Importance of the Bowl Game?

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WolfontheProwl

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My friends and I have been debating this all week and I thought I would ask everyone here to get your input.

With the Gophers having a breakthrough season in the win column what is more important for this team and the program.

#1. To get to the biggest bowl possible no matter the result. (Gator Bowl)

#2. Get to the best bowl agaist a major conference opponent that the Gopher would be favored to beat. (smaller bowl against Big 12)

Last year was a great season that saw the Gophers get back to a bowl game which was nice. They played well bu came up short to get a victory. Now that the Gophers have 8 wins and they are going to be in a bigger bowl than a year ago it is my opinnion that the improvement is clear but to continue the momentum of the season we need to win our bowl game. I am not a big fan of bowl games in the first place I would much prefer a legit playoff like in Divsions 2 or the FCS. I think a win in any bowl game make a bigger difference for this program than just hoping for the best bowl possible. Now if we can go out and upset Wiscy and MSU by all means I am cool with that but when it comes to a bowl game do you prefer the biggest name bowl avaiable or is it about the opponent?
 

I want the Gophers in the biggest bowl game possible. To me, this is the same argument as making the NCAA Tournament or the NIT in basketball. I want to make the best game/tournament available.
 


year of the gopher said:
Best bowl possible, hands down.
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Agree.

I would use Michigan State as an example. In 2010 had a great 11-1 regular season (the one they got hosed out of the Rose Bowl and BCS) and then got bludgeoned 49-7 by Alabama in the Capital One Bowl. But to this day Dantonio has said it was a valuable experience for his program to go up against an Alabama. ... it told them exactly where they were at, no false illusions. I think there's benefit in that, especially for a program that thinks it might be on the rise, like the Gophers. Since that time Michigan State has competed well/won vs. anybody they've played, including back-to-back bowl wins over Georgia and TCU.

Not saying the Gophers would necessarily get spanked if they play a higher-quality opponent on New Year's Day, but there's a lot to be gained by simply getting the opportunity.
 

You take the bigger bowl game for sure. The upside of winning a game like that is higher than winning a smaller one, and losing would feel about the same. IMO, a bowl loss this year doesn't hurt us as we have already exceeded expectations. You have to go with which one has the most upside if we win.
 


matt said:
I want the Gophers in the biggest bowl game possible. To me, this is the same argument as making the NCAA Tournament or the NIT in basketball. I want to make the best game/tournament available.
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Very good comparison, and I wholeheartedly agree.
 

Exposure, exposure, exposure. What ever maximizes the programs exposure is what I want. So that pretty much means best possible bowl, opponent/matchup be damned.
 

Gopher Bandanna Guy said:
Exposure, exposure, exposure. What ever maximizes the programs exposure is what I want. So that pretty much means best possible bowl, opponent/matchup be damned.
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How is this determined? Viewing audience numbers? Location of opponent fan base (for instance Texas, Florida or California where lots of good recruits live)? Time slot? Network? Prominence of opponent? In asking, I think there are lots of ways to gauge "best."
 

Yes, but............

A high-profile bowl game means a bigger audience - with a lot of people potentially seeing the team play for the 1st time. I, for one, would not want to see the season end with a lop-sided loss in a major bowl game. That would be the take-away from the game for the casual fans and national pundits - "the Gophers are not in the same class as Team X."

If it was my choice, I want to see the team win its last game. If I have to chose between a Win in a mid-level bowl and a bad loss in a major bowl, I'll take the win. (don't get me wrong - a win in a major bowl would be ideal - but I'm enough of a realist that I don't see the Gophs beating a top-15 level team at this stage of their development.)
 



Hmmm I'd say if we somehow get one win out of the final two I'd rather have a winnable game. 10-3 looks a hell of a lot better than 8-5.
 

Best bowl possible. Given it works this way:
1. we're getting national exposure in a high profile game, Kill is being talked up, the program on the rise, etc.
2. We win that game it'll really impress recruits
3. We lose, and most likely it's just going down as, we have a ton of guys coming back, just look how bright the future is, we're just not quite there, etc. plus there's a chip on the players shoulder to show we really belong

Go to a bowl where we're favored:
1. less exposure to recruits
2. we win and it was expected
3. we lose and people view it as a fluke that we were even there
 


Fuzzy Rumpton said:
Hmmm I'd say if we somehow get one win out of the final two I'd rather have a winnable game. 10-3 looks a hell of a lot better than 8-5.
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if we win one of the final 2 we are going to be 9-4 at worst :)
 



I think where the program is now, you want the best possible bowl game you can get. I can see where there would be instances when you have a young, fragile program
when you want the game in which you can best compete to get a confidence-building win, but that's not us. I'm hoping for a NYD game, but I'll enjoy any bowl game.
 

short ornery norwegian said:
If I have to chose between a Win in a mid-level bowl and a bad loss in a major bowl, I'll take the win.
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I think most people here would agree with you. However, what would you say if the options were a 30% chance of winning a major bowl or a 70% chance of winning a mid level bowl?
 

Exclusive of how big a name the bowl game is, there is an upside to qualifying/invite at all.

NCAA allows an additional 15 practices for qualifying teams. Considering preseason is 29 (on field), in season ~65 and spring football is only 15 practices, that is a nice chunk of time to work on things.

I think the bowl with the most exposure is the best. A mid-level bowl on a prime channel in prime time is worth ten time a bigger name bowl shown on "The Ocho".
 

Also remember bowl games are rewards for players, staff, fans and school. Better games have better goody bags, better hotels, larger travelling parties, etc. Gator Bowl or bust!
 

A bigger bowl is an affirmation of where the program is heading. Greater largess in prestige, national exposure, recruiting exposure, larger payout from an upper tier bowl, etc... comes with this. That will be a well deserved reward for the current players, especially for the seniors.
 

Will I be happy with 8 and 5? Yes!! 11 and 2 would somehow change my life. ha Realistically, I think it would be very helpful to the program to be 9 and 4. So win one of the last three games. Initially my thought was to play a team we can beat in a bowl game. But if somehow we were chosen for bigger bowl after losing to Wisconsin and Michigan St and we lost it...I think that value is greater than beating Buffalo in the Little Caesars Bowl to get to 9 and 4. Beat Wisconsin!!!! Do that and and everything else takes care of itself whatever happens.
 

I'd take the loss in the big time bowl vs a win in a middling or lower bowl every time, IMO...
 

I can understand both approaches, but the best one is the one that fits for the time. Last season, at 6-6, just getting to a bowl that could give you that 7th win
would have been important. This year, with the stakes a little higher, there's no downside to going to the Gator, for instance.
 

WolfontheProwl said:
My friends and I have been debating this all week and I thought I would ask everyone here to get your input.

With the Gophers having a breakthrough season in the win column what is more important for this team and the program.

#1. To get to the biggest bowl possible no matter the result. (Gator Bowl)

#2. Get to the best bowl agaist a major conference opponent that the Gopher would be favored to beat. (smaller bowl against Big 12)

Last year was a great season that saw the Gophers get back to a bowl game which was nice. They played well bu came up short to get a victory. Now that the Gophers have 8 wins and they are going to be in a bigger bowl than a year ago it is my opinnion that the improvement is clear but to continue the momentum of the season we need to win our bowl game. I am not a big fan of bowl games in the first place I would much prefer a legit playoff like in Divsions 2 or the FCS. I think a win in any bowl game make a bigger difference for this program than just hoping for the best bowl possible. Now if we can go out and upset Wiscy and MSU by all means I am cool with that but when it comes to a bowl game do you prefer the biggest name bowl avaiable or is it about the opponent?
Click to expand...

We do NOT have a choice. We NEED to embrace the game that we are invited to.

All too often, in the past, not only have Gopher Fans (even many Gopherhole posters) failed to buy tickets and travel to the games, but very sadly have spent much time on this very site putting down the "worthless bowl game" that the Gophers have been invited to. That is sad. That is very self-destructive behavior by the most hard-core fans of my Golden Gopher Football Program...OUR Golden Gopher Football Program.

So the answer is to SUPPORT the team and the bowl game that invites them to play. We can NOT be picky people. We MUST support our team by purchasing tickets. We must try to find ways to BE THERE. And, at the very least, we need to QUIT bad mouthing our own team's bowl game as being meaningless. What the hell do you think our players think of that kind of talk that has originated on Gopher Hole? HONOR which ever bowl game invites us and make the MOST of that bowl game.

We aren't so damn much at this point in time...but through the efforts of Coach Kill, his staff and the players, we ARE getting better! That really is something to celebrate. Find a way to get to our bowl game. And, HONOR our team and our Bowl Game! Since our team is playing in that bowl game...that bowl game IS who, what and how we are. Make the MOST of it!
 

I agree with the idea of going all in on whatever bowl we make. However, the winning streak and turn around have built up expectations so high that it appears disappointment may be inevitable. Another interesting aspect of this to me is the positioning of the Buffalo Wild Wings Bowl vs. the Gator Bowl. The former is on December 28, but is higher than the latter which is on January 1. The former is one we played in a lot when it was lower on the food chain. The latter has stood higher on the ladder in the past and has a rich history. So which one is the better reward? Would the BW3 Bowl feel like a letdown because it’s not on New Year’s Day?
 


Does anyone see a bowl scenario where we might WIN 49-7?
 

Sports_Realist said:
I agree with the idea of going all in on whatever bowl we make. However, the winning streak and turn around have built up expectations so high that it appears disappointment may be inevitable.
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During this 2013 Golden Gopher Football Season anyone who goes all negative because their "expectations" got the better of them really would be a poster-child for being a person who does NOT appreciate just what this 2013 Golden Gopher Football Team IS achieving during this season. Terms like "amazement...excitement...appreciation...admiration and sense of achievement..." all describe this kind of a season. But, the term "expectations" describes some sort of sense of "entitlement" that just kind of ruins the spirit of just what these kids...this coaching staff...this program IS accomplishing this year. How in the hell could any long-time Golden Gopher Football Fan...or even short-time Golden Gopher Football Fan let any kind of "expectation" for the 2013 season let them down?

THIS is a GREAT season for my Golden Gopher Football Program. No matter what happens from here on out...I see my program having a fantastic season. It doesn't matter so much what the bowl committees decide. That will be what will be. Anything the bowl committees decide will be an indication of what they think of my Golden Gopher Football Program's Fan Base and the HISTORY of how that fan base travels. Obviously, the TEAM and the Coach and the Coaching Staff deserve the VERY best for their efforts this season. We, the members of the Fan Base have a LOT of work to do in changing the impression that bowl committees now and into the future have of us as a "travelling" fan base.

And the season is NOT completed yet. There are two very difficult, yet potentially very exciting games left. One is a border battle. The other is against a team that is the odds on favorite to be facing the Ohio State in the Conference Championship game. Next week, our Golden Gophers play a game that is so potentially HUGE for them.

My Golden Gopher Football Team plays THREE huge games in succession right now and, there is even the potential for a fourth game. But I have NO expectations. I have only excitement, thankfulness and appreciation that this 2013 GG Football Season holds SO MUCH excitement even going into THIS portion of the schedule! My Golden Gophers are STILL playing a BIG part in the making of the conference standings this late into November. And we KNOW our Golden Gophers will be invited to a bowl game.

Golden Gophers have still ANOTHER reason to be thankful heading into this THANKSGIVING Celebration. The year 2013 will be a season to remember for EVERY Golden Gopher Football Fan.

Surprise us Golden Gopher Footballers! See what you can do with the rest of this very special season! THANK YOU as we head into the Battle for the Axe! Beat the Badgers!
 

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