I agree. I think bowl eligibility revolves around tomorrow night, too. NIU has nothing left to play for in a monstrously disappointing season but could still be dangerous on the road. Ball State is playing with a lot of confidence now. We need the win badly tomorrow to help try to salvage a disappointing season for us.
25 teams now have 7 or more losses. 63 teams already have 6 wins. Another 19 have 5 wins and are just a win away from bowl eligibility. 23 teams are - like Miami - two wins away.
Army is eliminated because the Cadets needed to run the table, having played two FCS teams. They lost to Troy today.
It appears to me that there is a distinct possibility more than 82 teams will qualify for a bowl this season. That could easily leave a 6-6 MAC team on the outside looking in when the roll is called for the 82 bowl participants. The MAC only has four guaranteed sports and three MAC teams are already eligible.
6-6 is not a goal our program should aspire to. But that’s we’re we find ourself - looking up and hoping others fail.
It is possible UConn might be left on the sidelines though - they are an independent and I’m not sure if they have a bowl agreement (some independents do).
Hope not, it would be a shame for them to sit out when they are eligible for the first time in years. The Frisco Classic last year was a one time deal that the NCAA agreed to since the San Francisco bowl was cancelled so late, but I would support adding additional bowls to always make sure every 6-6 team gets a spot.
I have seen several posts defending 6-6, that we are a “program on the rise” and we are too harsh on CM, Koehler, and those that support them. For me, year 9, 6-6 is not acceptable. I won’t rehash CM’s numbers, they have been posted and dissected many times. His record is the very definition of mediocre. (Even leaving out the first 2 years) But maybe that is what the Miami fanbase, and several on this board have become, the “6-6 crowd”. Doing just enough to get by.
What do I want? I want the Megan Duffy of football coaches. And then we find another Megan Duffy of football coaches when that one leaves. That is what I want.
I remember the team being better under her but I honestly can’t remember any results. Did she win a MAC regular season or something? It’s been a few years now and I don’t follow that program terribly well.
Thanks for clarifying. I didn’t realize the new agreement “guaranteed” the MAC two from the list of non-MAC bowls. That’s better news. It’s going to be a tall order to get to 6 wins but it doesn’t look like there will be more than six bowl-eligible MAC teams. Missing a bowl would be another big setback for our program.
I consider us a long shot to get to 6 wins (if previous play indicates future results), but at least we have a shot and something to motivate the players after such a dismal season. (to date).
They were coming off of years of losing seasons and at the bottom of the MAC ( in other words the same thing we have seen in the last 3 years after she left). They immediately won 20 + games ( and with no new players the first season), qualified for the WNIT, and made it to the conference semifinals both years. And those were seasons that the MAC womens basketball conference was ranked the 7th and 8th best in the country.
Tyou for the insight. Maria was the head coach when I went to MU. We were never terrible under her. Usually middle of the pack. I actually think she won a MAC once. Now I am gonna go look…
The Athletic is out with its new bowl projections. They predict 83 eligible teams for 82 slots. They have Ohio and Miami both beating Ball State and Miami winning at NIU to get bowl eligible. Instead of being the single left out team, they project us to play FAU in Boca Raton on December 20.
Western kicks late FG and eliminated Centrsl from bowl eligibility. Only 7 MAC teams can become eligible - Ball State vs Miami will eliminate one next week. Six MAC bowl slots.