Bowl Projections Update

GreenTexan13 · October 25, 2016

Here's an update in bowl projections from a couple sources outside ESPN. Let's keep winning!

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2671469-college-football-playoff-standings-2016-week-9-rankings-bowl-game-projections

Bahamas Bowl

Dec. 23

North Texas (4-3) vs. Eastern Michigan (5-3)

http://heavy.com/sports/2016/10/college-football-bowl-projections-2016-cfb-ncaa-bowl-games-schedule-predictions-latest-playoff-teams-conferences-sec-big-ten-acc-big-12-pac-12/

Zaxby’s Heart of Dallas Bowl
Iowa vs. North Texas Cotton Bowl Stadium
Dallas, TX Noon ESPN

MeanGreenTexan · October 25, 2016

Now wouldn't this be something?

Zaxby’s Heart of Dallas Bowl
Iowa vs. North Texas Cotton Bowl Stadium

UNT is a VERY DIFFERENT TEAM than the one who was blasted last year @ Kinnick. Although I don't know that we would win this game, I know there would be a huge crowd there in support of the guys. It would also be a great barometer of how far we've come.

forevereagle · October 25, 2016

4 minutes ago, MeanGreenTexan said:

UNT is a VERY DIFFERENT TEAM than the one who was blasted last year @ Kinnick. Although I don't know that we would win this game, I know there would be a huge crowd there in support of the guys. It would also be a great barometer of how far we've come.

Iowa is also a very different team. Could be fun to watch.

NorthTexan95 · October 25, 2016

Ugh! More Iowa. Didn't we have enough of that for the past five years?

Aldo · October 25, 2016

5 minutes ago, MeanGreenTexan said:

Now wouldn't this be something?

Zaxby’s Heart of Dallas Bowl
Iowa vs. North Texas Cotton Bowl Stadium

UNT is a VERY DIFFERENT TEAM than the one who was blasted last year @ Kinnick. Although I don't know that we would win this game, I know there would be a huge crowd there in support of the guys. It would also be a great barometer of how far we've come.

Yes it would be something.

I would lo-ho-hove this match up.

GMG_Dallas · October 25, 2016

9 minutes ago, MeanGreenTexan said:

Now wouldn't this be something?

Zaxby’s Heart of Dallas Bowl
Iowa vs. North Texas Cotton Bowl Stadium

UNT is a VERY DIFFERENT TEAM than the one who was blasted last year @ Kinnick. Although I don't know that we would win this game, I know there would be a huge crowd there in support of the guys. It would also be a great barometer of how far we've come.

If both teams are bowl eligible, this needs to happen. It would be great to get some revenge for last season although I don't think we are there yet, there's still two month until that potential match-up...

Army of Dad · October 25, 2016

24 minutes ago, NorthTexan95 said:

Ugh! More Iowa. Didn't we have enough of that for the past five years?

Not if it involves a decent chance of us winning...

GreenTexan13 · October 25, 2016

1 hour ago, MeanGreenTexan said:

Now wouldn't this be something?

Zaxby’s Heart of Dallas Bowl
Iowa vs. North Texas Cotton Bowl Stadium

UNT is a VERY DIFFERENT TEAM than the one who was blasted last year @ Kinnick. Although I don't know that we would win this game, I know there would be a huge crowd there in support of the guys. It would also be a great barometer of how far we've come.

Idk how all this bowl stuff works really. Obviously we need 2 more wins for starters. But... I'm hoping that we can play a Big Ten team this go around if we're selected for the HOD bowl. As much as it was awesome to win against UNLV 3 years ago, they didn't bring jack squat to stadium attendance wise.

Edited October 25, 2016 by GreenTexan13

TheColonyEagle · October 25, 2016

A lot of things still have to fall in line but that HOD Bowl matchup could have 70K in attendance.....

MeanGreenTexan · October 25, 2016

7 minutes ago, Army of Dad said:

Not if it involves a decent chance of us winning...

Can you imagine winning that game?

Think Iowa would immediately try to negotiate a way out of the game for next season?

Eagle-96 · October 25, 2016

10 minutes ago, TheColonyEagle said:

A lot of things still have to fall in line but that HOD Bowl matchup could have 70K in attendance.....

The problem with that is the game this year is at 11:00 am on a Tuesday. One of the big reason's we had such a good UNT turnout last time was that the game was on New Years day. A lot of people that want to go would not be able to get the day off on such short notice.

Green Mean · October 25, 2016

Haven't seen much of Iowa football this season but would that realistically be a winnable game? I know many were disappointed to see UNLV instead of a B10 team but if we get a game that is far far winnable and/or competitive for the full 60 mins even if it's against a G5 school I might prefer that. It also leaves a much sweeter taste in our mouths especially the casual/apathetic NT alums mouths b/c we can still say we won the bowl game.

MeanGreenTexan · October 25, 2016

4 minutes ago, Eagle-96 said:

The problem with that is the game this year is at 11:00 am on a Tuesday. One of the big reason's we had such a good UNT turnout last time was that the game was on New Years day. A lot of people that want to go would not be able to get the day off on such short notice.

Short notice? Bowl Selection day is: 12/4. HoD Bowl is 12/27. That's plenty of time for most people.
People go to the bowl game not because it's convenient (although, it would be VERY convenient for most UNT fans), they go because their Alma Mater / favorite team is in a bowl game!

greenjoe · October 25, 2016

So that I understand, if we get invited to the Heart of Dallas Bowl and we win, do we get the Iowa president as well ?

Right now, just Beat UTKFC

GO MEAN GREEN

Matt from A700 · October 25, 2016

This might be the closest we get to hosting a P5 for a while... I'll take it.

Ben Gooding · October 25, 2016

1 hour ago, TheColonyEagle said:

A lot of things still have to fall in line but that HOD Bowl matchup could have 70K in attendance.....

70k with rather ease. Iowa travels very well. North Texas will bring somewhere in the area of 40-50k. Would be AWESOME publicity and an AWESOME atmosphere. I think we need 8 wins to get there though. 7 if Shreveport takes CUSA champ.

Back to a convo a few of us were having...Would we or the players prefer this scenario vs Iowa at the Cotton Bowl or play in front of 2-3k in the Bahamas vs EMU?

Edited October 25, 2016 by Ben Gooding

Army of Dad · October 25, 2016

37 minutes ago, MeanGreenTexan said:

Short notice? Bowl Selection day is: 12/4. HoD Bowl is 12/27. That's plenty of time for most people.
People go to the bowl game not because it's convenient (although, it would be VERY convenient for most UNT fans), they go because their Alma Mater / favorite team is in a bowl game!

That's just two days after Christmas and after what they did last year this Iowa team might lead their fans to not show as much for a "lesser" bowl game.

It would be a sure bet that Iowa would bring more than UNLV did, but I'd guess fewer UNT fans than last time would take a bite out of the gains.

Matt from A700 · October 25, 2016

32 minutes ago, Ben Gooding said:

70k with rather ease. Iowa travels very well. North Texas will bring somewhere in the area of 40-50k. Would be AWESOME publicity and an AWESOME atmosphere. I think we need 8 wins to get there though. 7 if Shreveport takes CUSA champ.

Back to a convo a few of us were having...Would we or the players prefer this scenario vs Iowa at the Cotton Bowl or play in front of 2-3k in the Bahamas vs EMU?

Well three years ago it was the players themselves who decided they would rather play in front of their fans and family than go to Hawaii, etc. I would expect the same this year.

greenjoe · October 25, 2016

I've never been to the Bahamas and I'd like to go. But between airfare, passports, and at least 1 night in a hotel, more fans and family will drive to Dallas. And the only thing more fun than going to a bowl game is winning a bowl game.

Beat KFC

GO MEAN GREEN

UNT Mean Green · October 25, 2016

Iowa, Indiana, Minnesota, Maryland - any of those middle of the pack Big10 teams would be a great matchup. The intrigue of Iowa with the history between institutions or Indiana with Littrell versus his old boss would both be outstanding right there in the Cotton Bowl.

MeanGreenTexan · October 25, 2016

1 hour ago, Army of Dad said:

That's just two days after Christmas and after what they did last year this Iowa team might lead their fans to not show as much for a "lesser" bowl game.

It would be a sure bet that Iowa would bring more than UNLV did, but I'd guess fewer UNT fans than last time would take a bite out of the gains.

Of course, right now, this is all fantasy, but...
I think if the bowl is announced on 12/4, and people are even slightly interested in going, it's plenty of time to make plans.
Iowa would certainly bring more fans to the Cotton Bowl than UNLV (not hard seeing as they brought maybe 1000?), but I think the UNT crowd would be just as large, if not larger, to see them play Iowa rather than UNLV.

Ben Gooding · October 25, 2016

6 minutes ago, MeanGreenTexan said:

Of course, right now, this is all fantasy, but...
I think if the bowl is announced on 12/4, and people are even slightly interested in going, it's plenty of time to make plans.
Iowa would certainly bring more fans to the Cotton Bowl than UNLV (not hard seeing as they brought maybe 1000?), but I think the UNT crowd would be just as large, if not larger, to see them play Iowa rather than UNLV.

This seems logical and would probably happen.

golfingomez · October 25, 2016

what we have working for us is the fact that we had an awesome turnout last time around.

if you were to ask the HOD selection committee, they would love to have our 40K+ back in the stadium, so if we are within range to play, they will be trying to snag us,.

Army of Dad · October 25, 2016

15 minutes ago, MeanGreenTexan said:

Of course, right now, this is all fantasy, but...
I think if the bowl is announced on 12/4, and people are even slightly interested in going, it's plenty of time to make plans.
Iowa would certainly bring more fans to the Cotton Bowl than UNLV (not hard seeing as they brought maybe 1000?), but I think the UNT crowd would be just as large, if not larger, to see them play Iowa rather than UNLV.

Certainly possible, I just think the new timing of the HOD Bowl will suppress attendance.

Cerebus · October 25, 2016

9 minutes ago, golfingomez said:

if you were to ask the HOD selection committee, they would love to have our 40K+ back in the stadium, so if we are within range to play, they will be trying to snag us,.

In CUSA the champion picks his bowl game. Then the remaining bowl eligible teams coordinate with the league office and the bowl committees to decide who goes were.

This year the teams most likely to win the championship (LaTech, WKU, MTSU) would all want to play a B10 team in the HoD. So if we want to play in that game we had better win the championship, otherwise it's probably the New Mexico Bowl.

ETA: If the Indy bowl become open and an attractive ACC/SEC team is there, they might choose that instead.