We dodged a bullet.

You are totally missing the context of my post ...

I didn't say anything about fans. It's about the players. Re-read what I posted ... and then go back and watch last year's bowl game vs. SD State and tell me the Aztec football players were excited to be there?

They couldn't have look less excited if they tried ...

Lost 3 straight to end the regular season, pissed away the MWC championship and then leave sunny, beautiful San Diego to go play a MAC school that I'm guessing most players on the SDSU roster probably had never even heard of in suburban Dallas in the cold, rainy weather.

I think that would check my "A)" box in the previous post. SD State didn't care to be there.

To further respond to your comment ... as a fan, I was at that game ... along with the 500 other folks who braved the elements. It was a horrible environment ... as bad as any midweek MACtion garbage. Still enjoyed my trip ... saw an Ohio win and had fun with friends.

I'm already looking into options if Ohio is fortunate to make the Boca Raton Bowl (they're due in the rotation ... so I'm crossing my fingers)

So again, I think you misunderstood my comments ... it was not directed toward fans. It was towards the product on the field. A lot of teams that "earn" bowl bids have zero interest in being there ... especially when they are lower tier'd bowl games with P5 schools. I know every situation is unique .... but it's a lot like an NCAA tourney bubble team playing in the NIT ... a lot of times, they just aren't motivated to be there. Just look at how many players sit out the games because of NFL draft stuff.

When bowl games actually meant something ... and were a true reward for a good season, almost all teams were engaged and excited to be there. I really don't think that's the case any more with the watered down bowl system.

I welcome another game ... especially to see Rourke one more time. But the result will do nothing to dampen the disappointment of the season. It was another year of high hopes that fell short. A microcosm of the recent Solich era. I'll take 9-4 or 8-5 year and a MAC title and a 77-0 bowl loss rather than a 6-6 wet blanket season capped with a 100-0 Dollar General Bowl win.

Looks like TCU is out
Maybe

Cant Army win tonight in the islands and in two weeks against Navy and be in?

Nobody has found a clear answer on this. I remember when the Army v. Navy game got moved to December they said that they forfeited their chance if they entered 6-5 since the game was played after bowl selection Sunday. Maybe this has changed. Then you might have announced Sunday a bowl slot that says "Army or Ohio".

I doubt that this will happen because there is such a limited window for most of the G5 bowls for travel plans. Maybe they try this with the Birmingham Bowl or Armed Forces Bowl as they might open slots for January games.

Army cannot get to bowl eligible, even if they win both. They have 5 wins currently, two of which are over non-FBS teams (so really 4 wins - can only count 1).

They have two games left, win both and Army would get to 6 wins - which normally would get you to bowl eligible - except when you play 13 games in the season, then you need to win 7 games.

Again, there is no definitive answer to be found but if the rules are in any way sane a team that plays 13 games with two games against FCS teams should be eligible with 7 wins. Just throw out one of the wins vs an FCS team then you have six wins in 12 with one FCS win. You should not be hurt simply by having an extra FCS win compared to most 6-6 eligible teams. Why would having one extra win be harmful? If that is the rule then it is absolutely crazy.

Not gonna matter anyway after Army loses BOTH of their remaining games...

It doesn't work that way. The bowl commmittes look for matchup. Conferences cant play themselves (MWC did it once) so that helps when the MAC has 3 surplus teams. That the MAC finished last this year in the conference ratings doesnt matter to the bowl committees.

It pretty much is going to work like that. Because what we are talking about at 6-6 is hoping that there are a whole bunch of unfilled P5 slots to have a good chance. There is no chance that ALL of those open slots will be against other American teams or other MWC teams. Thus, as we are one of the most undesirable teams, they will get a call before we do and leave one less spot open for the other 6-6 teams. As they went 6-6 against tougher schedules they are considered to be better and likely matchup better than us against the other team. If, say, Our QB was a nationally known quantity and people knew of him and wanted to see him play or if, say, we had a big national fan base, that we are considered one of the very weakest eligible teams might not matter.

Yeah, I get it. In most years when only a handful of bowls have open slots, WHICH bowls have them, WHO the other signed team is, and WHAT secondary bowl contracts there are are important to which team can get the bid.

What we are talking about THIS year to have a chance is hoping that there are a huge number of open slots coming free and that there are only 78-80 teams eligible. If THAT turns out to be the case, and it sure looks like it will be, then the bowls have NO CHOICE but to take nearly every eligible team and that the bowls will have to call teams at the very bottom of their desirability lists to fill the open slots because there are no other eligible teams available.

We dodged no bullet, Nebraska is just flat out not very good.

When bowl games actually meant something? can you explain when this was? This is as big a farce as "responsible gun ownership" and "you look great in that fedora, hipster".

6-6 and 6-5 teams have been going to bowls for decades. that was also when 10-1 and 9-2 teams were left home. Whatever your argument against a bowl game is, "it was so much better in the old days" is not a good one.