12/5 update: The field is now set. Both K-State and Georgia St won today, bringing the total bowl-eligible teams to 77. Nebraska, Minnesota and San Jose St get in at 5-7 based on their APR; they're marked with asterisks below. How they'll be slotted depends on many factors. Houston has apparently locked up the access slot for G5 teams with its win over Temps for the AAC title; that means AAC will have 8 bowl slots. In addition, it looks like playoff slots will go to ACC, B10, B12 and SEC, so one bowl slot has been added to their totals. There are also at-large bids to be handed out. The conference champ is listed first for each conference, with the rest listed in order from best overall record to worst, and ties broken by conference records (not that it makes much difference).

AAC (8 bowls): In(8) – Houston, Temps, Navy, Memphis, USF, Cincy, UConn, Tulsa
Out(4) – UCF, SMU, Tulane, ECU

ACC/ND (10 bowls): In(10) – Clemson, UNC, FSU, ND, Pitt, MiamiF, L'ville, Duke, NCSt, VaTech
Out(5) – GaTech, Syracuse, Wake, BC, UVA

B10 (11 bowls): In(10) – MSU, Iowa, O$U, NWern, Mich, Wis, PSU, Ind, Neb*, Minn*
Out(4) – MD, Purdue, Rutgers, Ill

B12 (8 bowls): In(7) – Okla, OkSt, TCU, Baylor, TxTech, WVU, K-State
Out(3) – Kansas, IowaSt, Texas

CUSA (7 bowls): In(5) – WKU, T'erd, SMiss, LaTech, MTSU
Out(7) – NTex, Charlotte, FAU, FIU, UTEP, ODU, Rice

Indies (1 bowl): In(1) – BYU; Out(1) – Army

MAC (6 bowls): In(7) – BG, Toledo, Ohio, NIU, WMU, CMU, Akron
Out(6) – Fiami, EMU, UMass, Kent, BSU, Buffalo

MWC (5 bowls): In(8) – SDSt, Boise, AFA, NM, ColoSt, UtahSt, Nevada, SJSt*
Out(4) – Wyo, Hawaii, Fresno, UNLV

Pac12 (7 bowls): In(10) – Stanford, Ore, Utah, WashSt, UCLA, USC, Cal, ArizSt, Wash, Ariz
Out(2) – OreSt, Colo

SEC (11 bowls): In(10) – Bama, Fla, Miss, Georgia, LSU, Tenn, MissSt, TxA&M, Ark, Auburn
Out(4) – SoCar, Vandy, Mizzou, UK

Sun Belt (4 bowls): In(4) – ArkSt, AppSt, GaSouth, GaSt
Out(7) – ULM, Idaho, Troy, TexSt, NMSU, ULL, SBama

I still think that this is true. I now wonder if it is certain that Ohio gets at least a win at home against Kent State or Ball State.

Tweet by ESPN's Brett McMurphy: https://twitter.com/McMurphyESPN/status/660944628661796864

"Just filed bowl projections (guesses) to ESPN & I don’t see how there won’t be multiple 5-7 bowl teams this year"

Believe it or not I am thinking even a 7-4 record may not get us to a Bowl Game this year.





GO BOBCATS

That's what they deserve!

which is really something if you consider more d-1 teams go to bowls than stay home. In other words, it's actually harder to stay home than it is to get a bowl invite...

I certainly want a bowl game. I would prefer them to go 7-5 or 8-4 and make a bowl, but it always makes the bowl season brighter when Ohio is playing. That in no way means that we should be satisfied with the season, but to see the season end in November is a bummer.

I'll take that bet

Yes, and every team uses their "extra" practices. That was simply BS from talking heads that makes viewers feel like they just learned something.

The Big Ten has 8 bowl eligible. With the season they are having at the top they should place an extra team in a New Year's game, freeing up an opening in the Quick Lane Bowl against the ACC. If the Quick Lane Bowl is open the MAC Champ (BG, UT, WMU, NIU?) will be gunning for it giving the MAC a 7th bowl this season.

If my count is correct, there will be 41 bowls/82 bowl berths this year, counting the national semi-final games (but not counting the national championship game). Thats a lot of teams, and unless the rule has changed, no 5-7 team can go to a bowl unless every eligible team nationwide with a better record is going to a bowl (or has been offered and declined a bowl invitation).

Let's be realistic, no MAC team will receive a bowl bid with a 6-6 record. You can take that to the bank.
7-5 will be the minimum to make it.
With the MAC in on 5 bowls and it appears that 4 teams are a lock that leaves 1 slot open.
After last night, CMU has put themselves in a must win position for their last 2 games. They are on the road but face teams with loosing records.
Ohio has certainly helped itself and now, IMHO, need only win 1 in their last 2 to get to that 7 win total. We are home next week against BS, another team with a loosing record.
Tonight BU plays @ home against NIU. A loss puts them in the same position as CMU,
and their last 2 games, 1 home & 1 away are against teams with loosing records.
There could certainly be 2 or more teams with a 7-5 record at which time I believe the decision will come down to other factors that will come into play. If so I also believe Ohio has the advantage.



GO BOBCATS