CUSA Bowls

UNT Mean Green · November 3, 2013

That's the problem with the Liberty Bowl, you draw an SEC team. At this point in our program wouldn't we rather draw a Big 10 team and stay in Dallas?

NT03 · November 3, 2013

Texas State is eligible this year , correct ? Fran's already got them to 6 wins

meangreener · November 3, 2013

Texas State is eligible this year , correct ? Fran's already got them to 6 wins

They had a cushy OOC schedule and have already lost 2 SBC games. They'll be lucky to win another game.

Cerebus · November 3, 2013

Texas State is eligible this year , correct ? Fran's already got them to 6 wins

Yes. They are one yeah ahead of UTSA and are full FBS eligiible this season.

NT03 · November 3, 2013

Yes. They are one yeah ahead of UTSA and are full FBS eligiible this season.

Ok. For some reason I thought they had come in at same time

UNT90 · November 3, 2013

If were gong to take a start up in this conference, I wish it was Texas St and not UTSA.

Rather it had been neither.

BillySee58 · November 3, 2013

Ok. For some reason I thought they had come in at same time

They did. Both came into FBS last year. I don't know why they would be bowl eligible and UTSA wouldn't be this year. Maybe something to do with UTSA being a start up and having their first season just the year before last.

Cerebus · November 3, 2013

They did. Both came into FBS last year. I don't know why they would be bowl eligible and UTSA wouldn't be this year. Maybe something to do with UTSA being a start up and having their first season just the year before last.

TexSt started the FBS transitional paperwork a year before the UTSA.

2012: TexSt provisionally eligible, UTSA not eligible

2013: TexSt fully eligible, UTSA provisionally

2014: both fully eligible

jdennis82 · November 3, 2013

Obviously, we'll all hope to win the conference and spend New Year's Eve in Memphis but if we don't win the conference, I'm a bit torn regarding which bowl I'd prefer. I think I'd rank them as follows...

1. Heart of Dallas

- Ease/Expense of travel personally & for the team/spirit groups involved

- Higher payout for the program

- Better chance to sell out ticket allotment and avoid the athletic dept having to eat the cost

2. Military

- Chance to play against a middle of the road ACC team might be an opportunity to earn respect with a W

- Bowl trip is something these guys deserve as a reward for the season

- Bowl travel is a recruiting tool

- Dec 27 is a semi dead period and would garner more national attention

3. Beef O' Brady's

- Potential match-up with Houston?

- Bowl trip is something these guys deserve as a reward for the season

- Bowl travel is a recruiting tool

4. ~~North Texas~~ New Orleans

- A return to the cite of the season's largest disappointment to date

- A familiar Sun Belt rival would be fun

- Easier travel would decrease cost compared to others

- Bowl trip is something these guys deserve as a reward for the season

- Bowl travel is a recruiting tool

5. Hawaii

- Bowl trip is something these guys deserve as a reward for the season

- Bowl travel is a recruiting tool

shaft · November 3, 2013

I'm worried about this scenario.

Team from the east (ECU or Marshall) wins CUSA championship.

New Orleans - Tulane or Rice

Heart of Dallas - Rice or UNT

Military - ECU or Marshall

Beef 'O - MTSU

Hawaii - UNT or Rice

There's a chance CUSA executives send ECU or Tulane to Hawaii as a parting gift. But I think the CUSA powers that be will give the New Orleans bowl Tulane to keep them happy. Let's not pretend there aren't politics with bowls. And our conference contract with that bowl is up soon. So what can CUSA to do keep the New Orleans Bowl from following Tulane to the American.

UNTflyer · November 3, 2013

That's the problem with the Liberty Bowl, you draw an SEC team. At this point in our program wouldn't we rather draw a Big 10 team and stay in Dallas?

No. Let's be clear, a trip to the Liberty Bowl and everything that comes with it (money, ESPN game, conference championship) is the best thing that could happen to us.

meangreener · November 3, 2013

If were gong to take a start up in this conference, I wish it was Texas St and not UTSA.

Rather it had been neither.

I hate both of those schools but you're so insecure.

Christopher Walker · November 3, 2013

If we win the conference and go to the Liberty Bowl give me the SEC 8 over the AAC 5. Right now that would be playing Florida over probably Rutgers.

What if by some odd happenstance, we matched up in the Liberty Bowl against Georgia?? Haha, I'd love a rematch, especially in their weakened state, but I could envision the SEC vetoing that.

Eastwood Eagle · November 3, 2013

There's a chance CUSA executives send ECU or Tulane to Hawaii as a parting gift. But I think the CUSA powers that be will give the New Orleans bowl Tulane to keep them happy. Let's not pretend there aren't politics with bowls. And our conference contract with that bowl is up soon. So what can CUSA to do keep the New Orleans Bowl from following Tulane to the American.

I may be wrong, but I think it is the individual Bowls that pick who they want to play. If that is the scenario, I think we would be a lock for HOD (if we don't win the conference) and I think Tulane would be a lock for New Orleans Bowl.

Edited November 3, 2013 by Eastwood Eagle

outoftown · November 3, 2013

http://www.sbnation.com/college-football/2013/11/3/5060878/bowl-projections-2013-predictions/in/4821881

I really like this prediction Playing Tennessee in Memphis would be nice.

MeanGreenTexan · November 3, 2013

As much as all of us would LOVE for the Mean Green to play in the HOD bowl because it would be easier for us to attend, would that really be the best reward for our guys?

As invested as we are, as fans, aren't the players more invested? Shouldn't they have a chance to play at some other exotic location... like say, Hawaii, if they wanted to?

I'm afraid the guys would be a little let down if they played their bowl game in Dallas. Maybe I'm wrong though...

I'm in agreement with Flyer though, the Liberty Bowl is the best case scenario. Memphis is a cool place to visit. The guys would get to visit St. Judes and do some good. It's a perfect fit.

...now, if we have to play it against the Vols, that's going to be tough, because it would virtually be a home game for the Vols. I think Ole Miss would be better for us.

Cerebus · November 3, 2013

As much as all of us would LOVE for the Mean Green to play in the HOD bowl because it would be easier for us to attend, would that really be the best reward for our guys?

I'm sure the chance to play in front of 50k, most of them Mean Green fans, and knock off a school from a P5 conference in the Cotton Bowl in front of a national audience on New Years Day would be huge to these guys. Especially the seniors who have had to live through years of losing, and now they know they are part of a historic turn around.

It's not like they are going to go to Hawaii bowl and spend the entire time snorkeling. No matter what the bowl, the players are going to have several team events and just a tiny bit of free time. You think the coaches are going to go easy on them and have them fall flat in the game? Mac has stated since he got hired here that the importance of a bowl game comes largely from the extra work that the players get to put in.

Of course, I think everyone would prefer the Liberty Bowl, because that would mean a double digit win season and a conference championship. If we end up in any other bowl, HoD is #1 by a long way.

MeanGreenTexan · November 3, 2013

I'm sure the chance to play in front of 50k, most of them Mean Green fans, and knock off a school from a P5 conference in the Cotton Bowl in front of a national audience on New Years Day would be huge to these guys. Especially the seniors who have had to live through years of losing, and now they know they are part of a historic turn around.

It's not like they are going to go to Hawaii bowl and spend the entire time snorkeling. No matter what the bowl, the players are going to have several team events and just a tiny bit of free time. You think the coaches are going to go easy on them and have them fall flat in the game? Mac has stated since he got hired here that the importance of a bowl game comes largely from the extra work that the players get to put in.

Of course, I think everyone would prefer the Liberty Bowl, because that would mean a double digit win season and a conference championship. If we end up in any other bowl, HoD is #1 by a long way.

This is all true.

I know if we were to get to the HOD bowl, we'd practice and everything at home. It would basically be another home game in ever facet. The only difference will be the stadium the game is played in.

And that may be too bad for the guys who would want to travel... but then again, they may feel that they built this thing at home and staying home would be more rewarding.

wardly · November 3, 2013

No. Let's be clear, a trip to the Liberty Bowl and everything that comes with it (money, ESPN game, conference championship) is the best thing that could happen to us.

Plus 1

wardly · November 3, 2013

Doesn't Armed Forces Bowl have MWC vs either CUSA or Navy? If so, and they pick Navy, looks like CUSA is down to 5 bowls, unless they can substitute for a conference that can't fill their commitments.

EagleGreen · November 3, 2013

I think we will most likely end up in the HODallas bowl, with NOLA a second. Liberty, of course, is preferred.

Eastwood Eagle · November 3, 2013

As much as all of us would LOVE for the Mean Green to play in the HOD bowl because it would be easier for us to attend, would that really be the best reward for our guys?

As invested as we are, as fans, aren't the players more invested? Shouldn't they have a chance to play at some other exotic location... like say, Hawaii, if they wanted to?
I'm afraid the guys would be a little let down if they played their bowl game in Dallas. Maybe I'm wrong though...

I bet if you ask the players they would want to play where they would have the most fans cheering them on. That is what I would think if I was a player. Just my two cents.

UNT 90 Grad · November 3, 2013

I bet if you ask the players they would want to play where they would have the most fans cheering them on. That is what I would think if I was a player. Just my two cents.

This. It's not like going to a bowl game = free vacation. Teams look forward to playing in general with a home field advantage. They like winning. It might (might) be different if we travelled significantly better. Edited November 3, 2013 by UNT 90 Grad

jdennis82 · November 3, 2013

A couple additional benefits I see for the HoD bowl:

1. Ease of attendance for players' families. If the other trips are tough for us fans, they'd be equally tough for the players' families. (I think specifically of a guy like Zac Whitfield - http://www.dentonrc.com/sports/colleges/north-texas-headlines/20131023-football-precious-moments.ece )

2. The later the date of the game, the more practice time we get. More practice time = more reps for the young guys (I'm looking at you Dajon Williams!)