(10-19-2023 10:59 AM)Ken Barna Wrote:  Dear Friends,
I did not attend the Bahamas Bowl, but the people that did, echoed what has been said here. If there is a bowl, that is one not to go.

https://x.com/ARAlvarado13/status/171505...74165?s=20

(10-19-2023 12:23 PM)emu steve Wrote:  

(10-19-2023 10:59 AM)Ken Barna Wrote:  Dear Friends,
I did not attend the Bahamas Bowl, but the people that did, echoed what has been said here. If there is a bowl, that is one not to go.

https://x.com/ARAlvarado13/status/171505...74165?s=20

I now desperately want EMU to be in the bahamas bowl that isnt in the bahamas

(10-19-2023 12:37 PM)dansplaining Wrote:  

(10-19-2023 12:23 PM)emu steve Wrote:  

(10-19-2023 10:59 AM)Ken Barna Wrote:  Dear Friends,
I did not attend the Bahamas Bowl, but the people that did, echoed what has been said here. If there is a bowl, that is one not to go.

https://x.com/ARAlvarado13/status/171505...74165?s=20

I now desperately want EMU to be in the bahamas bowl that isnt in the bahamas

How about FIU's stadium in Miami ?

Up hill battle to get into a bowl now for our Eagles. A big one this weekend.

Bowl eligible
Miami-OH (6-2)
Toledo (7-1)
Ohio (6-2)

Need two more wins
Eastern Michigan
Central Michigan
Bowling Green
Northern Illinois

Need three more wins
Buffalo

Need four more wins
Western Michigan
Ball State

Eliminated
Akron
Kent State

A small slate of games this week both on Saturday:

WMU@EMU: Duh

Miami-OH@Ohio:....Doesn't really matter. Both teams are already in and both teams are in the east.

(10-19-2023 12:37 PM)dansplaining Wrote:  

(10-19-2023 12:23 PM)emu steve Wrote:  

(10-19-2023 10:59 AM)Ken Barna Wrote:  Dear Friends,
I did not attend the Bahamas Bowl, but the people that did, echoed what has been said here. If there is a bowl, that is one not to go.

https://x.com/ARAlvarado13/status/171505...74165?s=20

I now desperately want EMU to be in the bahamas bowl that isnt in the bahamas

I suggested DRV PNK Stadium in Ft Lauderdale . New, with a 19,100 capacity.

Finally we have the answer to one of the Jeopardy questions of the 2023 college football season:

A: Charlotte, N.C.

Q: Where will the 2023 Bahamas Bowl be held?

(10-27-2023 11:32 AM)emu steve Wrote:  Finally we have the answer to one of the Jeopardy questions of the 2023 college football season:

A: Charlotte, N.C.

Q: Where will the 2023 Bahamas Bowl be held?

I like that. Somewhat south but drivable.

Bahamas Bowl to be played in Charlotte due to stadium renovations, Myrtle Beach Bowl changes dates, per report https://www.cbssports.com/college-footba...er-report/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jerry_Rich...prov=sfla1

https://www.accuweather.com/en/us/charlo...her/349818

Well...not looking good for our Eagles. I only feel good about winning one of our last three, so I have a feeling we might be sitting home this December for the first time since 2017. Meanwhile, WMU keeps their hopes alive. I'm starting to think the MAC may only get six teams.

Bowl eligible
Miami-OH (7-2)
Toledo (7-1)
Ohio (6-3)

Need two more wins
Eastern Michigan
Central Michigan
Bowling Green
Northern Illinois

Need three more wins
Buffalo
Western Michigan

Need four more wins
Ball State

Eliminated
Akron
Kent State

This is start of mid-week MACtion, we are off.

Tuesday
NIU @ CMU: Hmm...NIU? Both teams are 4-4, doesn't really matter to us so I'll take NIU since they are less of a rival. Plus CMU has a tougher path to six if they lose this one than NIU would have

Buffalo @ Toledo: Toledo. The Bulls are 3-5, and it might come down to our game with them to end the season that determines if we make a bowl. So hopefully Buffalo is eliminated by then.

Wednesday

BSU @ BGSU: Ball State. With one more loss Ball State will be out, I think they'll get that somewhere along the way. BG might have a hard time getting two more wins IF they lose this one, so we'll go with Ball State.

KSU @ Akron: Kent State. Both teams are 1-7 and already eliminated so it doesn't really matter, but since we still play Akron I guess the more they lose the better.

I love EMU football!

That said, does the team really deserve a bowl invite? Most MAC schools played at least two P5 payday games, while we "miracled" one against UMASS and got obliterated by Rich Rod in Alabama. Our offense got out-gained by our FCS opponent Howard by OVER 100 yards, we won only with two kick returns. Our MAC crossover schedule was also very favorable with doormats Kent and Akron, who we still have to beat. This team has done very little with a VERY favorable schedule.

A quick MAC week is already over. Still only three teams that are eligible, but CMU and BGSU move closer, while Ball State is toast.

Bowl eligible
Miami-OH (7-2)
Toledo (8-1)
Ohio (6-3)

Need one more win
Central Michigan
Bowling Green

Need two more wins
Eastern Michigan
Northern Illinois

Need three more wins
Buffalo
Western Michigan

Eliminated
Akron
Kent State
Ball State

A lot is on the line next week. Here is how I see our rooting interest:

Tuesday
BSU @ NIU: Ball State. Since Ball State is already out, might as well try to keep NIU out or at least 6-6.

CMU @ WMU: Western. Central has two tough games to end the year, it might be tough for them to get to six if they lose to the Broncos, and either way the best Western can do is 6-6.

Ohio @ Buffalo: Ohio. With Buffalo being 3-6 and Ohio already in, if we go into our game against Buffalo with five wins, it'd be nice if they are out of the running for the MAC-east and a bowl game so they don't have anything to play for.

Wednesday
EMU @ Toledo: Duh.

BGSU @ KSU: Kent State. Bowling Green only needs one more win to make a bowl, so might be nice to and keep them out or at 6-6.

Akron @ Miami-OH. Miami-OH. The Redhawks are already in, Akron is 2-7 and got a nice comeback win for themselves last night. Hopefully that takes some desperation for another win from them, and Miami beats up on them this week and takes some more life out of them heading into our game against Akron.

A win against Toledo would . . . do a lot.

But at least Buffalo and Akron should both be out of the bowl picture by the time we see them. Both have Ohio and Miami left on their schedule. Ouch.

(11-03-2023 09:13 AM)Block_E Wrote:  A win against Toledo would . . . do a lot.

But at least Buffalo and Akron should both be out of the bowl picture by the time we see them. Both have Ohio and Miami left on their schedule. Ouch.

Agreed. I don't have much (if any) hope for a win this week in Toledo, so we're gonna have to win those last two to get to a bowl.

Akron is already out, so hopefully Ohio and/or Miami-OH beat Buffalo over these next two weeks so they are also out by time we play them.

FYI for anyone thinking we need to do better than 6-6 to make a bowl, it sounds like there won't even be enough 6-6 teams...

Quote:There HAVE to be a few upsets somewhere along the way.

There are a few massive issue brewing when it comes to figuring out the latest round of bowl projections - the Big 12 isn't carrying its weight, the Sun Belt has too many projected eligible teams, and the American Athletic Conference isn't even close to helping the cause.

Again, there will be a few crazy things to make everything work, but at the immediate moment, Big 12 teams Iowa State, Houston, TCU, Texas Tech, and UCF all project to be 5-7 or worse. The same goes for the AAC with Florida Atlantic and North Texas - after losing this weekend - also project to be 5-7.

Syracuse, Arkansas, Mississippi State - all of them should come close, but not quite. And that means there are four spots open.

That means the silly NCAA provisional thing will be shoved aside so James Madison and Jacksonville State can go bowling, and then two more teams have to emerge.

It goes to APR - the Academic Progress Rate - which means ... Northwestern and Wake Forest, get one more win each, and get in there.

On the opposite side of all of this is the Sun Belt with just about EVERYONE available, and the Big Ten has too many teams. It's going to get funky to find places for them all.

The whole goal is to put together the best bowl matchups possible, and ESPN and the bowl types will get creative.

https://collegefootballnews.com/bowl-pro...ns-week-11

(11-06-2023 07:01 AM)Sellers dweller Wrote:  FYI for anyone thinking we need to do better than 6-6 to make a bowl, it sounds like there won't even be enough 6-6 teams...

Quote:There HAVE to be a few upsets somewhere along the way.

There are a few massive issue brewing when it comes to figuring out the latest round of bowl projections - the Big 12 isn't carrying its weight, the Sun Belt has too many projected eligible teams, and the American Athletic Conference isn't even close to helping the cause.

Again, there will be a few crazy things to make everything work, but at the immediate moment, Big 12 teams Iowa State, Houston, TCU, Texas Tech, and UCF all project to be 5-7 or worse. The same goes for the AAC with Florida Atlantic and North Texas - after losing this weekend - also project to be 5-7.

Syracuse, Arkansas, Mississippi State - all of them should come close, but not quite. And that means there are four spots open.

That means the silly NCAA provisional thing will be shoved aside so James Madison and Jacksonville State can go bowling, and then two more teams have to emerge.

It goes to APR - the Academic Progress Rate - which means ... Northwestern and Wake Forest, get one more win each, and get in there.

On the opposite side of all of this is the Sun Belt with just about EVERYONE available, and the Big Ten has too many teams. It's going to get funky to find places for them all.

The whole goal is to put together the best bowl matchups possible, and ESPN and the bowl types will get creative.

https://collegefootballnews.com/bowl-pro...ns-week-11

Thanks for sharing this. I always wondered how they picked the 5-7 teams. Nice to see EMU high up on the APR list

Well we're coming to the end here, and our Eagles backs are against the wall. Will they come out fired up against two opponents they have the capacity to beat? I know neither Akron nor Buffalo are very good this year, but both are also capable of beat us. On the bowl front; Bowling Green is now bowling while Buffalo is done. Starting to get dicing for the MAC...I think we only get six bowl teams (if that) this year. Toledo has clinch the MAC-west, Miami-OH can clinch the MAC-east with a win this week.

Bowl eligible
Miami-OH (8-2)
Toledo (9-1)
Ohio (7-3)
Bowling Green (6-4)

Need one more win
Central Michigan

Need two more wins
Eastern Michigan
Northern Illinois
Western Michigan

Eliminated
Akron
Kent State
Ball State
Buffalo

MACtion continues next week, here is who we are cheering for:

Tuesday
Akron @ EMU: Duh

Toledo @ Bowling Green: Toledo. Doesn't matter too much, but I guess try to keep BG at 6-6.

WMU @ NIU: WMU. The loser of this one is done, the winner then has to win the final week to go bowling. Let's hope Western wins since they have a tougher game the following week. (Side note: I think Western is going to make a bowl).

Wednesday
CMU @ Ohio: Ohio. The Bobcats are already in, if CMU loses this one they are in big trouble since they end the season with Toledo...they might have a hard time getting to a bowl.

Buffalo @ Miami-OH: Miami-OH. Miami is obviously in, but even though Buffalo is out of the bowl picture...oddly enough they are still alive for the MAC-east (they would need to win out while having Miami, BG, and Ohio ALL lose out). So lets hope Miami-OH wins so Buffalo has nothing to play for if we roll in there with five wins. Of course if we lose Tuesday all of that is out the window and in that case...we'll cheer for Buffalo, why not? haha

Saturday
KSU @ BSU:...Ball State? Doesn't really matter, both teams are out so we'll go with our west brother!

CMU is going to lose out.

(11-09-2023 08:36 AM)holybovine Wrote:  CMU is going to lose out.

I agree. The odds that the four current bowl eligible teams end up being the only four teams to go to a bowl are actually pretty good. Down year for the MAC.

(11-09-2023 10:21 AM)Sellers dweller Wrote:  

(11-09-2023 08:36 AM)holybovine Wrote:  CMU is going to lose out.

I agree. The odds that the four current bowl eligible teams end up being the only four teams to go to a bowl are actually pretty good. Down year for the MAC.

Really, really down year. Miami is decent and Toledo is probably the best team since PJ's Broncos but:

Kent, Akron, Ball St and EMU would all have locked up the conference basement in prior years. All four are painful to watch.

NIU, CMU, Buffalo and Ohio are not very good but are piling up a lot of wins beating up on the "horrendous four" and each other.

WMU and BG are rebuilding, in past years they would be nearer to the bottom, but due to conference weakness, they are now top tier teams.

(11-09-2023 06:20 PM)Jerry Weaver Wrote:  

(11-09-2023 10:21 AM)Sellers dweller Wrote:  

(11-09-2023 08:36 AM)holybovine Wrote:  CMU is going to lose out.

I agree. The odds that the four current bowl eligible teams end up being the only four teams to go to a bowl are actually pretty good. Down year for the MAC.

Really, really down year. Miami is decent and Toledo is probably the best team since PJ's Broncos but:

Kent, Akron, Ball St and EMU would all have locked up the conference basement in prior years. All four are painful to watch.

NIU, CMU, Buffalo and Ohio are not very good but are piling up a lot of wins beating up on the "horrendous four" and each other.

WMU and BG are rebuilding, in past years they would be nearer to the bottom, but due to conference weakness, they are now top tier teams.

I mostly agree with that. I think EMU is more in the NIU/CMU/BUF group, and Ohio is a tick above them. I'd place MAC teams this way this year:

Tier 1
Toledo

Tier 2
Miami

Tier 3
Ohio

Tier 4
Western
Bowling Green

Tier 5
Eastern
Central
Northern Illinois
Buffalo

Tier 6
Kent State
Akron
Ball State