Until last year when the SBC suddenly decided to password protect these wonderful things...they had the rules placed publicly on their website. Since we at Arkansas State are becoming very good at calling Karl Benson's bluff because we hate him so, Arkstfan managed to save a copy of what the rules said before the league password protected them and then attempted to claim they didn't apply.

So, to summarize my summary of the rules, they only actually matter if King Karl wants them to matter, but if he did want them to matter...here's how the process works.

Rule 1: The Champion or Co Champions of the league are guaranteed a bowl game provided they are eligible. (Since GS is ineligible, the Cajuns are guaranteed a bowl if ULM wins Saturday. If GS Wins, there is no eligible champ, and rule 1 would be bypassed.) All Champions must be accounted for before a non champ can be placed.

Non Champion placement:

1. The Sun Belt is supposed to have exclusive negotiation rights with a bowl game. In other words, you cant negotiate with the bowls, only the league can. Since we all agree that rule is a bunch of malarkey, its common practice that everyone negotiates with the bowls...and if anyone asks, it never happened.

2. Selection Order: New Orleans, Mobile, Montgomery

3. A committee comprised of the President's and AD's and Non Bowl Eligible Sun Belt Schools will meet and assist the King...err...Benson in placing SBC Schools in Bowls. The teams on this committee this year are: Idaho, NMSU, Troy, Georgia State, ULM, App State, Georgia Southern.

4. If there are Three teams for three bowls...the teams will be placed by Geographic location. (Had Texas State knocked USA out of a bowl, this would have been the rule)

5. If there are more than three teams for three bowls, the following guidelines are to be followed.

A: Teams will be ranked in order of head to head record against other SBC bowl eligible teams (Cajuns 3-0, all others 1-2)
B: How did a team finish the regular season? (If you are Arkansas State or South Alabama, this is bad)
C: The Bowl History of all teams. (This is bad for Texas State and USA)
D: Number of wins against other FBS Teams. (Cajuns 7, Assuming favorites win this week, all others would have 6.)
E: Quality Wins against other FBS Teams. (Arkansas State's win over 8-3 Utah State is the best of such a group)
F: "Bad Losses" by each of the teams. ( If Favorites win, every single team's losses would all be to teams who finished at least .500)
G: BCS Ranking of each team (There is no BCS, so if we used a regular ranking system, the results vary outside of Cajuns #1)


Now what will happen: New Orleans Bowl will do their own thing, and everyone else is left battling secretly behind the committee's backs for the last spots. The AD and President with the best negotiation skills wins.

You can use any of these metrics to make an argument for ASU, USA, and TXST. What will happen is the bowls will take who they want.

NOLA will take UL, no second thoughts

Go Daddy will think USA is great cause they don't have to travel and should sell lots of tickets. They also have history with stAte and like them as well. To me, it's a toss up that favors USA.

Camellia will hope that Go Daddy picks stAte so they can take USA. If Go Daddy takes USA, then it's a toss up between stAte and TXST that favors stAte.

TXST is staring straight in the face of getting screwed two years running. It's a bunch of BS and sucks as fans. I hope a Texas bowl opens up but that seems slimmer then going to a SBC bowl.

Just think how much more messed up this would be if GS and App were eligable this year.

(11-24-2014 01:35 PM)chiefsfan Wrote:  The AD and President with the best negotiation skills wins.

Is there a smiley icon that succinctly says "we're F*cked"?

Cause with Larry at the helm, that's precisely what we are.

But, if I'm being honest... I can't be mad at USA getting a bowl invite over us. We had our shot to stop that in the tracks, and didn't do it.

(11-24-2014 02:07 PM)slycat Wrote:  TXST is staring straight in the face of getting screwed two years running. It's a bunch of BS and sucks as fans. I hope a Texas bowl opens up but that seems slimmer then going to a SBC bowl.

I don't think us getting screwed is the way to describe this situation.

Us screwing ourselves? Now there ya go.

(11-24-2014 02:07 PM)slycat Wrote:  NOLA will take UL, no second thoughts

Go Daddy will think USA is great cause they don't have to travel and should sell lots of tickets. They also have history with stAte and like them as well. To me, it's a toss up that favors USA.

Camellia will hope that Go Daddy picks stAte so they can take USA. If Go Daddy takes USA, then it's a toss up between stAte and TXST that favors stAte.

TXST is staring straight in the face of getting screwed two years running. It's a bunch of BS and sucks as fans. I hope a Texas bowl opens up but that seems slimmer then going to a SBC bowl.

Just think how much more messed up this would be if GS and App were eligable this year.

I cannot imagine that USA really wants to go to a bowl in their hometown. What fun is that for the team and fans? No economic impact because a MAC team will sell about 50 hotel rooms.

Yeah those regs ain't how it's gonna happen. Have this from on high.

Commissioner can put his two cents in but the final decision in each case rests with the bowls.

(11-24-2014 02:50 PM)TheRevSWT Wrote:  

(11-24-2014 01:35 PM)chiefsfan Wrote:  The AD and President with the best negotiation skills wins.

Is there a smiley icon that succinctly says "we're F*cked"?

Cause with Larry at the helm, that's precisely what we are.

But, if I'm being honest... I can't be mad at USA getting a bowl invite over us. We had our shot to stop that in the tracks, and didn't do it.

Larry will say "we improved from last year and I sent a powerpoint, what more do you want?"

Question about the new bowl game in Orlando (Cure Bowl) next year. Since they are the newest, will they get 4th pick? Or is it possible they negotiated a higher seeded pick by contributing more money? Just wondering if the picks are based on seniority or by dollars $$$$$.

I would think the bowl selection would look into whose fans will stay a night or 2 and sell a lot of tickets. IF they can get both out of one fan base then it is an easy selection.

(11-24-2014 03:41 PM)slycat Wrote:  Larry will say "we improved from last year and I sent a powerpoint, what more do you want?"

(11-24-2014 02:50 PM)TheRevSWT Wrote:  

(11-24-2014 01:35 PM)chiefsfan Wrote:  The AD and President with the best negotiation skills wins.

Is there a smiley icon that succinctly says "we're F*cked"?

Cause with Larry at the helm, that's precisely what we are.

But, if I'm being honest... I can't be mad at USA getting a bowl invite over us. We had our shot to stop that in the tracks, and didn't do it.

If we finish ahead of USA in the standings, and with a better overall record, and they're bowling, while we're at home. . . . .well no, that's not USA's fault, but it would be the fault of a F&@$ed up conference . . . And another indicator that Larry needs to update his PowerPoint and find us greener pastures . . Wherever they may be . . . .

The core problem is none of know what the various parties are thinking.

For example, the Cajuns may say they don't want to go to New Orleans because the crowd will be compared to last year's crowd and they don't want that comparison.

New Orleans I think will gladly take them but if they are picking among the other three what are they looking for. Do they play the nearby team card and take USA? Do they take AState because AState was able to beat a good MWC team and has a good sales record? Do they take Texas State figuring the fans will roll in Friday when hotels are cheap and maybe/maybe not stay Saturday night when prices rise?

GoDaddy would jump on the Cajuns because of distance and higher placement in the standings they have always tended to want the best available team because of their TV slot last before the title game and often night before, this time more than a week before.

USA will be a local favorite but the flip side of that is I've been to the GoDaddy three times and always see some Jag fans, will USA playing cause local interest and boost sales or will much of it be absorbed as people get free tickets or discounted tickets from local game sponsors. Tickets that previously went to youth groups might end up in the hands of USA fans or locals willing to go take a look. This wouldn't be unusual, La.Tech and ULM reportedly absorbed a lot of I-Bowl tickets from sponsors. Makes sponsors happy but not good for sales. But the city is a major sponsor and USA a major employer, the local angle works if they think that way.

If they want best match-up what are they weighing? TXST and AState if they each win Saturday come in 2-2 over the last four games, TXST having beaten AState for one of those. AState will have the better non-conference win but TXST is playing better. If it is a TV decision, probably goes to TXST figuring more than normal casual tune-ins in Texas.

If they want hotel rooms filled, AState is the safe pick.

Camellia. Ticket sales, USA is close but so close fans don't have to spend the night if they don't want to. They also don't have to buy a meal in Montgomery and they don't even have to buy gas if they have a reasonably efficient vehicle. AState on the other hand is close enough you might not fill hotels on Friday, but they are going to spend Saturday night. Given the stadium size and it being easier to reach than Mobile from Jonesboro, there won't be many empty seats.

But Camellia is ESPN owned, they like making money from ticket sales and sponsorship for sure but they also are less vested in whether or not fans buy a meal, tour the local sites, or get a hotel room. ESPN produces these games primarily for TV content, if they perceive TXST gives them a game that stays competitive and gains more casual viewers, then TXST goes to the head of the list.

Unless you know what the driving force is in the mind of the bowl director you can't venture much of a guess about what they are going to do.

(11-24-2014 04:23 PM)Bobcat87 Wrote:  

(11-24-2014 02:50 PM)TheRevSWT Wrote:  

(11-24-2014 01:35 PM)chiefsfan Wrote:  The AD and President with the best negotiation skills wins.

Is there a smiley icon that succinctly says "we're F*cked"?

Cause with Larry at the helm, that's precisely what we are.

But, if I'm being honest... I can't be mad at USA getting a bowl invite over us. We had our shot to stop that in the tracks, and didn't do it.

If we finish ahead of USA in the standings, and with a better overall record, and they're bowling, while we're at home. . . . .well no, that's not USA's fault, but it would be the fault of a F&@$ed up conference . . . And another indicator that Larry needs to update his PowerPoint and find us greener pastures . . Wherever they may be . . . .

You can't finish ahead of USA in the standings.

FWIW, Sun Belt could start releasing bowl pairings as early as 8:30pm on Saturday.

(11-24-2014 04:29 PM)arkstfan Wrote:  

(11-24-2014 04:23 PM)Bobcat87 Wrote:  

(11-24-2014 02:50 PM)TheRevSWT Wrote:  

(11-24-2014 01:35 PM)chiefsfan Wrote:  The AD and President with the best negotiation skills wins.

Is there a smiley icon that succinctly says "we're F*cked"?

Cause with Larry at the helm, that's precisely what we are.

But, if I'm being honest... I can't be mad at USA getting a bowl invite over us. We had our shot to stop that in the tracks, and didn't do it.

If we finish ahead of USA in the standings, and with a better overall record, and they're bowling, while we're at home. . . . .well no, that's not USA's fault, but it would be the fault of a F&@$ed up conference . . . And another indicator that Larry needs to update his PowerPoint and find us greener pastures . . Wherever they may be . . . .

You can't finish ahead of USA in the standings.

My bad, should have checked standings BEFORE making that post . . . . . Still don't like the idea of a 6-6 bowling while our 7-5 is sitting home, should the 2 end that way. . . .. The reality, the SBC needs additional bowl tie ins, especially once App and GaSo become bowl eligible programs . . . .or there'll be a lot of unhappy programs . . . .

(11-24-2014 04:40 PM)Bobcat87 Wrote:  

(11-24-2014 04:29 PM)arkstfan Wrote:  

(11-24-2014 04:23 PM)Bobcat87 Wrote:  

(11-24-2014 02:50 PM)TheRevSWT Wrote:  

(11-24-2014 01:35 PM)chiefsfan Wrote:  The AD and President with the best negotiation skills wins.

Is there a smiley icon that succinctly says "we're F*cked"?

Cause with Larry at the helm, that's precisely what we are.

But, if I'm being honest... I can't be mad at USA getting a bowl invite over us. We had our shot to stop that in the tracks, and didn't do it.

If we finish ahead of USA in the standings, and with a better overall record, and they're bowling, while we're at home. . . . .well no, that's not USA's fault, but it would be the fault of a F&@$ed up conference . . . And another indicator that Larry needs to update his PowerPoint and find us greener pastures . . Wherever they may be . . . .

You can't finish ahead of USA in the standings.

My bad, should have checked standings BEFORE making that post . . . . . Still don't like the idea of a 6-6 bowling while our 7-5 is sitting home, should the 2 end that way. . . .. The reality, the SBC needs additional bowl tie ins, especially once App and GaSo become bowl eligible programs . . . .or there'll be a lot of unhappy programs . . . .

USA also didn't play a FCS gimmie game

(11-24-2014 04:53 PM)slycat Wrote:  USA also didn't play a FCS gimmie game

And one of their 6 wins is over us.

(11-24-2014 04:53 PM)slycat Wrote:  USA also didn't play a FCS gimmie game

AState's gimme is 8-4 and in the playoffs.
TXST's gimme finished 4-7 and just got busted by the NCAA for improper certification of eligibility and failing to maintain correct roster lists with the NCAA.

And TXST was kind in beating them only 65-0 after the coach popped off that TXST had no business in FBS. Another 15 points was warranted if Fran had taken mercy.

(11-24-2014 04:31 PM)arkstfan Wrote:  FWIW, Sun Belt could start releasing bowl pairings as early as 8:30pm on Saturday.

I thought I read all bowls have to wait until after playoffs are announced, no?