good points, but if an undefeated team loses in Conf championship and blows chance at the playoff, would it be fair to say that that team really wasn't good enough to make it anyway and may have saved further ridicule/embarrassment for rest of country complaining about a SBC team making the playoff to only get blown out?

Edit: I know (and agree) that just make it to the playoff, collect $$ and worry about results later, but I'm thinking it could hurt future opportunities at getting that slot.

That can be said about any conference champion that was undefeated and lost in their conference championship game correct? I'm just raising the question, is it worth playing the extra game since it's pretty much irrelevant? To me it's irrelevant, because if the game doesn't have any NCAA Playoff implications it only matters to the SBC. If ESPN or Fox Sports doesn't pick the game up and your only venue is ESPNU or ESPN3, does it give your conference that much more exposure? We are celebrating the extra $1 million in revenue per SBC program, but if Benson doesn't find a sponsor to absorb the cost how much of the cost will be passed on to each member? To me all those question are relevant to the discussion. The importance of the game will vary depending upon the fan's interest.

[Boomer]

That can be said about any conference champion that was undefeated and lost in their conference championship game correct? I'm just raising the question, is it worth playing the extra game since it's pretty much irrelevant? To me it's irrelevant, because if the game doesn't have any NCAA Playoff implications it only matters to the SBC. If ESPN or Fox Sports doesn't pick the game up and your only venue is ESPNU or ESPN3, does it give your conference that much more exposure? We are celebrating the extra $1 million in revenue per SBC program, but if Benson doesn't find a sponsor to absorb the cost how much of the cost will be past on to each member? To me all those question are relevant to the discussion. The importance of the game will vary depending upon the fan's interest.

----Wasn't there a huge upset a few years back in the Houston -S Miss game---Didn't this cost the favorite big time???

[jcstewart]

Wasn't there a huge upset a few years back in the Houston -S Miss game---Didn't this cost the favorite big time???

UH was bound for a BCS bowl if they could beat S Miss at home. S Miss won and were sent to the Hawaii Bowl as a parting gift if I recall correctly.

[Duckster]

I think we would all have a blast hosting a CCG at Cajun Field. As for all the ramifications of whether you win or lose it, well that's college football. As T pointed out earlier in this thread, a title game sponsor and broadcast partner needs to come into focus. At least the conference has a couple years to figure it out.

[CajunSaint]

Let me put it to you this way, if the occasion occurs that a SBC team miraculously finishes the season undefeated and ranked but loses to the lower RPI team in the championship game, how does that help the SBC or that program? There is only one slot for the highest ranked G5 team to play, the SBC is not the SEC that can afford to have a team lose in the championship game and still play in the NCAA Playoffs. On it's face a championship game is a great concept, but there are consequences financially and when it comes to the G5 slot.

similar to the 1992 season. alabama was rolling to the bcs championship game when it got a huge scare by florida in the inaugural sec championship game. had florida won, the post-season scenario would have been turned upside down. you had the top-ranked team almost losing to a lower rpi team. of course, bama won and went on to win their last bcs championship...until nick saban arrived.

[cajunfan96]

similar to the 1992 season. alabama was rolling to the bcs championship game when it got a huge scare by florida in the inaugural sec championship game. had florida won, the post-season scenario would have been turned upside down. you had the top-ranked team almost losing to a lower rpi team. of course, bama won and went on to win their last bcs championship...until nick saban arrived.

Looking live at 2018 SBC championship!

[CajunDreDog]

Looking live at 2018 SBC championship!

Tulane is playing in it???