Can we hold off on complaining about how we’d be treated if we went undefeated until we, I dont know, actually go undefeated.
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Even a 12-1 Cougars team has gotten at least an equal (2011) or better (2015) bowl bid than any .500 SEC team.
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You are missing the point entirely.
The bowls have contractual agreements with the P5 conferences. An undefeated AAC team is not guaranteed anything other than the bowls we, the AAC, have contracts for if another G5 team has a higher ranking and hence the NY6 bowl.
That was the point I was making. the P5 conferences have all the really desirable bowls locked up.
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I like the premise of this thread since it is something we actually have some control over. I’ve said for a long time that we are in a league with peer schools. It’s best to work with what you have to make it better rather than wait for a leg up; of which you have zero control.
I get that.
The point I am making is that history has shown that a 12-1 AAC Houston has gotten an equal (as a non champ) bowl or better (as a champ) than a .500 SEC team each time it has happened.
The logic being a 13-0 AAC team will do even better. I understand that contractually the better bowls go to the P5 conferences but a 6-6 team is usually finishing in the bottom third of the SEC and a .500 SEC has never had a better bowl than an undefeated AAC champion. That is reality.
I agree, but you’re still missing the point.
The P5 have a monopoly on the bowls. No matter how good a AAC team is, there are some bowls an AAC team will never get to play in and that lesser teams in bigger conferences can…
You realize the highest rated P5 team in a bowl any AAC school will play is the #7 pick from their conference. Birmingham Bowl vs. #9 from the SEC; First Responder vs. #7 from the Big XII-2; Military Bowl vs. #7 in the ACC. This is by contractual agreement with the bowls. An AAC school’s chances to play in a better bowl is NY6 or some other bowl that has an opening because some conference can’t fulfill its commitment.
The point I’m making is the P5 schools have a monopoly on any bowl of consequence or desirable destination. Who wouldn’t want to go to the Gator Bowl in Orlando vs. the Birmingham Bowl? As long as the current structure is in place, an AAC school will never play in the Gator Bowl, by design.
No doubt, an undefeated AAC team will probably get a better bowl than a 6-6 P5 team; but that is because it will be an NY6 bowl. However, if another G5 team also has a perfect season and has a better strength of schedule which gets them ranked higher than an undefeated AAC team, the AAC team will get the leftovers. So far that hasn’t happened and top AAC teams get the NY6 bowl, but the AAC has no guarantees. When we were in CUSA, the Liberty Bowl had a tie to the CUSA champion, but that is no longer in place. Below is the real world of bowl ties – and it aint pretty for the AAC.
2020-2021 College Football Playoff, New Year’s Six Bowl Ties, Affiliations
Of course, everything is up in the air when it comes to college football, any bowl schedules and games, and far more important things overall. For now, hoping all is okay and the season goes off as planned, these are the expected conference bowl tie-ins and affiliations for the 2020-2021 bowl season.
The Power Five conferences are close to set, but the Group of Five conferences are still going to need time to lock in exactly what their official tie-ins will be. Please note that there likely will be several changes over the next several months.
– The top four teams ranked by the College Football Playoff selection committee will be slotted in the semifinals: Rose Bowl and Sugar Bowl, both on Friday, January 1st, 2021.
– The two winners to play in the College Football Playoff National Championship in Miami, Florida on Monday, January 11th, 2021.
– The highest-ranked conference champion from the American Athletic, Conference USA, MAC, Mountain West and Sun Belt will automatically get one spot in either the College Football Playoff, GoodYear Cotton Bowl, Fiesta Bowl or Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl.
– The Rose Bowl is a College Football Playoff semifinal, so the Big Ten and Pac-12 tie-ins aren’t a factor this season.
– The Capital One Orange Bowl will be the ACC (the champion, if not in the CFP, otherwise, the next-highest ranked team) vs. the highest-ranked non-champion among the Big Ten, SEC, or Notre Dame that’s not in the playoff.
American Athletic Bowl Ties, Affiliations
Highest-ranked champion from the AAC, C-USA, MAC, MW & Sun Belt will play in a New Year’s Six bowl – Chick-Fil-A Peach, Cotton, Fiesta, Orange.
The American Athletic Conference doesn’t have a true pecking order. The bowls matchups are based on best possible games and geography.
– TicketSmarter Birmingham Bowl vs. SEC
– Fenway Park Bowl vs. ACC
– Military Bowl presented by Northrup Grumman vs. ACC
Still to be determined among the Group of Five conferences
– Cheribundi Boca Raton Bowl vs. Conference USA or MAC
– FBC Mortgage Cure Bowl vs. Sun Belt or MAC
– Myrtle Beach Bowl vs. Conference USA or MAC or Sun Belt
– New Mexico Bowl vs. Conference USA or Mountain West
– Tropical Smoothie Cafe Frisco Bowl vs. Conference USA or MAC or Mountain West
– SoFi Hawaii Bowl or Conference USA vs. Mountain West
– Lockheed Martin Armed Forces Bowl or Conference USA vs. Big 12
Alternates if the one of the other conferences can’t fill the spots
– SERVPRO First Responder Bowl vs. ACC or Big 12
– Bad Boy Mowers Gasparilla Bowl vs. SEC or ACC
ACC Bowl Ties, Affiliations
Notre Dame is eligible for any ACC bowl tie-in as long as it’s within one game of the team eligible for the slot.
The ACC Champion goes to the Orange Bowl unless it makes the College Football Playoff, in which case the next-highest ranked ACC team in the final College Football Playoff rankings will get in.
- College Football Playoff Semifinal : If Selected
- Capital One Orange Bowl vs. SEC or Big Ten
First Tier
– Camping World Bowl vs. Big 12
– Belk Bowl vs. SEC
– San Diego County Credit Union Holiday Bowl vs. Pac-12
– Fenway Park Bowl vs. American Athletic Conference
– New Era Pinstripe Bowl vs. Big Ten
– Sun Bowl vs. Pac-12
– TaxSlayer Gator Bowl vs. SEC
– ACC and Big Ten combine in the Music City and TaxSlayer, with each getting three appearances in six years. The ACC played in the Music City in 2015 and the TaxSlayer in 2016, 2017 & 2018. It’s almost certainly going to be in the Music City, but can still play in the TaxSlayer.
Second Tier
– Bad Boy Mowers Gasparilla Bowl vs. SEC (or American Athletic)
Conditional if American Athletic or Conference USA can’t fill the spot.
OR
– Birmingham Bowl vs. SEC
Conditional if American Athletic or SEC can’t fill the spot.
OR
– SERVPRO First Responders Bowl vs. Big 12
Big Ten Bowl Ties, Affiliations
The Rose Bowl is a College Football Playoff semifinal. The Big Ten isn’t locked into the Rose if it gets a team into the CFP.
College Football Playoff Semifinal : If Selected
-
New Year’s Six (Chick-Fil-A Peach, Fiesta, Cotton or Orange Bowl) vs. New Year’s Six. Big Ten Champion gets a New Year’s Six spot if it’s not in the College Football Playoff.
-
Citrus Bowl vs. SEC
-
Outback Bowl vs. SEC
-
Belk Bowl vs. ACC
-
Franklin American Mortgage Music City Bowl vs. SEC
-
New Era Pinstripe Bowl vs. ACC
-
Cheez-It Bowl vs. Big 12
-
Redbox Bowl vs. Pac-12
-
Quick Lane Bowl vs. MAC
Las Vegas Bowl vs. Pac-12
Note: Big Ten alternates with the SEC between the Las Vegas and Belk bowls over the next six seasons. Vegas is 2021, 2023, 2025, Belk is 2020, 2022, 2024
Big 12 Bowl Ties, Affiliations
The Sugar Bowl is a College Football Playoff semifinal. The Big 12 isn’t locked into the Sugar if it gets a team in.
College Football Playoff Semifinal : If Selected
-
New Year’s Six (Chick-fil-A Peach, Cotton, Fiesta) vs. New Year’s Six
Big 12 Champion goes here if not in the College Football Playoff. -
Valero Alamo Bowl vs. Pac-12
-
Camping World Bowl vs. ACC
-
Academy Sports + Outdoors Texas Bowl vs. SEC
-
Liberty Bowl vs. SEC
-
Cheez-It Bowl vs. Big Ten
-
Lockheed Martin Armed Forces Bowl vs. Group of Five Program
-
SERVPRO First Responders Bowl vs. ACC or American
Conference USA Bowl Ties, Affiliations
Highest-ranked champion from the AAC, C-USA, MAC, MW & Sun Belt will play in a New Year’s Six bowl – Chick-Fil-A Peach, Cotton, Fiesta, Orange.
The Conference USA doesn’t have a true pecking order. The bowls matchups are based on best possible games and geography
– Makers Wanted Bahamas Bowl vs. MAC
– R&L Carriers New Orleans Bowl vs. Sun Belt
Still to be determined among the Group of Five conferences
– Cheribundi Boca Raton Bowl vs. American Athletic or MAC
– Lockheed Martin Armed Forces Bowl vs. Big 12
– New Mexico Bowl vs. American Athletic or Mountain West
– SoFi Hawaii Bowl or American Athletic vs. Mountain West
– Tropical Smoothie Cafe Frisco Bowl vs. American Athletic or MAC or Mountain West
Independent Bowl Ties, Affiliations
– Liberty, New Mexico State, UConn and UMass don’t have direct bowl ties or affiliations.
– Army will be tied into the Walk-On’s Independence Bowl vs. Pac-12
– BYU will be in an ESPN owned and operated bowl in 2020, 2022 and 2024, and in the Independence Bowl in 2021, 2023 and 2025.
– Notre Dame can take one of the ACC’s bowl spots – if it’s not in the College Football Playoff – but it must be within one overall win over the available ACC team with the best overall record.
MAC Bowl Ties, Affiliations
Highest-ranked champion from the AAC, C-USA, MAC, MW & Sun Belt will play in a New Year’s Six bowl – Chick-Fil-A Peach, Cotton, Fiesta, Orange.
The MAC doesn’t have a true pecking order. The bowls matchups are based on best possible games and geography.
– Camellia Bowl vs. Sun Belt
– LendingTree Bowl vs. Sun Belt
– Makers Wanted Bahamas Bowl vs. Conference USA
– Nova Homes Loans Arizona Bowl vs. Mountain West
– Famous Idaho Potato Bowl vs. Mountain West
– Quick Lane Bowl vs. Big Ten
Still to be determined among the Group of Five conferences. MAC will get spots in two of them.
– FBS Mortgage Cure Bowl or American Athletic or Sun Belt
– Tropical Smoothie Frisco Bowl or American Athletic, Conference USA or Mountain West
– Myrtle Beach Bowl or American Athletic or Sun Belt
– Cheribundi Boca Raton Bowl or American Athletic or Conference USA
Mountain West Bowl Ties, Affiliations
Highest-ranked champion from the AAC, C-USA, MAC, MW & Sun Belt will play in a New Year’s Six bowl – Chick-Fil-A Peach, Cotton, Fiesta, Orange.
The Mountain West doesn’t have a true pecking order. The bowl matchups are based on best possible games and geography.
– Famous Idaho Potato Bowl vs. MAC
– SoFi Hawai’i Bowl vs. American Athletic or Conference USA
– LA Bowl vs. Pac-12
– NOVA Home Loans Arizona Bowl vs. MAC
Still to be determined among the Group of Five conferences.
– Gildan New Mexico Bowl or American Athletic or Conference USA
– Tropical Smoothie Frisco Bowl or American Athletic, Conference USA or MAC
Pac-12 Bowl Ties, Affiliations
The Rose Bowl is a College Football Playoff semifinal. The Pac-12 isn’t locked into the Rose if it gets a team into the CFP.
Note: Pac-12 will have one more bowl tie-in to be named later.
College Football Playoff Semifinal : If Selected
-
New Year’s Six (Chick-fil-A Peach, Cotton, Fiesta) vs. New Year’s Six
Pac-12 Champion goes here if not in the College Football Playoff.
Valero Alamo Bowl vs. Big 12
San Diego County Credit Union Holiday Bowl vs. ACC
Las Vegas Bowl vs. SEC
Redbox Bowl vs. Big Ten
Sun Bowl vs. ACC
Walk-On’s Independence Bowl vs. Army
LA Bowl vs. Mountain West
SEC Bowl Ties, Affiliations
The Sugar Bowl is a College Football Playoff semifinal. The SEC isn’t locked into the Sugar if it gets a team in.
College Football Playoff Semifinal : If Selected
-
New Year’s Six (Chick-fil-A Peach, Cotton, Fiesta, Orange) vs. New Year’s Six
SEC Champion goes here if not in the College Football Playoff. -
VRBO Citrus Bowl vs. Big Ten
The Citrus Bowl gets its pick of the top SEC team available after the CFP shakes
The SEC will assign teams to the respective bowls in this pool.
– Academy Sports + Outdoors Texas Bowl vs. Big 12
– AutoZone Liberty Bowl vs. Big 12
– Franklin American Mortgage Music City Bowl vs. Big Ten
– Las Vegas Bowl vs. Pac-12
– Outback Bowl vs. Big Ten
– TaxSlayer Gator Bowl vs. ACC
Second Tier
– Birmingham Bowl vs. American Athletic or ACC
– Bad Boy Mowers Gasparilla Bowl vs. ACC (or American Athletic)
Belk Bowl vs. ACC
Note: SEC alternates with the Big Ten between the Las Vegas and Belk bowls over the next six seasons. Belk is 2021, 2023, 2025, Las Vegas is 2020, 2022, 2024
Sun Belt Bowl Ties, Affiliations
Highest-ranked champion from the AAC, C-USA, MAC, MW & Sun Belt will play in a New Year’s Six bowl – Chick-Fil-A Peach, Cotton, Fiesta, Orange.
The Sun Belt doesn’t have a true pecking order after the New Orleans. The bowls matchups are based on best possible games and geography.
- R&L Carriers New Orleans Bowl vs. Conference USA
– Camellia Bowl vs. MAC
– LendingTree Bowl vs. MAC
Still to be determined among the Group of Five conferences.
– FBC Mortgage Cure Bowl or American Athletic or MAC
– Myrtle Beach Bowl or American Athletic or MAC
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The only point I am arguing against is that a 6-6 P5 team will get a better bowl than a 13-0 AAC champ. That was posted and I disagree with it.
I readily understand that the AAC is disadvantaged when it comes to bowls. Its sad and annoying but there is a reason and the same reason the P5 moniker exists. Money.
we are NOT in a peer conference at this time… We played peer schools for 35 years as a major independent and a member of the SWC. .We do NOT play peer schools now, except occasionally. When we join a P5 league, then we will be in a peer conference…
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Monte, whether you like it or not, our record within the AAC says we are in a peer conference. Were we above the other teams in the AAC, we would be winning the conference title more than once in the last 8 years; we would be dominating every year.
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We can be good, very good in fact, we have proven that. When we are good we draw reasonably well.
We can be mediocre, very mediocre in fact, we have proven that. When we are mediocre we don’t draw flies.
That is the definition of all the AAC teams. We are with our peers.
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@red80 just spoke the hard truth.
Conference Championships since being relegated to CUSA/Big East/AAC - 1996, 2006, 2015.
Conference Championship appearances (reflecting an elite year) - 2006, 2009, 2011, 2015.
Sub .500 seasons - 1997, 1998, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2004, 2010, 2012, 2019, 2020.
Yeah, so… uhm… that’s hard to say that we are better than our current conference when we’ve 10 losing seasons in 25 years, two of which are our last two seasons; and we’ve only had four elite seasons (the ‘96 team was 7-5) in that same period.
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Tulsa is our most played opponent all time. SMU is 3rd. Memphis is 6th. Cincinnati is 8th. Tulane is tied for 9th. Thats half the league. This is our 2nd time playing in a league with most of the AAC schools (3rd with Tulsa and SMU). If these aren’t our peers, who is?
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I am pretty sure we didn’t win the conference championship in 2011. I am pretty sure we lost the championship game to Southern Miss when Sumlin was preoccupied with his getaway to aTm. So instead of the Sugar Bowl, we went to the Ticket City Bowl and beat Penn State.
I didn’t say we did. Those are conference championship appearances.
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You’re right, I misread.
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If they expand the playoffs as is talked about, then definately stay in AAC. We could make the playoffs every year. Much easier path than A&M has of winning the SEC.
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I think going from the SWC to Cusa hurt us in many ways bc we went from playing in a major conf vs good rival teams to playing teams we used to beat easily and no rivals. If you took OU or other p5s and threw them into cusa, they would suffer bc they don’t feel as good as a fan base and the lesser teams gear up to give them their best shot. I think Houston gets everyone’s best shot from the aac.I do think the aac is a good conf and getting better and we’ve adjusting for now but we do have a target on our back and per all these discussions, a portion of our fan base wants more bc we’ve been in a major conf. Cincy , us and South Fla , Smu feel the same way where as Tulsa, Tulane etc are ok with where they are. Tulane is different bc they chose to leave the sec way back vs being left behind and they favor academics and don’t feel they can compete in a p5. I could be wrong on how they feel now.
We should be pleased with our Conference.
Since ending The SWC this is our best location, especially for Basketball.
If we could land a stud 12th. team it would be really good. Our top teams may be better in Football than are the bottom Big 12 teams.
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BYU is the only team to add. Period. Especially, if they keep their ESPN money and we continue to share amongst the other 11.
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