[NU Sports] A bowl too far?

[SjT (Stephen J. Truog)]

> The collective list opinion seems to be that we should
> expect to beat a solid SEC team in Florida, but we should
> fear a MAC team in Detroit :-) 

I don't think I heard that - just saying that the MAC champ won't be a pushover in Motown and that the bowl itself is "lose/lose" because of the expectations and risk.

As the other bowls ...

* Rose: I don't care if we play SC and lose to all their later-ineligible players ... nothing beats Pasadena on New Year's Day. Nothing.
* Citrus: Been there, done that. Muggy as heck and surrounded by SEC fans.
* Outback: The early-bird special version of Orlando. I'll pass.
* Alamo: Love the setting (if not the stadium), but this could be a tough bowl draw this year for the Big Ten. Figure that between the four higher spots (2 BCS, Cotton and Holiday) go to the north champ and three from the south - that still leaves one of the high-powered south teams (probably Okie State or TTech) here and both will bring a ton of fans.
* Champs: Probably the best matchup for us with the weak ACC and a comparable level (i.e. not 1st MAC vs. 7th Big Ten), but still, if you're gonna get stuck in Florida, make it a New Year's Bowl at least!
* Insight: Arizona! Arizona! Arizona! Obviously I'm biased - but you get all the sun without the humidity -- you don't get Mickey, but the stadium area around Tempe has much more to do and is nice than in Orlando.
* Motor City: Like I said, we aren't a program that can look down on any bowl game at this point and Ford Field and the surrounding are are nice. Still, Detroit is not a top bowl destination.

> I really don't care what bowl we may go to (provided
> that we beat Indiana to lock up a bid). I just want to get a
> winnable matchup. If we win two more (say Indiana and
> Michigan) then I think we'll be headed to San Antonio. 

I agree on taking any bowl - and on not overlooking Indiana to get there (as Purdue apparently did to us - the Hoosiers can score a lot).

As for where we go, I really think we need to go 4-1 the rest of the way to have a shot. PSU/OSU/MSU seem to be the top 3 easily (unless Sparty self destructs) - and even if two of those get into the BCS, Tampa and San Antonio are going to see Minny, Iowa and Illinois as far more attractive, sadly.

Of course, the best way to rectify that is to beat the Gophers and Illini (and Indiana and Michigan) on the field and leave them no choice.

GO CATS!!!
-SjT

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STEPHEN J. TRUOG
sjtruog at yahoo.com
GO CATS!!!