(11-30-2022 08:29 AM)FairwayEagle Wrote: Mobile and Shreveport are eyeing USM, with Mobile being most likely.
Here's what I think will happen:
ESPN would love a game between league champions, and if the favorites win, Troy winds up in Orlando against UTSA. That would be outstanding.
Proximity comes into play with several bowls: South Alabama is only two hours away from New Orleans and with that game on a Wednesday, that's a big deal. South doesn't want to stay home and the city doesn't either.
Southern Miss is a natural for Mobile. Lending Tree has the fifth pick and USM is close by. I wouldn't expect ESPN to slot them anywhere.
Coastal is, at worst, the Sun Belt runnerup. Look for ESPN to match them with an AAC school, probably in the Gasparilla.
Independence wants the Cajuns and vice versa. Now, if Louisiana was a ten win team, ESPN might slot them elsewhere. But at 6-6, they'll have no problem with the Cajuns going to a non-ESPN bowl game that has a back up contract with the SBC.
Marshall would travel well to a bowl and Myrtle Beach is the closest bowl to Huntington that is an SBC affiliate.
That leaves Georgia Southern to Montgomery.
I don't know if this is how it will shake out, but this is my best guess.