Bowl Discussion - General - Who Wants To Be There, Does Not, Etc.

Frank Costanza

Frank Costanza

Co-Inventor of the Man's Bra
I'll start this w/ news yesterday and today that 3 of Texas' top players (OL Connor Williams, LB Malik Jefferson and DB DeShon Elliott) are said to be declaring and will not play in the bowl game.
 
Frank Costanza said:
I'll start this w/ news yesterday and today that 3 of Texas' top players (OL Connor Williams, LB Malik Jefferson and DB DeShon Elliott) are said to be declaring and will not play in the bowl game.
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Should add that it remains to be seen whether the players that are on the field will give a crap or not.
 
Handicapping could become easier knowing which players are missing while their team moves on. Value might be greater for a Dog
 
If Alabama is not in the playoff, recent history suggests they will neither cover nor win the game
 
I expect Texas Tech to play well in its bowl game. The players like KIngsbury a lot and played their asses off to beat Texas and save his job. I'm thinking they'll be focused and will play hard in their bowl game.
 
This will be a record for draft eligible players sitting out, without a doubt. Last year's Orange Bowl was one of the last straws methinks.
 
Oklahoma State has no interest in going to a third rate bowl. Could change depending on who they have to play, but players, coaches and fans are already unhappy they will likely go to a minor bowl where they have played in the last year or two.

Everyone at Iowa State is energized by getting to go to a bowl.

I like Michigan State as a team that will be excited after missing last year, plus they traditionally play well in bowls.

Oregon is in the same boat, plus they have a new coach who will be taking a big time team to a bowl for the first time.

It seems to me LSU is always more excited by secondary bowls than most SEC teams and I think under Orgeron they will be even more so. I'm already thinking of playing them no matter what bowl they go to.
 
Yeah, Sparty will be extra juiced for sure. Already planned on betting them unless just an awful matchup.
 
TahoeLegend said:
Oklahoma State has no interest in going to a third rate bowl. Could change depending on who they have to play, but players, coaches and fans are already unhappy they will likely go to a minor bowl where they have played in the last year or two.

Everyone at Iowa State is energized by getting to go to a bowl.

I like Michigan State as a team that will be excited after missing last year, plus they traditionally play well in bowls.

Oregon is in the same boat, plus they have a new coach who will be taking a big time team to a bowl for the first time.

It seems to me LSU is always more excited by secondary bowls than most SEC teams and I think under Orgeron they will be even more so. I'm already thinking of playing them no matter what bowl they go to.
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Just make sure they aren't playing Alabama
 
Great stuff. Anyone tivo each teams last game to scout for their Bowl game? I do. Injury updates and motivation can be found here. Looking forward to these next 6 weeks.
 
s--k said:
Yeah, but they have to get there first.
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And unless it's a very regional location I understand they would likely turn it down. Insane.

I kinda assumed this discussion encumbered this coming week's matchups as well regarding motive
 
Oh in that case, yes. With the 6th win on the line NMSt will be highly motivated. But the same could've been said a couple weeks prior for them to get their 5th then 6th. Lots of teams that want and need the 6th win don't get it just because they are motivated to do so though. They should beat South Alabama, but should doesn't always work out either.
 
I agree it may not translate but this weekend is a program defining moment and how that pressure plays out will be fascinating
 
Initially after Sparty loss thinking to fade Penn State in bowl since they're so distraught over not making playoffs. But 42-10 after 1H against Nebraska and 66-3 make me think they've gotten over it
 
Initially after Sparty loss thinking to fade Penn State in bowl since they're so distraught over not making playoffs. But 42-10 after 1H against Nebraska and 66-3 make me think they've gotten over it
 
KJ said:
I agree it may not translate but this weekend is a program defining moment and how that pressure plays out will be fascinating
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Last game for South Alabama HC Joey Jones as well.

Pretty interesting off the radar game this week in Las Cruces!
 
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I though last week was the last game Idaho would ever play in FBS before they drop down to FCS next year, but I wasn't aware they still had this game to play.

that has to be a great motivational tool. Problem is, it appears their QB is still out and they can't play without him./
 
I would suspect after being upset by a Big Ten team last year in the Holiday that Washington State will be up and ready this year. They are a pretty veteran and senior laden team so going out with a win here could be important to them.
 
Well Las Cruces will travel to Tucson of course, not a long drive so that goes without saying

Can also at least confirm as I'm looking to go to Memphis for the game, hotel rooms are booked at an alarming rate (didn't expect that) and already know many who are going. Memphis staying home would kinda suck.
 
Colorado State has lost 3 straight bowls. Lot of important seniors on that team. It's only a 7-8 hour drive for the fans. But Marshall will probably have good fans support as well, being that Albuquerque is in the "land of enchantment". Would suspect CSU views it as a business trip since they play there every other year, no big deal about the destination.
 
KJ said:
Well Las Cruces will travel to Tucson of course, not a long drive so that goes without saying

Can also at least confirm as I'm looking to go to Memphis for the game, hotel rooms are booked at an alarming rate (didn't expect that) and already know many who are going. Memphis staying home would kinda suck.
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ISU fans are going to pack that place.
 
Worried missing the playoffs and having to play a three loss team, while their coach is moving on to Nebraska just might be too much for UCF when it comes to being ready. How do they get pumped for that game? I will be glancing at Auburn there first.
 
How do they get pumped? Yeah finishing undefeated and knocking off one of the SEC Giants to prove their worth won't mean a thing to them ;)
 
vk said:
Worried missing the playoffs and having to play a three loss team, while their coach is moving on to Nebraska just might be too much for UCF when it comes to being ready. How do they get pumped for that game? I will be glancing at Auburn there first.
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I think opposite of this, pretty sure they're gonna go hard since he's staying for the game
 
They just won their super bowl in overtime. I don't see why they care that much for this one. If they were playing a real name school like Michigan, USC, Notre Dame, Ohio State or something, I can see it and maybe for kids this age the Auburn name means something, but I doubt it. Also, the SEC thing is overplayed. I don't think proving themselves to an SEC means anything either. I think they are one of the more likely unmotivated teams, whereas Auburn gets to face maybe the best team in the nation and give them a loss and not finish an above average 4 loss team. They should roll UCF by 20-something on motivation alone. Reduce it down to 17 or so with the mismatches on the outside. Even the coaching edge is diminished with Frost likely being distracted..not likely, guaranteed to be distracted.
 
Flipside if we're gonna play the motivation game is simple, wtf does Auburn care to be there? I honestly think they mail it in. And I expect UCF to be plenty motivated to prove they're a quality undefeated. Thought Memphis was the let down, look forward game.
 
Now I can't tell if you are being sarcastic or not!

There may be fundamental reasons for people to not like UCF in this game, but motivation is not one of them. For a midmajor in the south any game vs SEC or ACC is going to be a big game. UCF missing the playoffs? If they followed any of the weekly committee BS they would know that committee hated them all year, there was no expectation the committee could move them up so far after just one game to get into the playoff. You have always said that you can't possibly know what is going on in these kid's heads. If you like Auburn that is well and good, I just think you are going down the wrong path on the motivation angle. It is almost like you are joking, flipping the way SEC schools do when they lose games like this, but there is enough seriousness in your post I can't tell LOL. Auburn will not view it as facing "maybe the best team in the nation" - that is where you must be joking, an SEC school thinking an undefeated midmajor is better than them, or better than Georgia or Alabama?

I agree on one thing, the Frost distraction is a factor. He has to recruit for Nebraska and put together a staff. This point can't be ignored. Still though, these are professionals and his pride and his work ethic and reputation is on this UCF team. If finishing it off the right way wasn't important to him he would just leave. Still, on this point, you have a point.
 
Lot of disparate Auburn/UCF opinions here about motivation. My take on this game is slightly different, Auburn has a defense that can stop UCF, UCF can not say the same about stopping Auburn. I think Auburn rolls.
 
KJ said:
Flipside if we're gonna play the motivation game is simple, wtf does Auburn care to be there? I honestly think they mail it in. And I expect UCF to be plenty motivated to prove they're a quality undefeated. Thought Memphis was the let down, look forward game.
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Memphis and UCF about even, I think, when both are healthy.

I assume if Auburn loses the game they will drop from the top 25. I mean, they would be one loss better than CSU, Arizona etc. etc. .... 2 losses better than Buffalo who couldn't even go to a bowl.
 
vk said:
They just won their super bowl in overtime. I don't see why they care that much for this one. If they were playing a real name school like Michigan, USC, Notre Dame, Ohio State or something, I can see it and maybe for kids this age the Auburn name means something, but I doubt it. Also, the SEC thing is overplayed. I don't think proving themselves to an SEC means anything either. I think they are one of the more likely unmotivated teams, whereas Auburn gets to face maybe the best team in the nation and give them a loss and not finish an above average 4 loss team. They should roll UCF by 20-something on motivation alone. Reduce it down to 17 or so with the mismatches on the outside. Even the coaching edge is diminished with Frost likely being distracted..not likely, guaranteed to be distracted.
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A lot of time will have passed since that superbowl and it's not like they're facing a scrub team that they can afford to overlook.
They did not have playoff expectations at the start of the season, certainly not like Auburn, even last week. So I don't see disappointment weighing on them. I think they'll be pumped to play in a big bowl vs an sec team. And Frost will coach them so he should keep them focused on proving themselves vs elite comp.
Its auburn's focus and motivation im more worried about
 
I wonder how or if the new early signing period will affect the bowl prep. I know Saban went off on the advantage that schools not in bowls have because they can be 100% in recruiting mode. Not sure what the dead periods are either, so maybe not quite the advantage Nick is complaining about.

I mentioned it in the SEC thread, but I would wait to hear some injury news about AU before running to the window to bet them. I could see several players having nagging injuries that require surgery, and will go ahead and have that surgery now that they are out of the playoff. In particular, Kerryon Johnson
 
Auburn offense not actually all that great against bowl competition. But if UCF is sleepwalking they will generate yards and pts.
 
Wazzu could be a sleepwalker and that won't bode well vs a well coached Michigan State team. MSU has the type of QB who will work this weak D. Wazzu was a no show last year in their Bowl game. Something to watch leading up to this game.
 
I also doubt that ucf gets a call in that game. Auburn beat both uga and bama. If UCF wins that game it almost singlehandedly delegitimizes the playoff. Anything short of ucf being noncompetitive is egg on the committee faces. Ucf will get called for holding, unlike conference games
 
The playoff has been delegitimized by the committee and the lack of quality amateur football so I wouldn't worry about that
 
Separate point. I know that and you know it and everyone on the forum knows it. My point is that they likely won't get a call in the game.
 
Line is too big from a matchup standpoint. Just think it is a rare time the situation is worth a couple tds.
 
wiseplayer said:
Wazzu could be a sleepwalker and that won't bode well vs a well coached Michigan State team. MSU has the type of QB who will work this weak D. Wazzu was a no show last year in their Bowl game. Something to watch leading up to this game.
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Sparty will be pumped for this after missing out last week. They want to cap their turnaround season on a solid note.
 
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