2014-15 Bowl Chatter and Predictions

[HogDawg]

I just think its time for Tech to expand its horizons. It's time to give the HOD bowl a shot and it's also located in our recruiting territory.

We've already tried to build a relationship with the I-Bowl and they've crapped on us multiple times. Now, they do not have a monopoly on where we can play. Used to be, we played in the I-Bowl or stayed home. No more. We have CUSA and the HOD which is directly affiliated with CUSA. The I-Bowl will always think they're better than us and our conference and will never tie-in with our conference. For that reason alone, I feel we should choose the HOD bowl.

Why can't Louisiana Tech be the reason that the HOD bowl is successful. 30K Tech fans in the HOD bowl would make them salivate to invite us every year they can. Rice would not bring 2k to that game. Actually, Tech needs the HOD bowl to be successful, as long as it has the CUSA tie-in.

You're right, we need to look at the big picture and it should have the HOD bowl with its CUSA tie-in right smack in the middle of it. The big pic should not look at our potential matchup and tv time this year, it should think about different scenarios in the coming years.

Next year, we may go 6-6. The I-Bowl will not take us, but, the HOD bowl (with its CUSA tie-in) will if we bring tens of thousands of fans.

It's time to turn our back on the high school sweet heart that keeps breaking our heart and look down the road to a more stable relationship, one that has already begun with the Dallas game last year and the CUSA tie-in.

This "Hatfields vs McCoys" relationship that LA Tech fans share with the Indy Bowl is just never going to end, is it?

[sportdawg]

Spoken like a low level employee, not a business owner.

Payouts ALWAYS matter.

My point is, the conference has tie-ins, and they choose where the teams play (with input from schools/bowls). There will not be a situation like 2012 where we can pick (or not pick) a bowl.

[Houston Techsan]

I see that technically the I Bowl has a higher payout than the HOD. However due to the screwing that the I Bowl gives the non P5 teams, the HOD might be equal after all.

[Dwayne From Minden]

I see that technically the I Bowl has a higher payout than the HOD. However due to the screwing that the I Bowl gives the non P5 teams, the HOD might be equal after all.

No, it will probably be less due to the fact its a secondary tie-in...

[inudesu]

For the betterment of the program and for the future, we need to play and beat a P5 no matter where they are. Play up period.

It's not always "playing up" to play a P5 team.

[RealityCheck]

So far this week, Ball State has dropped from projected bowl-eligibility by losing at home to NIU.

That leaves only 75 teams (including Georgia Southern) projected 6-6 or better. To get back to 76 projected eligible teams. Northwestern (projected 5-7) is now projected eligible using the Top 5 APR exception for a 5-7 team when enough other teams are not bowl-eligible.

[DoubleDDawg]

This "Hatfields vs McCoys" relationship that LA Tech fans share with the Indy Bowl is just never going to end, is it?

Not as long as Ken Antee , the NLU sensation, is on the board.

[PawDawg]

Not as long as Ken Antee , the NLU sensation, is on the board.

I've heard he is not our problem. The one who was has calmed down after our AD reached out to them.

[RealityCheck]

Bowl eligible teams with projections after games of November 8

Bowl-eligible teams by conference (51)
AAC (2)—Memphis (6-3), East Carolina (6-2)
ACC (7)--Florida State (9-0), Clemson (7-2), Louisville (7-3), Boston College (6-4), Duke (8-1), Georgia Tech (8-2), Miami FL (6-3)
Big 12 (5)--Baylor (8-1), TCU (8-1), Kansas State (7-2), West Virginia (6-4), Oklahoma (6-3)
Big Ten (7)--Ohio State (8-1), Michigan State (7-2), Maryland (6-3), Nebraska (8-1), Wisconsin (7-2), Minnesota (7-2), Iowa (6-3)
C-USA (3)--Marshall (9-0), Louisiana Tech (7-3), Rice (6-3)
Independent (1)--Notre Dame (7-2)
MAC (5)—Bowling Green (6-3), Toledo (6-3), Northern Illinois (7-2), Western Michigan (6-3), Central Michigan (6-4)
MWC (5)--Colorado State (9-1), Boise State (7-2), Utah State (7-3), Air Force (7-2), Nevada (6-3)
Pac 12 (6)--Oregon (9-1), Arizona State (8-1), UCLA (8-2), USC (6-3), Arizona (7-2), Utah (6-3),
$EC (8)--Missouri (7-2), Georgia (7-2), Mississippi State (9-0), Alabama (8-1), Ole Miss (8-2), Auburn (7-2), LSU (7-3), Texas A&M (7-3)
Sun Belt (2)—Louisiana-Lafayette (6-3), Arkansas State (6-3)

Teams projected bowl-eligible (26)
AAC (4)--UCF (5-3, proj 8-4), Cincinnati (5-3, proj 8-4), Houston (5-4, proj 7-5), Temple (5-4, proj 7-5)
ACC (3)--North Carolina State (5-5, proj 6-6), North Carolina (4-5, proj 6-6), Virginia Tech (4-5, proj 6-6)
Big 12 (1)—Texas (5-5, proj 6-6)
Big Ten (2)--Penn State (5-4, proj 7-5), Rutgers (5-4, proj 6-6)
C-USA (4)--Middle Tennessee (5-4, proj 7-5), UAB (5-5, proj 6-6), Western Kentucky (4-5, proj 6-6), UTEP (5-4, proj 7-5)
Independent (2)--BYU (5-4, proj 7-5, Miami Beach Bowl), Navy (4-5, proj 6-6, Poinsettia Bowl)
MAC (2)--Ohio (5-5, proj 6-6), Akron (4-5, proj 7-5)
MWC (1)--San Diego State (5-4, proj 7-5)
Pac 12 (3)--Stanford (5-4, proj 7-5), California (5-4, proj 6-6), Washington (6-3, proj 8-5)
$EC (2)--Florida (5-3, proj 7-4), Tennessee (4-5, proj 7-5)
Sun Belt (2)--Texas State (5-4, proj 6-6), South Alabama (5-4, proj 6-6)

Teams projected not bowl-eligible (24)
AAC (2)--USF (3-6, proj 4-8), Tulane (3-6, proj 3-9)
ACC (2)--Pittsburgh (4-5, proj 5-7), Virginia (4-6, proj 4-8)
Big 12 (3)--Oklahoma State (5-4, proj 5-7), Texas Tech (3-6, proj 3-9), Kansas (3-6, proj 3-9)
Big Ten (4)--Michigan (5-5, proj 5-7), Indiana (3-6, proj 4-8), Northwestern (3-6, proj 4-8), Illinois (4-5, proj 4-8)
C-USA (1)--North Texas (3-6, proj 4-8)
Independent (1)--Army (3-6, two FCS teams on schedule, proj 3-9, Armed Forces Bowl bid projected open)
MAC (2)--Buffalo (3-6, proj 4-8), Ball State (3-6, proj 5-7)
MWC (4)--Wyoming (4-6, proj 4-8), New Mexico (3-6, proj 4-8), San Jose State (3-6, proj 4-8), Fresno State (4-6, proj 5-7)
Pac 12 (1)--Oregon State (4-5, proj 4-8)
$EC (3)--Kentucky (5-5, proj 5-7), South Carolina (4-5, proj 5-7), Arkansas (4-5, proj 4-8)
Sun Belt (1)--ULM (3-6, proj 4-8),

Teams already eliminated (27)
AAC (3)--Tulsa (2-7), Connecticut (2-7), SMU (0-8)
ACC (2)—Syracuse (3-7), Wake Forest (2-7)
Big 12 (1)—Iowa State (2-7)
Big Ten (1)—Purdue (3-7)
C-USA (5)--Old Dominion (4-6, FBS Transition), Florida Atlantic (3-7), Florida International (3-7), UTSA (2-7), Southern Miss (3-7)
Independent (0)
MAC (4)--Massachusetts (2-7), Miami OH (2-8), Kent State (1-8), Eastern Michigan (2-7)
MWC (2)--Hawai'i (2-8), UNLV (2-8)
Pac 12 (2)--Washington State (3-7), Colorado (2-8)
$EC (1)—Vanderbilt (3-7)
Sun Belt (6)—Georgia Southern* (8-2, can only be selected as a transitional FBS member if fewer than 76 other teams qualify), Appalachian State (4-5, FBS Transition), Troy (2-8), New Mexico State (2-8), Idaho (1-8), Georgia State (1-9)

Projected conference champions or championship game matchups
AAC--Memphis (projected 9-3, 7-1); 3 teams projected tied with 6-2 conference record
ACC--Florida State (projected 12-0, 8-0) vs Duke (projected 11-1, 7-1)
Big 12—Baylor (projected 11-1, 8-1); projected tied with TCU (also projected 11-1, 8-1), but Baylor holds the head-to-head tiebreaker
Big Ten--Ohio State (projected 11-1, 8-0) vs Wisconsin (projected 10-2, 7-1)
C-USA--Marshall (projected 12-0, 8-0) vs Louisiana Tech (projected 9-3, 8-0)
MAC—Bowling Green (projected 8-4, 6-2) vs Toledo (projected 9-3, 8-0)
MWC--Boise State (projected 10-2, 7-1) vs Nevada (projected 9-3, 6-2)
Pac 12--Oregon (clinched Pac 12 North, projected 11-1, 8-1) vs Arizona State (projected 11-1, 8-1)
$EC—Alabama (projected 11-1, 7-1) vs Georgia (projected 10-2, 6-2)
Sun Belt--Georgia Southern (projected 10-2, 8-0) and ULL (projected 9-3, 8-0) projected co-champions

[champion110]

It's not always "playing up" to play a P5 team.

No, but it is good for name recognition for some ignorant N. Louisiana people that just know names and not teams.

[dawg80]

Not as long as Ken Antee , the NLU sensation, is on the board.

Ken Antee was the referee for last night's Bama-LSU game.

[DogsWin]

Thanks RC. This time of the season your information is very helpful. 77 teams projected available for 76 slots.

It sure is refreshing to be able to sit back and KNOW that one of the 76 slots will be Louisiana Tech and we still have two more games on the regular season schedule.

[ChipDog]

This "Hatfields vs McCoys" relationship that LA Tech fans share with the Indy Bowl is just never going to end, is it?

Oh, I'm fairly certain that the imminent bankruptcy of the I-bowl will end it.

[boxerdog]

Ken Antee was the referee for last night's Bama-LSU game.

He was a white hat last night, but not for that game.

[Russdawg]

He was a white hat last night, but not for that game.

Yep, heard his calls in another game while driving last night.