Brett McMurphy says North Texas Lock for NOLA

Eagleisland · November 30, 2017

9 hours ago, Travis said:

Damn. I was really wanting to see them live.

What would be stopping you? Do you have weekend' off?

GRN-WHT · November 30, 2017

So people on here complain that we don't play P5s in Denton.

Complain that we cancel the Army series to play a lesser opponent in Liberty.

Complain about the yearly FCS game.

But when we have a 9 win season and have the opportunity to play a P5 in a bowl, we say we'd rather play a lesser Sun Belt team?

Come on. Give me a P5 game any day of the week.

Harry · November 30, 2017

McMurphy has updated his projections to show us playing Troy University in the New Orleans Bowl.

Cerebus · November 30, 2017

Fox4 just had a story highlighting that North Texas is looking for their first ten win season in 4 decades.

10 wins is a big number, we need to do anything we can to get there.

TheReal_jayD · November 30, 2017

I don't think alot of people on here understand how the bowl selection process works.

Harry · November 30, 2017

Just a reminder, Troy beat LSU this season and is 9-2 heading into the Belt championship game against Ark State. This will not be an easy game folks.

Mean_Green09 · November 30, 2017

5 minutes ago, Harry said:

McMurphy has updated his projections to show us playing Troy University in the New Orleans Bowl.

If we did play Troy, then right now Vegas would most likely have Troy a 4 to 5 point favorite.

Green Lantern · November 30, 2017

5 minutes ago, TheReal_jayD said:

I don't think alot of people on here understand how the bowl selection process works.

This is painfully evident.

MeanGreenTexan · November 30, 2017

A couple of observations from this thread:
1. It is too early to be booking hotels. May want to wait until Sunday evening (just 3 days) to do that.
2. I keep seeing arguments from folks about the NO Bowl being a better chance for a win... You sure about that? We're getting the SBC champs, and they (whoever they are) will be extremely motivated to beat the C-USA Champs or runner-ups.
3. I keep seeing arguments from folks about P5 teams being a higher probability for a loss. I actually think a team we would see in the HoD or Independence Bowl will be on-par with the SBC champs.
4. I keep seeing arguments about FSU wanting to stay in FL. Who cares? They'll go where they're told. They're literally backing into a bowl birth. They will have absolutely no say and will undoubtedly be the very last ACC school placed in a bowl... and guess which bowl is at the bottom of the ACC's list? That is, unless their new coach refuses a bowl, a-la Tom Herman last year.

UNTcrazy727 · November 30, 2017

13 minutes ago, TheReal_jayD said:

I don't think alot of people on here understand how the bowl selection process works.

I just want to be sure we're not telling the HoD Bowl no. If they don't want us, fine...I guess they don't like selling tickets. I actually think the NOLA Bowl might be the best fit overall if the HoD Bowl doesn't want us.

CaribbeanGreen · November 30, 2017

6 minutes ago, Harry said:

Just a reminder, Troy beat LSU this season and is 9-2 heading into the Belt championship game against Ark State. This will not be an easy game folks.

Yup. We'll be an underdog. They're good. They have a hot coach. This is why - though I completely understand the whole "let's get to 10" argument - I don't feel like it applies here. I'm not even married to the P5 thing, I'd rather have a more name G5 from ANY other conference than the SBC... when that SBC team is actually good and we'd be an underdog to them? That just feels like no win worst case scenario to me.

I hope Cerebus is right and we get the win on Saturday and head to Shreveport. Problem solved if that's the case.

Personally I just can't get past the fact that I can't find a single positive to NOLA besides "hey, it's a cool town".... I feel like if any of us had heard before the season that: We're gonna have this magical run, go undefeated at home, win 9 regular season games, have our biggest worry be SL getting hired away, and win CUSA West... and oh, by the way, we'll be in the very first bowl game playing a Sun Belt team... there's just ZERO chance anyone would see that as anything but a massive disappointment. "Cool town" just isn't enough for me. We had plenty of "cool town" time with sub-.500 DD teams.

Hunter Green · November 30, 2017

42 minutes ago, Cerebus said:

Getting to ten wins will help us in recruiting. It's a milestone number. If you want to see recruiting take a big jump, get us to ten wins.

If we can beat FAU then we'll probably end up in the Indy bowl playing a P5. If we don't then we'll have no chance to play a p5.

So if we lose to FAU then I am perfectly fine with going to a great city and getting a tenth win.

If we beat FAU then I want a shot at a P5.

Couldn't agree more.

oldguystudent · November 30, 2017

I didn't realize the NOLA bowl was so early. I could feasibly make that game as opposed to any other bowls later in December, so I guess that part is good for selfish me.

Ben Gooding · November 30, 2017

27 minutes ago, TheReal_jayD said:

I don't think alot of people on here understand how the bowl selection process works.

I think you underestimate people's intelligence.

It's quite clear how it is working for North Texas in 2017...Back door negotiating. Let's just thank God Liberty isn't bowl eligible, we'd probably be playing them...on the east coast somewhere.

TheColonyEagle · November 30, 2017

41 minutes ago, Cerebus said:

Fox4 just had a story highlighting that North Texas is looking for their first ten win season in 4 decades.

10 wins is a big number, we need to do anything we can to get there.

Agree....

There are a lot easier opponents to play that help us get to 10 wins than Troy.

I'll add......if you're in your office on Monday after the game and we lose, and you're talking to a coworker about the game...and you find yourself telling your coworker: "hey! Troy's really good though!" We've lost the battle.

That's not good for our program....If we lose to Troy in the first bowl of the season...that statement will be said a bunch around offices. That's what happens when you play a really good team that doesn't have the perception of being a really good team. It's a lose-lose.

Edited November 30, 2017 by TheColonyEagle

PlummMeanGreen · November 30, 2017

9 hours ago, SouthBendGreen said:

Sorry....this is a TERRIBLE outcome for, at worst, the second best team in CUSA. Justify all you want this bowl, but the perception and optics in the college landscape are bad. I hope this is wrong.

And if this is the best bowl the, at worst, second best team in CUSA can garner then my man Wren's top priority needs to be get us out of CUSA ASAP!!!!

We be on the same page, bro'! 👍👍

But at the moment & even in a very changing NCAA re-alignment climate just where do we go?

Wherever we go our attendance will be looked upon as a key criteria & another reason we should set filling the Wing Zone as a top priority for the 2018 season. Wren's Familly Plan For 4 is a great vehicle to do that & they'd have from now until next Fall to begin working on it & fulfilling the objective.

GMG!

Edited November 30, 2017 by PlummMeanGreen

Ben Gooding · November 30, 2017

2 minutes ago, PlummMeanGreen said:

We be on the same page, bro'! 👍👍

But at the moment & even in a very changing NCAA re-alignment climate. Where do we go? Wherever we go our attendance will be looked upon as a key criteria & another reason we should set filling the Wing Zone as a top priority for the 2018 season.

GMG!

Go Indy and just play only Texas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, and Arkansas schools. Be the trend setter for once in UNT's athletic life.

GrandGreen · November 30, 2017

47 minutes ago, Harry said:

Just a reminder, Troy beat LSU this season and is 9-2 heading into the Belt championship game against Ark State. This will not be an easy game folks.

Actually the Sun Belt representative is likely to be the toughest matchup NT could draw. All those dreaming of a Tech or UT match are totally ignoring that those teams have less interest in playing a G5 team than some NT fans have of playing a lowly Belt team.

1 hour ago, Mean Green Matt said:

This is about having a pretty solid team and wanting the opportunity for that team to get us maximum national exposure. Beating Florida State in Shreveport is a heck of a lot better than whoever Arkansas State is in New Orleans. If we get sent there against our will, fine. I'm worried NO is what we are requesting.

Why not wish for the Rose Bowl? Funny, that so many of NT fans think the choice for NT is between the NO Bowl and some dream matchup with a bottom level P5 which there is little chance of.

The HOD bowl was exchanged with the Armed Service Bowl because they did not want a CUSA team. Is it remotely possible that they would love to change their mind, now that NT is a 9-3 team and they know NT would bring a big crowd. Yes, but certainly not likely. The Shreveport bowl is a long shot at best.

Edited November 30, 2017 by GrandGreen

UNTMike81 · November 30, 2017

Again...If UNT plays in NO Bowl no matter if we win against FAU or not. Then our AD department and C-USA have all bought into the last 100 yrs. of UNT System, Athletic department setting a standard of accepting low expectations!!!

All of us on the forum should dam well better accept that UNT is just a music school pissing in the "athletic world" wind if the above is the case. Then how will our athletic department reasonably be able to request someone with deep pockets and ties to UNT to ever donate a dime to the athletics department!! I guess some wealthy folks just need a right off pretty darn bad!

I can guarantee that Seth Littrell will leave as soon as he has a reasonable offer to get as far away from UNT as possible!! Maybe I don't know how the bowl system selects schools to the bowls each year, but I can assure you how going the the NO Bowl will affect keeping Coach Littrel and the majority of this staff here in Denton.

As a fan of UNT Athletics if you expect me to support a great way to let another P5 school take our coach way ie as easy as stealing a child's lunch money. Then count me out.

It's very slick of some snake oil salesman on the board to try to pawn this decision to play in NO Bowl off "Oh, the football players would enjoy going to the NO Bowl"!!! Why insult the intelligence of the UNT Football team!!!

On top of that how would our UNT coaching staff be able to recruit any future player to UNT. That would be like telling the parents of a UNT recruit. Once your son is on the UNT football team the coaching staff and UNT administration is going to treat them like blithering "idots"!!!! And dammit your son's going to enjoy it!!! By saying to the UNT alumni and athletic supporters "Oh, the players have decided they want to take a trip to NO". Our football players are passing up an opportunity to play a P5 school just so the UNT coaching staff, athletic department can get to "10 Wins". Give me a break. I'm in the sales profession and if this is the only thing I have to sell then I'd change careers. I have to be able to sleep at night. I guess some on our forum can survive without a wink of shut eye!!

Go Mean Green!!! Our football team certainly deserves better than the NO bowl playing a Sunbelt team. Way to go C-USA!!!

Christopher Walker · November 30, 2017

10 hours ago, Harry said:

Positives:

1). Great trip for the players, awesome town to party in for the fans. Believe me, I've been 4 times. It's a blast.

2). Saturday game means more fans can get to game; don't have to miss work

3). Earlier start date means we will be one of the first games people can watch after the season

4). You can get really good deals on nice hotels as it is a slow time of the season

5). Easy cheap flight in on SWA or you can even drive

1 big ‘ol negative: most of UNT’s December graduation ceremonies will be at the same time.

PlummMeanGreen · November 30, 2017

6 minutes ago, Ben Gooding said:

Go Indy and just play only Texas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, and Arkansas schools. Be the trend setter for once in UNT's athletic life.

Remind me, but what is BYU doing with their football plans for the future.

Want a good game for Apogee? Book BYU--lots of Mormons in DFW.

MeanGreenTexan · November 30, 2017

35 minutes ago, TheReal_jayD said:

I don't think alot of people on here understand how the bowl selection process works.

Of course.
But a lot of people do.
Several moving parts consisting of the actual team's desire, Bowl game committee's desire, Conference's desire, & ESPN/TV networks' desire.

Lots of negotiating to be done... and Wren will have only a few hours after winning the C-USA Championship to negotiate with all parties to get NT to Shreveport (I'm certain C-USA will be on board)... Just gotta get ESPN & Independence Bowl on board (and we at least know Independence Bowl is interested). Go hard with the "Conference Champion" tag & ESPN will also get on board.

Lose the C-USA Championship, and yeah, we're likely looking at NO or NM, which is a shame, because we likely could have had either of those bowls with with a 3rd/4th/5th place finish in C-USA.

Independence Bowl is not far-fetched. I would actually say it's even more reasonable than HoD. HoD committee will no-doubt lobby for UNT (ticket sales, butts in seats), but there are 3 other factors for them to deal with... mainly the Big10 & Big12 conferences who have tie-ins there, and eligible teams to fill their slots. I'm also getting the sense that NT would rather play somewhere else, so that's 2 strikes against HoD already.
SEC probably wont have a team to place in Independence Bowl to fulfill their contract.

Harry · November 30, 2017

Here's another valid thought that was shared with me from a fan...

This is one of our best teams we have had and it has been an awesome season BUT, are we ready to take on a p5 like Texas Tech, K-State or Texas?

Sure the atmosphere and crowd would be amazing... but aren't we still a couple years away from being a p5 killer? What if they lay 60 on us like FAU did?

I am talking specifically about the lines, front seven, depth... we need to recruit our ass off in those areas. Recruiting would be easier with a 10-win squad that just won a bowl game. I understand that some are disappointed but I ask that you look at the long term picture here. Believe me, if Wren and Seth etc felt that taking on a p5 team at this point in the rebuild was in our best interest I imaging they would be doing everything in their power to make that happen.

shaft · November 30, 2017

8 hours ago, unt_rocket09 said:

You can get a spot on a hostel for like $35. Anyone done this?

Yes. In 2003. The neighborhood is not as stecky as it was and there is now the Canal Street Car line.

I would wait and see what the University puts together for a student plan. In the past they done a charter bus, game ticket, and hotel share for cheap.

CaribbeanGreen · November 30, 2017

1 minute ago, Harry said:

Here's another valid thought that was shared with me from a fan...

Are we reay to take on a p5 like Texas Tech, K-State or Texas?

Sure the atmosphere and crowd would be amazing... but aren't we still a couple years away from being a p5 killer?

I am talking specifically about the lines, front seven, depth... we need to recruit our ass off in those areas. Recruiting would be easier with a 10-win squad that just won a bowl game. I understand that some are disappointed but I ask that you look at the long term picture here. Believe me, if Wren and Seth etc felt that taking on a p5 team at this point in the rebuild was in our best interest I imaging they would be doing everything in their power to make that happen.

I feel what you're saying, and straight up in week 1 or 2 I don't disagree.... but you get Tech or Texas in a bowl game this year and you have all the momentum and capital on your side. Everything to gain, very little to lose against a very possibly somewhat disinterested P5, bitter about having to play us and ready to pack it in.

Again, i get the 10 win argument... but i also suggest a motivated Troy squad is not just at the opposite end of the spectrum perception wise; they also might be as tough or an even tougher matchup than a middling P5. Plus, that "Everything to gain and very little to lose" scenario? That completely flips upside down against Troy.