NMSU could decline a bowl if eligible

GreenTexan13 · November 17, 2017

https://www.yahoo.com/sports/new-mexico-state-decline-bowl-gets-eligible-152914804.html

An interesting read, I never thought about how a school might have to decline a bowl because it is to expensive..

This is a Sun Belt team too

Edited November 17, 2017 by GreenTexan13

chrisfisher · November 17, 2017

What a killer for recruiting that would be.

MeanGreenTexan · November 17, 2017

If this plays out, and they decline a bowl due to cost, they need to just admit what's happening and drop down.

GTWT · November 17, 2017

But the fact that we’re simply talking about a team that could make its first bowl appearance in 57 years having to skip a trip because of the expenses involved

It's been 57 years since NMSU has been to a bowl? That makes me feel much better about UNT's history in bowls.

meangreenlax · November 17, 2017

They just need to stop pretending and drop down.

Also, to me this is just a sign that the FBS is broken, and something needs to change. Either the herd (in terms of bowls and teams) needs thinning, or they need to put an emphasis on regional bowls to control costs.

letsgiveacheer · November 17, 2017

18 minutes ago, GTWT said:

It's been 57 years since NMSU has been to a bowl? That makes me feel much better about UNT's history in bowls.

Until the Sun Belt bowl run came along, we could almost say the same. Our only major bowl appearance was in 1959 against none other than NMSU.

greenjoe · November 17, 2017

Regional conferences. Regional bowls.

Win.

GO MEAN GREEN

oldguystudent · November 17, 2017

Aren't they getting kicked out of the Sun Belt after this year with Idaho?

SAGreenFan · November 18, 2017

2 hours ago, oldguystudent said:

Aren't they getting kicked out of the Sun Belt after this year with Idaho?

Yeah, but they were trying to go independent. Idaho is dropping down, but a lot of their natural rivals in virtually every single sport are in the Big Sky Conference. I'm not sure where the rest of NMSU's teams are, I think they're still in the WAC with little to no rivals. If football drops down too, do they join the Big Sky as full members? I can't see them surviving as an independent FBS school if they can't afford to travel to a bowl.

Edited November 18, 2017 by SAGreenFan

wardly · November 18, 2017

Idaho has a home to go to, back to the Big Sky. NMSU does not, and administration projects that it would cost them $1,000,000 per year to drop down to 1aa.They are in a tough spot. New Mexico doesn't want them in the MWC, and UTEP doesn't want them in CUSA.[They beat both in football this year]. There are no 1aa conferences that have any openings or interest in the Aggies. One course of action is to drop football altogether, but they estimate that would cost them more in donations that they lose in football. Their only hope to save their football program is to hang around another 5 years when major t.v. contracts expire and P 5 conferences reconfigure. At that point the G 5 schools will have less t.v. money that they do now,which is next to nothing.College football for G 5's becomes a gate revenue sport, and with less revenue coming is they are going to look at expenses very hard, thus the push for regional conferences. I don't see how that helps NMSU, as they bring little to the table.

southsideguy · November 18, 2017

doesn't the bowl payout cover the expenses of the team? never mind I do recall that a few teams in the past have bought themselves in bowl game by promising to buy so many tickets. I guess we home for the armed forces, Frisco or the my least favorite HOD. The giant stadium that makes our crowd look small and should have been knocked down years ago. I know some love the cotton bowl but i don't get it.

Edited November 18, 2017 by southsideguy

oldguystudent · November 18, 2017

Next year, they have five home games, two bye weeks, and play Liberty twice.

SAGreenFan · November 18, 2017

12 minutes ago, oldguystudent said:

Next year, they have five home games, two bye weeks, and play Liberty twice.

Are they even eligible for post season after playing a fbs transitional team twice in the regular season (oh my god!) And have 2 byes? I know Army gets some kind of pass if they play 2 FCS teams in a OOC.

Edited November 18, 2017 by SAGreenFan

oldguystudent · November 18, 2017

Just now, SAGreenFan said:

Are they even eligible for post season after playing a fbs transitional team twice in the regular season (oh my god!) And have 2 byes?

2 games against a transitional and one FCS. I think transitional team wins count. Somebody please correct me if I'm wrong.

SAGreenFan · November 18, 2017

1 minute ago, oldguystudent said:

2 games against a transitional and one FCS. I think transitional team wins count. Somebody please correct me if I'm wrong.

But against the same traditional team?

Mean Green Matt · November 18, 2017

What does it cost to go to the bowl. Maybe 100-150k. Surely they have some donors that could step up given it's their first bowl in 60 years.

SAGreenFan · November 18, 2017

Just now, Mean Green Matt said:

What does it cost to go to the bowl. Maybe 100-150k. Surely they have some donors that could step up given it's their first bowl in 60 years.

I've got a feeling that if the Desert Aggies are invited to a bowl, they will go. I also have a feeling that it will be the end NMSU football. At least at the FBS level.

MCMLXXX · November 18, 2017

They should join the Southland Conference in all sports. Abilene Christian is closer than any school they play in the Sun Belt or any school they would play in the Big Sky. They would make the number of football schools even at 12 and basketball at 14.

shaft · November 18, 2017

If the Red Aggies are bowl eligible, how would the ABQ. Bowl pass on them?

Bowls can easily swap spots. There are going to be open P5 bowl slots so the mid-majors are going to be able to trade spots amongst each other.

UNTexas · November 18, 2017

5 hours ago, GreenTexan13 said:

https://www.yahoo.com/sports/new-mexico-state-decline-bowl-gets-eligible-152914804.html

An interesting read, I never thought about how a school might have to decline a bowl because it is to expensive..

This is a Sun Belt team too

I feel bad for their players if they have to decline. If it's such such a dire financial situation out there it makes me wonder if they need to continue playing football.

VideoEagle · November 18, 2017

While I feel sorry for NMSU, conference membership isn't exactly a new problem for them. They were admitted back into the Belt mostly because the other Belt schools wanted to throw them and Idaho a temporary lifeline. They got into the WAC with Idaho after the WAC begged us, Arky State, LaLa and I think someone else (La Mo?) to join and no one else would. The WAC took them as the only schools who would join.

When they first joined the Belt, it was after the Big West dissolved and they had no place else to go. The Belt needed another team, but neither the Belt nor NMSU thought it was a good match.

From what I've read from @Arkstfan, the two previous conferences they were in before that were because the conference involved really didn't have any other choices.

NMSU has had an under funded, poorly supported athletic department for decades. Their basketball has been good - every now and then really good - but not consistently. They have had since the 50's to try to work on this problem and haven't solved it yet.

The players on the team are the one's I really feel for as they are working their butts off and won't get any reward. This is a school problem and NOT their fault.

wardly · November 18, 2017

IF they win 6 games NMSU is projected to play in Cactus bowl. The New Mexico Bowl has CUSA vs MWC and probably won't want to switch with Sun Belt to get NMSU.In addition, UNM will do no favors for the Aggies. There are precious few athletics in the state , and the Lobos would be happy if NMSU either dropped down or out.

oldguystudent · November 18, 2017

38 minutes ago, VideoEagle said:

Their basketball has been good - every now and then really good - but not consistently.

When I was a Freshman at a Big West school in 1990, they were on one of their really good streaks. Neil McCarthy was their coach back when the Big West would pretty consistently get three or sometimes four bids to the tourney. He was one of thirteen basketball coaches to get the dreaded show cause designation. Those teams kicked the ever living snot out of us, but boy were they fun to watch (as were the early nineties Jerry Tarkanian UNLV teams)