15 Dec
Gildan New Mexico Bowl: Gildan Really Getting Their Money’s Worth With This Sponsorship
Posted in Uncategorized on 15.12.12 by Merlyn
01 Jan
College Football Rule Changes I’d Like to See
Posted in NCAA College Football 2012 on 01.01.12 by Merlyn
Age limit of 25 on players who have played pro baseball. Honestly, I don’t think these guys should be eligible at all. Oklahoma State starting QB Brandon Weeden in 28 years old. He is older than Green Bay Packers NFL MVP Aaron Rodgers who has already played 7 seasons in the NFL. Basically, OSU is playing with an NFL quarterback. Chris Weinke was also 28 when he led Florida State to an undefeated season and a National Championship. 19 year olds should not have to compete with guys that old.
Seven wins to qualify bowl eligibility. There used to be a time when eight wins was not enough to get a team into a bowl. UCLA was allowed to play in something called the Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl with a 6-7 record (they lost). This is football. Bowls should be a privilege of the elite, not an everybody-wins-an-award thing.
All Bowls must be completed by January 2 If January 2 falls on a Sunday, the final games may be played on January 3 so not to conflict with the NFL.
All BCS leagues MUST hold a conference championship game. But must have at least 8 teams.
Elimination of five bowl games. I propose the big losers below:
| Bowl | Location | Attendance | Capacity | % Capacity | Comments |
| Famous Idaho Potato | Boise, Idaho | 28,076 | 33,500 | 83.81% | Boise State created this bowl for themselves; Nobody else want to be in Idaho in December. |
| New Mexico | Albuqurque, N.M. | 25,762 | 39,224 | 65.68% | Same as above. |
| New Orleans | New Orleans, La. | 42,841 | 76,468 | 56.02% | New Orleans had THREE bowl games 2011-12. They should call it the Superfluous Bowl. |
| Beef O’Brady’s | St. Petersburg, Fla. | 20,072 | 40,000 | 50.18% | Only 20,000? There are more than that in the hot dog line at the BCS game. |
| Poinsettia | San Diego, Calif. | 24,607 | 70,561 | 34.87% | < % Capacity column says it all. 35% of tickets sold. They already have the Holiday Bowl. |
*If there are not enough teams, 6-6 teams can file for a waiver.
…..
15 Dec
Bridesmaids 2011: The Envelope, Please!
Posted in NCAA College Football 2011 on 15.12.11 by Merlyn
(From left to right: Miami, WKU, Ball State)
When it came down to the end, there were 72 bowl eligible schools for 70 spots. AND THE LOSERS ARE: WESTERN KENTUCKY and BALL STATE!
WKU who finished 7-5 and 7-1 in the Sun Belt was denied a bowl-game invitation despite winning six of their last seven games (the loss was to #1 LSU).
Ball State was 6-6. There was not much chance they would beat out BCS teams with similar records.
Miami (Fla.) finished 6-6 but are sitting out of the bowl season as a self-imposed post-season ban due to the impending hammer that will be coming down from the NCAA.
02 Dec
UCLA Granted Losing Record Bowl Eligible Waiver
Posted in NCAA College Football 2011 on 02.12.11 by Merlyn
This is sure to tick some folks off.
UCLA filed and was granted a waiver that would make them bowl eligible in the chance they finish the season with a losing record. They are currently 6-6 with the Pac-12 Championship against #9 Oregon to play. Hmm. I wonder if they will finish with a losing record.
Some teams are going to be left out because there are 35 bowls and currently 72 bowl eligible teams (73 with UCLA). UConn can join them if they beat Cincy.
Teams with 6 wins:
Arizona State
Ball State
Florida
Illinois
Iowa State – one more game to play
Marshall
Miami (FL)
Mississippi State
Nevada – one more game to play
Northwestern
Ohio State
Purdue
Texas A&M
Utah State – one more game to play
Vanderbilt
Wake Forest
Winner of Syracuse-Pitt finishes with 6 wins, loser 5.
UConn probably loses to Cincy. Therefore, we should finish with 73 bowl eligible teams and 3 bridesmaids.
I predict these 3 will be: Ball State, Marshall and Nevada. there is a possibility that a 7 win team is excluded from the fun & games. Likely candidates are either Western Kentucky or Western Michigan (both 7-5).
35 Bowls, 70 slots, 54 teams locked in, 16 remain:
LOCKED INTO A BOWL GAME WITH 6 OR MORE WINS & CONFERENCE TIE-IN (54):
| LSU | 11-0 |
| Houston | 11-0 |
| Alabama | 10-1 |
| Arkansas | 10-1 |
| Oklahoma State | 10-1 |
| Stanford | 10-1 |
| Virginia Tech | 10-1 |
| Arkansas State | 9-2 |
| Clemson | 9-2 |
| Georgia | 9-2 |
| Kansas State | 9-2 |
| Michigan | 9-2 |
| Michigan State | 9-2 |
| Oregon | 9-2 |
| Penn State | 9-2 |
| South Carolina | 9-2 |
| Southern Miss | 9-2 |
| TCU | 9-2 |
| Wisconsin | 9-2 |
| Boise State | 9-1 |
| Brigham Young | 8-3 |
| Georgia Tech | 8-3 |
| Louisiana-Lafayette | 8-3 |
| Nebraska | 8-3 |
| Northern Illinois | 8-3 |
| Notre Dame | 8-3 |
| Ohio | 8-3 |
| Rutgers | 8-3 |
| Tulsa | 8-3 |
| Virginia | 8-3 |
| Oklahoma | 8-2 |
| Auburn | 7-4 |
| Florida State | 7-4 |
| Iowa | 7-4 |
| Utah | 7-4 |
| Baylor | 7-3 |
| Cincinnati | 7-3 |
| West Virginia | 7-3 |
| Florida | 6-5 |
| Illinois | 6-5 |
| Louisville | 6-5 |
| Miami (FL) | 6-5 |
| Missouri | 6-5 |
| North Carolina | 6-5 |
| Northwestern | 6-5 |
| Ohio State | 6-5 |
| Arizona State | 6-5 |
| California | 6-5 |
| Texas A&M | 6-5 |
| UCLA | 6-5 |
| Wake Forest | 6-5 |
| Washington | 6-5 |
| Texas | 6-4 |
| Iowa State | 6-4 |
.
6 OR MORE WINS BUT NOT NECESSARILY A LOCK (11):
| Florida International | 7-4 |
| Louisiana Tech | 7-4 |
| Temple | 7-4 |
| Toledo | 7-4 |
| Wyoming | 7-3 |
| Ball State | 6-5 |
| Southern Methodist | 6-5 |
| Western Kentucky | 6-5 |
| Western Michigan | 6-5 |
| Nevada | 6-4 |
| San Diego State | 6-4 |
.
6 WINS BUT 2 WINS VS. I-AA SCHOOLS, HENCE INELIGIBLE (so far):
| Air Force | 6-5 |
| Eastern Michigan | 6-5 |
| North Carolina State | 6-5 |
.
STILL NEED 6 I-A WINS:
| East Carolina | 5-6 |
| Hawaii | 5-6 |
| Kent State | 5-6 |
| Marshall | 5-6 |
| Mississippi State | 5-6 |
| Purdue | 5-6 |
| Tennessee | 5-6 |
| Texas Tech | 5-6 |
| UTEP | 5-6 |
| Vanderbilt | 5-6 |
| Pittsburgh | 5-5 |
| South Florida | 5-5 |
| Syracuse | 5-5 |
| Utah State | 5-5 |
| Connecticut | 4-6 |
.
PROBATION, NOT BOWL ELIGIBLE:
| x – USC | 9-2 |
.
NOT ENOUGH WINS, INELIGIBLE:
| x – Bowling Green | 4-7 |
| x – Fresno State | 4-7 |
| x – Kentucky | 4-7 |
| x – Miami (OH) | 4-7 |
| x – Navy | 4-7 |
| x – New Mexico State | 4-7 |
| x – North Texas | 4-7 |
| x – Rice | 4-7 |
| x – San Jose State | 4-7 |
| x – UCF | 4-7 |
| x – Washington State | 4-7 |
| x – Central Michigan | 3-9 |
| x – Arizona | 3-8 |
| x – Army | 3-8 |
| x – Boston College | 3-8 |
| x – Buffalo | 3-8 |
| x – Duke | 3-8 |
| x – Louisiana-Monroe | 3-8 |
| x – Oregon State | 3-8 |
| x – UAB | 3-8 |
| x – Colorado State | 3-7 |
| x – Troy | 3-7 |
| x – Colorado | 2-10 |
| x – Tulane | 2-10 |
| x – Idaho | 2-9 |
| x – Kansas | 2-9 |
| x – Maryland | 2-9 |
| x – Memphis | 2-9 |
| x – Minnesota | 2-9 |
| x – Ole Miss | 2-9 |
| x – Middle Tennessee | 2-8 |
| x – UNLV | 2-8 |
| x – Akron | 1-10 |
| x – Indiana | 1-10 |
| x – New Mexico | 1-10 |
| x – Florida Atlantic | 0-10 |
15 Nov
Who Is Going Bowling? Who Are the Bridesmaids?
Posted in NCAA College Football 2011 on 15.11.11 by Merlyn
This is going to be a long post so I hope I don’t need a long intro or explanation.
35 Bowls, 70 teams.
LOCKED INTO A BOWL GAME WITH 6 OR MORE WINS & CONFERENCE TIE-IN (42):
| * – LSU | 10-0 |
| * – Oklahoma State | 10-0 |
| * – Houston | 10-0 |
| * – Alabama | 9-1 |
| * – Arkansas | 9-1 |
| * – Clemson | 9-1 |
| * – Oregon | 9-1 |
| * – Southern Miss | 9-1 |
| * – Stanford | 9-1 |
| * – Virginia Tech | 9-1 |
| * – Louisiana-Lafayette | 8-3 |
| * – Arkansas State | 8-2 |
| * – Georgia | 8-2 |
| * – Kansas State | 8-2 |
| * – Michigan | 8-2 |
| * – Michigan State | 8-2 |
| * – Nebraska | 8-2 |
| * – Penn State | 8-2 |
| * – South Carolina | 8-2 |
| * – TCU | 8-2 |
| * – Wisconsin | 8-2 |
| * – Boise State | 8-1 |
| * – Oklahoma | 8-1 |
| * – Brigham Young | 7-3 |
| * – Florida State | 7-3 |
| * – Georgia Tech | 7-3 |
| * – Notre Dame | 7-3 |
| * – Rutgers | 7-3 |
| * – Virginia | 7-3 |
| * – West Virginia | 7-3 |
| * – Cincinnati | 7-2 |
| * – Arizona State | 6-4 |
| * – Auburn | 6-4 |
| * – California | 6-4 |
| * – Illinois | 6-4 |
| * – Iowa | 6-4 |
| * – North Carolina | 6-4 |
| * – Ohio State | 6-4 |
| * – Utah | 6-4 |
| * – Washington | 6-4 |
| * – Texas | 6-3 |
| * – Baylor | 6-3 |
.
6 OR MORE WINS BUT NOT NECESSARILY A LOCK:
| # – Northern Illinois | 7-3 |
| # – Tulsa | 7-3 |
| # – Ohio | 7-3 |
| # – Ball State | 6-4 |
| # – Florida International | 6-4 |
| # – Louisiana Tech | 6-4 |
| # – Southern Methodist | 6-4 |
| # – Temple | 6-4 |
| # – Nevada | 6-3 |
| # – Toledo | 6-4 |
| # – San Diego State | 6-3 |
.
6 WINS BUT 2 WINS VS. I-AA SCHOOLS, HENCE INELIGIBLE (so far):
| Eastern Michigan | 6-4 |
| Wyoming | 6-3 |
.
STILL NEED 6 I-A WINS:
| Air Force | 5-5 |
| Florida | 5-5 |
| Hawaii | 5-5 |
| Louisville | 5-5 |
| Miami (FL) | 5-5 |
| Mississippi State | 5-5 |
| Missouri | 5-5 |
| North Carolina State | 5-5 |
| Northwestern | 5-5 |
| Pittsburgh | 5-5 |
| Purdue | 5-5 |
| Syracuse | 5-5 |
| Texas A&M | 5-5 |
| Texas Tech | 5-5 |
| UCLA | 5-5 |
| UTEP | 5-5 |
| Vanderbilt | 5-5 |
| Wake Forest | 5-5 |
| Western Kentucky | 5-5 |
| Western Michigan | 5-5 |
| Iowa State | 5-4 |
| South Florida | 5-4 |
| Bowling Green | 4-6 |
| East Carolina | 4-6 |
| Kent State | 4-6 |
| Kentucky | 4-6 |
| Marshall | 4-6 |
| Miami (OH) | 4-6 |
| Navy | 4-6 |
| New Mexico State | 4-6 |
| North Texas | 4-6 |
| Tennessee | 4-6 |
| UCF | 4-6 |
| Washington State | 4-6 |
| Connecticut | 4-5 |
| Utah State | 4-5 |
| Colorado State | 3-6 |
.
PROBATION, NOT BOWL ELIGIBLE:
| x – USC | 8-2 |
.
NOT ENOUGH WINS, INELIGIBLE:
| x – Army | 3-7 |
| x – Boston College | 3-7 |
| x – Duke | 3-7 |
| x – Fresno State | 3-7 |
| x – Louisiana-Monroe | 3-7 |
| x – Rice | 3-7 |
| x – San Jose State | 3-7 |
| x – Central Michigan | 3-8 |
| x – Middle Tennessee | 2-7 |
| x – Troy | 2-7 |
| x – UNLV | 2-7 |
| x – Arizona | 2-8 |
| x – Buffalo | 2-8 |
| x – Idaho | 2-8 |
| x – Kansas | 2-8 |
| x – Maryland | 2-8 |
| x – Memphis | 2-8 |
| x – Minnesota | 2-8 |
| x – Ole Miss | 2-8 |
| x – Oregon State | 2-8 |
| x – UAB | 2-8 |
| x – Colorado | 2-9 |
| x – Tulane | 2-9 |
| x – Akron | 1-9 |
| x – Indiana | 1-9 |
| x – New Mexico | 1-9 |
| x – Florida Atlantic | 0-9 |
28 Dec
Wake Me When It’s Over
Posted in NCAA College Football 2010, Uncategorized on 28.12.10 by Merlyn
Okay, how can you have a Military Bowl with no military teams in it? Oh well. Maryland (8-4) vs. East Carolina (6-6) Washington D.C. Dec. 29 2:30 p.m. ESPN zzzzzz…
Texas Bowl Wake me when it’s over. Illinois (6-6) vs. Baylor (7-5) Houston, Tex. Dec. 29 6 p.m. ESPN
Alamo Bowl Unlike the original Alamo, the Cowboys win this one big. Oklahoma State (10-2) vs. Arizona (7-5) San Antonio, Tex. Dec. 29 9:15 p.m. ESPN
Why is the Armed Forces Bowl in Fort Worth, Texas? There is nothing about that city that makes me think of the Armed Forces. It seems to me they are preying on our patriotism. SMU (7-6) vs. Army (6-5) Dec. 30 Noon ESPN
Pinstripe Bowl Who thought outdoor sports in New York City in December was a good idea? Football at Yankee Stadium has been done. It was boring. So are these teams. Kansas St. (7-5) vs. Syracuse (7-5) Bronx, N.Y. Dec. 30 3:20pm ESPN
Music City Bowl North Carolina disappointed to be 7-5 vs. Tennessee thrilled to be 6-6. Nashville, Tenn. LP Field Dec. 30 6:40pm ESPN
Holiday Bowl Oh, come on now! Hasn’t Washington’s Jake Locker (6-6) suffered enough from his stupid decision to return for his senior year? Nebraska (10-3) romps. San Diego Qualcomm Stadium Dec. 30 10pm ESPN
25 Dec
Merry Christmas! Here Are Some Socks, a Pencil and Some Crappy Bowls!
Posted in Uncategorized on 25.12.10 by Merlyn
The Florida International fans’ dilemma: “Okay, kids. What do you want to do for Christmas this year: go to the beach or go to the Little Caesars Bowl in Detroit? Okay. Don’t forget the suntan oil.” Toledo (8-4) vs. Florida International (6-6) Dec. 26 ESPN 8:30pm
The Karma Bowl (aka: Independence Bowl) Last year the Georgia Tech fans had a good laugh at Georgia fans for going to the Indy Bowl in Shreveport, La. The tables have turned, Nerds. Air Force (8-4) vs. Georgia Tech (6-6) Dec. 27 ESPN 5pm
If the St. Petersburg Bowl was played in Russia instead of Florida, I might be interested. But instead, I think I will get a head start on my taxes. The yard needs raking. Maybe I’ll take a nap. Louisville (6-6) vs. Southern Miss (8-4), Dec. 21 ESPN 8pm.
The Crybaby Bowl (aka: Maaco Las Vegas Bowl) pairs the two biggest BCS complainers in Utah (10-2) and Boise State (11-1). There is only one answer and listen good: PLAY A TOUGHER NON-CONFERENCE SCHEDULE! Dec. 22 ESPN 8pm.
The Poinsettia Bowl will have an interesting crowd. San Diego State (8-4) is going to their first bowl since 1998 on their home field. However, the USA’s biggest Naval base is also in San Diego. Rest assured there will be some boisterous sailors to cheer on Navy (8-3). Dec. 23 ESPN 8pm.
Hawaii Bowl How fair is it for a team to play a bowl game on their home field? Not very, but if you normally play football in a dust bowl, this is like a dream come true. Hawaii (10-3) vs. Tulsa (9-3), Dec. 24 ESPN 8pm.
What have we done to deserve this?
December 18 brings us the first three of 35 bowl games of the season and boy are they stinkers.
The Toilet Bowl (aka the New Mexico Bowl), Albuquerque, N.M. The poster child for too many bowls: BYU (6-6) vs. UTEP (6-6). I think I’d rather watch that video from “The Ring” but if you dare: ESPN 2pm.
The Freeze Your Nurtz Off Bowl (aka: Humanitarian Bowl) played on the most ridiculous field in America. Forecast for Boise, Idaho is a high of 35°F and 80% chance of snow. This is Northern Illinois‘ and Fresno State‘s punishment for thinking they are viable programs. ESPN 5:30pm.
The Unnecessary Bowl (aka the New Orleans Bowl) played – guess where – in a dump stadium in a dump city. Sorry to sound insensitive but Brangelina are mistaken. That city is through. If you go and value your life, do not stray too far outside the French Quarter. Troy vs. Ohio. ESPN 9pm