Bowl bids

[BUTCH1991]

Brett McMurphy projects we play Eastern Michigan in the . . . . . . . Camelia Bowl.

[CheckYosef94]

Brett McMurphy projects we play Eastern Michigan in the . . . . . . . Camelia Bowl.

At least they aren't from Ohio...that's something isn't it?

[bigdaddyg]

App invitational

[JMappfan5]

Our "new" Chattanooga...LOL

[WVAPPeer]

It really makes little difference - we go 11-1 or 8-4 (NO) we will end up in one of 3 places and it has little to do with our record - Camellia Bowl - Dollar General - New Orleans - Even after the results of this past weekend, the guys who predict us still have us where they have had us well before the season started - can't expect much change ---

[MtnDevil95]

It is WAY too early to be predicting bowls, just like it's way too early to put out rankings in April after Spring Games, but we're fans and it's what we do . . . is it possible that App runs to 11-1 and the rest of the G5 chokes on each other leaving the Mountaineers as the only G5 with less than 3 losses? It's possible, anything is possible. It's not likely. Even if that lightening were caught in the Jug, 11-1 App would need Georgia to put on a show and compete for the SEC title (not just the East, but the Championship game). I also think Wake needs to improve even more and surprise the ACC Coastal with a win over VaTech or Miami to improve the optics of the App State victory. . .

All that is to say that, while possible, making an NY6 bowl is not within the realm of control of this App State football team. First things first, this team can control its focus on the field and put a hurting on Savannah State this weekend.

[NewApp]

How in the world is our SOS that low? I mean I know we have a weak conference but geez we played GA and Wake and there has to be some teams in our conference with worse schedules

Good question. We are rated lower than UNC-C. Is it because they play in CUSA?

[EastHallApp]

How in the world is our SOS that low? I mean I know we have a weak conference but geez we played GA and Wake and there has to be some teams in our conference with worse schedules

Good question. We are rated lower than UNC-C. Is it because they play in CUSA?

Not specifically because they're in CUSA, but they play WKU, ODU, MTSU and Southern Miss- four of that league's five best teams last year. As we all know, App doesn't play the best of the Sun Belt.

[appaneer1984]

How in the world is our SOS that low? I mean I know we have a weak conference but geez we played GA and Wake and there has to be some teams in our conference with worse schedules

It's because we don't play Troy, Arkansas State or South Alabama.

and additionally, Georgia Southern is coming off a terrible year. If GS improves (which I think they will), it will help our SOS. Also, Coastal's win against UMass will help a little but they need to exceed expectations. It doesn't help that Georgia State lost to Tennessee State (FCS) or that Texas State continues to strugle (barely beating Houston Baptist - FCS).

We also don't play ourselves

[Yosef84]

I think the highest rated conference opponent we have is Georgia Southern and they are ranked 87th in the USA Today polls. After the terrible showing against Auburn, my expectation of an improved season for them might be wishful thinking. We do need some of our opponents to exceed expectations though. We will see.

[bigdaddyg]

If you took the top 10 FCS teams and played them against the SB (1 v 1), (2 v 2), etc how would the Belt fare?

[CheckYosef94]

This is interesting. I've heard a lot of our fans say they're happy in the SBC and wouldn't want to go to C-USA if offered. However, I think we are all seeing our limited bowl potential because we are in the perceived weakest FBS conference (as much as I've enjoyed the Camellia Bowl I would like to go somewhere else). We are constantly saying we need to go undefeated with a couple of good P5 wins to even be looked at for the access bowl. With all that being said, would y'all be interested in moving to C-USA or AAC if they offered?

(For the record, I do like being in the SBC. I miss regional rivalries which I think we would get more with being in C-USA. And I absolutely hate the AAC for the whole P6 crap.)

[EastHallApp]

This is interesting. I've heard a lot of our fans say they're happy in the SBC and wouldn't want to go to C-USA if offered. However, I think we are all seeing our limited bowl potential because we are in the perceived weakest FBS conference (as much as I've enjoyed the Camellia Bowl I would like to go somewhere else). We are constantly saying we need to go undefeated with a couple of good P5 wins to even be looked at for the access bowl. With all that being said, would y'all be interested in moving to C-USA or AAC if they offered?

(For the record, I do like being in the SBC. I miss regional rivalries which I think we would get more with being in C-USA. And I absolutely hate the AAC for the whole P6 crap.)

AAC - in a heartbeat.
CUSA - not in its current form. Would like to see wholesale SBCUSA geographical realignment - that would be the ideal for me.

Note that CUSA hasn't put a team in the NY6 either. In fact Marshall a couple years ago might well have been passed over even at 13-0 in favor of a two-loss Boise St. team (before Marshall lost their RS finale).

As for bowl tie-ins, those are always subject to change. The year before we joined, the Sun Belt had two. Now it has five. Hopefully those will improve. I do think the league needs to address the selection order issue so that the conference champion gets some sort of reward or priority in terms of bowl destination.

[MDaniels84]

AAC, yes. CUSA, no. I would be happy with SunBelt status if we had other conference tie ins to bowl games . I don't mind the Camelia so much but don't want to be matched up against Ohio or Toledo , or any other MAC opponent year in and year out. I would not mind playing the mid tier ACC, SEC, Big Ten, etc... and would definitely not mind getting matched up against the top 4 in AAC or CUSA.

[MtnDevil95]

I agree, it's the tie-ins that really frustrate me. If the bowl system were a bit more open to allow for App to have a reasonable opportunity at an AAC, C-USA, or even 7-5 or 6-6 P5 team that would be a much better prospect.

[MarxistMountaineer]

If you took the top 10 FCS teams and played them against the SB (1 v 1), (2 v 2), etc how would the Belt fare?

Aside of Wake Forest, right now I'd feel pretty confident in saying James Madison is better than anyone else we are playing this year.