Note to mid-majors: You're not good enough. | Rusty Shackleford's conspiracy diary

01:03 PM ET 12.24
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Am I the only one tired of the fans of mid-major conferences and the whining every year about not getting a fair bowl bid? Here's some reality: you're team is not good enough to compete with the majors, hence the "mid-major" label. Boise State did me a favor and further proved my point losing to TCU last night. The Broncos, the anointed darling of mid-major backers everywhere, showed me exactly what they are: a few points and a few players shy and competiting at the highest level of NCAA BCS conference football. Yes, I know, they SHOCKED Oklahoma a few years back. Well that was not a great Oklahoma team and it Boise State's best effort and a few Oklahoma miscues for the game to go to OT. They play that game again 5 more times I doubt Oklahoma loses any of those. The only mid-major conference I give any respect to is the MAC, because they're not afraid to travel out of conference to take on a great team, not a middle of the road team (see Boise State at Oregon this year). The MAC also has players that actually can play on Sunday and not just on special teams. You put these mid-major darlings in a REAL conference and most wouldn't be bowl eligible. So as I look forward to Utah getting the chit kicked out of them by Alabama I will wonder where the chants of "unfair" will go.

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December 24, 2008 01:29 PM ET

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Great Blog! My whole point with the Mid's is the schedule. Every once in awhile they play a good team and beat them. Which is great. But, it doesn't elevate you to the big payday bowl games. When they play a full schedule against decent teams, then we'll talk the big bucks. It's not the players fault, there are some really good players that will make it the NFL, but the depth of the team and the schedule doesn't translate to an automatic major bowl.

MrMiyagiJr

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December 24, 2008 02:34 PM ET

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They play inovative, solid, entertaining football.

They do not have the AD budgets or the recruiting to expect they would finish in the top 1/3 of any major conference - it is 1 thing to get the occasional big win, it is another to compete every week and finish on top.

The chants off unfair as well as "What about Boise" will be around again and again and again, as will the disappointments in th bowls. In 2007 the other 5 posted 1 win against the major 6 in the bowls. They may not get that this year.

The conference champs of the other 5 may deserve better bowls, but they won't get it until they prove themselves to be better TV draws and send more fans vacationing at the games (I think but can't remember Utah was advertising its tickets to Bama fans). Draw the fans and the ratings and I guarantee the better bowls will come knocking, don't and they won't.

Prove It

Frellin Cold In, AK

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December 24, 2008 03:44 PM ET

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QUOTE(#2):

Originally posted 02:34 PM ET 12.24 by Prove It

They play inovative, solid, entertaining football.They do not have the AD budgets or the recruiting to expect they would finish in the top 1/3 of any major conference - it is 1 thing to get the occasional big win, it is another to compete every week and finish on top.The chants off unfair as well as "What about Boise" will be around again and again and again, as will the disappointments in th bowls. In 2007 the other 5 posted 1 win against the major 6 in the bowls. They may not get that this year.The conference champs of the other 5 may deserve better bowls, but they won't get it until they prove themselves to be better TV draws and send more fans vacationing at the games (I think but can't remember Utah was advertising its tickets to Bama fans). Draw the fans and the ratings and I guarantee the better bowls will come knocking, don't and they won't.

You are right on about the fans. Certain teams have fans that follow and that is a big issue to the Bowl selection guys. I can speak about Notre Dame, they have a tremendous following across the nation, so organizers know they will sell out. Several other teams travel well, LSU, Penn State, as well as Florida State. Travel well to the smaller bowl games and you will get rewarded.

MrMiyagiJr

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December 25, 2008 12:46 PM ET

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Self fulfilling prophecy. They won't travel well until they get big bowls, and big bowls won't come until they travel well.

misdreavus79

Bronx, NY

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December 28, 2008 02:25 PM ET

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QUOTE(#4):

Originally posted 12:46 PM ET 12.25 by misdreavus79

Self fulfilling prophecy. They won't travel well until they get big bowls, and big bowls won't come until they travel well.

You don't need a major bowl to get your fans to follow.

There are also signs they don't follow their team when they do get a major bowl invite. A lot of the Utah tickets were opened for Bama when the sales were slow.

The following nd attraction have to come 1st, then the bowls will follow.