Prediction: UNT vs. Minnesota in Heart of Dallas Bowl

[Harry]

SB Nation Predicts @GopherFootball will play North Texas in the Heart of Dallas Bowl on December 26th http://t.co/9KildQxfEs

— Andy York (@yorka1982)

August 20, 2014

[chrisfisher]

That would be awesome.

[MeanGreenTexan]

This would be beautiful.

If this game transpires, let the beatdown commence, to the tune of ~45-50k out of ~60k fans being clad in Green.

[Cerebus]

I would take this in a heartbeat. Mainly because it either means Marshall went undefeated and made the playoff, or we won CUSA outright.

HoD is the only unconditional bowl tie in CUSA has with a P5 conference, so I am guessing the league champ would always choose to go there. Marshall isn't going to choose to go play Toledo in the Bahamas over a chance to knock off a B10 team.

If we want to ever get back to the HoD Bowl we are going to have to win the conference title.

[Harry]

Please please make this happen. I think we could break the attendance record for the bowl...

And as Cerebus points out this would likely mean Marshall made the playoff...

[Eagle1855]

So excited we accepted a bid to play in the Heart of Dallas Bowl. Does anyone know how much parking at the Cotton Bowl costs?

[Harry]

So excited we accepted a bid to play in the Heart of Dallas Bowl. Does anyone know how much parking at the Cotton Bowl costs?

[Jason Howeth]

Please please make this happen. I think we could break the attendance record for the bowl...

And as Cerebus points out this would likely mean Marshall made the playoff...

We'd have to be clad in burnt Orange and crimson for that too happen

[emmitt01]

We'd have to be clad in burnt Orange and crimson for that too happen

Why would we have to be clad in burnt orange and crimson?

The BOWL record isn't so high that we couldn't beat it. You're probably thinking of the stadium attendance record.

[TheColonyEagle]

Harry and Cerebus. Love ya. But there is absolutely ZERO chance an unbeaten Marshall team gets in the playoff. I would love to see it. But a 2 loss Bama or LSU, etc. gets in the playoff before Marshall. Their schedule is not going to get it done.

Again, would love it. But impossible with their schedule.

[Harry]

Harry and Cerebus. Love ya. But there is absolutely ZERO chance an unbeaten Marshall team gets in the playoff. I would love to see it. But a 2 loss Bama or LSU, etc. gets in the playoff before Marshall. Their schedule is not going to get it done.

Again, would love it. But impossible with their schedule.

No you are right the odds are against it however, you could see a situation where many of the top teams suffer losses...it has happened before. Also there is a whole new voting situation, people like Condoleezza Rice are on the voting committee and that could impact the ultimate selections. Also doesn't hurt that their QB Cato is a heisman candidate. Is it a long shot yes but who knows... I hope they can make it or at a minimum be in the conversation.

[UNT90]

Even if Marshall beat LSU they wouldn't get in. This is not inclusive.

[Harry]

Even if Marshall beat LSU they wouldn't get in. This is not inclusive.

That's interesting because even ESPN lists Marshall in their recent article Five potential playoff spoilers ....

That said the odds are against it and every opponent that plays Marshall better beware because they will be looking to run up the score big time.

[TheColonyEagle]

I was actually thinking about this the other day as I was sitting in traffic, thinking about us running the table a few years in a row and putting the upper deck on the student side of Apogee after accepting an invitation to the Big 12....

IF a team like Marshall or any team like them were to run the table and then run the table the following year....I could see them getting in. I think it would take a Boise type 2-3 year run.

[MeanGreenTexan]

That's interesting because even ESPN lists Marshall in their recent article Five potential playoff spoilers ....

That said the odds are against it and every opponent that plays Marshall better beware because they will be looking to run up the score big time.

The ONLY way Marshall would get in would be if ESPN wants them in.

[UNT90]

That's interesting because even ESPN lists Marshall in their recent article Five potential playoff spoilers ....

That said the odds are against it and every opponent that plays Marshall better beware because they will be looking to run up the score big time.

ESPN doesn't make the selections. Look at the schools the committee members attended.

I hope Marshall does get in if we don't beat them in the CUSA championship game, I just don't think this system is set up to give the UCFs their chance at the Baylors of the world.

[Eagle1855]

I hope Marshall does get in if we don't beat them in the CUSA championship game, I just don't think this system is set up to give the UCFs their chance at the Baylors of the world.

It's not.

But honestly, most of the SEC West would go undefeated with Marshall's schedule. If they go undefeated, it's a nice story. That's it. If we had a 16-team playoff, they'd have a very strong case for inclusion. But no one on this board really believes an undefeated Marshall team is the fourth-best team in the country, based on the schedule they are rolling out.

[TheColonyEagle]

I wouldn't say it's impossible for a non P5 to get in. If a non P5 ran the table and beat an OU or LSU on the way.....I think they could get in.

But it's just Marshall 2014. Their schedule is just WAY too weak.

[Eagle1855]

I wouldn't say it's impossible for a non P5 to get in. If a non P5 ran the table and beat an OU or LSU on the way.....I think they could get in.

Agreed. If we were talking about La Tech, for example, who has games @OU and @Auburn, I'd have taken a different position.

[golfingomez]

back to the original topic... this would be my dream matchup...

UNT in a local bowl, against a mid-level Big Ten team

[EAGLE83]

One of the non p5s gets to go to one of the major Bowls.Marshall to the Orange Bowl.USA runner up has their choice.

[UNTcrazy727]

I don't see a non-Power 5 school getting into the tournament until it's expanded to 8 teams.

[southsideguy]

i think we have to play the season first?

[TheColonyEagle]

i think we have to play the season first?

That's just ridiculous.

[VideoEagle]

It's a little early to say any undefeated team couldn't make the top 4 until we know the actual records of the other choices. It's possible the SEC could knock each other silly and only have two and three loss teams.

Predicting who is going to be in what bowl at this point is a waste of energy.