November 24, 2008

What Bowl will Notre Dame Play in?

Once the BCS bowls are selected, Notre Dame counts as a Big East team for bowl purposes. Technically the agreements only include the Sun and Gator Bowls, as Notre Dame would be taken by them if they are eligible.

The NCAA, however, has rules that limit the bowl placement of 6-6- teams. A conference must place its teams with a winning record (7-5 or 6-5 and a non qualifying game) into its contracted bowls before placing a 6-6 team into a contracted bowl.

If Notre Dame beats USC or Rutgers loses to Louisville Notre Dame looks to be headed to the Sun Bowl. If Notre Dame loses to USC and Rutgers beats Louisville then the Bowls with contracts with the Big East must take winning Big East teams.

Where then would Notre Dame go?

Notre Dame at 6-6 would be the most contested at large ever. I could even imagine some bowls allowing their conference bids fall to other bowls, if those conferences don't have enough teams to fill there slots, to get their hands on Notre Dame.

The conferences that look to be the most short are the PAC 10, SEC and Big 12. The SEC and Big 12 have enough competitive teams to field their bowls, but the PAC 10 was way down this year. The situation would be exasperated if Oregon State beats Oregon to earn a Rose Bowl berth and USC qualifies for the Fiesta Bowl.

PAC 10: USC, Oregon State, Oregon, Arizona and California are all Bowl Eligible. UCLA and and ASU are on a very tenuous bubble, each needing to win their last two games.

Rose Bowl: Oregon State
Fiesta Bowl: USC
Holiday: Oregon
Sun: NOTRE DAME???
Las Vegas: Arizona
Emerald: California
Poinsettia: Boise State
Hawaii: ???

The Sun Bowl has been hedging on its statements about taking Notre Dame, stating it would be interested in a 6-6 Notre Dame. Could the Sun Bowl be Notre Dame vs Big East? If the Sun Bowl is able to defer a PAC 10 team for Notre Dame, the Poinsettia Bowl will likely try to defer one to Hawaii as well, should another become available.

Comments:

What Bowl will Notre Dame Play in?
Once the BCS bowls are selected, Notre Dame counts as a Big East team for bowl purposes. Technically the agreements only include the Sun and Gator Bowls, as Notre Dame would be taken by them if they are eligible. The NCAA, however, has rules that limit the bowl placement of 6-6- teams. A conference must place its teams with a winning record (7-5 or 6-5 and a non qualifying game) into its contracted bowls before placing a 6-6 team into a contracted bowl. If Notre Dame beats USC or Rutgers loses to Louisville Notre Dame looks to be headed to the Sun Bowl. If Notre Dame loses to USC and Rutgers beats Louisville then the Bowls with contracts with the Big East must take winning Big East teams. Where then would Notre Dame go? Notre Dame at 6-6 would be the most contested at large ever. I could even imagine some bowls allowing their conference bids fall to other bowls, if those conferences don't have enough teams to fill there slots, to get their hands on Notre Dame. The conferences that look to be the most short are the PAC 10, SEC and Big 12. The SEC and Big 12 have enough competitive teams to field their bowls, but the PAC 10 was way down this year. The situation would be exasperated if Oregon State beats Oregon to earn a Rose Bowl berth and USC qualifies for the Fiesta Bowl. PAC 10: USC, Oregon State, Oregon, Arizona and California are all Bowl Eligible. UCLA and and ASU are on a very tenuous bubble, each needing to win their last two games. Rose Bowl: Oregon State Fiesta Bowl: USC Holiday: Oregon Sun: NOTRE DAME??? Las Vegas: Arizona Emerald: California Poinsettia: Boise State Hawaii: ??? The Sun Bowl has been hedging on its statements about taking Notre Dame, stating it would be interested in a 6-6 Notre Dame. Could the Sun Bowl be Notre Dame vs Big East? If the Sun Bowl is able to defer a PAC 10 team for Notre Dame, the Poinsettia Bowl will likely try to defer one to Hawaii as well, should another become available.