kreed5120

If I'm not mistaken there were 3 5-7 teams that made bowl games (Minnesota, Nebraska, & SDSU). The only one that got into a bowl game with a decent payout (>1 Million) was Minnesota (1.2 Million) and there was already an at-large team (CMU) selected to play in it as the ACC couldn't fill their slot. I'm not certain besides the MAC, who had +1 bowl team, what other conferences had enough teams to meet their bowl requirements plus fill the void of another conference who didn't. I feel it was a bit of a coincidence that you saw B1G teams fill BIG bowls. It just happened to be the schools with the highest APR were from the conference that failed to make enough teams bowl eligible.

ZippyRulz, Green Bay actually doesn't sponsor a football team so there is no chance that they make the jump to the MAC. The team to consider would be JMU. They have an FBS caliber stadium, a decent football program (by fcs standards), and a basketball program that can contend in the MAC from day 1. They are also most importantly looking to make the jump to FBS. They turned down an offer from the sun belt, but rumor has it that they would accept a C-USA or MAC invitation if offered.

I'm not saying the MAC is destined for eternity to be a 1 bid conference. I just don't see anything changing this year. That Miami team beat Notre Dame, Tennessee, and Dayton in OOC play (ironically it lost to Green Bay). I just don't see any team in the MAC this season with that kind of OOC resume.Perhaps Akron runs off 28-29 wins to enter bubble consideration and finds itself getting in as an at-large. If that happens, I'll be the 1st to admit that I was wrong. That doesn't mean that I won't enjoy the regular season.

I feel it's been a general consensus that a 30-3 record really isn't a realistic expectation. Akron's only good chance of getting into the tournament is winning the MAC tournament. All the other games just matter for MAC tournament and potential March Madness seeding. The MAC hasn't had an at large bid since 1999 and I don't see that changing this season.

A 30-3 record is more impressive than a 26-7 record. Also, the Zips OOC schedule this season, despite not being all that great, was superior to that 06-07 OOC schedule.

A 30-3 record would be hard for the selection committee to pass up. I however don't feel that record is realistic. The Zips are too dependent on the 3 and there are plenty of MAC teams that are good enough to capitalize when Akron has a cold shooting night.

I just don't feel it's that big of a story. In 1995 there were 18 bowl games, this season there were 40, excluding the national championship. There have been plenty of other seasons when 7 MAC schools were bowl eligible. There just weren't enough bowl games for them all to get bowl slots.

With no TV deal and such low attendance numbers, I wonder how this tournament is funded? Perhaps the teams participating absorb the cost?

It might not be saying much, but I feel this piece is less negative than some of the other abj pieces. I kind of came away with the opinion that the Marla portrayed this as a stepping stone that only matters if Akron builds upon in years to follow. There is reason to be cautiously optimistic as the only other time Akron went bowling, they followed it up with 9 straight losing seasons. One 7-5 season in which Akron failed to beat any team with a winning record isn't going to instantly sway public opinion.

For a team like Akron who struggles to meet NCAAF 15k minimum standards, definitely. For a team like OSU who gets 100k+ either way, I'm not sure it matters much.

Someone correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't it a requirement that teams surpass 15k average once every 2 years? If that's the case last years numbers likely weren't inflated much, if at all, but the school would have needed to guarantee that they hit 15k+ this year.

It's a pretty low budget tournament which explains there are no big name teams. Are the games even televised? It appears that team out east got into the more prestigious of the 2 basketball tournaments taking place in Vegas that weekend.

These teams might not be anything special, but our OOC schedule would look a whole heck of a lot better if we scheduled more UCSB/Iona teams and fewer Coppin State/Bethune-Cookman teams.

For clearly being low budget, I found it mildly humorous.

Personally, I don't see Bowden going anywhere. The market for 60+ year old FBS coaches isn't big. The typical MAC coach that gets poached is between the ages of 30-50

$$$. Extra games in the earlier rounds means more ticket, concessions, merchandise, and parking revenue. They then are still able to market their championship game as winner take all must see TV. Garber, the commish, will say it is so all fans get rewarded with a guaranteed home playoff game. Personally I'd like to see single game elimination throughout.

I feel I'm the only Zip here that was cheering for the Crew, however, Portland is my 2nd favorite team.

Dr Z & UAZipster I feel what you both don't realize is that Utah State is better than what their record indicates. They were missing their all-conference QB for 7 games. Had he stayed healthy, there is a good chance they would have been facing SDSU in the MWC championship game. I'm not saying USU is better than every team you listed, but at the same time when healthy, which they are now, they aren't a middle of the road MWC team. Their record the previous 3 years are 11-2, 9-5, and 10-4. They clearly are a pretty decently run program. Edit: I guess I'm more so saying is this is the type of team we need to beat in order to take that next step and be 9-11 win program that competes for MAC championships.

I'm with you cjapsu on this. A healthy Utah State team will be nearly as talented as any team we will face next season, excluding Wisconsin.

I'm fine with anywhere but Idaho.

We said the same thing about Coppin State as well. When our 3's aren't falling, nobody is an easy game for us.

Marshall was 1-12 from 3 land in the 1st half.

Was this the truck you saw http://m.imgur.com/Xtwy0Cq?If so, Portland Timbers has a guy who cuts a piece of a log off with a chain saw for every goal Portland scores. He then gives that piece to the player who scored the goal after the game. He's kind of their mascot if you will. They hauled the log to Columbus for the game.

We survived.

Toronto wouldn't be bad. I've always wanted to go, but never had a reason to.