Bowl projections after week 14

[SMUPhil]

Miami sliding into their bowl game at 6-6, and finishing out their regular season with 2 losses to FIU and Duke sounds pretty lame. Other than being able to say ΓÇ£we beat MiamiΓÇ¥, I think 10-win FAU in Boca is a more exciting matchup.

[redpony]

Yeah.. good work Hart and Aresco...

and we know who probably did nothing the push us for a better bowl. yep! the re-seat genius.

[ponyboy]

Are you still whining?

[SMU_Alum11]

Miami sliding into their bowl game at 6-6, and finishing out their regular season with 2 losses to FIU and Duke sounds pretty lame. Other than being able to say ΓÇ£we beat MiamiΓÇ¥, I think 10-win FAU in Boca is a more exciting matchup.

Saying we beat Miami will always sound better long term than oh we beat some community college north of Miami.

Cmon now.

[35straight]

True. No one remembers records. They remember names.

[SMUPhil]

I know, thatΓÇÖs why I said OTHER THAN being able to say we beat Miami, the current game is a better matchup. FAU is a better opponent (this year) and the game is in a better location.

IΓÇÖm from South Florida. Miami has been a shell of its former self since 2001, coincidentally FAUΓÇÖs first season of football. TheyΓÇÖve canned coaches about as much SMU has during the same period, although I believe Richt ΓÇ£retired.ΓÇ¥ The city demolished the Orange Bowl and they play on the very edge of Miami Dade County in the cavernous Dolphins Stadium. FAU is nowhere near the level of Miami in any aspect, BUT they have gotten a ton of positive publicity in recent years for basically coming out of nowhere. TheyΓÇÖve won all 3 bowls theyΓÇÖve been to, and Kiffin made them a high scoring fun team to watch. They donΓÇÖt have the history of SMU but in the past 15 years, they have a similar story and upward trend. I think itΓÇÖs not the worst matchup in the world.

[Nacho]

We are G5, not P5, so we have to pretend we like the matchup even if no one in Dallas has a clue what FAU stands for.

[Charleston Pony]

We are G5, not P5, so we have to pretend we like the matchup even if no one in Dallas has a clue what FAU stands for.

People who follow college football know who FAU is. Former Miami/Louisville/Oklahoma coach Howard Schnellenberger came out of retirement to start up their football program and they have really been on the rise since Kiffen took over a few years ago. Certainly resurrected his career. Should be a good game.

[PK]

On the plus side, good game time of 2:30 CST and on ABC.

[MustangStealth]

We are G5, not P5, so we have to pretend we like the matchup even if no one in Dallas has a clue what FAU stands for.

Find Another University

[WordUpBU]

Aresco and Hart really dropped the ball if we didnΓÇÖt negotiate our way into the Texas Bowl or Independence Bowl.

Independence bowl is fair. Texas Bowl was filled up by the original conferences with OSU and A&M so that wasnΓÇÖt possible.

[mustangxc]

Aresco and Hart really dropped the ball if we didnΓÇÖt negotiate our way into the Texas Bowl or Independence Bowl.

Independence bowl is fair. Texas Bowl was filled up by the original conferences with OSU and A&M so that wasnΓÇÖt possible.

That's why I used or. I've since warmed up to the idea of going to Boca Raton. While FAU is not a P6 team, at least they are conference champions and while the Boca Raton Bowl doesn't have the history to make it a destination bowl, at least it is a rewarding destination for our players. Aside from being an easy drive from Houston/Dallas, Boca Raton >>> Shreveport.

[SMU_Alum11]

Aresco and Hart really dropped the ball if we didnΓÇÖt negotiate our way into the Texas Bowl or Independence Bowl.

Independence bowl is fair. Texas Bowl was filled up by the original conferences with OSU and A&M so that wasnΓÇÖt possible.

That's why I used or. I've since warmed up to the idea of going to Boca Raton. While FAU is not a P6 team, at least they are conference champions and while the Boca Raton Bowl doesn't have the history to make it a destination bowl, at least it is a rewarding destination for our players. Aside from being an easy drive from Houston/Dallas, Boca Raton >>> Shreveport.

While I have no desire to spend a bunch of money to travel there for a coachless G5 opponent, I understand why it all unfolded the way it did. While I truly wish we had a mediocre P5 opponent versus a "good" G5 opponent, I can live with this being Sonny's first real bowl. Out of all the bowls, the biggest travesty is the Alamo bowl. A 7-5 UT team has no place in fighting with the 2nd best PAC12 team. Just another privilege example UT gets away with.

I really hope the next bowl game we go to is actually exciting against an exciting opponent.

[WordUpBU]

[quote="mustangxc"]Aresco and Hart really dropped the ball if we didnΓÇÖt negotiate our way into the Texas Bowl or Independence Bowl.

Independence bowl is fair. Texas Bowl was filled up by the original conferences with OSU and A&M so that wasnΓÇÖt possible.

That's why I used or. I've since warmed up to the idea of going to Boca Raton. While FAU is not a P6 team, at least they are conference champions and while the Boca Raton Bowl doesn't have the history to make it a destination bowl, at least it is a rewarding destination for our players. Aside from being an easy drive from Houston/Dallas, Boca Raton >>> Shreveport.

While I have no desire to spend a bunch of money to travel there for a coachless G5 opponent, I understand why it all unfolded the way it did. While I truly wish we had a mediocre P5 opponent versus a "good" G5 opponent, I can live with this being Sonny's first real bowl. Out of all the bowls, the biggest travesty is the Alamo bowl. A 7-5 UT team has no place in fighting with the 2nd best PAC12 team. Just another privilege example UT gets away with.

I really hope the next bowl game we go to is actually exciting against an exciting opponent.[/quote]

The Alamo pays handsomely to the Big 12 and PAC 12 to have first pick after the NY6.

Texas was the obvious money pick and really only jumped two 8-4 teams that they beat and one 7-5 team that beat them- not crazy. All four of the options for that bowl went 2-1 or 1-2 against the other three so it wasnΓÇÖt clear cut. TheyΓÇÖll also jump at taking UT for the first time since Mack was the coach especially with Utah probably not traveling well there.

[SMU_Alum11]

I understand the money part for sure. I'm saying from a performance perspective that this was a bias choice for UT. I truly hope Utah humiliates them. This will be the only exception I ever root for a PAC12 team.