Bowl Game

[YesAppCan]

I realize the "picking order" of the bowls but my question is; does the team chosen have a choice? Back in the day, before so many tie-ins, couldn't a team be asked by more than one bowl and have a choice?

[appbio91]

I realize the "picking order" of the bowls but my question is; does the team chosen have a choice? Back in the day, before so many tie-ins, couldn't a team be asked by more than one bowl and have a choice?

I have the same question. Also, what are the implications of snubbing a conference tie-in bowl in a year that the conference does not produce enough bowl eligible teams to fill the slots?

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[MtnDevil95]

Those of you projecting a GoDaddy, are you assuming Ark State gets picked by New Orleans? Assuming both Ark St, and App win out, I actually think there's a decent chance that New Orleans picks App over Ark State.

However unlikely it might be, Ark State could drop a game in their last 3, in which case I think New Orleans becomes that much more likely destination for the Apps. If App drops the LaLa game and LaLa makes 6 wins, then I could see a scenario in which New Orleans picks their "hometown" team, GoDaddy takes Ark State for the 3rd year in a row, and App slips to Montgomery.

[Saint3333]

Ark St isn't losing to NMSU or Texas St. (just lost by 20 to GA St.).

Why would the NO bowl pick the 2nd place team that isn't within driving distance over the 1st place team within driving distance?

I understand the bias to consider scenarios that put App in NO or Orlando, but it just doesn't make sense. NO is my first preference as well by the way.

[JTApps1]

At this point our best bet to not play on Dec. 23 is to get an invite from a bowl outside of our tie-ins due to not having enough 6 win teams. Even then there will be conference politics at play that Gillin will have to deal with.

[MtnDevil95]

New Orleans is not my first preference, I'm not a fan of the city actually. Were it not for the 12/23 date on the GoDaddy Bowl, I would rank NO last on the list of 4 places I want to go see a bowl game.

Ark State is only marginally closer to New Orleans than Boone. I would expect Ark State is a good 7+ hour drive, and you can get to New Orleans from Boone in 10 hours (I know I did it on a whim during Mardi Gras my junior year). The average attendance between the 2 teams slightly favors Ark State (23,580) over App (22,526) and could be what tips the scales to send them to New Orleans.

The option to snub a conference tie-in depends on the order bowl invites are made. I would not be surprised if a non Sun Belt bowl wanted to invite App State (or any SBC team) the organizers would reach out to the tie-in bowls and conference front office and at least provide some sort of notification of that intent. I've known a couple folks on bowl selection committee for the Belk Bowl, and those committees play the same game we're playing about this time of year, if not earlier.

[moehler]

I don't think the deciding factor is how far Boone or Ark State is from NO, but rather where the largest Alumi bases for each school are located in travel distance to New Orleans. I would guess Ark States largest alumi base is closer than Apps. Because of this, I would think Ark St would have a significant advantage, and would get the nod over us. If we cant get New Orleans, than I hope we get the Cure bowl, I think our alumi would travel really well to Orlando, guessing 8-10 thousand, but the Go Daddy bowl, because the game is played only 2 days before Christmas, cant see more than 3 or 4 thousand making that trip.

[bh2oson]

I thought I heard Doug Gillin say in the pre-game show that the number of tickets pre-purchased for each bowl could influence the bowl we get as well. For example if more tickets are pre-purchased for Montgomery vs Mobile they might be able to work a deal with the sponsors and the conference.

[EastHallApp]

At this point our best bet to not play on Dec. 23 is to get an invite from a bowl outside of our tie-ins due to not having enough 6 win teams. Even then there will be conference politics at play that Gillin will have to deal with.

I don't know how this works, but it's been my assumption that each league will fill their primary tie-ins before leaving any available for secondary/fill-in spots.

[EastHallApp]

Here's another question: With the way we're doing bowl pre-sales (allowing fans to reserve tickets for whichever potential games they'd be interested in), might that be a factor used to place each team? That is, if App tells the SBC that we've presold X number of tickets for the Cure Bowl, but only half that many for Mobile, perhaps we could use that to lobby for the one where sales are going better?

[EastHallApp]

Mark Schlabach of ESPN has Appalachian State projected to participate in the Zaxby's Heart of Dallas Bowl on December 26 versus Southern Mississippi. What does the App Nation think of this?

Unlikely outcome IMO, and not a very good one for App due to date/proximity.

Schlabach has the Cure Bowl taking ULL over us. Can't see any rationale for that happening.

[Saint3333]

I don't think the deciding factor is how far Boone or Ark State is from NO, but rather where the largest Alumi bases for each school are located in travel distance to New Orleans. I would guess Ark States largest alumi base is closer than Apps. Because of this, I would think Ark St would have a significant advantage, and would get the nod over us. If we cant get New Orleans, than I hope we get the Cure bowl, I think our alumi would travel really well to Orlando, guessing 8-10 thousand, but the Go Daddy bowl, because the game is played only 2 days before Christmas, cant see more than 3 or 4 thousand making that trip.

Exactly. Even if it were the college town to NO Jonesboro is 6 hours 45 minutes away from NO, while Boone is 11 hours 30 minutes. This is apples to apples, not how fast you drove it in college to Bourbon St.

[newtoasu]

Mark Schlabach of ESPN has Appalachian State projected to participate in the Zaxby's Heart of Dallas Bowl on December 26 versus Southern Mississippi. What does the App Nation think of this?

A bowl game 4 hours from my home? LOVE IT!!!

[newtoasu]

Just looking, after a quick Google search, I have seen ASU projected in 4 different bowl games. The only one I haven't seen is the GoDaddy in Mobile. Needless to say it is WAY to early to get any kind of definitive read on this, but the most mentions is the Camellia Bowl in Montgomery. :

Fox Sports: New Orleans Bowl vs. Southern Miss. )http://www.foxsports.com/college-footba ... off-111015)

College Sports Madness (?): Cure Bowl (Orlando) vs. Tulsa (http://www.collegesportsmadness.com/foo ... rojections)

Campus Insiders (?): Camellia Bowl (Montgomery) vs. Western MIchigan (http://campusinsiders.com/news/2015-201 ... 11-09-2015)

SBNation: Camellia (Montgomery) vs. Northern Illinois (http://www.sbnation.com/college-footbal ... tions-2015)

ESPN (Schlabach): Heart of Dallas Bowl vs. Southern Miss. (http://espn.go.com/college-football/sto ... ns-week-11)

ESPN (McMurphy): Camellia (Montgomery) vs. Ohio (http://espn.go.com/college-football/sto ... ns-week-11)

[MtnDevil95]

Interesting, in looking at the sites to see who they think would get invited ahead of App. Picking bowls is about like pre-season polls, but damn some of these projections seem to be way out in left field. It also seems that those making these picks put less stock in final conference standings than geographic proximity (McMurphy I'm looking at you and USA).

College Sports Madness: (App to Cure)
1) New Orleans – LaLa
2) GoDaddy – GaSo
3) Camellia – Ark State

Campus Insiders: (App to Camellia)
1) New Orleans – Ark State
2) GoDaddy – LaLa

SBNation: (App to Camellia)
1) New Orleans – Ark State
2) GoDaddy – GaSo

ESPN Schlabach: (App to Zaxby’s Heart of Dallas)
1) New Orleans – GaSo
2) GoDaddy – Ark State
3) Camellia – USA
4) Cure – LaLa

ESPN McMurphy: (App to Camellia)
1) New Orleans – USA
2) GoDaddy – Ark State

[MDaniels84]

One other thing that might be hurting the draw of the GoDaddy bowl is the fact that App is playing in Mobile on December 5th. It would be kind of nuts to expect our fan base to attend that game and return to Mobile in just 2 weeks for a bowl.

[EastHallApp]

It also seems that those making these picks put less stock in final conference standings than geographic proximity (McMurphy I'm looking at you and USA).

They'd be foolish not to do so, wouldn't they?

[MtnDevil95]

I suppose you are correct at this level, and to some extent, App having never been to a bowl (at least not in several decades) there is no history to prove, or disprove, that the fan base is willing to travel.

[MAD Doctor]

I find it interesting that Franklin Graham has been named as a special speaker (along with TobyMac) at a Go Daddy Bowl event titled "A Christmas Experience." Could just be coincidence I suppose, but….Boone NC may be in their crosshairs.

Go Daddy has a lot of things planned for players and fans. Musburger is speaking at a luncheon, the players visit hospitals, are greeted with a shrimp boil reception and have a luncheon on the USS Alabama. Coaches golf at Robert Trent Jones with national sports celebrities, and their wives are treated to a day out. Fans can watch a Mardi Gras style parade featuring their cheerleaders and bands, attend a pep rally and street party.I agree the 23rd sucks, and I'm pulling for New Orleans or Orlando, but this bowl is no slouch. Planning on being there regardless.

[Rekdiver]

I hope no Bowl (or the world for that matter) automatically assumes App is associated with Franklin Graham. He may be a good person and his outfit does some good work but He's right there with Farwell U as far as I'm concerned.