There are now 59 teams in and 20 more needing to win half their remaining games. That’s 79 teams for 78 slots. The list below shows the number of slots for each conference in brackets, the teams that are already in, the teams that are almost there because they need to win only have their remaining games, the teams that are still alive, and the teams that are technically out of the running with seven or more losses (Florida has six losses but plays only 11 games). The conferences account for only 68 of the bowl slots because there are six at-large slots for the New Year's Six bowls and four slots in the playoff. Teams with asterisks play only 11 games.

AAC [7]: IN (6) – USF, UCF, Memphis, SMU, Houston, Navy; Almost (1) – Temps (5-5); Still Alive (1) – Tulane (4-6); OUT – Tulsa, ECU, UConn, Cincy

ACC/ND [8]: IN (8) – NCSt, Clemson, MiamiF, VaTech, ND, UVA, L’ville, Wake; Almost (2) – BC (5-5), GaTech* (5-4); Still Alive (4) – Syracuse, Duke, Pitt (all 4-6), FSU (3-6); OUT – UNC

B10 [10]: IN (7) – O$U, PSU, Wisc, MSU, Mich, Iowa, NW; Almost (1) – Minn (5-5); Still Alive (4) – MD, Neb, Rutgers, Purdue (all 4-6); OUT – Illinois

B12 [7]: IN (5) – TCU, Okla, OklaSt, IowaSt, WVU; Almost (3) – KState, Texas, Tx Tech (all 5-5); Still Alive (0); OUT – Baylor, Kansas

CUSA [7]: IN (6) – T’erd, UAB, FIU, FAU, NTex, SMiss; Almost (3) – WKU, MTSU (both 5-5), UTSA* (5-4); Still Alive (2) – LaTech, ODU (both 4-6); OUT – Charlotte, UTEP, Rice

MAC [4]: IN (5) – Toledo, OHIO, NIU, WMU, CMU; Almost (1) – Akron (5-5); Still Alive (2) – Fiami, Buffalo (both 4-6); OUT – BG, BSU, Kent, EMU

MWC [5]: IN (5) – SDSU, CSU, Boise, Fresno, Wyo; Almost (1) – UtahSt (5-5); Still Alive (2) – AFA, UNLV (both 4-6); OUT – SJSt, Nevada, NM, Hawaii

PAC12 [5]: IN (5) – Wash, WashSt, USC, Stanford, AZ; Almost (5) – Oregon, Cal, Utah, AZSt, UCLA (all 5-5); Still Alive (1) – Colo (5-6); OUT – OreSt

SEC [9]: IN (8) – UGA, Bama, Auburn, LSU, UK, SCar, MissSt, TxA&M; Almost (2) – Mizzou, Ole Miss (both 5-5); Still Alive (3) – Tenn, Vandy, Ark (all 4-6); OUT – Florida*

SB [5]: IN (3) – Troy, AppSt, GaSt; Almost (1) – ArkSt* (5-3); Still Alive (5) – ULL, NMSt, ULM (all 4-5), SBama (4-6), Idaho (3-6); OUT – GaSouth, Coastal Carolina, TxSt

Indies [1]: IN (1)– Army; OUT – BYU, UMass

Won't be that way if Ohio wins the MACC.

They'll be forced into the Dollar General Bowl again.

MAC champ goes there unless they are NY6 Bowl like WMU last year.

Pack your bags for a trash bowl game vs Sun Belt again ... most likely Troy AGAIN

Bowl game alignments suck

I don't think have been automatic assignments into particular bowls for a long time. Certain bowls get first choice, but most bowls don't want the same team returning two years in a row. Usually the MAC works with the bowls and its teams to create the most appealing matchups possible.

Bowl games? I'd like to see us beat Akron and Buffs first...

What would you think of travelling to another country to end up playing Marshall?

I believe that kind of went out the window when the "prize" for winning the MACC game in Detroit was *drum roll please* a return trip to Detroit.
I think as it is now, Bowl officials mull around the MAC offices and the facilities of the bowl eligible teams (or wherever their season finale winds up) and make the decisions based on a number of things like which teams travel well, how many times has this team played in this bowl, were they just there last year...

Why do I get the sense that no matter what happens with the bowl situation for the Bobcats this year, a large number of fans will be disappointed?

Because it would suck to get shipped to a unrealistic travel location to watch Ohio cap off one of the greatest season's in school history?

Bahamas is incredibly expensive ... as is Boise

Dallas is workable ....

We've run the "Let's go to Alabama for a bowl game" into the ground.

Would be nice to have something where a lot of Ohio fans could get to for a decent price and a desirable location

Spud Bowl against Wyoming or Colorado State wouldn't be half bad. Haven't played out there in a while.

At least those two schools have decent name recognition. Plus I think a little revenge needs to be paid to Wyoming for two heartbreaking losses. Although I think most of the players for both schools might have been in elementary school when that two game series was being played LOL.

Bahamas Bowl would be what I want most for the players as it is a nice, warm weather reward and it would probably be the first time most of the roster would have the chance to leave the country.

I took the family to The Bahamas last October for a week. It really wasn't that expensive. I flew Southwest for $150 pp round trip from Baltimore because the flight schedule was better. It's a lot easier to get to Nassau than Mobile.

Mobile is a 6 hour drive from my place*. Montgomery AL is 2.5 hours. (Of course the Peach Bowl is closer still! ;) ).Can't drive to the Bahamas.
(*Atlanta)