SMU at Houston, tonight on ESPN

[appstatealum]

As long as SMU wins out, they will go to the Cotton Bowl. ESPN and the whole state of Texas is hyping them up, not to mention the Cotton Bowl’s website. It is a storyline in a major media market, people will ride that as long as they can.

[EastHallApp]

The only real legit win SMU has is TCU (ranked 25th at the time). TCU has subsequently fallen to 3-3 and will probably go maybe 5-7. SMU avoids Central Florida apparently. They should have boat raced Houston last night if the records are legit.

I'd call beating Temple by 24 a pretty good win. In any case I don't think we can make much of an argument that App has better wins than they do. Maybe you could argue that UNC is the best win either team has.

For us to even be in the NY6 game conversation, we have to be undefeated. That includes beating USC. Beating a team that took down UGA ranked as high as they were at the time would definitely be the best win between these 2 schools

By that rationale, Eastern Michigan's win over Illinois is one of the best any G5 has, because Illinois later upset #6 Wisconsin.

I'm not even sure beating South Carolina would be better than beating UNC. I know they weren't better when they played head to head.

In any case, we can play the "they beat Georgia" card all we want, but if we beat South Carolina they'll probably finish - at the absolute best - 7-5 (with 6-6 or 5-7 more likely). That's a nice win, but they won't be anywhere near the top 25, and multiple AAC teams likely will be.

[Apple@chin1]

It benefits The Cotton Bowl to have the fans of a team from Dallas filling the stands. As much as I don’t like it, it’s a business decision that I understand. 1-0 every week for us and 0-1 for SMU & Cincy any remaining week. That’s our only hope this year.

[moonshine]

For us to even be in the NY6 game conversation, we have to be undefeated. That includes beating USC. Beating a team that took down UGA ranked as high as they were at the time would definitely be the best win between these 2 schools

Agreed and if UNC had taken out highly ranked Clemson and App is in the undefeated scenario, App would have 2 wins over 2 teams who beat 2 top 5 programs. It would be borderline criminal for the committee to not put App in the NY6.

As it currently stands, SMU is in the driver seat and ESPN is eating it up. I've seen more love affair with SMU and the 1980's pony express in the past couple of weeks than in the previous 2 decades.

[AppSt94]

We don’t need to be undefeated to get the bid. We just have to look better than the Champ of the AAC and maybe Boise. To get the bid, you have to be the Conference Champ, so while we can put a group of AAC teams in the conversation, only one has a shot. The question is assuming that the AAC champ is a two loss team, do they beat out App or Boise? If Boise and App win out, it becomes whose loss is worse. Too much football left to worry about it and even then, there isn’t anything that we can do but win.

[The Rock]

The only real legit win SMU has is TCU (ranked 25th at the time). TCU has subsequently fallen to 3-3 and will probably go maybe 5-7. SMU avoids Central Florida apparently. They should have boat raced Houston last night if the records are legit.

I'd call beating Temple by 24 a pretty good win. In any case I don't think we can make much of an argument that App has better wins than they do. Maybe you could argue that UNC is the best win either team has.

For us to even be in the NY6 game conversation, we have to be undefeated. That includes beating USC. Beating a team that took down UGA ranked as high as they were at the time would definitely be the best win between these 2 schools

By that rationale, Eastern Michigan's win over Illinois is one of the best any G5 has, because Illinois later upset #6 Wisconsin.

I'm not even sure beating South Carolina would be better than beating UNC. I know they weren't better when they played head to head.

In any case, we can play the "they beat Georgia" card all we want, but if we beat South Carolina they'll probably finish - at the absolute best - 7-5 (with 6-6 or 5-7 more likely). That's a nice win, but they won't be anywhere near the top 25, and multiple AAC teams likely will be.

Not true. Neither of those teams are in the NY6 conversation. I see your point, but it is moot because those teams aren’t in the running.

[The Rock]

We don’t need to be undefeated to get the bid. We just have to look better than the Champ of the AAC and maybe Boise. To get the bid, you have to be the Conference Champ, so while we can put a group of AAC teams in the conversation, only one has a shot. The question is assuming that the AAC champ is a two loss team, do they beat out App or Boise? If Boise and App win out, it becomes whose loss is worse. Too much football left to worry about it and even then, there isn’t anything that we can do but win.

I feel like we do. We are in a weaker conference. If the choice is between a 1 loss App, a 1 loss Boise St. and a 1 loss SMU, do you really think we would be chosen? I think in that scenario we are 3rd maybe even 4th choice.
Right or wrong, the sunbelt doesn’t get any respect or credit. Admittedly, it is no where near as competitive, top to bottom, as the AAC. Truthfully, I am a little afraid we might not get the cotton bowl if we are the only unbeaten G5.

[AppStFan1]

As long as SMU wins out, they will go to the Cotton Bowl. ESPN and the whole state of Texas is hyping them up, not to mention the Cotton Bowl’s website. It is a storyline in a major media market, people will ride that as long as they can.

If SMU wins out, there is nothing we can do. We could win by 50 each week and beat South Carolina by 25 and still not go to the Cotton Bowl. This is a big reason why I have said there is no reason to worry or dream until SMU loses. We must have SMU lose a game and then to be safe Boise State, Cincinnati, and San Diego State need to lose a game. If all that happens then we are in the driver's seat.

SMU is the ESPN darling and should be. The good news is with our offense returning that we could be the darling next year if SMU gets it this year.

We just need to hope SMU loses a game or two and I think there is a chance.

[AppSt94]

We don’t need to be undefeated to get the bid. We just have to look better than the Champ of the AAC and maybe Boise. To get the bid, you have to be the Conference Champ, so while we can put a group of AAC teams in the conversation, only one has a shot. The question is assuming that the AAC champ is a two loss team, do they beat out App or Boise? If Boise and App win out, it becomes whose loss is worse. Too much football left to worry about it and even then, there isn’t anything that we can do but win.

I feel like we do. We are in a weaker conference. If the choice is between a 1 loss App, a 1 loss Boise St. and a 1 loss SMU, do you really think we would be chosen? I think in that scenario we are 3rd maybe even 4th choice.
Right or wrong, the sunbelt doesn’t get any respect or credit. Admittedly, it is no where near as competitive, top to bottom, as the AAC. Truthfully, I am a little afraid we might not get the cotton bowl if we are the only unbeaten G5.

Not to cherry pick your comments but just to address the easy one first. We won’t be a 4th choice. We are having s better season than anyone the MAC or CUSA can run out there. Quite honestly, we need the conversation to include a two loss AAC team to be champ because that is the only way either Boise or App have a shot. If we are the only undefeated team in the G5, then we will be in, there won’t be a two team loss team that will have a higher ranking than us.

[appstatealum]

Yes. We are definitely looking at being a top 2-3 choice for Cotton Bowl. If we lose a close one at SC and SMU loses one, we are probably still in the conversation. Our loss would be to an SEC team who knocked off UGA.

[AppStFan1]

The only real legit win SMU has is TCU (ranked 25th at the time). TCU has subsequently fallen to 3-3 and will probably go maybe 5-7. SMU avoids Central Florida apparently. They should have boat raced Houston last night if the records are legit.

I'd call beating Temple by 24 a pretty good win. In any case I don't think we can make much of an argument that App has better wins than they do. Maybe you could argue that UNC is the best win either team has.

For us to even be in the NY6 game conversation, we have to be undefeated. That includes beating USC. Beating a team that took down UGA ranked as high as they were at the time would definitely be the best win between these 2 schools

By that rationale, Eastern Michigan's win over Illinois is one of the best any G5 has, because Illinois later upset #6 Wisconsin.

I'm not even sure beating South Carolina would be better than beating UNC. I know they weren't better when they played head to head.

In any case, we can play the "they beat Georgia" card all we want, but if we beat South Carolina they'll probably finish - at the absolute best - 7-5 (with 6-6 or 5-7 more likely). That's a nice win, but they won't be anywhere near the top 25, and multiple AAC teams likely will be.

I don't think the win is really better but ESPN will because it is the SEC. It will be a tougher win because South Carolina will need it to be bowl eligible and without it they likely won't. They also know we beat UNC so they will have a little more respect for us, I would think.

The AAC is a very good league so SMU probably needs to lose 2 games for us to be ahead of them for sure.

[EastHallApp]

The only real legit win SMU has is TCU (ranked 25th at the time). TCU has subsequently fallen to 3-3 and will probably go maybe 5-7. SMU avoids Central Florida apparently. They should have boat raced Houston last night if the records are legit.

I'd call beating Temple by 24 a pretty good win. In any case I don't think we can make much of an argument that App has better wins than they do. Maybe you could argue that UNC is the best win either team has.

For us to even be in the NY6 game conversation, we have to be undefeated. That includes beating USC. Beating a team that took down UGA ranked as high as they were at the time would definitely be the best win between these 2 schools

By that rationale, Eastern Michigan's win over Illinois is one of the best any G5 has, because Illinois later upset #6 Wisconsin.

I'm not even sure beating South Carolina would be better than beating UNC. I know they weren't better when they played head to head.

In any case, we can play the "they beat Georgia" card all we want, but if we beat South Carolina they'll probably finish - at the absolute best - 7-5 (with 6-6 or 5-7 more likely). That's a nice win, but they won't be anywhere near the top 25, and multiple AAC teams likely will be.

I don't think the win is really better but ESPN will because it is the SEC. It will be a tougher win because South Carolina will need it to be bowl eligible and without it they likely won't. They also know we beat UNC so they will have a little more respect for us, I would think.

The AAC is a very good league so SMU probably needs to lose 2 games for us to be ahead of them for sure.

If SMU loses twice, they probably won't be the conference champions anyway.

[AppStFan1]

Yes. We are definitely looking at being a top 2-3 choice for Cotton Bowl. If we lose a close one at SC and SMU loses one, we are probably still in the conversation. Our loss would be to an SEC team who knocked off UGA.

I don't think we have any shot with a loss unless the AAC and MWC champs are not BSU, SDSU, SMU, or Cincy.

[AppStFan1]

I'd call beating Temple by 24 a pretty good win. In any case I don't think we can make much of an argument that App has better wins than they do. Maybe you could argue that UNC is the best win either team has.

For us to even be in the NY6 game conversation, we have to be undefeated. That includes beating USC. Beating a team that took down UGA ranked as high as they were at the time would definitely be the best win between these 2 schools

By that rationale, Eastern Michigan's win over Illinois is one of the best any G5 has, because Illinois later upset #6 Wisconsin.

I'm not even sure beating South Carolina would be better than beating UNC. I know they weren't better when they played head to head.

In any case, we can play the "they beat Georgia" card all we want, but if we beat South Carolina they'll probably finish - at the absolute best - 7-5 (with 6-6 or 5-7 more likely). That's a nice win, but they won't be anywhere near the top 25, and multiple AAC teams likely will be.

I don't think the win is really better but ESPN will because it is the SEC. It will be a tougher win because South Carolina will need it to be bowl eligible and without it they likely won't. They also know we beat UNC so they will have a little more respect for us, I would think.

The AAC is a very good league so SMU probably needs to lose 2 games for us to be ahead of them for sure.

If SMU loses twice, they probably won't be the conference champions anyway.

It is possible they are but you are probably right. It would be very difficult. There is a scenario where they lose one and we are in over them for sure and that is if their one loss is the AAC title game. Remember, highest ranked G5 who is also a conference champion.

[EastHallApp]

For us to even be in the NY6 game conversation, we have to be undefeated. That includes beating USC. Beating a team that took down UGA ranked as high as they were at the time would definitely be the best win between these 2 schools

By that rationale, Eastern Michigan's win over Illinois is one of the best any G5 has, because Illinois later upset #6 Wisconsin.

I'm not even sure beating South Carolina would be better than beating UNC. I know they weren't better when they played head to head.

In any case, we can play the "they beat Georgia" card all we want, but if we beat South Carolina they'll probably finish - at the absolute best - 7-5 (with 6-6 or 5-7 more likely). That's a nice win, but they won't be anywhere near the top 25, and multiple AAC teams likely will be.

I don't think the win is really better but ESPN will because it is the SEC. It will be a tougher win because South Carolina will need it to be bowl eligible and without it they likely won't. They also know we beat UNC so they will have a little more respect for us, I would think.

The AAC is a very good league so SMU probably needs to lose 2 games for us to be ahead of them for sure.

If SMU loses twice, they probably won't be the conference champions anyway.

It is possible they are but you are probably right. It would be very difficult. There is a scenario where they lose one and we are in over them for sure and that is if their one loss is the AAC title game. Remember, highest ranked G5 who is also a conference champion. If nobody from a G5 who is ranked actually wins their title game then nobody goes.

Pretty sure that last sentence is incorrect. G5 is guaranteed a bid regardless of whether the top team is in the top 25.

[AppStFan1]

By that rationale, Eastern Michigan's win over Illinois is one of the best any G5 has, because Illinois later upset #6 Wisconsin.

I'm not even sure beating South Carolina would be better than beating UNC. I know they weren't better when they played head to head.

In any case, we can play the "they beat Georgia" card all we want, but if we beat South Carolina they'll probably finish - at the absolute best - 7-5 (with 6-6 or 5-7 more likely). That's a nice win, but they won't be anywhere near the top 25, and multiple AAC teams likely will be.

I don't think the win is really better but ESPN will because it is the SEC. It will be a tougher win because South Carolina will need it to be bowl eligible and without it they likely won't. They also know we beat UNC so they will have a little more respect for us, I would think.

The AAC is a very good league so SMU probably needs to lose 2 games for us to be ahead of them for sure.

If SMU loses twice, they probably won't be the conference champions anyway.

It is possible they are but you are probably right. It would be very difficult. There is a scenario where they lose one and we are in over them for sure and that is if their one loss is the AAC title game. Remember, highest ranked G5 who is also a conference champion. If nobody from a G5 who is ranked actually wins their title game then nobody goes.

Pretty sure that last sentence is incorrect. G5 is guaranteed a bid regardless of whether the top team is in the top 25.

According to website: The highest-ranked champion from the "Group of Five" conferences (The American, Conference USA, MAC, Mountain West, and Sun Belt) is guaranteed a berth if the group's top team is not in the playoff."

I would like to know who it is if nobody is ranked. It says ranked so if no G5 team is in the top 25 I do wonder what that would mean. Unless, the CFP will give a G5 team the 25th spot regardless?

[Saint3333]

The only real legit win SMU has is TCU (ranked 25th at the time). TCU has subsequently fallen to 3-3 and will probably go maybe 5-7. SMU avoids Central Florida apparently. They should have boat raced Houston last night if the records are legit.

I'd call beating Temple by 24 a pretty good win. In any case I don't think we can make much of an argument that App has better wins than they do. Maybe you could argue that UNC is the best win either team has.

ULL may be the best win either program has.

[AppSt94]

SMU is undefeated. Memphis, Navy, and Cincy all have all have one loss. Cincy and Memphis play each other so one of them will be out. SMU still has both Navy and Memphis, so it could get interesting. If they run the table, they will deserve it.