The Christmas Bowl

[LA Ute]

Joe Schad just tweeted

DesNews said it this way:

BYU, Army and Navy will be eligible for at-large selections to a BCS bowl if they win at least nine games and are ranked among the top 14 in the BCS standings. Those schools have the opportunity to play in the BCS championship game if they finish in the top two of the final BCS standings.

That's a better deal than the Cougs got in the MWC, unless I am mistaken. So good for you guys.

[beefytee]

DesNews said it this way:



That's a better deal than the Cougs got in the MWC, unless I am mistaken. So good for you guys.

Nope. Needing to be top 2 to guarantee a berth is not better.

[Clark Addison]

Nope. Needing to be top 2 to guarantee a berth is not better.

That's for a berth in the championship game. I don't think we had it any better before.

[CJF]

woo hoo???

Ugh. I don't know who is going to be more upset about this. Me or LA Ute.

[USUC]

Nope. Needing to be top 2 to guarantee a berth is not better.

This topic is all muddled up among varying fan bases. I don't know what to believe. I have heard (from Boise fans mainly) that BYU would take a back seat to a non-AQ school from a conference. In other words, if BYU and BSU both finished undefeated, the at large bid would go to BSU because they are in a conference regardless of where BYU ranked (outside of the #1 or #2 spots of course). I think this interpretation comes from the BCS wording about non-aqs at large births and only mentions teams in terms of "non-AQ conferences." I'm too lazy to look it up though.

[KillerDog]

That's for a berth in the championship game. I don't think we had it any better before.

Before we had guaranteed access to a BCS bowl if we were ranked at a certain level and the highest ranked Non-AQ school. Now we are just "eligible" if ranked in the top 14 and having 9 wins. That is not impressive and is substantially worse than where we were before.

On the subject of the bowl games, I understood that BYU's bowl tie-ins were contingent on being bowl eligible and not being invited to a BCS bowl. In other words, the bowls only get us if we are above .500 and not really great. There isn't much upside for them in that guaranteed contract so the match-up isn't that spectacular either.

[beefytee]

That's for a berth in the championship game. I don't think we had it any better before.

We lose this:

The highest-ranked champion of a non-BCS conference will receive an automatic berth if:It is ranked in the top 12, or Ranked in the top 16 and higher than at least one BCS conference champion.

[DapperDan]

DesNews said it this way:



That's a better deal than the Cougs got in the MWC, unless I am mistaken. So good for you guys.

You're mistaken. In the MWC, especially with Boise joining, all you need to do is win the conference championship* and be ranked 12th in the BCS poll.


* In theory you'd have to be the highest ranked champ out of the MWC, WAC, Sunbelt, C-USA and MAC, but for all practical purposes it's the MWC's slot to lose.

[TripletDaddy]

I'm confused. Doesn't any school have the opportunity to play in the championship game if it finishes in the top two BCS spots? Don't you have to be in the top 2 to play in the championship game?

[DapperDan]

I'm confused. Doesn't any school have the opportunity to play in the championship game if it finishes in the top two BCS spots? Don't you have to be in the top 2 to play in the championship game?

Yes, but BYU, Navy and Army are the only three schools that don't have some sort of tie-in with the BCS beyond that.

[beefytee]

I'm confused. Doesn't any school have the opportunity to play in the championship game if it finishes in the top two BCS spots? Don't you have to be in the top 2 to play in the championship game?

Nope you either have to be in a BCS conference, a non-BCS conference, Notre Dame, BYU, Army, or Navy.

[Coach McGuirk]

great play. I am ecstatic! we are associated now with Army, Navy, and the Armed Forces Bowl! We can use any military rhetoric we wish now!

What a consolation prize.

[LA Ute]

Serious, non-trolling question: What bowl deal were you guys hoping for?

[Coach McGuirk]

Serious, non-trolling question: What bowl deal were you guys hoping for?

Nothing, I would rather have gone into the season without a tie in than sign up for the Armed Forces Bowl. Pretty sure they would have taken BYU at any time without a deal.

[LiveCoug]

First three years are going to be rough, but after that, I expect some good things with regards to schedule and bowl tie in. Holmoe asked for three years. I'll give it to him.