Bowl Update (Updated)

[randystewart]

I've been texting with a friend of min in the SEC office. As of right now, nothing is settled but.....
Facts:
1) Outback does not want South Carolina or MSU
2) Peach would much prefer to take MSU
3) Gator does not want MSU
4) Music City is not crazy about MSU
My friend said that the SEC is trying to force some of theses bowls to swallow a bitter pill. South Carolina to Gator is now a possibility, unless the SEC can force Outback or Peach to take them. Long story short, he still thinks we are headed to Atlanta.
<div>
</div><div>Edit to add: When I woke up I had a text from him that said "Outback is getting a ton of pressure to take S. Car. If Outback does not bow to the pressure the other bowls will not feel the need to either"</div><div>
</div>

 

[randystewart]

I've been texting with a friend of min in the SEC office. As of right now, nothing is settled but.....
Facts:
1) Outback does not want South Carolina or MSU
2) Peach would much prefer to take MSU
3) Gator does not want MSU
4) Music City is not crazy about MSU
My friend said that the SEC is trying to force some of theses bowls to swallow a bitter pill. South Carolina to Gator is now a possibility, unless the SEC can force Outback or Peach to take them. Long story short, he still thinks we are headed to Atlanta.
<div>
</div><div>Edit to add: When I woke up I had a text from him that said "Outback is getting a ton of pressure to take S. Car. If Outback does not bow to the pressure the other bowls will not feel the need to either"</div><div>
</div>

 

[DawgatAuburn]

Is this credible?

 

[russb7591]

You better not be fooling me.

 

[TBonewannabe]

We are also within easy driving distance with a good alumni presence in Atlanta. I don't know why the Gator wouldn't want SC. Not sure why Music City wouldn't want us either. I don't understand that at all. Pretty much what I just said about the Peach applies to Music City except we have never been there before so no history of ticket sales.

 

[MSUArrowCS]

This was in Low's original blog post:

<span><span class="text_exposed_show">As an SEC
championship game participant, South Carolina under the league's bowl
agreement isn't allowed to fall lower in the bowl pecking order than the
Chick-fil-A Bowl.</span></span>

<span><span class="text_exposed_show">

Then the post was taken down. A while later, it was put back up with the quoted text removed. What's the deal?
</span></span>

 

[klong17]

I think its more about them wanting and thinking Tenn was their team.

 

[xxxWalkTheDawg]

What if we go down the order and the Music City wants a Georgia for name or Kentucky for location? They can do that just like TN can go to the Gator.<div>
</div><div>Damn Memphis to play UCF is what it leaves us. Then who swallows the bitter pill?</div><div>
</div><div>
</div><div>I hope Stricklin is flashing to the Peach that we currently already need 20K tickets.<div></div></div>

 

[RonnyAtmosphere]

..you actually believe randystewart has a friend in the SEC office who is communicating to randystewart the super secret scoop on SEC bowl scenarios.

You people are a hoot.

Once the bowl scenarios are officially released tomorrow night, 1/2 of you will be right because your lies were serendipitously proven correct by sheer coincidence & 1/2 of you will be wrong because your lies were serendipitously proven incorrect by sheer coincidence.

 

[DawgatAuburn]

And I take everything on SPS with a grain of salt, but I also don't think it is completely beyond the realm of possibility that one could have a friend in the SEC office who would share information. Likely? Not really. Possible? Certainly? Hell, wikileaks is releasing our most secret information and I pretty sure Slive doesn't have nearly the security the US government does.

 

[randystewart]

or start operation smoke out the mole over what I posted. Believe it or not, the SEC is not like working at the CIA.

 

[Frances Drebin]

...that the loser of the SEC championship game cannot fall below the Chick Fil A Bowl. So, that kinda blows up your theory about SC falling to the Gator. I'd think your friend in the SEC office would know that. If the Cocks don't go to the Outback, they'll be in Atlanta.

 

[dogmess]

When there are apparently no other 17ing rules! Why would an SEC division champ ever have to worry about going to a bad bowl anyway? What rule maker would have foreseen that happening? And why specifically the CFA bowl by name? I mean, is the CFA bowl some kind of benchmark bowl? Every bowl below them is unworthy?

 

[Canis]

Obviously the Music City would much rather have UT then us. Stands to reason that they are pissed the Gator is trying to pick them up as they stand to gain a lot more financially from having UT then the Gator would gain from having UT. Of course, the Gator pulled this **** last year with the ACC.

If the Outback, for once, would take the best East team (USC) this would all work out. All the bowls below the Outback have to be pissed at them. I doubt Florida fans really care where they end up after this season.

 

[randystewart]

but he has only been there a few years, so maybe it is an old rule that is not on the books anymore.

 

[smootness]

That rule doesn't exist, just like basically every other rule regarding bowl selection that has been cited on a message board.<div>
</div><div>I have no idea if the original post in this thread is correct. However, if it is, it just proves yet again why the Peach/CFA is the best-run bowl in the country. I can pretty much guarantee you it brings in more money than a huge chunk of the bowls ahead of it in the pecking order. They understand what they're doing. They understand that getting a 'big name' in their bowl does not equal more money. Some of these bowls seem as though they're run by labradoodles. Yes, the most disappointing team in Florida history is a much better fit than maybe the best SC team of all time, mm hmm. Mississippi State? Who are they? They sound like they won't sell any tickets, bring any fans, or watch the game. EVERYONE in the country will want to see a crap Tennessee team! They're Tennessee!</div><div>
</div><div>Honestly, the CFA gets it. Pick a deserving team with an excited fanbase that will generate excitement and put on a good game. That's what it's about, and they know that.</div>

 

[russb7591]

The part where the loser of the SECCG rule is not true. Chris Low heard this from someone and it was wrong.... SC can drop to the Gator Bowl.

 

[MSU Moral Victory]

Your buddy think there will be any resolution to this by the end of the night? It's giving me anxiety.

 

[BudgetDawg]

From Lexington (KY) Herald-Ledger:
<div><div style="overflow: hidden; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; border: medium none;">

The
Chick-fil-A Bowl is not required to protect the SEC championship game
loser because that team would have so recently played in Atlanta. Bowl
CEO Gary Stokan told The State two weeks ago that his bowl would
strongly consider South Carolina if the Gamecocks were available and
would have discussions with Gamecock officials to see if they were
interested in playing in the Georgia Dome in back-to-back games.<span></span>

<span>
http://www.kentucky.com/2010/12/04/1552989/options-open-for-south-carolinas.html#ixzz17CyM4ekR</span></div></div>

 

[MSUArrowCS]

So it looks like it will come down to the CFA pick now. SCAR was basically the only other team they were giving major consideration to. And whether that would be a snub is at least arguable.

Can't wait for tomorrow!

1) Outback picks 7-5 UF over 8-4 MSU
2) Chick-Fil-A picks a team from the weak East that lost to UK, Auburn by 7 and 30+ and Arkansas by 20+ over a team from the harder West that didn't beat Alabama, lost the Auburn by 3 and took Arky to 2OT
3) Gator picks 6-6 UT over 8-4 MSU. Two teams not even in the same ballpark resume-wise.
4) MCB passes up an 8-4 MSU for a favorite target of 6-6 UK

MSU goes to Liberty Bowl.

 

[Todd4State]

too- especially for their tie ins. They're in the heart of SEC/ACC territory.

 

[Dawgzilla]

But the SEC has tried to protect its Division champs in the past, and MSU was the beneficiary of that policy in 1998.

The problem is, the loser of the SEC CG gets tagged with another loss, which tarnishes an otherwise great season. The original rule was that the loser would go to the Capital One Bowl, but the Capital One negotiated so that they could pass over the CG loser if another team in the conference had more wins.

This was fine, until the Auburn lost to Florida in 1997 and fell all the way to the CFA Peach Bowl. Their fans were pretty upset to be playing in the Georgia Dome two games in a row. It didn't help that its only a 2 hour drive from campus.

In 1998 the SEC added the Cotton Bowl tie-in towards the end of the season, and the idea was to protect the loser of the SEC CG. If you recall, the Cotton Bowl thought they were getting their pick of a West Division team, and they were all set to pick Arkansas. But the SEC stepped in and told them they HAD to take MSU.

Eventually the rules for the Outback were changed to be an alternative failsafe plan for the CG loser. I guess now that the CFA Bowl has increased its payout, it is in the mix as well.

 

[Topgundawg]

<div id="dnn_ctr901_HtmlModule_lblContent" class="Normal">
<h1>Chick-fil-A Bowl Guarantees Selection of ACC Runner-Up</h1><h3>Conference’s second-place team to face ranked SEC opponent Dec. 31 in Atlanta’s Georgia Dome</h3>

ATLANTA (Dec. 2, 2010) – The Chick-fil-A Bowl today
announced it will guarantee a selection to the Atlantic Coast Conference
Championship Game runner-up and invite either Florida State or Virginia
Tech to represent the ACC in its 43rd annual game Dec. 31 in Atlanta.</p>

The ACC’s representative will face a ranked opponent from the
Southeastern Conference on New Year’s Eve in the Georgia Dome in a game
that will be nationally televised in an unopposed time slot at 7:30 p.m.
EST.</p>

The Chick-fil-A Bowl will announce its SEC selection Dec. 5.</p>

“Either team gives us a nationally ranked program and a great draw
for TV,” said Gary Stokan, Chick-fil-A Bowl president and CEO. “Whether
we end up with the ‘Noles or the Hokies, we’re going to be hosting a
top-25-ranked ACC team and a division winner with a great coach and an
excellent fan base.”</p>

Florida State is 1-1 in the Chick-fil-A Bowl with its last appearance
coming in 1983 against North Carolina (28-3 win). Virginia Tech has
appeared in the Bowl four times and is 2-2 including a 37-14 win over
Tennessee last year.</p>

The Seminoles would come into the game at 9-4 (6-2) and winners of
three of their last four games. Florida State has already delivered its
first nine-win season since 2003 and notched marquee wins against Miami,
Maryland and Florida.</p>

The Hokies would come in 10-3 (8-0) and winners of 10 of their last
11. Virginia Tech is the only team in the nation to have won 10 or more
games in each of the last seven seasons and the first ACC team to go
undefeated in conference play since 2000.</p>

“We’re looking at two great options and feel like we’re a winner
either way,” Stokan said. “And they’re both playing their best football
of the year right now. We pride ourselves on selecting the team that
earns its way into our game, and from where we sit, both of these teams
have already proven they belong here.”</p>

The Chick-fil-A Bowl is expected to announce its 14th consecutive
sellout as soon as it names its SEC selection on Sunday. The Bowl will
also eclipse the $100 million mark in cumulative team payout this year
with a total $6.7 million being disbursed to the teams this year.</p>

The Chick-fil-A Bowl is the ninth-oldest bowl game in the country and
hosts the longest-running rivalry series between the ACC and SEC. Now
in its 43rd year, the Chick-fil-A Bowl has established itself as one of
the nation’s elite bowl games with a string of 13 consecutive sellouts
and has earned a reputation as one of the most competitive bowls in the
nation. Ten of the last 18 games have been decided by a touchdown or
less. The Chick-fil-A Bowl has increased team payout every year since
1996. The Bowl also leads all other bowl games in charitable and
scholarship contributions, giving more than $5.8 million to
organizations in need since 2002. Other events under the Chick-fil-A
Bowl brand include the Chick-fil-A Bowl Challenge head coach and
celebrity golf event each April and the Chick-fil-A Kickoff Game
season-opening game over Labor Day weekend which hosted No. 16 LSU and
No. 18 North Carolina, to open the season Sept. 4.</p>
</div>

 

[MurrayHewitt]

Chuck Oliver is on the Chick-fil-A Bowl committee and his Sunday show starts now on 680 now. After 45 minutes or so with his tongue down Cam's throat, he'll probably give insight into their selection.