Could Iowa State go bowling at 5-7?

cyIclSoneU

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Of course, I hope we finish 8-4, blah blah blah. But we should consider the real possibility that Iowa State will get a bowl invitation at 5-7.

Brett McMurphy's bowl projections currently anticipate that five 5-7 teams will be needed to fill the ever-growing number of bowl games. The NCAA typically allows 5-7 teams to participate based on academic progress rate (APR). Only the highest APRs of the 5-7 teams are eligible, so if McMurphy is correct, you would expect the five best APRs of the 5-7 teams to be in bowl games.

Iowa State's APR... is good! It's tied for 17th among the 131 FBS football programs this year. And most of the schools ahead of ISU are either definitely going to be bowling (Clemson, Ohio State) or definitely not bowling (Northwestern, Temple).

Meanwhile, 5-7 might be the most likely outcome for ISU's season, and if we lose to OU, it almost certainly will become a heavy favorite in analytical models for the most likely finish.

What would you think about Iowa State filling in a minor bowl, likely on behalf of a G5 league that could not fulfill its bowl obligations, as a 5-7 team?
 

AlaCyclone

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Of course, I hope we finish 8-4, blah blah blah. But we should consider the real possibility that Iowa State will get a bowl invitation at 5-7.

Brett McMurphy's bowl projections currently anticipate that five 5-7 teams will be needed to fill the ever-growing number of bowl games. The NCAA typically allows 5-7 teams to participate based on academic progress rate (APR). Only the highest APRs of the 5-7 teams are eligible, so if McMurphy is correct, you would expect the five best APRs of the 5-7 teams to be in bowl games.

Iowa State's APR... is good! It's tied for 17th among the 131 FBS football programs this year. And most of the schools ahead of ISU are either definitely going to be bowling (Clemson, Ohio State) or definitely not bowling (Northwestern, Temple).

Meanwhile, 5-7 might be the most likely outcome for ISU's season, and if we lose to OU, it almost certainly will become a heavy favorite in analytical models for the most likely finish.

What would you think about Iowa State filling in a minor bowl, likely on behalf of a G5 league that could not fulfill its bowl obligations, as a 5-7 team?
I like it! Getting the invite due to APR is better than not getting an invite due to a low APR.
 

heitclone

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I imagine we'd have a lot of sit outs but the young guys getting the extra practices is always nice. If this were to happen it would mean we played well late and a bowl game could help momentum going into '23.
 

twojman

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I imagine we'd have a lot of sit outs but the young guys getting the extra practices is always nice. If this were to happen it would mean we played well late and a bowl game could help momentum going into '23.
The same way the Fiesta Bowl momentum carried over to 2021?

I'm not trying to be a jerk, just the momentum thing does really doesn't ring true.
 

heitclone

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The same way the Fiesta Bowl momentum carried over to 2021?

I'm not trying to be a jerk, just the momentum thing does really doesn't ring true.

You think our highest preseason profile in the history of the program was a bad thing?
 

alarson

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FWIW, the 1972 Liberty Bowl team was 5-5-1 back when there were only 8 or so Bowls.
Though this was also when teams were invited earlier in the season.

ISU got the bowl's attention by starting 5-1. It just that they went 0-5-1 after that.

Something tells me they don't get that invite if invites were made the way they are today