This discussion is really spread out so let's put it here.
Lots of options on the table, I've been doing some looking. Here's what I've found.
IF the Big 12 gets two into the BCS (which is likely if OU beats TCU and KSU beats UT next week), Iowa State is probably heading to Dallas for the Heart of Dallas Bowl. It's on January 1st, televised on ESPNU, against a Big Ten opponent - probably Purdue or Minnesota.
IF the Big 12 only gets one into the BCS, Iowa State is probably going to be an at-large selection, outside of the Big 12 lineup of bowls. The conference has 8 bowl ties, and 9 bowl-eligible teams. We're likely the odd man out. The question now becomes, which bowls are looking for teams?
The most likely outcome here is the Independence Bowl in Shreveport, LA on December 28th (a Friday). It's televised in the afternoon on ESPN. This bowl will not get teams from either of its tie-ins, so our opponent here would be another at-large team.
Iowa State would be the only major conference team to be an at-large, so our opponent here would certainly be a mid-major team. Some potential options include the MAC, which has a few more bowl-eligible teams than bowl slots (Bowling Green or Central Michigan) or the Sun Belt (Louisiana-Lafayette, Louisiana-Monroe, or Western Kentucky). Yeah, none of those options are at all sexy, but a bowl is a bowl and it would be nice to have a beatable opponent.
I'm hoping there are some more bowls out there that need some at-larges? I had earlier thought Military Bowl, but I had missed their contingency selection with the MAC. They'll still have an open spot if Rice loses to UTEP (Rice is up 17-14 at halftime), because they won't fill their C-USA spot, so keep an eye on that game tonight.
Any other games? I'm pulling for OU and KSU next week, because Heart of Dallas is better than the quagmire of these games, but I'm hoping there are better options out there in case we're stuck finding something else.
Lots of options on the table, I've been doing some looking. Here's what I've found.
IF the Big 12 gets two into the BCS (which is likely if OU beats TCU and KSU beats UT next week), Iowa State is probably heading to Dallas for the Heart of Dallas Bowl. It's on January 1st, televised on ESPNU, against a Big Ten opponent - probably Purdue or Minnesota.
IF the Big 12 only gets one into the BCS, Iowa State is probably going to be an at-large selection, outside of the Big 12 lineup of bowls. The conference has 8 bowl ties, and 9 bowl-eligible teams. We're likely the odd man out. The question now becomes, which bowls are looking for teams?
The most likely outcome here is the Independence Bowl in Shreveport, LA on December 28th (a Friday). It's televised in the afternoon on ESPN. This bowl will not get teams from either of its tie-ins, so our opponent here would be another at-large team.
Iowa State would be the only major conference team to be an at-large, so our opponent here would certainly be a mid-major team. Some potential options include the MAC, which has a few more bowl-eligible teams than bowl slots (Bowling Green or Central Michigan) or the Sun Belt (Louisiana-Lafayette, Louisiana-Monroe, or Western Kentucky). Yeah, none of those options are at all sexy, but a bowl is a bowl and it would be nice to have a beatable opponent.
I'm hoping there are some more bowls out there that need some at-larges? I had earlier thought Military Bowl, but I had missed their contingency selection with the MAC. They'll still have an open spot if Rice loses to UTEP (Rice is up 17-14 at halftime), because they won't fill their C-USA spot, so keep an eye on that game tonight.
Any other games? I'm pulling for OU and KSU next week, because Heart of Dallas is better than the quagmire of these games, but I'm hoping there are better options out there in case we're stuck finding something else.
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