[NU Sports] Big Ten bowl outlook ...

[Scott Zeller]

According to bowl rules, no 6-6 team can be selected over a team with a
winning record. There are no worries that any 6-6 team will be taken ahead
of NU for a bowl at this point.

Scott Zeller MD
Med '86

On Sat, Nov 1, 2008 at 9:27 PM, SjT (Stephen J. Truog) <sjtruog at yahoo.com>wrote:

> A wild day and after the game in Champaign and the one just finished in
> West Texas, here's where I see the bowl picture right now ...
>
> Iowa's loss increases the likelihood of a cluster of 6-6 teams in the Big
> Ten, which is good for NU if they can get one more win to distance
> themselves from the pack and force a bowl to select us ahead of a 6-6 Iowa
> or Wisconsin. It would be nice if we could take care of that 8th win against
> OSU or Michigan, but it might come down to 7-4 NU vs. 6-5 Illinois for a
> spot in San Antonio.
>
> And I still think the Big Ten is looking good for two BCS teams - no way
> that the Big East or ACC even deserve one, yet alone two. And the Pac 10
> only gets two if Oregon State runs the table and beats SC for the Pasadena
> tiebreak. Tulsa's loss helps reduce the possibility of more than one buster
> and ND's loss eliminates any faint hopes. So unless they change the rule to
> allow a third Big XII team or the Buckeyes slip up the rest of the way,
> they're in.
>
> So what does that mean, well ...
>
> BCS BOWLS
> =========
> CHAMPIONSHIP: Penn State vs. Oklahoma - I think Tech loses in Norman (maybe
> to Okie State too) and Bama loses in the SEC title game (if not Baton Rouge)
> and all chaos breaks free for that #2 spot -- the SEC fans will throw a fit,
> but they snuck in to that spot last year on the strength of their league.
> Well, the Big XII is the top league this year and their top team deserves to
> be in the game more. End of story.
>
> ROSE: Southern Cal vs. Alabama - No rematch with the Bucks, but with their
> first pick, the Pasadena folk select the SEC runners up for a classic
> matchup of big names.
>
> FIESTA: Texas vs. Ohio State - Another big game between big names out in
> the desert.
>
> SUGAR: Florida vs. West Virginia - Tebow vs. White, do the other 20 players
> on their respective sides of the ball even matter?
>
> ORANGE: ACC TBA vs. Utah - I'm becoming convinced that the ACC will now
> have all teams finish 6-6 and will draw straws for the championship. The
> winner gets the BCS buster (which could be TCU) to complete the yawner.
>
> BIG TEN BOWLS
> =============
> CITRUS: Michigan State vs. Georgia - As long as Sparty doesn't lose another
> game besides PSU, they're the #3 pick for the Big Ten and with two BCS
> teams, that means Orlando. As for the SEC team there, Georgia limps in after
> proving that there's a great deal of distance between the SEC's top two
> teams and #3.
>
> OUTBACK: Minnesota vs. South Carolina - despite losing to NU, the Gophers
> are the better story and bring more fans, so as long as they win out, they
> get the spot here. As for the SEC team, they really drop off after LSU, so
> it could be Vandy (which would be a fun matchup if it were NU vs. Vandy!),
> Kentucky, Ole Miss or SC - go with Spurrier to help sell tickets.
>
> ALAMO: Northwestern vs. Missouri - I'd rather be in Phoenix, but with the
> 6-6 mess, NU can all but assure itself of avoiding Phoenix/Detroit with one
> more win. As for the foe, the Big XII is loaded -- two head to the BCS, one
> to Dallas, one to San Diego and that still leaves one top 20 team for San
> Antonio (could be Okie State here as well - which would help Illinois'
> chances since it wouldn't be a rematch with Mizzou).
>
> CHAMPS: Illinois vs. ACC TBA - The Badgers and Hawkeyes aren't exactly
> inspiring fans with their finish, so let's put the Illini here for that
> mythical Chicago TV market draw (Chicago only cares if the Illini are in the
> top 10). As for the foe? Again, whichever 6-6 ACC team draws the Orlando
> straw.
>
> INSIGHT: Iowa vs. Kansas - I'd like NU's chances more here against KU, but
> Iowa's loss puts them too far below us to catch up so they're headed to
> Phoenix at 6-6 for a corn vs. wheat bowl with the Jayhawks.
>
> MOTOR CITY: Wisconsin vs. Ball State - The Cheeseheads may be even less
> enthusiastic about travel to a mid-level bowl than the bumblebees, so they
> limp into Motown.
>
> Of course, this could all change next week or next hour (Utah is in a
> dogfight at New Mexico).
>
> GO CATS!!!
> -SjT
>
> * * * * * * * * *
> STEPHEN J. TRUOG
> sjtruog at yahoo.com
> GO CATS!!!
>
>
>
>
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