There are now 63 teams in and another 14 teams just a win away. Mizzou is ineligible at the moment, but they've appealed, so they're on the list with an asterisk. ECU, VaTech, Hawaii, Army and Liberty have to win seven games because they play 13 and/or play more than one 1AA school.

AAC (6 slots)
In (7): SMU, Cincy; Memphis; Navy; UCF; Tulane; Temple
Close (0):
Precarious (1): USF (4-5)
Out (4): UConn; Tulsa; ECU+; Houston
This week: Memphis at USF

ACC + ND (11 slots)
In (9): Clemson; Wake; ND; Pitt; UVA; MiamiF; FSU; VaTech; L'ville
Close (1): BC (5-5)
Precarious (4): UNC (4-6); NCSt (4-6); Duke (4-6); Syracuse (4-6)
Out (1): GaTech
This week: NCSt at GaTech, Duke at Wake, BC at ND, Mercer at UNC, Syracuse at L'ville

B10 (9 slots)
In (8): O$U; Minn; PennSt; Wis; Ind; Iowa; Mich; Ill
Close (0):
Precarious (3): Neb (4-6); MSU (4-6); Purdue (4-6)
Out (3): Rutgers; NWern; MD
This week: Purdue at Wis, MSU at Rutgers, Neb at MD

B12 (6 slots)
In (6): Okla; Baylor; KState; OklaSt; Texas; IowaSt
Close (1): TCU (5-5)
Precarious (2): TxTech (4-6); WVU (4-6)
Out (1): Kansas
This week: TCU at Okla, OklaSt at WVU, KState at TxTech

CUSA (5 slots)
In (6): LaTech; UAB; T'erd; FAU; WKU; SMiss
Close (2): FIU (5-5); Charlotte (5-5)
Precarious (2): UTSA (4-6); NTex (4-6)
Out (4): Rice; ODU; UTEP; MTSU
This week: NTex at Rice, T'erd at Charlotte, FAU at UTSA, MiamiF at FIU

Indies (1 slot ‒ BYU)
In (1): BYU
Close (1): Liberty (6-4)+
Precarious (1): Army (5-6)+
Out (2): NMSU; UMass
This week: Liberty at UVA

MAC (5 slots)
In (4): CMU; Toledo; WMU; Fiami
Close (2): Buffalo (5-5); EMU (5-5)
Precarious (4): BSU (4-6); OHIO (4-6); Kent (4-6); NIU (4-6)
Out (2): Akron; BG
This week: OHIO at BG, EMU at NIU, Toledo at Buffalo, BSU at Kent

MWC (6 slots)
In (7): Boise; SDSU; Wyo; AFA; Nevada; Hawaii; UtahSt
Close (0):
Precarious (3): ColoSt (4-6); Fresno (4-6); SJSt (4-6)
Out (2): UNLV; NM
This week: ColoSt at Wyo, SJSt at UNLV, Nevada at Fresno

Pac12 (7 slots)
In (4): Oregon; Utah; Wash; USC
Close (4): ArizSt (5-5); Cal (5-5); WashSt (5-5); OregonSt (5-5)
Precarious (4): Ariz (4-6); UCLA (4-6); Stanford (4-6); Colo (4-6)
This week: Oregon at ArizSt, Utah at Ariz, Cal at Stanford, Wash at Colo, OregonSt at WashSt, UCLA at USC

SEC (10 slots)
In (6): LSU; Bama; Auburn; Fla; UGA; TxAM
Close (2): Tenn (5-5); UK (5-5)
Precarious (2): Mizzou (5-5)*; MissSt (4-6)
Out (4): Ark; Vandy; SoCar; Miss
This week: UT Martin at UK, Abilene Christian at MissSt, Tenn at Mizzou

Sun Belt (5 slots)
In (5): AppSt; GaSt; Louisana; ArkSt; GaSo
Close (1): Troy (5-5)
Precarious (2): Coastal (4-6); ULM (4-6)
Out (2): SBama; TxSt
This week: Coastal at ULM, Troy at Louisiana

At-large slots: Playoff (4); NY6 (2); Frisco Bowl (1)

I honestly have little passion for a bowl game now. Guess it doesnt matter what I think.

I agree with both of you. The best we can finish is 500 and we can’t seem to beat any one over 500 this year so I would just as soon stay home.

This is where I'm at too. Not sure a 6-6 record merits a reward with a bowl game. I'd rather see Ohio skip it this year and take a little break before Winter practices start. Let the players' bodies and mind heal up.

Several people have mentioned the benefits of extra practices the bowl games bring. I have to wonder (and ultimately disagree with) how beneficial those 14 extra practices really are. Last year's Frisco Bowl practices sure didn't benefit this year's team. Plus, the team pretty much practices in some form or fashion from Winter through Summer (either through NCAA-allowed organized practices or on the players' own), so how beneficial for the following season are 14 bowl game practices held 9 months prior to the following season?

We have to actually win then actually be INVITED before anyone can go anywhere.

I just can’t believe would be a very good candidate for a bowl spot, I have to think there’s at least some 6-6 teams with a win over a team with a winning record.

Yep. I will be surprised. Because I thought Ohio would end up in Detroit playing for a MAC title and going to a bowl game because they had a great season.

Instead, we're left crossing fingers they can salvage a .500 season with wins over two of the arguably worst teams in the country.

What a season!

Let's celebrate it with a bowl game!

A-Men

There are 40 bowl games so at 6-6 we would and possibly at 5-7 as Ohio is close to the top of the APR calculations. Will Ohio be able at 6-6 to secure one of the MAC's contractual ties? Very possible as at the moment the MAC only has 2 teams CMU & WMU with 7+. We can't bump Miami since they won the East. EMU at 6-6 can be bumped and so can Buffalo.

A lot depends on how many "P" teams that are currently 4-6 get in. "P" teams will always get the nod over MAC teams. MSU plays Rutgers and MD so they're likely to get in. UNC and NCSt have soft games this week and play each other next week so one of them will likely get to 6. And Stanford has a shot with home games vs Cal and ND. Also CUSA and Mountain West might each have 3-4 extra eligible teams that probably would be picked over MAC teams because they're closer to most bowl game sites and may travel well.

Right, the MAC has at least five slots to fill. Then if the conferences with primary affiliations to the Quick Lane Bowl (Big Ten and ACC) and the Frisco Bowl (AAC and Mount West) are unable to meet their obligations to fill those bowls, the MAC gets those spots. Then after that, if there are bowls that still need teams, they can pick from whoever is left among bowl eligible teams from any conference. I really can't see the MAC getting less than six bowls, and I can't see Ohio not being in those six.

But there's always a lot of horse-trading that goes on. That's one reason we wound up at the Independence Bowl a few years ago. Depends on which teams are in the mix and who can make the best offer.

If the Quick Lane Bowl came open, WMU or CMU would probably wind up there, which could open up another slot for a MAC team. But the MAC might have to trade it away, too.

Right, the MAC might end up agreeing to go to different bowls rather than the ones they are committed to, but regardless, they are guaranteed that many slots.

And now the way Toledo is playing, even though they will be bowl eligible, Ohio is looking like a more attractive team. The Rockets very well might end up 3-5 in the MAC. Only Miami, Central Michigan and Western Michigan are definitely ahead of Ohio in the pecking order.