What bowl do we play in?

[IrishLax]

Most likely Champs Sports, hope you guys like to travel! If the Irish do come to Orlando I have no problem helping to set up an Irish Envy tailgate party!

oooo could we purchase beers with vBucks?!?!

 

[jmurphy75]

oooo could we purchase beers with vBucks?!?!

I wish......man do I wish!

 

[dshans]

oooo could we purchase beers with vBucks?!?!

Sure, but only vBeers, vBeers Lite and vGuinness. 5 vBucks for a vBurger or vBrat. 30 vBucks will get you a vRibeye.

Pity, that ...

 

[IrishMoore1]

We need to turn down the Champ Sports this year and go for one of the PAC-10 spots instead. We can only go to Champ Sports 1 out of every 4 years anyway, so there is no point in doing so this year when we can go to a good bowl with a PAC-10 tie-in. Oregon/Stanford are going to BCS games, and there is only 1, yes 1, bowl-eligible team from the PAC-10 right now, with Oregon St and Washington 5-6 right now. Washington should finish 6-6 beating Wash St and Oregon St should finish 5-7 losing to Oregon. That would leave only two teams from the Pac-10 for the bowl spots, and ND would be able to play in Sun Bowl on 12/31 against ACC #4, or the Holiday Bowl on 12/30 against Big 12 #5. Makes much more sense to take one of those bowls and save the Champ Sports for one of the next three years.

Ha, where we're going...we won't be going to the champ sports bowl in the next three years... more like BCS bowls imo. Might as well take the champ sports bowl now.

 

[IrishInColumbus]

When will be know for sure? Next Sunday after the ACC Championship?

 

[TerryTate]

Early signs are:

Champs Sports Bowl
Nd vs Maryland, NC State, or Miami

 

[IrishLax]

I really hope we don't play Maryland. There is so much more upside from playing Miami, NC State or UNC.

 

[KPENN]

I hope it is the SUn Bowl...so I would be able to see the Irish in person.....when does all this get ironed out...? next week?

Next Sunday I believe

 

[Irishpinoy]

Hoping for Vegas. There's no place like sin city.

 

[NewEnglandGuy]

Well, you aren't quite understanding how it works. The Champs Sports bowl has the third PICK of teams from the ACC. That DOESN'T mean they have to take the number 3 team in the ACC. Its quite possible some other bowl that picks before the Champs would want Maryland for a specific reason (proximity to their location). Not likely, but a possibility.

Talk about a call out...on half my post. I understand it does not fall on standings alone, but it is usually a good indicator. Either way, however you want to word it better then me F$u and V tech will not be "picked" for the Champs bowl as the poster asked.

As I said earlier and Terry reiterated, the ACC bid will be one of Maryland, NC St, or Miami. We would play one of those teams in this bowl by taking over the Big East teams bid.

 

[ShamrockOnHelmet]

Talk about a call out...on half my post.

Be clear the first time, then.

 

[jason_h537]

Sure, but only vBeers, vBeers Lite and vGuinness. 5 vBucks for a vBurger or vBrat. 30 vBucks will get you a vRibeye.

Pity, that ...

Sorry i purchased all the vbeers apparently. Waiting for the vStore to vStock up again

 

[dshans]

Sorry i purchased all the vbeers apparently. Waiting for the vStore to vStock up again

Your heart is in the right place – vCornering the vBeer vMarket to vSpread the vLove.

There should be time to vRestock the vShelves before we get to the bowl game, whichever that might be. All is vCool!

vThanks.

 

[IrishinSyria]

I want to vInvest in v4 loko before they're all gone.

 

[ACamp1900]

I would like the most winnable game... things are going well right now and a bowl win would REALLY keep things going into signing day and beyond... we can push our chest out and take all comers once this program is further established as being back... right now just keep things going in the right direction and finish strong for the first time in well over a decade...

most winnable game should be everyone's wish right now... which ever game you all think that is. I now which matchup screams out to me... but I ain't going there just yet.

 

[Senoj13]

Yahoo Sports projecting Notre Dame vs. N.C. State in the Champs Sports Bowl

 

[IrishTimer]

I guess the Sun Bowl is gaining some steam as a choice.

It'd be Dec 31st against either Maryland or Miami.

South Bend Tribune: Notre Dame football: Bowl picture only a little clearer

The absurdity of Notre Dame's bowl situation was underscored by the fact that both Boise State's upset loss to Nevada and a game between two hyphenated Louisiana schools on Saturday (UL-Monroe and UL-Lafayette) actually tinkered with their bowl picture.

Of course, the score that mattered most in the equation was the one the Irish were directly involved with - their rivalry renewal with USC at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum late Saturday night. Win, and the Irish were logically headed to the Champs Sports Bowl, Dec. 28 in Orlando to play an ACC team.

Lose and a 6-6 ND team was faced with sifting through leftovers of conferences who couldn't fill their designated allotment - many of which were games that were bad fits for the Irish.

Now imagine the same scenario with an 8-4 or 9-3 Irish team. That could happen sometime in the remaining three years of this bowl cycle. Once the Irish play the Champs Sports chip, they cannot return there during the length of the contract, which runs through the 2013 season.

In other words, it's BCS or dumpster dive.

The leftover bowls most likely to have been in play for a 6-6 Irish team or with a Champ Sports snub when regular-season play ends next weekend:

# The Texas Bowl, Dec. 29 at Houston vs. a Big 12 team.

# The Sun Bowl, Dec. 31 at El Paso, Texas vs. an ACC team.

# The Las Vegas Bowl, Dec. 22 at Las Vegas against a Mountain West Conference team, most likely a Utah team the Irish already have played.

# The BBVA Compass Bowl, Jan. 8 at Birmingham, Ala., against a Big East team.

# The New Mexico Bowl, Dec. 18 in Albuquerque against a WAC team, and an option the Irish would surely turn down since their exams run through Dec. 17.

A Houston upset against Texas Tech late Saturday night would close the door on the Texas Bowl. A Georgia win over Georgia Tech would do the same with the BBVA Compass option.

Since 9-3 or 8-4 are possibly outcomes next season as this team continues to grow it might not be a bad strategy to go to the Sun Bowl this season. It's a New Years Eve Day game in a hotbed recruiting state(Texas) and while the Champs Bowl would be nice this season in San Diego it might be a nice option to have if a BCS bowl isn't around for us in the next few seasons.

 

[InKellyITrust]

Champs Sports Bowl v Maryland

 

[Honey Nut Irish]

I vote for anywhere but the Champs Sports Bowl. Hopefully the Holliday Bowl if we can swing it.

 

[calvegas04]

Vegas Bowl ill buy you all a beer

 

[TexasNDFan]

Per Irish Sports Daily:
The Champs Sports Bowl is allowed to take the Irish once every four years and there’s some thinking that this might not be the year either side wants to use up that chance. For the Champs Bowl, it’s easy to envision the Irish as a more attractable option in 2011 should Notre Dame improve, but not reach the BCS.

From Notre Dame’s point of view, accepting an invitation to the Champs Bowl this season could be risky and possibly leave the Irish scrambling for a spot in future seasons. Notre Dame currently has no other direct tie-ins other than the Champs Bowl.

Bowl Destination Still In Air

Makes sense to pass on Orlando, while they have other options, they can play in the Sun Bowl and maybe end up against Miami or if UW and Oregon St lose they could end up in the Holiday Bowl against a Big 12 team. A 8-4 or 9-3 could then play the Champs Sports next year and if things go well then 2012 could start a string of BCS Bowls for the Irish.

 

[NewEnglandGuy]

Paraphrasing from ISD article...

With USC (7-5) ineligible for postseason play, the Pac-10 has just three teams currently bowl eligible, Oregon (11-0), Stanford (11-1) and Arizona (7-4), for its six bowls. It’s likely Oregon and Stanford both end up in the BCS, meaning the Pac-10 only has one team for its other five bowl tie-ins, minus the Rose Bowl, right now.

Oregon State (vs Oregon) and Washington (vs Washington St) can both become bowl eligible with wins this weekend.

Arizona seems poised to play a Big 12 opponent in the Valero Alamo Bowl, but if neither Oregon State or Washington get wins this weekend, Notre Dame could scoop up an invitation to the Bridgepoint Education Holiday Bowl in San Diego on Dec. 30. If one of two qualifies, the Irish could end up in the Hyundai Sun Bowl on New Year’s Eve. Miami (7-5) is a possible opponent for Notre Dame in El Paso, but the Sun Bowl would have to pass up Maryland (8-4) for another Catholics vs. Convicts matchup.

If both Pac-10 teams win, Notre Dame could find a spot in the MAACO Las Vegas Bowl on Dec. 22 or the Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl in San Francisco on Jan. 9.

Also here are the Pac-10 bowl tie-ins with predictions from ESPN:
Bowl-look-112810 - College Football Nation Blog - ESPN
Tostitos BCS National Championship Game: Oregon vs. Auburn
Rose Bowl Game: TCU vs. Big Ten
Fiesta Bowl: Stanford vs. Big 12 champion
Valero Alamo: Arizona vs. Big 12
Bridgepoint Education Holiday: Washington vs. Big 12
Hyundai Sun: No team.
MAACO Las Vegas: No team.
Kraft Fight Hunger: No team.

With Stanford ranked #4 in the BCS last night, they are guaranteed a BCS (Sugar, Orange, Fiesta). If Auburn wins, the Sugar will replace them with Arkansas and have 1st pick of eligible teams (=Ohio St due to large fan base). Depending on the West Virginia (vs Rutgers) and UConn (vs USF) games, the Orange bowl could take one of these as the Big East Winner or Stanford. Remember, UConn holds the tie over WV from their 16-13 OT win. Confusing? This article explains it well:
Stanford football: BCS update (do you have a few hours?) | College Hotline

Back to the other Pac10 bowls...The Alamo, Holiday, and Sun bowls are all attractive (the Kraft Fight Hunger is vs the WAC which means Boise St, and the MAACO Las Vegas is vs the MWC which will be Utah since TCU is BCS bound). Here are the ESPN predictions for those bowls:
NCAA College Football BCS Bowl Projections Week 13 - ESPN

The Alamo Bowl is out of our reach with either Arizona or Washington being selected, but the Holiday bowl is possible if Washington St. (2-9) pulls the upset. On a positive note, they won their second game of the year last week dismantling Oregon St. 31-14 (the team that blew out USC 36-7 the week before) so it is fair to say they have a punchers chance. The Big 12 selection for this game is debatable. The Cotton, Alamo, and Insight bowl all select before the Holiday in that order, and with the Big 12 Winner BCS bound, the loser is sure to get one of these. The Cotton is assumed to select in-state Texas A&M (but not certain) leaving the Insight to take either Oklahoma St. or Missouri; both 10-2 (6-2). The Holiday would get the other and if it was Missouri...I would love that game.

The more likely scenario is Washington wins and the above paragraph does not matter to us anymore. This would leave the ACC selection of the Sun Bowl important. The talked about Champs Bowl will determine this bowls team for sure. If NC State gets the nod, I could see Miami as an attractive choice if their coaching situation is under control and we are interested in playing (El Paso...yuck).

Thoughts?

 

[O'Aviles]

I live in San Antonio. You don't need for me to tell you how big a State Texas is. It's a 10 hour drive for me to get to El Paso. If we do get an invite to the Sun Bowl however.... Meet you at "Aceitunas" first round's on me!!!

 

[KPENN]

Saw in SI they have us projected to play in the Champs Sports Bowl against NC State. I'd love to play NC State and show their LB coach that the defense has talent

 

[Kingbish01]

If Uconn wins and W.V.U wins we have a shot at playing OKLA (if they lose the big12 champ game) or MIZZU in the Bridgepoint Education Holiday Bowl in S.D. on 12/30.

 

[Legacy]

Nice writeup NewEnglandGuy. A couple of things:
Champs Sports - I believe we are obligated to go if they choose us. However, if West Virginia wins to go 9-3, they could reasonably choose them and save ND for another year. This is the first in the four year contract and, as noted, we can only be chosen once in the contract.

Pac-10 bowl tie-ins - These are important because, as you say, only three Pac-10 teams are bowl-eligible (Oregon, Stanford, and Arizona). Oregon going to the NC means Stanford would go to a BCS. Here's their bowl rankings:

After the BCS bowl (Stanford at this time), the bowl rankings for Pac-10 teams are this:

* #2 The Alamo Bowl receives the second choice of Pac-10 teams. (Arizona at this time)
* #3 The Holiday Bowl receives the third choice of Pac-10 teams.
* #4 The Sun Bowl receives the fourth choice of Pac-10 teams.
* #5 The Maaco Bowl receives the fifth choice of Pac-10 teams
* #6 The Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl receives the sixth choice of Pac-10 teams

With Oregon St and Washington needing one win to become bowl-eligible, an Oregon St win knocks out Oregon from the NC and everyone moves down a rung. The Holiday Bowl is no longer an option. Washington winning too means the Sun Bowl is out of the picture.

Conclusions:
West Va losing means the Champs Sports Bowl
Oregon and Wash St winning means the Holiday Bowl
Oregon and Washington winning means the Sun Bowl

Oregon losing and Washington winning means the Pac-10 fills 1-5 in their bowl contracts.
Go Ducks!!

 

[Rudy89]

if we play in the holiday bowl we are gonna get destroyed Im hoping for champs sports or sun bowl

 

[Kingbish01]

if we play in the holiday bowl we are gonna get destroyed Im hoping for champs sports or sun bowl

I like our D's chances against both Mizzu and Oklahoma. Don't forget Stoops is 5-6 in bowl games.

 

[ACamp1900]

As a realist who has watched OU play a ton this season... The Sooners would most likely **** stomp us... I see nothing that makes me feel good about that amtchup on either side.

 

[Rudy89]

Im not trying to be a downer but we cant compete with OU, Nebraksa, or Mizzou. I know the holiday bowl is a more prestigious game than the champs sports but I want to go to a game we can win. Similair to how in 05 when we got the fiesta bowl bid I knew that Ohio State would prolly not be a game we could win at that time. In 2 or 3 years we maybe can compete with schools like that but now....we cant.