Memphis/UCF

#76
#76
Their fans are ecstatic. They say they are the best team in the nation.
I don’t know. The only thing I can think of is the old saying, “Be careful what you wish for; you might get it.”.
 
#79
#79
So one of the projections I've seen is that they might get the Fiesta Bowl. But their opponent would be 9-3 LSU. Not a bad matchup in and of itself, but that sounds like a matchup better suited to the Peach Bowl or Sugar Bowl, or if they both where not hosting semifinal games, I'd say the Orange or Cotton Bowls.
 
#80
#80
TNfan#2 said:
So one of the projections I've seen is that they might get the Fiesta Bowl. But their opponent would be 9-3 LSU. Not a bad matchup in and of itself, but that sounds like a matchup better suited to the Peach Bowl or Sugar Bowl, or if they both where not hosting semifinal games, I'd say the Orange or Cotton Bowls.
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It’s a bit of a conundrum.

While the Peach Bowl would certainly be a closer location, as far as the travel distance for the fans, the people in charge likely don’t want to give the Peach Bowl any perceived burden/inequity of having to host the game featuring a non-Power 5 participant and fan base for two straight seasons.

Meanwhile, the rankings will likely place Florida, Michigan, and LSU as the other eligible participants for the Peach and Fiesta Bowl spots, and LSU and UF won’t be paired together as they already played this season...and bowl location would seem to suggest that Florida would end up in the much closer Peach Bowl.

Either way, this pretty much leaves the question of where Michigan, and it could serve as the main determinant. Would the fact the UF and Michigan just played each other last year be enough to prevent the bowl matchup and make the Peach Bowl willing to take the AAC UCF two years in a row? Or would it repeatedly having set attendance records for the Citrus Bowl after 2016 dissuade that enough?


Personally, LSU-Michigan would be the best of those possible matchups here, but we’ll see if we get that this season.

(Note: the Sugar Bowl’s contract has to be highest ranked available SEC team vs Big 12 team.)
 
#82
#82
TrueOrange said:
It’s a bit of a conundrum.

While the Peach Bowl would certainly be a closer location, as far as the travel distance for the fans, the people in charge likely don’t want to give the Peach Bowl any perceived burden/inequity of having to host the game featuring a non-Power 5 participant and fan base for two straight seasons.

Meanwhile, the rankings will likely place Florida, Michigan, and LSU as the other eligible participants for the Peach and Fiesta Bowl spots, and LSU and UF won’t be paired together as they already played this season...and bowl location would seem to suggest that Florida would end up in the much closer Peach Bowl.

Either way, this pretty much leaves the question of where Michigan, and it could serve as the main determinant. Would the fact the UF and Michigan just played each other last year be enough to prevent the bowl matchup and make the Peach Bowl willing to take the AAC UCF two years in a row? Or would it repeatedly having set attendance records for the Citrus Bowl after 2016 dissuade that enough?


Personally, LSU-Michigan would be the best of those possible matchups here, but we’ll see if we get that this season.

(Note: the Sugar Bowl’s contract has to be highest ranked available SEC team vs Big 12 team.)
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If it wasn't a semifinal site, UCF would and either an SEC or Big 12 team would probably make a respectable Cotton Bowl matchup.

I don't mind the Rose, Sugar, and Orange Bowls keeping to their historic tie ins for the most part, but depending on how a season or various teams would do, I wouldn't mind seeing them have the option to occasionally take at at-large team, be it the Group of 5 team like UCF or Boise State, other Power 5 teams or whoever. I wouldn't send UCF out west in such a scenario, but the Sugar or more possibly the Orange Bowl as an option wouldn't be bad. Or just as a hypothetical example, if Boise State where to ever engineer another perfect season, I wouldn't be unopposed to seeing them land a Rose Bowl bid.
 
#83
#83
TNfan#2 said:
If it wasn't a semifinal site, UCF would and either an SEC or Big 12 team would probably make a respectable Cotton Bowl matchup.

I don't mind the Rose, Sugar, and Orange Bowls keeping to their historic tie ins for the most part, but depending on how a season or various teams would do, I wouldn't mind seeing them have the option to occasionally take at at-large team, be it the Group of 5 team like UCF or Boise State, other Power 5 teams or whoever. I wouldn't send UCF out west in such a scenario, but the Sugar or more possibly the Orange Bowl as an option wouldn't be bad. Or just as a hypothetical example, if Boise State where to ever engineer another perfect season, I wouldn't be unopposed to seeing them land a Rose Bowl bid.
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Possibly. It does pretty much rotate between the Fiesta, Cotton, and Peach bowls as far as who has to take the non-power 5 team any given year.
 
#84
#84
TrueOrange said:
Possibly. It does pretty much rotate between the Fiesta, Cotton, and Peach bowls as far as who has to take the non-power 5 team any given year.
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Right now the Orange bowl has solid ACC ties, and to my understanding if they aren't hosting a semifinal game, they'll take either an SEC or Big Ten team, or Notre Dame if that team is eligible, not in the playoffs, and hasn't been extended an invitation to another game already. They took Northern Illinois once, and they extended an invite to Cincinnati once as well. For reference, Cincinnati is currently an AAC member, the same conference that UCF is in.

I know the Sugar Bowl had Hawaii one time when they played and lost big to Georgia, same year that Boise State won their first Fiesta Bowl. They also hosted now Pac 12 member Utah in 2009 against Alabama. Utah was a Mountain West member at the time, and had previously won the 2005 Fiesta Bowl, becoming the first school from a non BCS conference to win two BCS bowl games.

The Rose Bowl has never taken a team outside the power conferences, and I don't see them cutting ties with the Pac 12(or whatever number they are down the road) anytime ever.

Another possibility that can't be discounted is that another conference realignment will occur in the coming years, and some of the Group of 5 teams that could have the most potential or be the most threatening to the Power 5 might simply be extended an offer to join up. UCF, Boise State, a small handful of other teams. Make them deals they can't refuse, promote them, and let the Group of 5 conferences sink or swim without their top performers. If any other schools can step up, hey great, maybe we can look at them 10 or 20 years down the line. If nobody really makes a splash and the Power 5 all have 14 or 16 or more members or whatever anyway, no big deal
 
#85
#85
I do give props to UCF for pulling of the Memphis game with the backup QB. They were behind 17 at half and ended winning by atleast that much. Only allowed Memphis a field goal in the second half. So, defense proved it can shut someone down if it wants to.
 
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