Miller: Iowa & B1G Bowl Projections 11/27

JonDMiller

Publisher/Founder
TWO TO THE BCS: I firmly expect the Big Ten to get two teams to the BCS for the 11th year out of 14. Michigan's 10-2 record, energized fanbase and national television draw will be too much for a BCS bowl to pass up. They'll go along with the winner of the Big Ten championship game, which I believe will be Wisconsin.

Four weeks ago, the banter on twitter and elsewhere was that there was little chance of the Big Ten getting into a 'Two Up' to the BCS scenario this year. But the Wolverines didn't lose again after falling in Kinnick Stadium and they'll reap the benefits.

The last real question that exists when trying to slot the first six BCS bowl spots is whether or not the NCAA will tell Ohio State it has to stay home from a bowl game this year. That ruling will have to come early this week, if at all. I'll wager it won't happen for the sake of these projections.

ROSE BOWL: Wisconsin
BCS AT LARGE: Michigan
CAP ONE: Nebraska
OUTBACK: Michigan State
INSIGHT: Penn State
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Things are fairly cut and dried above this line.

GATOR: Ohio State enters bowl considerations having lost three straight to end a season that saw them go 6-6, their worst record since 1999. Iowa finished this season 7-5 and went 2-2 down the stretch. I don't sense a great deal of 'bowl fever' in either fan base. For the sake of these projections, lets say Iowa and Ohio State would send the same number of fans to the Gator Bowl. Then it comes down to the television component and Ohio State is going to draw more eyeballs than will Iowa. So we'll go with the Buckeyes in this slot, but it's a 55/45 sort of feel.

TEXAS: Iowa and the likely opponent would be Texas A&M. I believe the Cotton, Holiday and Insight will all take a pass on Texas A&M (with some encouraging from the Big 12 offices) but it's hard to see a Texas bowl game beyond the Cotton & Alamo passing on the Aggies, regardless of their future conference plans.

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This is the point where it gets muddy again. Illinois, Northwestern and Purdue are all 6-6 with two Big Ten tie ins remaining. Illinois started the year 6-0 and ended the year 0-6. How excited will their fans be to travel to a bowl game? Northwestern doesn't have a large alumni base but has traveled well to an Alamo Bowl in the past when they faced Missouri, but that team was 9-3 heading into the bowl game. Purdue MIGHT have had 35,000 fans in Ross-Ade on senior day against Iowa and that was a week after they beat Ohio State at home. They won two of their last three games.

None of these teams is a great TV draw at this bowl position, with Illinois being the best of the three. If I am on the bowl committee looking at all of this, I try to stage the best game I can. Northwestern would be my pick for that and it's not even a close call. I'll go with that pick, but that's not always how it works out.

TICKET CITY: Northwestern
LITTLE CAESAR'S: Illinois, likely with an interim coach on the sidelines.
AT LARGE POOL: PURDUE
 
Here's hoping the NCAA steps in and hands Ohio State a nice Christmas present to stay home. The lying cheating bastards are 6-6 after all and deserve this fate.
 
Every bowl wants to pair two 6-6 teams...its a dream matchup...


Seriously though, the Gator picked Michigan ahead of us last year...
 
I think they do.

What I am unsure about is if the Insight bowl, and PSU are a lock. Insight officials say PSU is the 1000 lb gorilla.

So who falls out of the top 14? Georgia and Oklahoma aren't going to be punished that much for losing to the number 1 and 3 teams. Michigan isn't just going to magically move up in the BCS standings by not playing. A team between 8-14 is going to have to lose.
 
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Selfishly I am hoping for Houston....if it's not a New Years Day game, Houston gives me some personal justification to go.


Bring on the Texas Bowl! And Reliant is a brilliant venue
 
So Iowa will end up playing Baylor or Texas A&M, both run the spread and score a ton of points. If it is A&M it is a road game...80 miles from downtown houston to A&M...a true game. We all know how well Iowa has played on the road this year.
 
So Iowa will end up playing Baylor or Texas A&M, both run the spread and score a ton of points. If it is A&M it is a road game...80 miles from downtown houston to A&M...a true game. We all know how well Iowa has played on the road this year.

I would rather play A&M than Baylor.

I would also expect the usual bowl breakout performance by Iowa on both sides. Outside of the 2003 Orange Bowl, they have been good to great in their bowl performances.
 
Jon, if Ohio St. is banned from going bowling, then do you see us in the Gator? Florida, Texas, or Texas A&M would be intriguing matchups. I prefer Texas, then Florida, then A&M.
 
I would prefer that Iowa doesn't play Baylor. Norm's defense stuggles with any QB that is above average or better. RGIII is great.
 
So who falls out of the top 14? Georgia and Oklahoma aren't going to be punished that much for losing to the number 1 and 3 teams. Michigan isn't just going to magically move up in the BCS standings by not playing. A team between 8-14 is going to have to lose.

I think Mich will actually fall in the BCS tonight to number #16. Beating a 6-6 Ohio St team is not going to help them. And Wisconsin will probably jump them since they beat a ranked PSU team. Last week their BCS averages were: #15 Mich .3980 and #16 Wisc .3939. #11 K ST, #12 South Carolina, #13 Georgia, and #14 Mich St are not going to be jumped in rankings today. The only team that lost this weekend in front of Michigan was Arkansas. If KSU beats ISU and Georgia puts up a fight, I would doubt it.

Mich has to hope they jump the Mich St vs. Wisc loser. And hope KSU or Georgia lose then jump them. But KSU is .5896 and Georgia is .5189. Can Mich at .3980 make that jump when they don't even play anymore?

Selfishly I am hoping for Houston....if it's not a New Years Day game, Houston gives me some personal justification to go.


Bring on the Texas Bowl! And Reliant is a brilliant venue
There are no New Year's Day games... sucks.
 
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