Bowl projections - Week 9

[redpony]

haven't found much that is good unless I smoke it myself.

[SMU_Alumni11]

Just curious, don't have to answer, but why is a pony like you living in Peru?

[Treadway21]

IMO net $ to the university is probably much better playing in the old Cotton Bowl vs. a big ten team vs. going to hawaii and playing a lesser team.

Unfortunately, as we saw at the Armed Forces Bowl, the team has the Hawai`i Bowl crammed so far down their throat from day one they will likely show up uninspired anywhere else.

Because, of course, the reward for a good season is a nice trip - not the chance to play the best possible opponent to show the world how good you really are no matter the time or place, right?

This is true. Plus the coach would be uninspired. Hard to get motivated as a player if your coach isn't.

[ponyboy]

haven't found much that is good unless I smoke it myself.

I had to back up a page to realize you were talking about bbq.

[CA Mustang]

Unfortunately, as we saw at the Armed Forces Bowl, the team has the Hawai`i Bowl crammed so far down their throat from day one they will likely show up uninspired anywhere else.

This is true. Plus the coach would be uninspired. Hard to get motivated as a player if your coach isn't.

If that is true, how do you explain last year's bowl game? Tough to win when you are "uninspired".

[DanFreibergerForHeisman]

Unfortunately, as we saw at the Armed Forces Bowl, the team has the Hawai`i Bowl crammed so far down their throat from day one they will likely show up uninspired anywhere else.

This is true. Plus the coach would be uninspired. Hard to get motivated as a player if your coach isn't.

If that is true, how do you explain last year's bowl game? Tough to win when you are "uninspired".

Valid point.

[redpony]

Just curious, don't have to answer, but why is a pony like you living in Peru?

Several reasons- a) to help those less fortunate than myself, b) to travel- I have been lucky enough to see world-class futbol in Brazil, Argentina, Ecuador and Peru as well as some F1 races, and c) to learn more about the latin american culture. So far, so good- been here 7 yrs now.
Go Ponies!!!

[shadowman]

I would imagine that C-USA would do everything it could to keep SMU out of Hawaii, despite what June wants since we are leaving the conference. C-USA has no interest in giving a lame duck team this prime destination bowl.

Of course, Hawaii may push hard to get SMU and that could tie C-USA's hands a bit, will have to see. I would love the Dallas Bowl myself.

[Treadway21]

Unfortunately, as we saw at the Armed Forces Bowl, the team has the Hawai`i Bowl crammed so far down their throat from day one they will likely show up uninspired anywhere else.

This is true. Plus the coach would be uninspired. Hard to get motivated as a player if your coach isn't.

If that is true, how do you explain last year's bowl game? Tough to win when you are "uninspired".

How do explain our play since the UCF game last year including a large number of blow outs - USM, Tulsa, Baylor, ATM. We barely beat Rice and beat a Pitt team without a coach. The team seems to play inspired at times e.g. TCU, Pitt, Houston 2012 and not others e.g. Tulsa, USM, Rice and Tulane and bush league some e.g. Baylor, ATM and Houston last year. As noted in another thread, TCU is the only winning team we've beat since last year.

Consistency is not our strength. Maybe that has to do with coaching and not the players.

[skurtn]

That has to be an old prediction. Wyoming can't go to a bowl this year.

[CA Mustang]

How do explain our play since the UCF game last year including a large number of blow outs - USM, Tulsa, Baylor, ATM. We barely beat Rice and beat a Pitt team without a coach. The team seems to play inspired at times e.g. TCU, Pitt, Houston 2012 and not others e.g. Tulsa, USM, Rice and Tulane and bush league some e.g. Baylor, ATM and Houston last year. As noted in another thread, TCU is the only winning team we've beat since last year.

The blowouts occurred because those teams simply were better than SMU. You can quibble with the margin but there was a talent difference between the teams.

As for Pitt, that team did have coaches on its side and the players showed up. SMU had to win the game, it wasn't a forfeit.

Every team has close games, so picking one out at random doesn't mean anything.

[ponyboy]

As noted in another thread, TCU is the only winning team we've beat since last year.

Whenever you throw out a nearly meaningless statistic like that, you have to have something to compare us to, a reasonable standard. So what should the standard be for 7-5 type teams like us against other 7-5 or better teams? When you figure out that standard, you have a way to make a reasonable judgement as to how bad off (or not) we really are.

I don't know the answer, but it doesn't take much to realize that since a 6-6 team isn't a "winning team," and since in beating them we actually turn some potential winning teams into losing teams (see Pitt in the bowl last year) you start to diminish the impact of the statement. Need more data.

[Treadway21]

How do explain our play since the UCF game last year including a large number of blow outs - USM, Tulsa, Baylor, ATM. We barely beat Rice and beat a Pitt team without a coach. The team seems to play inspired at times e.g. TCU, Pitt, Houston 2012 and not others e.g. Tulsa, USM, Rice and Tulane and bush league some e.g. Baylor, ATM and Houston last year. As noted in another thread, TCU is the only winning team we've beat since last year.

The blowouts occurred because those teams simply were better than SMU. You can quibble with the margin but there was a talent difference between the teams.

As for Pitt, that team did have coaches on its side and the players showed up. SMU had to win the game, it wasn't a forfeit.

Every team has close games, so picking one out at random doesn't mean anything.

I am glad you are happy getting blown out by Baylor. Bring on more SFAs. That is the level where we can win. Let's also see our attendance drop to 5k. Good answer.

[CA Mustang]

How do explain our play since the UCF game last year including a large number of blow outs - USM, Tulsa, Baylor, ATM. We barely beat Rice and beat a Pitt team without a coach. The team seems to play inspired at times e.g. TCU, Pitt, Houston 2012 and not others e.g. Tulsa, USM, Rice and Tulane and bush league some e.g. Baylor, ATM and Houston last year. As noted in another thread, TCU is the only winning team we've beat since last year.

The blowouts occurred because those teams simply were better than SMU. You can quibble with the margin but there was a talent difference between the teams.

As for Pitt, that team did have coaches on its side and the players showed up. SMU had to win the game, it wasn't a forfeit.

Every team has close games, so picking one out at random doesn't mean anything.

I am glad you are happy getting blown out by Baylor. Bring on more SFAs. That is the level where we can win. Let's also see our attendance drop to 5k. Good answer.

Your response makes no sense. Where did I say I was happy getting blown out by Baylor? Where did I say I wanted more games against FCS schools? If you can't see a size and talent differential between SMU and Big 12 schools, then there's not much more I can add.

[mr. pony]

I hope that if we don't get to the Liberty bowl that we get to either the Independence bowl or Dallas Bowl.

JJ will not go to the Liberty Bowl.