Care for Some Holiday Gumbo or Jumbalaya?

[johnnyzip84]

I know this is way too early to even think about, but I found a site that has us projected to play the UL-Lafayette Ragin' Cajuns in the Indepedence Bowl. Of course, they also have 6 MAC teams in bowls.Link

[Aaron]

I know this is way too early to even think about, but I found a site that has us projected to play the UL-Lafayette Ragin' Cajuns in the Indepedence Bowl. Of course, they also have 6 MAC teams in bowls.Link

VERY interesting projection, most of the site had me laughing. Clemson is left out of a bowl at 7-5? Is this site run by Can't grads?

[johnnyzip84]

I know this is way too early to even think about, but I found a site that has us projected to play the UL-Lafayette Ragin' Cajuns in the Indepedence Bowl. Of course, they also have 6 MAC teams in bowls.Link

VERY interesting projection, most of the site had me laughing. Clemson is left out of a bowl at 7-5? Is this site run by Can't grads?

Actually I think they have Clemson on the "Smurf Turf" of the Humanitarian Bowl.

[MDZip]

The Independence Bowl is supposed to be SEC vs. Big XII - how disappointed would those sponsors be to get the MAC vs. the Sun Belt? (Other than getting to host the Zips of course ). You have to give the site some credit though, they did some serious work on every team. They have us at 7-5 but not making the MACC, they have BG tying us so that they go and then lose to Ball State. That's actually some pretty in-depth work. I'm just so excited to even be able to discuss this right now. From a season that looked to be going nowhere to a possible bowl bid? How cool is that for the timimg right before opening Infocision. This is the part I hate most about being an out of towner and not being able to really be a part (especially on a Thursday night - grrrr), but if the Zips go bowling, I'm there and I will be there next September 19th!

[ZippyTuba11]

There is no way BG is going over us to a bowl unless Buffalo goes over us too. BG needs to win out to be 7-5 and I really do not see them getting past Buffalo. IF we beat Buffalo then it shouldn't matter. If we lose, we will need some serious help.Also, 6 MAC teams in a bowl this year seams like a good possibility. BSU, Central, and Western are now a lock for a bowl. Akron or Buffalo should get one from the MAC East. NIU has a good shot as they should beat Can't and probably NAVY. If both Akron and Buffalo win out after Thursday's game they will be 8-4 and 7-5 respectively. BG could make 6-6 but I really don't expect to see even that.If everything works out for the best as the way I see it the MAC should finish like this:West:Ball St (12-0)Central Michigan (8-4)Western Michigan (8-4)Northern Illinois (7-5)East:Akron (8-4)Buffalo (7-5)Bowling Green (6-6)

[Lee Adams]

wow...if we could only really think the ZIPS won't lose another game!!!...just get to 5 wins in the MAC before fuffalo and bg...that means a 'bowl' and at least 7 wins...take it!!!

[ZippyTuba11]

As I said, that is what it would look like if it all works out for the best. After Buffalo, OU and Temple are very beatable (which I guess doesn't really mean anything with how the Zips play). Now as for your '7 wins means a bowl,' that is not a lock. In my mind, Akron has to beat Buffalo to have any chance. After Akron, the bulls have BG at BG and Can't, which means that Buffalo is likely to win out after Thursday as the BUGS don't play well in BG and Can't just sucks. If Buffalo wins Thursday then they will likely be MAC East Champs and will be guaranteed a bowl. With a loss, Akron can only hope for 7-5 to finish and they could find themselves sitting at home this winter. There is no way Akron is going to go at 7-5 when Central/Western Michigan are at 7 wins or better. The same goes for NIU. BSU and UB would be the bowl locks for being MAC champs.If Akron beats Buffalo and still drops a final game and UB wins out, it will be a tie at 7-5 with Buffalo going instead of us because they will have beaten BG, OU, and Temple. Akron has lost to BG and a loss to OU or Temple splits the decision and would mean we lost to two teams UB beat (as I understand the tie-breaker system this gives Buffalo the advantage, please correct me if I am wrong). Buffalo then still goes to the MACC.Akron needs to finish 8-4 to have a bowl game unless the Zips get help from BG or Can't. If this is the case, I think it would be better to plan on Canada than the South. CMU seems to have their hopes set on Mobile and I still believe that a division champion will get one of the MAC tie-in bowls.Of course the MAC is still a wacky conference and Bowling Green, OU, Can't, and Temple still have the chance to pull of some major upsets.

[#1 rowdy]

If Akron beats Buffalo and still drops a final game and UB wins out, it will be a tie at 7-5 with Buffalo going instead of us because they will have beaten BG, OU, and Temple. Akron has lost to BG and a loss to OU or Temple splits the decision and would mean we lost to two teams UB beat (as I understand the tie-breaker system this gives Buffalo the advantage, please correct me if I am wrong). Buffalo then still goes to the MACCOnly way this plays out is if Temple would be the team that beats us and are also tied. The first tie breaker would be head to head so if we beat buffalo and finished tied with them and only them we win the tiebreaker.

[johnnyzip84]

As I said, that is what it would look like if it all works out for the best. After Buffalo, OU and Temple are very beatable (which I guess doesn't really mean anything with how the Zips play). Akron needs to finish 8-4 to have a bowl game unless the Zips get help from BG or Can't. If this is the case, I think it would be better to plan on Canada than the South. CMU seems to have their hopes set on Mobile and I still believe that a division champion will get one of the MAC tie-in bowls.Of course the MAC is still a wacky conference and Bowling Green, OU, Can't, and Temple still have the chance to pull of some major upsets.

This seems to be a good time to remind people (who don't already have a passport) that IF the Zips happen to wind up in Toronto, then you might want to apply for a passport NOW if you plan on heading to the game. Many of you probably are aware that beginning Jan 1 of this year (2008), a passport is required for entry into Canada by any means.

[akronad]

As far as traveling to Canada in concerned, you won't need a passport until June 1, 2009. However, the sooner you start worki on obtaining a passport, the better you will be, for traveling purposes.http://travel.state.gov/travel/cbpmc/cbpmc...iant_documentng

[MDZip]

If Akron beats Buffalo and still drops a final game and UB wins out, it will be a tie at 7-5 with Buffalo going instead of us because they will have beaten BG, OU, and Temple. Akron has lost to BG and a loss to OU or Temple splits the decision and would mean we lost to two teams UB beat (as I understand the tie-breaker system this gives Buffalo the advantage, please correct me if I am wrong). Buffalo then still goes to the MACCOnly way this plays out is if Temple would be the team that beats us and are also tied. The first tie breaker would be head to head so if we beat buffalo and finished tied with them and only them we win the tiebreaker.

After we beat Buffalo if we happen to end up tied with them and only them for first, we go to the MACC. Period. No other tie breaker scenario enters into it. Thursday's game is about as close as you get to an elimination game. Good that's it's here and on an historic night (just wish it could have been an historic Saturday).

[johnnyzip84]

As far as traveling to Canada in concerned, you won't need a passport until June 1, 2009. However, the sooner you start worki on obtaining a passport, the better you will be, for traveling purposes.http://travel.state.gov/travel/cbpmc/cbpmc...iant_documentng

Thanks for the correction, akronad.

[akronad]

WE NEED TO BEAT BUFFALO!!!

Whichever team prevails in the Nov 13 showdown at the Rubber Bowl will still need to come up with at least one more win to assure itself of a bowl bid regardless of the outcome of the MAC championship game. Remember last season when Miami entered the MAC title game at 6-6 and lost? Despite being MAC East champs, the RedHawks could not go bowling with a 6-7 record. A similar fate could await this year’s representative, so securing a seventh victory prior to entering the MAC championship game becomes critical. If the MAC East representative enters the MAC championship game no worse than 7-5 they will go bowling. Likewise if the MAC East champ comes in 6-6 and pulls off a victory in the MAC championship game, they will go bowling as well. Why? Keep in mind that the MAC, as confirmed to MAC Report Online by MAC Deputy Commissioner Bob Gennarelli, guarantees that its two divisional winners, assuming each remain bowl eligible of course, will be awarded with bowl invitations to two of the MAC’s three contracted bowl games. That of course potentially opens up a whole different can of worms. With the MAC having as many as six teams possibly becoming bowl eligible by season’s end, it would mean that other MAC squads with better records than the MAC East champ could potentially be sitting at home with only one other guaranteed bowl being available… unless a couple of other bowls open up because of a conference not being able to supply a bowl-eligible team to its contracted bowl.

[Dr Z]

I know this is way too early to even think about, but I found a site that has us projected to play the UL-Lafayette Ragin' Cajuns in the Indepedence Bowl.

Sports Illustrated predicted the Zips in the Independence Bowl today also

[Lee Adams]

ok one more time...NO BOWL GAME for the ZIPS unless they win the EAST...which means BEAT fuffalo...AND finish .500 or better after the mac championship so lets stop the nonsense..oh by the way...if brookhart does not finish at least 6-6 now..adios

[johnnyzip84]

ok one more time...NO BOWL GAME for the ZIPS unless they win the EAST...which means BEAT fuffalo...AND finish .500 or better after the mac championship so lets stop the nonsense..oh by the way...if brookhart does not finish at least 6-6 now..adios

So you are saying it is IMPOSSIBLE for the Zips to lose to Buffalo and beat OU and Temple? I might put this as "unlikely" but certainly not impossible. Oh and this is just ONE way the Zips could finish 7-5 without winning the division.The other part of the equation is how many BCS-conference bids will remain "unfilled", leaving extra spots open for 7-5 teams from non-BCS leagues.Back to the speculation (and that's all it is of course), Mark Schlabach of ESPN also has the Zips in Shreveport.ESPN Bowl Projections

[GJGood]

ok one more time...NO BOWL GAME for the ZIPS unless they win the EAST...which means BEAT fuffalo...AND finish .500 or better after the mac championship so lets stop the nonsense..oh by the way...if brookhart does not finish at least 6-6 now..adios

I don't know if that is true. If Akron finishes 7-5 but is not the East champ it would only mean that they would not be going to one of the bowl games that have the MAC as their official tie-in, namely the Motor City, GMAC, and International Bowls. Whether or not the Zips were to make the postseason in another bowl would depend entirely upon whether or not other conferences have enough teams that are bowl-eligible to fill all their tie-ins. At this point it appears that there will be at least a couple of these spots available nationwide. On top of that also keep in mind that the NCAA has a rule issued to all of the bowl selection committees that if a bowl must look outside their affiliated tie-in for an at-large team that they MUST take a 7 win team (winning record) over a 6 win team (only .500). This means if the Zips can manage that 7th win that they would have to be chosen for a game like the Independence Bowl or Hawaii Bowl before any 6-6 team, even if they are from a BCS conference.Therefore, it looks to me like 8 wins is a lock for a bowl, 7 wins is an 85% to 90% probability, 6 wins might not be very favorable.Another factor: If by some near miracle Ball State runs the table, goes 13-0, and gets into a BCS bowl game then all the MAC teams move up one rung on the ladder. I just think that part I put in italics is very unlikely.

[timmyboy]

If the zips do end up making it to the MACC i know last time they had a deal that you could get a ride on the bus,ticket and a small snack for 60$. do you think they will have somthing like that again? i know i would definately be down to go if they did that..... i would probably drive either way, but if i could save a little bit on gas ( i drive an SUV that gets 15 MPG) then id be for it......... more money i have to spend at the game lol.

[ctmjbowes@sbcglobal.net]

I think the Zips are a team on the rise. They'll beat Buffalo, and I think that if they don't suffer catastrophic injuries or issues, they'll win 8. An 8-win Zips team is a lock for a bowl game. It's a great way to begin the new era at InfoSumma huh?GO ZIPS!SeeTeeZip

[RowdyZip]

TEXAS BOWL, anyone?

[GJGood]

TEXAS BOWL, anyone?

Oh no! Say it ain't so! Isn't the Texas Bowl carried on the NFL Network? That is the only major sports channel my cable provider here in Central Ohio doesn't pick up. That would be a tragedy for me!

[johnnyzip84]

TEXAS BOWL, anyone?

Oh no! Say it ain't so! Isn't the Texas Bowl carried on the NFL Network? That is the only major sports channel my cable provider here in Central Ohio doesn't pick up. That would be a tragedy for me!

I think a lot of us would be in the same boat! I know my cable company only offers it on the highesy tier. Houston, we could have a problem I realize we can't all travel to the game (particularly with this scary economy), but IF the Zips are fortunate enough to end up in Houston, Toronto, Shreveport. or wherever I sure hope we can at least make our presence felt. There's no better way to assure future invites, than to travel in numbers and spend decent money when given the chance. It's a GIVEN that we'd travel well to Detroit.