Just a few takeaways from the first half of bowl games this 2018 season:

1. Appalachian State severely underrated all season. Had a head coach hired away at the end of a 11-2 season with probably the best FCS-to-FBS transition in memory, considering the landscape.
2. The AAC and the MAC are not delivering strong performances in the post-season. Critics are anything but silenced thus far.
3. The Mountain West is top-heavy and has great teams this season. Too bad Boise State could not cement that perception with another bowl victory.
4. The Big 12 is no joke. Neither is the Big Ten. Both have turned in excellent lower-tier bowl wins.
5. The Carolina schools in the ACC are giants. Everyone else? Hold back your vomit.
6. ...the Pac-12 are who we thought they were, so far. By comparison, the AAC is 1-4 in games thus far. The Pac-12? 0-2. They have the talent to at least scrape out a couple wins or more. I'd say Utah and Oregon will do it. Wazzu may be suffering Apple Cup fatigue.
7. The SEC were very highly valued by the CFP Committee this season. Seven of the remaining nine SEC bowl teams are ranked in the committee's Top 25. Auburn and South Carolina are the other two. Vandy lost with a chance to win it. Admirable, I guess.
8. Army had every reason to be ranked in the Top 25 much earlier than this late in the season. What the heck, CFP Committee?
9. Notre Dame is the silent killer. Watch for a close game against Clemson in the Cotton Bowl.
   

What are your takeaways?

I could quibble with a point or two, but couldn't prove my POV is any better. Overall, a solid assessment.

FWIW, bowl season is almost over for the G5. The MAC and CUSA are done for the year, the MAC finishing a dismal 1-5 in bowls and CUSA a surprisingly good 4-2.

The MWC (2-2) and Sun Belt (3-1) both have one game remaining, against each other on 12/29 when Arkansas State plays Nevada in the Arizona Bowl. With the Peach Bowl and Belk bowl both in progress at kickoff, and the first CFP playoff game kicking off before it is over, that may be the most obscure bowl of the season.

The AAC (1-4) has two bowls remaining, Cincy vs VT in the Military Bowl on 12/31 and UCF in the Fiesta Bowl on January 1st.

Good points on teams that have already played but difficult to have observations on teams that haven’t played their bowl yet (.e.g. Notre Dame).

The disappointment of fans for Boston College not selling the tickets for their bowl game when the stadium was fairly more Boise State crowd. It does show that some G5 schools do have fans that do travel. Wonder if the BC fans do buy tickets if Boise State were in the PAC 12 instead of the MWC?

(12-28-2018 12:09 PM)DavidSt Wrote:  The disappointment of fans for Boston College not selling the tickets for their bowl game when the stadium was fairly more Boise State crowd. It does show that some G5 schools do have fans that do travel. Wonder if the BC fans do buy tickets if Boise State were in the PAC 12 instead of the MWC?

LOL

https://www.12up.com/posts/6256633-atten...barrassing

(12-28-2018 11:38 AM)BePcr07 Wrote:  Good points on teams that have already played but difficult to have observations on teams that haven’t played their bowl yet (.e.g. Notre Dame).

Glad someone else caught that...had me scratching my head, also. Observation for a team that hasn't played its game? LOL!

My observations so far

1. Big Ten > ACC

2. Bowls in cold weather cities suck for the players and for the fans.

I can see why the Big Ten did not sign up for that new bowl game at Wrigley Field. I doubt the Big Ten will re-up for the Pinstripe either.

Pinstripe is just the worst combination ever for a bowl game. Bowl in a cold weather city in a baseball stadium with no heaters under the field. Throw in ridiculously expensive hotel rooms and crowded airports with delayed flights. Pinstripe bowl is just an awful idea.

With Nevada's win over ARK State, both the MWC and Sun Belt finish 3-2 in bowls.

Only G5 bowls left are two games involving AAC teams, the Military and Fiesta Bowls.

So far P5-vs-P5 bowls:
ACC 3-2
SEC 3-2
B1G 2-2
PAC 2-2
XII 2-3
(If I'm not too sleepy I think I got these right).

BTW, ACC is 5-2 overall, with 3 to play plus the national championship (part 4).

(12-28-2018 11:17 AM)TampaTom Wrote:  [*]Appalachian State severely underrated all season. Had a head coach hired away at the end of a 11-2 season with probably the best

I think you've got to tip the hat to Karl Benson on how he was able to rebuild the SBC following realignment with Appalachian State as an addition.

The SBC really is stronger than what it was pre-raid while CUSA and MWC are substantially weaker.

(12-28-2018 11:17 AM)TampaTom Wrote:  Just a few takeaways from the first half of bowl games this 2018 season:

1. Appalachian State severely underrated all season. Had a head coach hired away at the end of a 11-2 season with probably the best FCS-to-FBS transition in memory, considering the landscape.
2. The AAC and the MAC are not delivering strong performances in the post-season. Critics are anything but silenced thus far.
3. The Mountain West is top-heavy and has great teams this season. Too bad Boise State could not cement that perception with another bowl victory.
4. The Big 12 is no joke. Neither is the Big Ten. Both have turned in excellent lower-tier bowl wins.
5. The Carolina schools in the ACC are giants. Everyone else? Hold back your vomit.
6. ...the Pac-12 are who we thought they were, so far. By comparison, the AAC is 1-4 in games thus far. The Pac-12? 0-2. They have the talent to at least scrape out a couple wins or more. I'd say Utah and Oregon will do it. Wazzu may be suffering Apple Cup fatigue.
7. The SEC were very highly valued by the CFP Committee this season. Seven of the remaining nine SEC bowl teams are ranked in the committee's Top 25. Auburn and South Carolina are the other two. Vandy lost with a chance to win it. Admirable, I guess.
8. Army had every reason to be ranked in the Top 25 much earlier than this late in the season. What the heck, CFP Committee?
9. Notre Dame is the silent killer. Watch for a close game against Clemson in the Cotton Bowl.
   

What are your takeaways?

Everything is just going the opposite direction after your observation/prediction. No joke? B1G and Big 12 are joke.

It is Alabama and Clemson, tip off the cap to Oklahoma. Just put everyone else in a blender. Grown men are worse about this conference or that conference than women who watch fake reality shows.

PAC has a good day, going 2-0 in the Sun and Red Box Bowls.

ACC has a tough day, losing the Military and Sun Bowls.

SEC now 3-0 in NY6 bowls, matching Ohio State from last year, but with one of them also being a playoff game. Impressive.

AAC finishes bowl season 2-5

Quote:Appalachian State severely underrated all season. Had a head coach hired away at the end of a 11-2 season with probably the best FCS-to-FBS transition in memory, considering the landscape.

They got to the rankings mid-season, but then lost to GA-Southern by 20. That said, after beating 3 easy teams but then beating Troy and solidly winning the CC, I would have assumed they'd break into the Top 25 rankings a bit, but instead #30 & #31. Underrated? Yeah, but not severely, IMO. A weak schedule will do that, especially when you'd be competing with Iowa State, Missouri, Boise State, Utah State, Army, Cinci, NC-State and Northwestern for it. A lot of roughly-same-level teams at the bottom part of the rankings and getting a good # of votes. A weaker SoS will put you on the assumed lower end of that group.

Quote:The AAC and the MAC are not delivering strong performances in the post-season. Critics are anything but silenced thus far.

The AAC was seen as not the strongest G5 conference this year (kudos to MW), so not a shocker although Cinci's win helped. But yes, the MAC dropped the ball in the bowls. They have lately. Ugh.

Quote:The Mountain West is top-heavy and has great teams this season. Too bad Boise State could not cement that perception with another bowl victory.

It is too bad, but, it didn't hurt the MW either due to the game being called off.

Quote:The Big 12 is no joke. Neither is the Big Ten. Both have turned in excellent lower-tier bowl wins.

I would say it was par. No big bragging, no shame. Purdue got CRUSHED, MSU fell short with an later-season Akron-like offense, losing to Oregon. Iowa's win was great over Miss State, but (a bit overrated) Penn State blew it against Kentucky. And Michigan got Whipped by Florida. Papa PJ Fleck had Minnesota win in the bottom-B1G vs bottom-ACC game in Detroit, tho. Wisconsin's win was Really needed for the B1G, and NW's 2nd half comeback beating Utah was great. And Ohio State solidified it with their win over Washington, although it was expected.

Quote:Army had every reason to be ranked in the Top 25 much earlier than this late in the season. What the heck, CFP Committee?

They're a hard team to judge. Especially when they haven't established themselves as notably good (yet) until now? They lose to @Duke by 20, beat Air Force by 3 at home, Miami-OH by 1 at home as Miami went for 2 for the win, only beat Colgate by 14, and only beat Navy at home by 7 -- but Blew out @Buffalo, took @Oklahoma to the bitter OT end, and beat a tough @EMU team by 15. The way they run their O -- they measure up against teams differently than most everyone else.

Quote:Notre Dame is the silent killer. Watch for a close game against Clemson in the Cotton Bowl.

I did.