Should USC Go To A Bowl Game?
posted by Scott Hood on Tuesday, November 27, 2007
The answer depends on how you’re looking at it. Are you examining the issue objectively, or subjectively?
Objectively, the answer is yes. Why? Because the rules stipulate that six-win teams are allowed to play in bowl games. You may not like that rule, but it is what it is, as football coaches often say.
It’s no different from any other rule or law that governs sports or everyday life.
One of the reasons six-win teams are allowed into the bowl club is because there are, right now, 32 bowl games. If the minimum standard were 7 wins, there simply wouldn’t be enough teams to fill all the available slots.
Of course, that presents the question of whether there are too many bowl games. My answer is always no, because 1) if you’re a college football fan, the more football over the holidays the better; and 2) many of the minor bowl games (those below the BCS games) serve as little more than programming inventory for ESPN. No more, no less.
If you take a more analytical approach, you’re taking bowl games way too seriously.
Back to the question of whether 6-6 teams should be allowed to play in a bowl. Subjectively, you could go either way. Many old-time fans remember the day when there were less than a dozen bowl games, and being invited to one was special. Back then, you had to win a conference championship to go to a bowl game.
But, just like the NCAA Basketball Tournament, times have changed in college football. We now live in a universe with hundreds of cable channels. The ESPN empire seemingly grows ten-fold every year.
When there is more demand for a product, typically you have to lower the standards. Right now, college football is hot throughout the country. Apparently, all these minor bowl games draw good enough ratings and make ESPN enough money to survive
Who’s watching the Armed Forces Bowl or the New Mexico Bowl? You may not be, but somebody out there is.
So, with all these bowl games, there’s a need for 6-6 teams to fill the demand.
Which brings us to South Carolina.
The dilemma USC faces is the SEC has eight bowl slots and 10 bowl eligible teams. If Georgia, as predicted, goes to a BCS bowl that increases to nine the number of SEC teams that will play in a conference affiliated bowl game.
That still leaves one team out in the cold.
USC and Alabama are both 6-6. The perception is that the two teams are battling for the right to play in the Independence Bowl in Shreveport.
USC played there two years ago, while Alabama beat Oklahoma State in the same game last year.
However, the perception is wrong. One of the bowl games above the Independence in the SEC pecking order (the Liberty or Music City) could select either USC or Alabama as long as there were enough slots left for all the seven-win teams.
Based on conversations I’ve had, USC has a better chance to end up in the Nashville-based Music City Bowl instead of the Independence. Why? The MCB covets a USC-Florida State pairing because a coaching matchup between Steve Spurrier and Bobby Bowden would be a marketing dream.
I’m sure that’s what ESPN wants as well. The presence of Spurrier and Bowden on the same football field again would generate solid ratings, no question. Alabama and Florida State have already played this season, so a rematch is unlikely.
The issue is whether the SEC office will allow that game to happen. With USC being a relative newcomer to the league, don’t be surprised if Alabama gets preferential treatment.
As of today, I'm predicting Mississippi State to the Independence, Kentucky to the Liberty and either USC or Alabama to the Music City. MSU and UK each have seven wins.
If USC is left out, that means the Gamecocks would have to search for an at-large berth somewhere. I’ve spoken with Tom Starr, Executive Director of the Armed Forced Bowl in Ft. Worth, and he said that if his bowl has an opportunity to select a six-win team, USC is positioned right at the top of the list. Iowa is also under consideration, he said.
Will Starr will get the opportunity to pick a six-win team? There are plenty of games left this weekend before the bowl picture is completely sorted out.
The Armed Forces Bowl has a tie-in with the Pac-10. However, unless Arizona upsets Arizona State on Saturday, the conference will fall one team short of filling its quota. If Arizona State wins, it will likely secure a BCS berth along with Southern California, which faces rival UCLA on Saturday as well.
Since the Big 10 has three seven-win teams available (Indiana, Michigan State and Purdue) for an at-large berth, the best way to eliminate that option would be for Missouri to lose to Oklahoma in the Big 12 Championship game and for Ohio State to move up into the BCS Championship game.
If that happens, the Rose Bowl will, by all accounts, pick Illinois to face the Pac-10 champion in order to keep the traditional Big 10 v. Pac 10 matchup for that game.
I've heard some people say that even if USC is invited to a bowl game, the Gamecocks should decline. But that will never happen. One of the benefits of playing in a bowl game is the 15 additional practices you get. Also, there is too much at stake for recruiting.
If you want USC to play in a bowl game, here’s what you should be rooting for this weekend:
-- Oklahoma beats Missouri in Big 12 championship game AND/OR Pittsburgh upsets West Virginia in the Backyard Brawl game;
-- Arizona State beats Arizona;
-- Southern Cal beats UCLA;
-- Washington beats Hawaii;
-- Troy beats Florida Atlantic;
-- The ACC gets a second team into the BCS.
- Permalink, Discuss, Blog Home
South Carolina’s five-game losing streak to close out the regular season raises that age-old question of whether a 6-6 team should play in a bowl game.
The answer depends on how you’re looking at it. Are you examining the issue objectively, or subjectively?
Objectively, the answer is yes. Why? Because the rules stipulate that six-win teams are allowed to play in bowl games. You may not like that rule, but it is what it is, as football coaches often say.
It’s no different from any other rule or law that governs sports or everyday life.
One of the reasons six-win teams are allowed into the bowl club is because there are, right now, 32 bowl games. If the minimum standard were 7 wins, there simply wouldn’t be enough teams to fill all the available slots.
Of course, that presents the question of whether there are too many bowl games. My answer is always no, because 1) if you’re a college football fan, the more football over the holidays the better; and 2) many of the minor bowl games (those below the BCS games) serve as little more than programming inventory for ESPN. No more, no less.
If you take a more analytical approach, you’re taking bowl games way too seriously.
Back to the question of whether 6-6 teams should be allowed to play in a bowl. Subjectively, you could go either way. Many old-time fans remember the day when there were less than a dozen bowl games, and being invited to one was special. Back then, you had to win a conference championship to go to a bowl game.
But, just like the NCAA Basketball Tournament, times have changed in college football. We now live in a universe with hundreds of cable channels. The ESPN empire seemingly grows ten-fold every year.
When there is more demand for a product, typically you have to lower the standards. Right now, college football is hot throughout the country. Apparently, all these minor bowl games draw good enough ratings and make ESPN enough money to survive
Who’s watching the Armed Forces Bowl or the New Mexico Bowl? You may not be, but somebody out there is.
So, with all these bowl games, there’s a need for 6-6 teams to fill the demand.
Which brings us to South Carolina.
The dilemma USC faces is the SEC has eight bowl slots and 10 bowl eligible teams. If Georgia, as predicted, goes to a BCS bowl that increases to nine the number of SEC teams that will play in a conference affiliated bowl game.
That still leaves one team out in the cold.
USC and Alabama are both 6-6. The perception is that the two teams are battling for the right to play in the Independence Bowl in Shreveport.
USC played there two years ago, while Alabama beat Oklahoma State in the same game last year.
However, the perception is wrong. One of the bowl games above the Independence in the SEC pecking order (the Liberty or Music City) could select either USC or Alabama as long as there were enough slots left for all the seven-win teams.
Based on conversations I’ve had, USC has a better chance to end up in the Nashville-based Music City Bowl instead of the Independence. Why? The MCB covets a USC-Florida State pairing because a coaching matchup between Steve Spurrier and Bobby Bowden would be a marketing dream.
I’m sure that’s what ESPN wants as well. The presence of Spurrier and Bowden on the same football field again would generate solid ratings, no question. Alabama and Florida State have already played this season, so a rematch is unlikely.
The issue is whether the SEC office will allow that game to happen. With USC being a relative newcomer to the league, don’t be surprised if Alabama gets preferential treatment.
As of today, I'm predicting Mississippi State to the Independence, Kentucky to the Liberty and either USC or Alabama to the Music City. MSU and UK each have seven wins.
If USC is left out, that means the Gamecocks would have to search for an at-large berth somewhere. I’ve spoken with Tom Starr, Executive Director of the Armed Forced Bowl in Ft. Worth, and he said that if his bowl has an opportunity to select a six-win team, USC is positioned right at the top of the list. Iowa is also under consideration, he said.
Will Starr will get the opportunity to pick a six-win team? There are plenty of games left this weekend before the bowl picture is completely sorted out.
The Armed Forces Bowl has a tie-in with the Pac-10. However, unless Arizona upsets Arizona State on Saturday, the conference will fall one team short of filling its quota. If Arizona State wins, it will likely secure a BCS berth along with Southern California, which faces rival UCLA on Saturday as well.
Since the Big 10 has three seven-win teams available (Indiana, Michigan State and Purdue) for an at-large berth, the best way to eliminate that option would be for Missouri to lose to Oklahoma in the Big 12 Championship game and for Ohio State to move up into the BCS Championship game.
If that happens, the Rose Bowl will, by all accounts, pick Illinois to face the Pac-10 champion in order to keep the traditional Big 10 v. Pac 10 matchup for that game.
I've heard some people say that even if USC is invited to a bowl game, the Gamecocks should decline. But that will never happen. One of the benefits of playing in a bowl game is the 15 additional practices you get. Also, there is too much at stake for recruiting.
If you want USC to play in a bowl game, here’s what you should be rooting for this weekend:
-- Oklahoma beats Missouri in Big 12 championship game AND/OR Pittsburgh upsets West Virginia in the Backyard Brawl game;
-- Arizona State beats Arizona;
-- Southern Cal beats UCLA;
-- Washington beats Hawaii;
-- Troy beats Florida Atlantic;
-- The ACC gets a second team into the BCS.
- Permalink, Discuss, Blog Home
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Scott Hood. Since February of 2005, Scott has covered the South Carolina football, men's basketball and baseball programs for GamecockCentral. He may be reached by email at scottblog(at)gamecockcentral.com. Replace (at) with @.