Let's Talk About the New Orleans Bowl

shaft · November 28, 2017

This forum seems pretty divided on the topic. But the folks complaining about this possible bowl match up don't seem to get this isn't the same New Orleans bowl we last attended 13 years ago.

First of all the game is on a Saturday, not a Tuesday like the original NO bowls.

Second, the Super Dome has had major renovations.

Third, this going to the same bowl 4 years in a row.

Fourth, the Sun Belt is a better conference this season than it used to be. Troy beat LSU.

Fifth, this isn't the 2004 game. The 2004 game sucked and left a bad taste in a lot of fans minds. Fans were experience bowl fatigue of having made the same mid-week trip, four years in a row, to watch and uninspired non-competitive game in an unseasonably cold environment.

2017 UNT is not 2001-2014 UNT.

mgfan · November 28, 2017

At this point I would be happy with just about any but except the New Mexico bowl.

Please no New Mexico bowl.

Eagleisland · November 28, 2017

I would be happy about any bowl except a repeat of the Army game. Personally, I attended all 4 New Orleans Bowl games and have fond memories of the experience. I would be glad to go back there as well as most of the other bowls mentioned as possibilities except the Boca Raton Bowl.

Wag Tag · November 28, 2017

NO SUNBELT TEAMS!!!!!!!!! Please...

Green Lantern · November 28, 2017

This would be a great out of town Bowl for the current students to attend. Such a fun city. Opportunity to potentially connect a future generation of new long term fans.

Matchup with Troy would be strong. They’re good this year.

MeanMag · November 28, 2017

I don't mind the bowl, but if there are any 2 teams playing a BCS conference opponent, we should be one of them, regardless of where the bowl is. We have played Troy before. I want someone new.

Marty · November 28, 2017

I wasn't able to attend any of the New Orleans Bowl games during the DD era but would probably go this time. Not too excited about a Sunbelt team though. Personally would prefer the Independence Bowl or HoD Bowl. Maybe even New Mexico since I have relatives in that area.

GMG_Dallas · November 28, 2017

Sooooo... You want to have possibly the best season in program history and then play a sun belt team in a bowl game? We can get that bowl at 6-6 or 7-5. Let's play somebody with name recognition. Y'all are excited about the NO bowl because it's a fun trip but this is about the football team so put your personal reasons aside. We need to distance our conference from the Sun Belt but we can't do that if we're having a division champ and possibly conference champ play them. And those saying Troy is a good matchup because they beat LSU, they lost to 4-7 USA a week later. It's still the Sun Belt and beating them does nothing for the program.

Cr1028 · November 28, 2017

The New Orleans Bowl would cost us practice time. https://www.google.com/amp/www.nj.com/articles/14667060/debunking_the_15-bowl_practice_myth.amp

Beating Troy doesn’t help us much but getting beat by Troy hurts us. Losing to a P5 doesn’t hurt us but if we beat one it helps us tremendously.

Id prefer a different bowl for the most benefit to the future of the program. Long term play over short term bourbon street good time.

Green Lantern · November 28, 2017

21 minutes ago, GMG_Dallas said:

Sooooo... You want to have possibly the best season in program history and then play a sun belt team in a bowl game? We can get that bowl at 6-6 or 7-5. Let's play somebody with name recognition. Y'all are excited about the NO bowl because it's a fun trip but this is about the football team so put your personal reasons aside. We need to distance our conference from the Sun Belt but we can't do that if we're having a division champ and possibly conference champ play them. And those saying Troy is a good matchup because they beat LSU, they lost to 4-7 USA a week later. It's still the Sun Belt and beating them does nothing for the program.

They’re getting votes in AP and Coaches Poll for Top 25. Not sure how that constitutes a setback as a matchup. They’re good.

Also, newsflash for everyone here, almost all G5 Bowl games don’t really matter on the national front. CUSA, MAC, SunBelt, MWC, AAC are all have nots. They matter to the fans of those programs and other G5 schools. Fans of G5 programs know who quality peer opponents are. Teams we’ve been projected against like Troy, SDSU, and Fresno are all rated above North Texas currently and would constitute as a good win in a bowl.

Looking at how many teams qualified for bowls this year, I don’t know that there are likely to be P5 matchups to be had for teams like us. If in the off chance there are, of course prioritize those.

Wag Tag · November 28, 2017

3 minutes ago, Green Lantern said:

They’re getting votes in AP and Coaches Poll for Top 25. Not sure how that constitutes a setback as a matchup. They’re good.

Also, newsflash for everyone here, almost all G5 Bowl games don’t really matter on the national front. CUSA, MAC, SunBelt, MWC, AAC are all have nots. They matter to the fans of those programs and other G5 schools. Fans of G5 programs know who quality peer opponents are. Teams we’ve been projected against like Troy, SDSU, and Fresno are all rated above North Texas currently and would constitute as a good win in a bowl.

Looking at how many teams qualified for bowls this year, I don’t know that there are likely to be P5 matchups to be had for teams like us. If in the off chance there are, of course prioritize those.

NM match up with SDSU, Fresno, or CSU would be great!

GMG_Dallas · November 28, 2017

2 minutes ago, Green Lantern said:

They’re getting votes in AP and Coaches Poll for Top 25. Not sure how that constitutes a setback as a matchup. They’re good.

Also, newsflash for everyone here, almost all G5 Bowl games don’t really matter on the national front. CUSA, MAC, SunBelt, MWC, AAC are all have nots. They matter to the fans of those programs and other G5 schools. Fans of G5 programs know who quality peer opponents are. Teams we’ve been projected against like Troy, SDSU, and Fresno are all rated above North Texas currently and would constitute as a good win in a bowl.

Looking at how many teams qualified for bowls this year, I don’t know that there are likely to be P5 matchups to be had for teams like us. If in the off chance there are, of course prioritize those.

Cool. Let's build on our brand by playing a sun belt team because our small fan base cares and they know football. We need wins against quality opponents to attract attention of: a) disassociated alum, b) dfw, c) national scene, d) recruits. I'm fine with SDSU or Fresno. Their conference has recognition and has for a while. Troy has it this year because they beat LSU but in less than 5 years it wouldn't be a memorable win. I don't care about the opponent as much as the conference unless that opponent is a perennial power. We need to up the conference's image and a win against troy does not do that.

GMG_Dallas · November 28, 2017

4 minutes ago, Wag Tag said:

NM match up with SDSU, Fresno, or CSU would be great!

Agreed.

Side Show Joe · November 28, 2017

1 hour ago, shaft said:

This forum seems pretty divided on the topic. But the folks complaining about this possible bowl match up don't seem to get this isn't the same New Orleans bowl we last attended 13 years ago.

First of all the game is on a Saturday, not a Tuesday like the original NO bowls.

Second, the Super Dome has had major renovations.

Third, this going to the same bowl 4 years in a row.

Fourth, the Sun Belt is a better conference this season than it used to be. Troy beat LSU.

Fifth, this isn't the 2004 game. The 2004 game sucked and left a bad taste in a lot of fans minds. Fans were experience bowl fatigue of having made the same mid-week trip, four years in a row, to watch and uninspired non-competitive game in an unseasonably cold environment.

2017 UNT is not 2001-2014 UNT.

If we go and play a Sun Belt team in the NO Bowl, it will look very much like the early 2000's. I'd hope those in charge at UNT and most on here would aspire to more then this. I'll say it again.. I will not go.

Harry · November 28, 2017

4 minutes ago, Side Show Joe said:

If we go and play a Sun Belt team in the NO Bowl, it will look very much like the early 2000's. I'd hope those in charge at UNT and most on here would aspire to more then this. I'll say it again.. I will not go.

Come on Joe, you don't mean that... you're too good of a fan. Of course there would be disappointment but we still have to support this team.

Keep in mind, we would get similar responses from Tech fans upon learning they would be playing us as well.

Green Lantern · November 28, 2017

4 minutes ago, GMG_Dallas said:

Cool. Let's build on our brand by playing a sun belt team because our small fan base cares and they know football. We need wins against quality opponents to attract attention of: a) disassociated alum, b) dfw, c) national scene, d) recruits. I'm fine with SDSU or Fresno. Their conference has recognition and has for a while. Troy has it this year because they beat LSU but in less than 5 years it wouldn't be a memorable win. I don't care about the opponent as much as the conference unless that opponent is a perennial power. We need to up the conference's image and a win against troy does not do that.

So, you chose not to read the last paragraph of what I wrote?

I’d be cool with SDSU or Fresno in NM. Would be a fun weekend and quality football matchups. So would Troy in NO. All would be good wins for our program. Just see more students and alumni being willing to travel to New Orleans creating a better overall experience.

Conferemce affilliation In G5 matters little anymore. It’s all just a jumble. You’re either P5 or not.

GMG_Dallas · November 28, 2017

I did read it which is why I mentioned Fresno and sdsu. I guess I'll just have to respectfully disagrees that G5 affiliations don't matter. AAC and Mountain West are respected conferences which is evidenced by the fact that they tend to have teams ranked in the top 25 every year. They got that way by having teams beat P5s regularly in either bowls or regular season. We can't get to their recognition by playing a sun belt team in a bowl. It just won't happen. @Green Lantern

Edited November 28, 2017 by GMG_Dallas

Green Lantern · November 28, 2017

13 minutes ago, GMG_Dallas said:

I did read it which is why I mentioned Fresno and sdsu. I guess I'll just have to respectfully disagrees that G5 affiliations don't matter. AAC and Mountain West are respected conferences which is evidenced by the fact that they tend to have teams ranked in the top 25 every year. They got that way by having teams beat P5s regularly in either bowls or regular season. We can't get to their recognition by playing a sun belt team in a bowl. It just won't happen. @Green Lantern

That’s cool. I just feel like in the past 5-8 years the gap has widened so much between P5 and G5 that squabbling between the have nots is kinda silly at this point.

Either way it’s awesome that we’re all on here talking about bowls for the second year in a row. I can get used to this!

Matt from A700 · November 28, 2017

Say NO

to

N.O.!!

UNTLifer · November 28, 2017

NOLA is a crap hole. Used to love going there until about 2 years ago. Went to a work conference there in 2015 and Bourbon Street is a scam artist's nirvana.

NM Green · November 28, 2017

We need the best matchup possible. We need to be fearless like tcu was when they took on usc and Wisconsin I believe on their way up. They have had gut wrenching losses and took their lumps and look at them now. We may get creamed by a p5 in our bowl and this weekend in boca, but we will learn from the tough competition and grow. By the way Troy may be from the sun belt but they are tough competition. Our guys are going to have to bring it whoever we play. All the bowl teams are going to be solid and definitely more solid than UNLV was in ‘13.

GMG

SouthBendGreen · November 28, 2017

2 hours ago, GMG_Dallas said:

Sooooo... You want to have possibly the best season in program history and then play a sun belt team in a bowl game? We can get that bowl at 6-6 or 7-5. Let's play somebody with name recognition. Y'all are excited about the NO bowl because it's a fun trip but this is about the football team so put your personal reasons aside. We need to distance our conference from the Sun Belt but we can't do that if we're having a division champ and possibly conference champ play them. And those saying Troy is a good matchup because they beat LSU, they lost to 4-7 USA a week later. It's still the Sun Belt and beating them does nothing for the program.

This!!!

I've been blown away over the last few weeks of bowl talk and why we don't want any bowl but the Independence bowl! Of all of our conference bowl possibilities this bowl by a million miles has the best legacy and it's not even close.

we should only want the Independence bowl and nothing else!

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Independence_Bowl

And yes there is value in playing a P5 over a G5 for sure no army again!

KingDL1 · November 28, 2017

I just want a later bowl. New Orleans can be fun but it is too early for me.

Texas Stranger · November 28, 2017

Bad date slot (too early) and SBC opponent. No...unless we were in a situation like last year and happy to get anywhere. There should be much better options this year (and next).