zipsoutsider

I have read and heard a lot of mocking comments that seem to almost make it seem like the Zips got the least attractive bowl bid possible. The looks on these kids faces tell a different story. Seems lime they are having a great time.

The OOC game schedule for us next year is tough. Both Marshall and App State are going to be challenging but winnable games. App State has made a very nice transition to the Sunbelt and Ohio looks like they have evolved into an unreliable team over the season that can play great and poorly. I will be interested to see how they start off the 2016 season.

Zips go bowling.... for real (and charity) https://youtu.be/yj5pOnz9YiI

Very nice article with on UA targeting local kids. Sounds like it was a priority from day 1, just took a little time to start bearing fruit. http://www.ohio.com/sports/zips/ua-football-focus-on-local-talent-helped-terry-bowden-build-zips-into-winners-1.648796

Agreed, as long as it's also the same method used by everyone else.

ABJ goes from bad to worse with their Potato Bowl coverage and too cowardly to put a writer's name on it. "There's more to a potato than a football bowl"

Utah State football: Terry Bowden turns Akron into a bowl team "...Heading into their game against Utah State, the Zips are 7-5, including four straight wins. Between 2009 and 2011, which was Bowden's first season, they were a combined 3-33. Akron, it seems, has made a bigger comeback than Star Wars...."

TB on with Newy Scruggs if NBC Sports https://audioboom.com/boos/3959990-special-guest-coach-terry-bowden

I think we've found our QB but we could use a good back-up.

Yeah, you don't have to try very hard to see through this type of talk.

I was a little surprised not to see Scott and Marcus on the All-MAC list.

Stat synopsis:

Good news: the band is going to the Potato Bowl!

​Anyone who made it to the last few games knows that the program has changed. The kids are having fun, the crowd is having fun, and the Zips now know what it feels like to be winners. Articles like this are obviously written by people who don't bother to show up for the games.

Finally, some flattering photos in the Tallahassee article, too. Articles always post the orange hair shots or the ones before he lost weight.

Wow. Just wow. Not only is their anti-UA slant to the article, the writing is very poor. Maybe it's time to start writing letters to the editor praising the team's progress and supporting the positive things going on in the program. I don't think the media in NE OH can wrap their head around a winning football team.

Statistical match up from SB Nation Looks like a defensive slug fest like CMU and Ohio. Let's hope this is the break through game.

A.J. Milwee named to AFCA 30 Under 30 Institute Akron's Seminole Coaching Connection Congrats to Coach Bowden on his engagement! It's been a good year for the coach. This article further convinces me that the current coaching staff is not planning on going anywhere.

That author missed the boat and scored the bowls with gift suites poorly. Gift Suites allow players to pick out gifts on top of the items listed. The items listed are not all of what the players will get as the players gifts. The bowl is allowed to give up to $550 worth of gifts. On top of the that, the MAC and the university may also give each player gifts. I also believe the bowl pays to fly the kids home after the game. I wonder how many flights leave Boise at night?

Video of today's Potato Bowl presser.

This is nearly the point that I made on the Potato Bowl thread. Also, last year, the Potato Bowl gave schools tickets to sell and the schools kept the profit. CMU found it to be a better deal than other bowls. In terms of whether it's a nice spot, it depends on what you like to do. I think the bowl provides some outdoor winter recreation for the kids like snowmobiling and will give some kids a chance to see the Rocky Mountains for the first time.

Very unflattering article about the Zips here in an article about the match-up. I hope it's how Utah State, prepares, however. Teams that disrespect our offense are now starting to get burned. Our special teams had some poor performances, but saying they stink is reach. We had no kickoffs or punts returned for TDs and I don't remember us losing possession due to a fumble on a return. People make light of the fact that our wins were against teams with bad records. However, something great happened in those games: the team had a chance to gel and they learned how to become winners.. You could argue that if we had a couple of those earlier in the season, we might have one or both of those close ones against OU or CMU. Any way you slice it, wining four on a row really gave the team, in particular, the offense, a chance to grow. Teams challenged us to win with the pass at their own demise. I think the match-up against Utah State is a good match. I watched other teams' fans upset at the bowl pick and opponent yesterday and it made me laugh. I see Utah State fans laugh at the few here, who have disrespected Utah State and they should laugh. The match up is fairly even. In terms of the bowl itself, I am not sure any of have a window of the financial impact on the program. I think there is some "profit sharing" among the MAC teams and each bowl differs on how ticket purchases are handled. It is not "convenient" for the fans, but most of the bowls are not. It looks like last year, the Chips The Potato Bowl gave the Chips an allotment of tickets and the school kept the profits, unlike bowls that require the schools to buy an allotment. Most of the mocking comes from people who don't realize what a beautiful are Boise is in and how well the bowl treats the kids. It would be really nice if the school were to decide to travel the band. They were bigger and seemed to be a bigger force during the game this year. It would be a nice reward for playing through so many pouring rain games this year and give them more exposure, as well.

I would hope that after this season the NCAA would build out some more fair rules for failure to get 6-6 teams, but I am not holding my breath. Ultimately, there is very little set up to protect or help group of 5 teams at the present.

Opportunity to put up 8 wins for the first time as a Div 1 school. Go Zips!