Belk Bowl?

[NattyBumppo'sRevenge]

Maybe someday one of the major bowls would have the two best G5 schools play each other. Would it not be great if App and Memphis were matched up this year in a bowl game!!!!

Or the G5 NIT tournament with the top 4 G5 teams playing: Boise State, Memphis, App and Cincy.

[ericsaid]

I'm greatly enjoying the ribbing that Ethan Joyce is getting on Twitter this morning about the Belk Bowl and the (im)possibility of App getting that invite. He's gonna snap on us bunch of knuckleheads one day

I’m hopeful the sunbelt can get someone to bend the rules for us but not betting on it. Ethan seems to have done his homework and I trust his assessment of the situation. I assume espn did little to no research as per usual.

The question is does the Sun Belt have an obligation to be truthful with Ethan when he asks? They could simply say "the contract that is in place is accurate and binding" and leave it at that. Ethan wouldn't be wrong to report that there is no way out of the contract. However, if discussions were taking place, it wouldn't be something one party in a multiple party negotiation would divulge to any member of the media.

You would think that the availability of a 10 win Louisiana team and a 9-win Louisana Tech team would provide some basis for negotiating waiving the part of the contract stipulating that the Sun Belt Champion goes to NOLA. Louisiana would finally have a shot at Louisiana Tech since their resurgence and that's a game i'd watch.

Charlotte going to the Bahamas likely also helps matters.

But in the end, it's likely to be NOLA, Mobile, Dallas (from most to least likely).

[ericsaid]

Maybe someday one of the major bowls would have the two best G5 schools play each other. Would it not be great if App and Memphis were matched up this year in a bowl game!!!!

Or the G5 NIT tournament with the top 4 G5 teams playing: Boise State, Memphis, App and Cincy.

The P5 Cartel would like that, wouldn't they?

[ericsaid]

^^ No, obviously I am not saying the bowls are on the same level.

^ “Cities don’t matter to most fans.” I think they matter to a lot of the ones who are attending the bowl. And I bet they matter to the players who are spending a week there too. I know one of Gillin’s main concerns when we went back to Montgomery the second time was that the players not just do all the same stuff they did the year before. And there’s a reason “going to Shreveport” is a punchline for ACC teams.

Look, unless you’re in the CFP, bowls are glorified exhibitions. There are a relatively small group of teams that would actually stand out as opponents. Otherwise, I really don’t think it matters whether you’re playing the MAC champ or the CUSA 3rd place team or some 6-6 or 7-5 ACC team. You just want to have a good time, win the game and bring home a trophy.

Glorified exhibition is pretty harsh.

Yep, sort of like when people referred to Apps FCS national championships as JV.

As the coaches say, every year is different and every team is different. It's the job of the leaders of the team and administration to keep interest in the bowl game regardless of location and opponent.

Fans are more constant and see and experience many of the same things each year, resulting in the desire for change. I think that while the fans may be associating the Sun Belt Bowl Tie-ins as glorified exhibitions, the team likely isn't, Drink likely isn't, and the athletics department isn't.

What is being suggested in terms of the Belk Bowl is seeing some action on the part of the Sun Belt offices to do something every other conference outside of the MAC does and that is backfill bowl games with higher profile opponents when available. If you don't get it, at least the discussion was had.

Boise State and the AAC has the benefit of playing in a bowl game against a decent P5 team regardless of whether they are in the Cotton Bowl or not. Boise, if they don't go to Dallas, will be going to Las Vegas playing a Pac-12 team. The AAC will have a couple of Bowl Games against P5 opponents. The Sun Belt will have zero. Because the contractual obligation and lack of secondary tie-ins, the champion has no hope of being able to fill a vacant bowl slot against a P5 opponent as well.

There is a desire to see the conference administration do something. "Strike while the iron is hot". The Sun Belt's iron is hot and now is the time to begin striking. 2018 saw three ten win teams all in one division. 2019 sees two 10 win teams, one ranked and one on the precipice of being ranked, squaring off in the second conference championship on ESPN. The Sun Belt has consistently rated higher than C-USA and the MAC since 2015. Increased exposure for your member schools improves perception, recruiting, funding, and in turn improves results on the field relative to other programs (theoretically). The purpose of conference affiliation is to have an advocate on the grander scale of things. No one is going to do it for you.

FWIW, I'm all for the Sun Belt trying to improve its tie-ins. Or rather continuing to do so, since they've been improving since we joined the league.

The MWC, like the Sun Belt now, has the right idea in sending its champ to a destination city. They just have the clout - based on years of performance - to warrant a better opposing tie-in than the SBC does right now. But, to your point, that could change.

I don't necessarily think playing just any P5 team is a huge reward for winning your conference, but to each his own.

Of course a 12-1 App team would ideally be matched up against a 9-3 to 7-5 P5 team, but the Sun Belt isn't in that position at the moment. A 7-5 Tennessee team that lost to Georgia State beat UAB, App's probable match-up in NOLA should App land there, 30-7. You're saying that playing UAB would be a better reward?

[EastHallApp]

Glorified exhibition is pretty harsh.

Yep, sort of like when people referred to Apps FCS national championships as JV.

As the coaches say, every year is different and every team is different. It's the job of the leaders of the team and administration to keep interest in the bowl game regardless of location and opponent.

Fans are more constant and see and experience many of the same things each year, resulting in the desire for change. I think that while the fans may be associating the Sun Belt Bowl Tie-ins as glorified exhibitions, the team likely isn't, Drink likely isn't, and the athletics department isn't.

What is being suggested in terms of the Belk Bowl is seeing some action on the part of the Sun Belt offices to do something every other conference outside of the MAC does and that is backfill bowl games with higher profile opponents when available. If you don't get it, at least the discussion was had.

Boise State and the AAC has the benefit of playing in a bowl game against a decent P5 team regardless of whether they are in the Cotton Bowl or not. Boise, if they don't go to Dallas, will be going to Las Vegas playing a Pac-12 team. The AAC will have a couple of Bowl Games against P5 opponents. The Sun Belt will have zero. Because the contractual obligation and lack of secondary tie-ins, the champion has no hope of being able to fill a vacant bowl slot against a P5 opponent as well.

There is a desire to see the conference administration do something. "Strike while the iron is hot". The Sun Belt's iron is hot and now is the time to begin striking. 2018 saw three ten win teams all in one division. 2019 sees two 10 win teams, one ranked and one on the precipice of being ranked, squaring off in the second conference championship on ESPN. The Sun Belt has consistently rated higher than C-USA and the MAC since 2015. Increased exposure for your member schools improves perception, recruiting, funding, and in turn improves results on the field relative to other programs (theoretically). The purpose of conference affiliation is to have an advocate on the grander scale of things. No one is going to do it for you.

FWIW, I'm all for the Sun Belt trying to improve its tie-ins. Or rather continuing to do so, since they've been improving since we joined the league.

The MWC, like the Sun Belt now, has the right idea in sending its champ to a destination city. They just have the clout - based on years of performance - to warrant a better opposing tie-in than the SBC does right now. But, to your point, that could change.

I don't necessarily think playing just any P5 team is a huge reward for winning your conference, but to each his own.

Of course a 12-1 App team would ideally be matched up against a 9-3 to 7-5 P5 team, but the Sun Belt isn't in that position at the moment. A 7-5 Tennessee team that lost to Georgia State beat UAB, App's probable match-up in NOLA should App land there, 30-7. You're saying that playing UAB would be a better reward?

I don’t think playing either UAB or some nondescript P5 is exactly program-changing. (Though if UAB is the CUSA champ, that would be a cool angle.)

I think there are just a couple of camps when it comes to this discussion: those for whom it’s 100% about the football game, on the field; and those who care about everything else that goes into a bowl trip. I’m in the latter camp, and I gather you’re in the former. And that’s fine, neither is wrong or right.

And then within the “strictly football” group, I think there’s a school of thought that if one potential opponent is 5% better than another, then that’s who you should want to play, regardless of any other factors. Whereas - again, barring the chance to play someone who truly moves the needle - I just want to win.

Frankly I think, in this particular year, playing most 6 or 7 win P5s would be kind of a no-win for us. Beat them and we’ve just beaten an also-ran, which we’ve already shown we can do and a top 20 team should expect to do. Lose and critics will say it’s proof that we were a product of a weak conference.

[ericsaid]

Yep, sort of like when people referred to Apps FCS national championships as JV.

As the coaches say, every year is different and every team is different. It's the job of the leaders of the team and administration to keep interest in the bowl game regardless of location and opponent.

Fans are more constant and see and experience many of the same things each year, resulting in the desire for change. I think that while the fans may be associating the Sun Belt Bowl Tie-ins as glorified exhibitions, the team likely isn't, Drink likely isn't, and the athletics department isn't.

What is being suggested in terms of the Belk Bowl is seeing some action on the part of the Sun Belt offices to do something every other conference outside of the MAC does and that is backfill bowl games with higher profile opponents when available. If you don't get it, at least the discussion was had.

Boise State and the AAC has the benefit of playing in a bowl game against a decent P5 team regardless of whether they are in the Cotton Bowl or not. Boise, if they don't go to Dallas, will be going to Las Vegas playing a Pac-12 team. The AAC will have a couple of Bowl Games against P5 opponents. The Sun Belt will have zero. Because the contractual obligation and lack of secondary tie-ins, the champion has no hope of being able to fill a vacant bowl slot against a P5 opponent as well.

There is a desire to see the conference administration do something. "Strike while the iron is hot". The Sun Belt's iron is hot and now is the time to begin striking. 2018 saw three ten win teams all in one division. 2019 sees two 10 win teams, one ranked and one on the precipice of being ranked, squaring off in the second conference championship on ESPN. The Sun Belt has consistently rated higher than C-USA and the MAC since 2015. Increased exposure for your member schools improves perception, recruiting, funding, and in turn improves results on the field relative to other programs (theoretically). The purpose of conference affiliation is to have an advocate on the grander scale of things. No one is going to do it for you.

FWIW, I'm all for the Sun Belt trying to improve its tie-ins. Or rather continuing to do so, since they've been improving since we joined the league.

The MWC, like the Sun Belt now, has the right idea in sending its champ to a destination city. They just have the clout - based on years of performance - to warrant a better opposing tie-in than the SBC does right now. But, to your point, that could change.

I don't necessarily think playing just any P5 team is a huge reward for winning your conference, but to each his own.

Of course a 12-1 App team would ideally be matched up against a 9-3 to 7-5 P5 team, but the Sun Belt isn't in that position at the moment. A 7-5 Tennessee team that lost to Georgia State beat UAB, App's probable match-up in NOLA should App land there, 30-7. You're saying that playing UAB would be a better reward?

I don’t think playing either UAB or some nondescript P5 is exactly program-changing. (Though if UAB is the CUSA champ, that would be a cool angle.)

I think there are just a couple of camps when it comes to this discussion: those for whom it’s 100% about the football game, on the field; and those who care about everything else that goes into a bowl trip. I’m in the latter camp, and I gather you’re in the former. And that’s fine, neither is wrong or right.

And then within the “strictly football” group, I think there’s a school of thought that if one potential opponent is 5% better than another, then that’s who you should want to play, regardless of any other factors. Whereas - again, barring the chance to play someone who truly moves the needle - I just want to win.

Frankly I think, in this particular year, playing most 6 or 7 win P5s would be kind of a no-win for us. Beat them and we’ve just beaten an also-ran, which we’ve already shown we can do and a top 20 team should expect to do. Lose and critics will say it’s proof that we were a product of a weak conference.

When it comes down to it, for me, it's about the game. I don't care who App plays, whether its ETSU or Tennessee, I'll watch and support the team. However, this discussion is almost purely a thought experiment as Apps likely destinations are NOLA or Mobile and the opponent C-USA or the MAC.

Realistically, if you're a team 5 years from transitioning from FCS to FBS, you can't be choosy. Play who's on your schedule and win.

[Seattleapp]

Yep, sort of like when people referred to Apps FCS national championships as JV.

As the coaches say, every year is different and every team is different. It's the job of the leaders of the team and administration to keep interest in the bowl game regardless of location and opponent.

Fans are more constant and see and experience many of the same things each year, resulting in the desire for change. I think that while the fans may be associating the Sun Belt Bowl Tie-ins as glorified exhibitions, the team likely isn't, Drink likely isn't, and the athletics department isn't.

What is being suggested in terms of the Belk Bowl is seeing some action on the part of the Sun Belt offices to do something every other conference outside of the MAC does and that is backfill bowl games with higher profile opponents when available. If you don't get it, at least the discussion was had.

Boise State and the AAC has the benefit of playing in a bowl game against a decent P5 team regardless of whether they are in the Cotton Bowl or not. Boise, if they don't go to Dallas, will be going to Las Vegas playing a Pac-12 team. The AAC will have a couple of Bowl Games against P5 opponents. The Sun Belt will have zero. Because the contractual obligation and lack of secondary tie-ins, the champion has no hope of being able to fill a vacant bowl slot against a P5 opponent as well.

There is a desire to see the conference administration do something. "Strike while the iron is hot". The Sun Belt's iron is hot and now is the time to begin striking. 2018 saw three ten win teams all in one division. 2019 sees two 10 win teams, one ranked and one on the precipice of being ranked, squaring off in the second conference championship on ESPN. The Sun Belt has consistently rated higher than C-USA and the MAC since 2015. Increased exposure for your member schools improves perception, recruiting, funding, and in turn improves results on the field relative to other programs (theoretically). The purpose of conference affiliation is to have an advocate on the grander scale of things. No one is going to do it for you.

FWIW, I'm all for the Sun Belt trying to improve its tie-ins. Or rather continuing to do so, since they've been improving since we joined the league.

The MWC, like the Sun Belt now, has the right idea in sending its champ to a destination city. They just have the clout - based on years of performance - to warrant a better opposing tie-in than the SBC does right now. But, to your point, that could change.

I don't necessarily think playing just any P5 team is a huge reward for winning your conference, but to each his own.

Of course a 12-1 App team would ideally be matched up against a 9-3 to 7-5 P5 team, but the Sun Belt isn't in that position at the moment. A 7-5 Tennessee team that lost to Georgia State beat UAB, App's probable match-up in NOLA should App land there, 30-7. You're saying that playing UAB would be a better reward?

I don’t think playing either UAB or some nondescript P5 is exactly program-changing. (Though if UAB is the CUSA champ, that would be a cool angle.)

I think there are just a couple of camps when it comes to this discussion: those for whom it’s 100% about the football game, on the field; and those who care about everything else that goes into a bowl trip. I’m in the latter camp, and I gather you’re in the former. And that’s fine, neither is wrong or right.

And then within the “strictly football” group, I think there’s a school of thought that if one potential opponent is 5% better than another, then that’s who you should want to play, regardless of any other factors. Whereas - again, barring the chance to play someone who truly moves the needle - I just want to win.

Frankly I think, in this particular year, playing most 6 or 7 win P5s would be kind of a no-win for us. Beat them and we’ve just beaten an also-ran, which we’ve already shown we can do and a top 20 team should expect to do. Lose and critics will say it’s proof that we were a product of a weak conference.

Two points of debate. If you care more about the destination then the game, I think your priority may be a bit distorted. The destination is a bonus to the entire reason people are going to the town to begin with, which is to watch app play. Most of these trips for the fans are 2,3 days max then we are out of there. The game is the reason we go.
Secondly, any time we can beat a power five team is a huge deal. Before this year we’ve had no success in that arena. So beating any p5 team in a bowl is bigger than beating a cusa team.

[Apptrain]

Maybe someday one of the major bowls would have the two best G5 schools play each other. Would it not be great if App and Memphis were matched up this year in a bowl game!!!!

Or the G5 NIT tournament with the top 4 G5 teams playing: Boise State, Memphis, App and Cincy.

The P5 Cartel would like that, wouldn't they?

Wouldn’t a special tournament for the g5 just take us back to where many wanted to leave? Fcs playoff, g5 playoff, p5 playoff. No thanks. We jumped to play with the big boys so let’s work towards just that. As stated the P5 would love to see it. They don’t like threats from outside their club.

[ah59396]

I spoke with someone folding clothes at the Belk in Dunn, NC today. They knew very little about football but confirmed Appalachian State is going to the Belk Bowl.

This is a Belk employee confirming what we all hoped. That’s good enough for me.

[APP93]

Maybe someday one of the major bowls would have the two best G5 schools play each other. Would it not be great if App and Memphis were matched up this year in a bowl game!!!!

Or the G5 NIT tournament with the top 4 G5 teams playing: Boise State, Memphis, App and Cincy.

I'm not a fan of the idea of a G5 playoff, but would love to see App matched up vs another top G5 team in a bowl game. We have speculated all year that App could beat Boise and Cincy and 50/50 game vs Memphis...so let's see it.

How about App v Memphis in the Cotton bowl or vs Boise in LV bowl or Cincy in Liberty bowl...any one of those would be a fun way to end a great season.

If a higher tier bowl wanted App or anyone else in the conference then why would the SB stand in the way???...better bowls, means more exposure, means higher payout, means more revenue for member schools and conference...just doesnt make sense to me.

[appstatealum]

Bc the Sunbelt has not done much to win over my confidence when it comes to wanting what's best for their brand......other than inviting us to join.

[bigdaddyg]

Some guys on here are adamant about not having a G5 playoff as it is too much like what we left behind. Aren’t we already in a second tier FBS level? The conferences are designated as P’s and G’s and the CFP also has placed a designation for the highest ranked G school.
We all desire a better bowl. I even started a thread asking where would we want to play if we don’t make the NY6. Aren’t we already pretty much in a G5 playoff? Those who don’t see that are blind. This thread mentions a bowl we ain’t gonna be in. And if we did make it who would we play, a 6-6 ACC team? We already played and beat one. In my opinion App, Boise, Memphis and Cincinnati are all good enough to go at least 7-5 or better in any P5 conference now. That being said to get a 6-6 or 7-5 P5 opponent in a bowl is no step up at all. If the bowls were tiered so to speak we would be playing a solid P5 or even one of those other G5 schools simply due to ranking. Kill the affiliation piece and rank the bowls. If we finish 20th in the CFP ranking we would play someone right above or below us.

[Mjohn1988]

Some guys on here are adamant about not having a G5 playoff as it is too much like what we left behind. Aren’t we already in a second tier FBS level? The conferences are designated as P’s and G’s and the CFP also has placed a designation for the highest ranked G school.
We all desire a better bowl. I even started a thread asking where would we want to play if we don’t make the NY6. Aren’t we already pretty much in a G5 playoff? Those who don’t see that are blind. This thread mentions a bowl we ain’t gonna be in. And if we did make it who would we play, a 6-6 ACC team? We already played and beat one. In my opinion App, Boise, Memphis and Cincinnati are all good enough to go at least 7-5 or better in any P5 conference now. That being said to get a 6-6 or 7-5 P5 opponent in a bowl is no step up at all. If the bowls were tiered so to speak we would be playing a solid P5 or even one of those other G5 schools simply due to ranking. Kill the affiliation piece and rank the bowls. If we finish 20th in the CFP ranking we would play someone right above or below us.

I don’t have any issues with this concept but the problem really lies in the perception of the G5 teams. Most fans think the worst P5 teams are better than the best G5 teams. The vast majority of our fans would be way more impressed with a win over any ACC team than a win over Memphis or Cincinnati. Truth is the media would also give us more respect for beating just about any P5 team over the best G5 teams. So how do you grow your brand? Beat any P5 program. Personally I would love to see us schedule AAC teams and or play them in bowl games but the truth is beating AAC teams isn’t going to grow the brand like beating a P5 team.

[ericsaid]

Bc the Sunbelt has not done much to win over my confidence when it comes to wanting what's best for their brand......other than inviting us to join.

If Doug Gillin ever leaves App for another job, it better be as commissioner of whatever conference App is in.

[ericsaid]

Some guys on here are adamant about not having a G5 playoff as it is too much like what we left behind. Aren’t we already in a second tier FBS level? The conferences are designated as P’s and G’s and the CFP also has placed a designation for the highest ranked G school.
We all desire a better bowl. I even started a thread asking where would we want to play if we don’t make the NY6. Aren’t we already pretty much in a G5 playoff? Those who don’t see that are blind. This thread mentions a bowl we ain’t gonna be in. And if we did make it who would we play, a 6-6 ACC team? We already played and beat one. In my opinion App, Boise, Memphis and Cincinnati are all good enough to go at least 7-5 or better in any P5 conference now. That being said to get a 6-6 or 7-5 P5 opponent in a bowl is no step up at all. If the bowls were tiered so to speak we would be playing a solid P5 or even one of those other G5 schools simply due to ranking. Kill the affiliation piece and rank the bowls. If we finish 20th in the CFP ranking we would play someone right above or below us.

There is only a tier in funding. App could out compete both Maryland, Rutgers, Purdue, Nebraska, and likely one other team on the field in the Big 10. I have a feeling App could've competed for the ACC Coastal this season (depth would be an issue at some point).

There isn't some massive disparity in talent relegating the G5 to some obscure corner of college football. The Top 10 programs in the P5 are where the separation occurs, this is true. But outside of that, the Top 15 or so G5 programs could beat anyone other than probably 5 of those top 15 schools any given time that they played.

It's a perception war that the P5 is waging leveraging money and resources through media.

As for the bowl games, a 7-5 Tennessee is almost certainly better than FAU, USM, or UAB (App's probable bowl opponents if App wins this weekend).

Again, you won't be 11-1 every year to justify this type of argument. This is a special season that many would like to see rewarded better than a trip to Mobile or New Orleans. Long-term, assuming Eli continues to recruit well and the roster shapes up as it did under Satterfield, you'd expect to see wins ranging from 8 to 12 in any given season. But it's going to take another 5 years of competing for Top 25 rankings for anything to change in the way the Sun Belt markets itself.

[smokeshow]

I'm greatly enjoying the ribbing that Ethan Joyce is getting on Twitter this morning about the Belk Bowl and the (im)possibility of App getting that invite. He's gonna snap on us bunch of knuckleheads one day

I’m hopeful the sunbelt can get someone to bend the rules for us but not betting on it. Ethan seems to have done his homework and I trust his assessment of the situation. I assume espn did little to no research as per usual.

The question is does the Sun Belt have an obligation to be truthful with Ethan when he asks? They could simply say "the contract that is in place is accurate and binding" and leave it at that. Ethan wouldn't be wrong to report that there is no way out of the contract. However, if discussions were taking place, it wouldn't be something one party in a multiple party negotiation would divulge to any member of the media.

You would think that the availability of a 10 win Louisiana team and a 9-win Louisana Tech team would provide some basis for negotiating waiving the part of the contract stipulating that the Sun Belt Champion goes to NOLA. Louisiana would finally have a shot at Louisiana Tech since their resurgence and that's a game i'd watch.

Charlotte going to the Bahamas likely also helps matters.

But in the end, it's likely to be NOLA, Mobile, Dallas (from most to least likely).

Ethan did his homework well and yes according to contracts and what not Ethan has printed things correctly. BUT and I say BUT this is a bowl game and these things are never as concrete as the contracts say. There is always and I mean always backroom deals that go on most of the time. So if there is the possibility App State goes to the Belk bowl it is only through backroom handshakes with the Sunbelt and R&L Bowl folks.

[mountaineerman]

I'm greatly enjoying the ribbing that Ethan Joyce is getting on Twitter this morning about the Belk Bowl and the (im)possibility of App getting that invite. He's gonna snap on us bunch of knuckleheads one day

I’m hopeful the sunbelt can get someone to bend the rules for us but not betting on it. Ethan seems to have done his homework and I trust his assessment of the situation. I assume espn did little to no research as per usual.

The question is does the Sun Belt have an obligation to be truthful with Ethan when he asks? They could simply say "the contract that is in place is accurate and binding" and leave it at that. Ethan wouldn't be wrong to report that there is no way out of the contract. However, if discussions were taking place, it wouldn't be something one party in a multiple party negotiation would divulge to any member of the media.

You would think that the availability of a 10 win Louisiana team and a 9-win Louisana Tech team would provide some basis for negotiating waiving the part of the contract stipulating that the Sun Belt Champion goes to NOLA. Louisiana would finally have a shot at Louisiana Tech since their resurgence and that's a game i'd watch.

Charlotte going to the Bahamas likely also helps matters.

But in the end, it's likely to be NOLA, Mobile, Dallas (from most to least likely).

Ethan did his homework well and yes according to contracts and what not Ethan has printed things correctly. BUT and I say BUT this is a bowl game and these things are never as concrete as the contracts say. There is always and I mean always backroom deals that go on most of the time. So if there is the possibility App State goes to the Belk bowl it is only through backroom handshakes with the Sunbelt and R&L Bowl folks.

I agree with most of this. But we all know what drives college sports two thing Money and ESPN.

[MountaineerChemist10]

Wouldn't it make economic sense for everyone if THIS particular year, App played in the Belk bowl and Louisiana played in the New Orleans bowl?

I've said this before. ULL and Tulane had 54,728 at the New Orleans Bowl in 2013. I can promise that New Orleans wants ULL and La Tech playing. They will bring 10x more people than App vs ?. Belk Bowl would have 25,000+ App fans there. Just wish it could happen plus it will save about around $600 a couple.

Imagine; UNC takes on App State for a rematch in the Belk Bowl @ Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte! That game would sell out within 5 minutes! That's definitely more exciting than taking on UAB or Florida Atlantic in New Orleans.

[BallantyneApp]

Wouldn't it make economic sense for everyone if THIS particular year, App played in the Belk bowl and Louisiana played in the New Orleans bowl?

I've said this before. ULL and Tulane had 54,728 at the New Orleans Bowl in 2013. I can promise that New Orleans wants ULL and La Tech playing. They will bring 10x more people than App vs ?. Belk Bowl would have 25,000+ App fans there. Just wish it could happen plus it will save about around $600 a couple.

Imagine; UNC takes on App State for a rematch in the Belk Bowl @ Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte! That game would sell out within 5 minutes! That's definitely more exciting than taking on UAB or Florida Atlantic in New Orleans.

Gimme Va Tech vs App. We already beat Cheat.

[/\PP ST/\TE GRAD 09]

Wouldn't it make economic sense for everyone if THIS particular year, App played in the Belk bowl and Louisiana played in the New Orleans bowl?

I've said this before. ULL and Tulane had 54,728 at the New Orleans Bowl in 2013. I can promise that New Orleans wants ULL and La Tech playing. They will bring 10x more people than App vs ?. Belk Bowl would have 25,000+ App fans there. Just wish it could happen plus it will save about around $600 a couple.

Imagine; UNC takes on App State for a rematch in the Belk Bowl @ Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte! That game would sell out within 5 minutes! That's definitely more exciting than taking on UAB or Florida Atlantic in New Orleans.

Gimme Va Tech vs App. We already beat Cheat.

Virginia Tech fans would travel in equal if not greater numbers than the UNC fans. They would also provide a better atmosphere for their fans are more into football than UNCs. Also, UNC will get their rematch when they come to Boone. Regardless, App Nation would be there STRONG.