It could be coming
http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5izZUo9knD5nZqnVHxO8Ci5ofsPXgD9FCCC700


The NCAA frames it as a "contingency plan" because there are now 35 bowls.

Most of us know this is so they can take the 11th team from the SEC or Big Ten, because that's a hell of a lot sexier than the 2nd or 3rd Sun Belt team.

So, is under .500 acceptable for a bowl?

(FYI: there were 72 teams at 6-6 or better last year, so there are still enough teams meeting the .500 criteria)

ts1227 wrote: It could be coming
http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5izZUo9knD5nZqnVHxO8Ci5ofsPXgD9FCCC700


The NCAA frames it as a "contingency plan" because there are now 35 bowls.

Most of us know this is so they can take the 11th team from the SEC or Big Ten, because that's a hell of a lot sexier than the 2nd or 3rd Sun Belt team.

So, is under .500 acceptable for a bowl?

(FYI: there were 72 teams at 6-6 or better last year, so there are still enough teams meeting the .500 criteria)

I don't like it, but if you are going to have 70 bowl teams, you need to have some type of plan to fill the games. On a side note, didn't Aaron Taylor go to Notre Dame? I think the article has that part wrong.

There was an Aaron Taylor who played at Notre Dame, but also one who played at Nebraska. Both were offensive lineman. The Taylor that played at ND is an analyst for ABC.

No, I don't like it. You are right, though, I'd rather see the 11th place SEC team, than the 2nd or 3rd best Sun Belt team or even the 4th or 5th best MAC team.

This is horrible, 70 bowl teams out of around 120 FBS teams, that's too many, they need to cut back the bowls imo

mattinctown wrote: This is horrible, 70 bowl teams out of around 120 FBS teams, that's too many, they need to cut back the bowls imo

I agree, but until people stop tuning in to Dogcrap State vs. East Garbage Tech, it won't happen.

Agreed, or when the NCAA gets their thumbs out of their asses and have a playoff.

mattinctown wrote: Agreed, or when the NCAA gets their thumbs out of their asses and have a playoff.

Why produce a better product when people seemingly will buy any amount of the current junk?

People will buy what they can get. And all we can get right now for a postseason is the bowls. That's akin to saying if you don't like the 68-team NCAA tournament you should boycott it until it's a 96 team tournament.

The issue isn't the NCAA, the issue is the BCS. The BCS is made up of the six biggest conferences plus Notre Dame. There's 120 teams in NCAA D-I FBS. There's 66 BCS members that vote in a block. That gives them the majority. Why else did the BCS make sure the Big East stayed a 'BCS conference' when the ACC raided them? If not for those 8 members (including new teams Cincinnati, Louisville, and South Florida), there'd have been only 58 out of 120 schools. Which means they'd no longer have the majority and if put to a vote, the 62 non-BCS schools could force a playoff.

The BCS is trying to stay one-step ahead by allowing the MWC to be a provisional automatic (but not an actual member). This is to try to shut up the one conference that has consistently found a way to interlope, yet will still be judged a second-class league when it comes to the title game. Which is the biggest problem.

As for the sheer number of bowls. There really is no end in sight. In the next few years there'll be more. And then we'll see 4-8 teams, etc, in it. Just follow the money trail.

Sykotyk

It seems that society, mirrored by the college football world, has excepted mediocrity (and even sub-mediocrity). Let's give participant ribbons to everyone. Let's let everyone play in bowl games. This is ridiculous.

There has been at least one team with a losing record that I can think of. North Texas was 5-6 in 2001 but made the New Orleans Bowl because they were Sun Belt champions.

Just think...if there were a playoff, a first-round matchup would have been 2001 Miami (one of the greatest teams of all time) against 5-6 North Texas. Boy, what a thriller that would have been.

All you need to do to see why this is a horrible idea is look at the Motor City Bowl. Attendance is announced at 40,000+ every year, yet there is often less than 10,000 people in the stands. The money that is paid by sponsors is counted as "tickets sold"....they don't count actual attendance. What college kid in their right mind can possibly enjoy going to places like Detroit in late December to play in front of 5,000 fans instead of spending time at home with their families? The only reason the NCAA is considering this is the same reason they are considering expanding the NCAA basketball tourney to 96 teams....more venues means more sponsors means more $$$$. It has nothing to do with the teams, the players or the fans.

bartsimpson wrote: All you need to do to see why this is a horrible idea is look at the Motor City Bowl. Attendance is announced at 40,000+ every year, yet there is often less than 10,000 people in the stands. The money that is paid by sponsors is counted as "tickets sold"....they don't count actual attendance. What college kid in their right mind can possibly enjoy going to places like Detroit in late December to play in front of 5,000 fans instead of spending time at home with their families? The only reason the NCAA is considering this is the same reason they are considering expanding the NCAA basketball tourney to 96 teams....more venues means more sponsors means more $$$$. It has nothing to do with the teams, the players or the fans.

When Central Michigan was in that game and the Big Ten actually had a enough bowl teams to send one there, they'd draw a legit 50-60K. However, when it's a barn burner like Marshall and Ohio last year, you are right.

Hmmm, I love bowl season. Ohio State only plays one game, and the rest are spread out so they don't interfere. I like watching all the teams I don't normally get to see. The more football the better as far as I'm concerned.

As I Love the game of football as much as anyone on here. I can't stand to see mediocre teams. And this is what we are settling for. 7-5, ok......5-7 or 6-6, no!

Might as well let all teams in bowl games.