ESPN Bowl Predictions

[EastHallApp]

That's a G5 playoff, and no thank you.

No, it isn’t, but maybe I wasn’t clear on that.

I’m talking about two bowl games per year pairing off the G5 conference champions. Not semifinals; no third “final” game in which the winners would play each other. Just two bowls, same as we have now, except they’d be champion vs. champion instead of champion vs. 3rd place team or whatever.

I’m not in favor of a G5 playoff either.

I’m a big fan of this idea. It would allow us to more accurately gauge where the G5 conferences stack up with more competitive/interesting matchups. Anyone familiar with G5 powerhouses would love to see Boise/UCF, App/SMU, Cincy/Utah State etc.

I don’t like the remaining 4 conference champions piece though. The MAC is a perfect example this year of why no one should be given an auto bid if this were to happen. It’s Utopian I know, and if it happened I’d rather play in the NY6 all day, but it would be better than kicking the teeth in of a small school in Ohio every year in bowl games.

It would much better than what we have right now. Currently we could go undefeated along with SMU - SMU gets selected for the NY6 bowl - and we'd be contractually obligated to go to the NO bowl. CUSA can send whomever they want to the NO bowl to play us. We could be matched up against a CUSA team that barely becomes bowl eligible.

Another benefit would be getting some variety in the bowl destinations. Don’t get me wrong, I loved the New Orleans trip last year and will be excited to return this year if that’s where we wind up. But for teams that dominate their league and win regularly, it’s just inevitable that fan attendance is going to suffer if you go the same place every year. Not to mention the players do the same thing over and over.

Now imagine that you go to NOLA one year, Vegas the next and Orlando after that. Mix in whatever other cities might host - San Diego, San Antonio, Miami, whatever - and who’s complaining about that experience?

[appgrad95&97]

ESPN owns about half the bowls. ESPN televises over 80% of the bowls. ESPN runs college football. ESPN is part of Disney. ESPN is all about money. Fanbases, eyeballs, equal money. Appalachian State University will not bring eyeballs to a NY6 Bowl game. ESPN is the CFP Committee. Do the math.

I didn’t need math to figure out your bad take. Western Michigan and Northern Illinois don’t bring any more “eyeballs” than App would to a NY6 game.

Dude, our game against UNC was on the TV equivalent of AM radio. But mine is a bad take? App getting into a better bowl game has nothing to do with what the team deserves, but what's in it for ESPN. (Just another "bad take".)

[bigdaddyg]

How many actual butts were in the seats at the New Orleans Bowl game last year? Doesn't it look bad to have 20K in a huge 70K+ dome? Would it look and seem better to play in a smaller stadium against a solid opponent? Most of these mid tier bowls get played in these relatively huge (60K+ stadiums) yet the number of people there is usually half at best. If we aren't playing in the Cotton Bowl we need a nice warm weather location in a more cozy stadium against a quality opponent. Do we still require the prime TV spot at this point?

[AppStFan1]

It will be a cold day in hell before they let a sunbelt team into the NY6.

It is not if they let us in. If the following happens then App State WILL BE in a NY6.

1. We win out. That is most important. We can't lose a game. Must be 13-0. 12-1 and we will not be.
2. SDSU and Boise State from MWC lose one more each.
3. SMU loses one more in the regular season or loses in the AAC title game.
4. Cincinnati loses one more.

We will then be the highest ranked G5 team in the CFP for sure and it will be an automatic invite. We need a lot of help and can't worry about that now though. We just need to focus on South Alabama, Georgia Southern, South Carolina, Texas State, Georgia State, and Troy for now. We still have a long way to go before 2-4 even matter.

I agree with your list except for number 2. The way it stands now, Cincy and SMU need to lose at some point.

As far as number 2 goes, if both SDSU and App win out, I think we'd get in pretty easily over them. Their only P5 game was one against a pretty poor UCLA team albeit they did win.

Boise is the interesting one though. Unfortunately I think if they win out and so do we they would probably end up getting the NY6 even with the loss last night. Pollsters love Boise State and I don't see the CFP being any different.

The only reason I think we could still use a loss by SDSU to feel safe is because they would be 12-1 with a win over Boise State and their only loss was a close one to Utah State. Like you said, they love Boise State (and they should based on history) and with SDSU not losing since what September and dominating the MWC since then would make them a ranked team for sure.

Now, if we can average say 35 points per win and beat South Carolina we may be able to get the nod with just 1 loss by SMU. I still like for the rest to happen just so it won't be close.

I think if we look convincing and win out, we're in with SMU losing 1 game. They still have a tough slate ahead too. They have to go to Memphis and Navy. I think if we beat USC, we will leap frog 1 loss Cincinnati.

The recency bias for a 1 loss Boise would go out the window because their best win would be FSU, Air Force or Utah State?... I think we have enough brand recognition to beat out a 1 loss SDST even if they beat Boise because of that number next to our name that they don't have. Our two P5 road wins would easily Trump them beating Boise.

Bottom line is (and its been mentioned several times already) is that none of this matters unless we win out. Lets keep going 1-0. I love our team's (and fan's for that matter) mindset right now, aware of what could be, focused on what's at hand!

Exactly. We need that stuff to happen but we also have to win out first of all. We have plenty of time to get the help we need. I understand we can't really worry though because if SMU wins out then there is nothing we can do to get in the Cotton Bowl. Just have to stay healthy, keep winning, and go 1-0 every week. The only thing we need to worry about now is beating South Alabama. We lose to them and everything goes down the tube.

[ericsaid]

That's a G5 playoff, and no thank you.

Some people here still don't quite understand the bowl system. I give AJ and Big C credit for talking at length to David Jackson about this on their last BGP lounge episode...bowl tie-ins are what they are and unless ESPN gets involved and offers a boat load of money to give up their top team (unlikely), a bowl is not going to release a sell-able asset to go play somewhere else. So talking about what-if scenarios is really a waste of your time.

Our prospects are:
1) Cotton Bowl if we win out and get selected as the G5's NY6 rep,
2) New Orleans Bowl if we win the conference championship game but aren't selected as the G5 NY6 rep
3) Montgomery or Mobile if we lose the CCG
4) Orlando if poo poo hits the fan.

Then App, assuming they are in a position to be choosy, is in a perfect position. You have Louisiana who will fill the Dome in New Orleans moreso than any other team the NOLA Bowl would have to choose from. That puts App, the Sun Belt, ESPN, and the NOLA Bowl in a win-win situation should App finish undefeated or even with one loss.

[APPdiesel]

I chalk up a lot of this if/then scenario creation to wishful thinking and inflated egos. Shuffling teams around with auto tie-ins doesn't happen. It's Cotton, New Orleans, Montgomery, Mobile, or Orlando.

[ah59396]

College Football News has us projected to go to the Fiesta Bowl and play Oklahoma State.

Just in case you were already excited about what this season could be for us. I’m honestly struggling to imagine App State in the Fiesta Bowl. It makes me giggle to think about it.


https://collegefootballnews.com/2020/09 ... k-1-2020/4

[NashvilleNeer]

College Football News has us projected to go to the Fiesta Bowl and play Oklahoma State.

Just in case you were already excited about what this season could be for us. I’m honestly struggling to imagine App State in the Fiesta Bowl. It makes me giggle to think about it.


https://collegefootballnews.com/2020/09 ... k-1-2020/4

I laughed when i saw VT in the Orange Bowl. It'll be either ND or UNC in that bowl and you can book that. Don't see Clemson and ND getting into the playoff

[Seattleapp]

How many actual butts were in the seats at the New Orleans Bowl game last year? Doesn't it look bad to have 20K in a huge 70K+ dome? Would it look and seem better to play in a smaller stadium against a solid opponent? Most of these mid tier bowls get played in these relatively huge (60K+ stadiums) yet the number of people there is usually half at best. If we aren't playing in the Cotton Bowl we need a nice warm weather location in a more cozy stadium against a quality opponent. Do we still require the prime TV spot at this point?

You are so right. I drove to New Orleans last year and to be honest there was zero atmosphere: I don’t want to say I was bored but it was way too much stadium and I might as well have been watching it on tv. Ok you can party in New Orleans. But you can get drunk in plenty of other cities as well. I don’t see the allure of that bowl game as much as some others do.

[AppfaninCAALand]

College Football News has us projected to go to the Fiesta Bowl and play Oklahoma State.

Just in case you were already excited about what this season could be for us. I’m honestly struggling to imagine App State in the Fiesta Bowl. It makes me giggle to think about it.


https://collegefootballnews.com/2020/09 ... k-1-2020/4

I laughed when i saw VT in the Orange Bowl. It'll be either ND or UNC in that bowl and you can book that. Don't see Clemson and ND getting into the playoff

Not so sure about the specific projections, but I felt that article was a useful exploration into what bowl season might look like or what bowls will or will not be likely to be played.

Also LOL at the projection of Ga Southern playing Liberty again!