VTTW Board Index

no joke.

http://espn.go.com/college-football/story/_/id/8228544/ncaa-new-bowl-game-tiebreakers-include-fcs-wins-5-7-teams

IIRC, this same scenario seemed plausible last year but didn't work out.

I love New Year's football action, but this is a sign that we have too flippin' many bowl games.

UT play in a bowl game after this season?  I hope the powers that be at UT would have enough sense and class to decline.  UT doesn't deserve nor need to be in a bowl game this year. 

disagree. If they get a bid (small chance of it) then they should take it.

Lots of freshmen and sophomores saw the field this year for UT. You take those extra practices any way you can get them.

agreed
now I might not choose to go to the weed eater bowl but that is a different issue ...

The ESPN article says the NCAA's change is for 5-7 teams with a top-five APR. Is that top five percent, or top five total? Because if it's the latter, UT wouldn't make the cut anyway.

The chance is small...very small

That depends whether it's the 3-year average or the most recent APR. We'd make the cut if it's the most recent.

And I agree with most of you fellers . . . if the opportunity falls in UT's lap, we'd be foolish not to do it.

Enough sense and class to decline?  LOL!  Crazy talk.

In our state of affairs you take any and all extra practice time and game experience you can get.

While I disagree with several of you, that's ok.  Just discussion.  My thoughts have always been that a bowl game is a reward for a good season.  5-7 anyway you try to spin it is not a good season.  

That said, CO, you are on campus every day and understand the budget issues that many don't.  That leads to my question - if UT were to somehow be invited to a lowest tier bowl game the payout most likely wouldn't even pay expenses.  Is that something that the powers that be are going to be open to, given the budgetary issues at UT right now?  I realize that the money would come from UTAD funds and not University funds, but even the UTAD is struggling to say in the black as well.  How would losing money to go to a lowest tier bowl game go over on The Hill right now?  

Just a question for discussion.  

Well, Vinnie, you know enough about me to know that I am indeed crazy.

That said, a bowl game invitation has traditionally been issued to reward teams for good seasons.  There is no way 2013 can be spun as a good season for UT.  

And, yes, it would be the class thing to do to decline in that situation, the way I see it.  

Yes, I'm confident that the powers that be would rather us go to a bowl even if it was a net negative for finances. Like ceasing the gifts from UTAD to UT for a few years, I think they'd see it as an investment in the future of a program that will bring in much more money when it's back on its feet.

Jimmy Cheek is more pragmatic than most UT sports fans want to give him credit for. He knows UT football is a big part of the university's public presence and image, and (IMO) is inclined to make painful short term choices if he thinks it will benefit both the academic and athletic mission going forward.

I'm also more confident than I've ever been that the academic leadership at UT-- from central admin down to deans-- believes in what Butch is doing on and off the field. That does make a difference in the calculus as well, if they would have considered declining under Dooley.

I agree with you....I would rather see the coaching staff work to get the best recruiting class in the country than spend time coaching a meaningless bowl game.  Many of the players that they would be coaching are seniors and will be gone anyway.  I just dont see all the benefits that others do to going to a real low bowl game at this time. I also agree that a losing record should not qualify for a bowl.  A top ranked recruiting class will help build momentum for next years recruiting class more than a bowl would.  Just my opinion.