Now there are more teams in the College Football Playoff. Going there is like a college basketball team going to the NCAA Tournament. Going to a bowl game is like going to the NIT.
You can call them exhibitions or reality TV shows, but they are still a way to measure success, just like all sports are.
It is something to aim for when things do not go as planned during the football season. If you get to six wins, you can go to the bowl games. To keep things going, you get a nice vacation, a bag full of cash and prizes, and more football.
Only 17 of the 134 FBS football teams need to win six games this weekend in order to be eligible for a bowl game. If you win, the fun keeps going. If they lose, some people will never play football again.
Do not stress.
Which of those 17 teams will win this weekend and be able to go to the bowl? Who wants to get off that bowl bubble?
Before we start, one more thing: going to a bowl and being eligible for one is not always the same thing. It is likely that there will be too many teams that can play and not enough bowls.
Nov.
Bowl Bubble: Who Will Go To A Bowl?
Appalachian State
Record: 5-5
Opponent: at Georgia Southern
Line: Georgia Southern -2.5
Will Appalachian State Get A Bowl Game?
Lean yes. The Mountaineers are playing well at just the right time, winning three of their last four games including last week over James Madison.
Auburn
Record: 5-6
Opponent: at Alabama
Line: Alabama -11.5
Will Auburn Get A Bowl Game?
No. The Iron Bowl always comes up with weird endings and things that defy all logic and reason, but Bama should come back roaring after the way it played against Oklahoma.
Cincinnati
Record: 5-6
Opponent: TCU
Line: TCU -2.5
Will Cincinnati Get A Bowl Game?
50/50. The Bearcats aren’t playing well, but at home and desperate, there’s a shot to play above their last month. It’s the Big 12. Flip a coin in this league.
Coastal Carolina
Record: 5-6
Opponent: at Georgia State
Line: Coastal Carolina -1.5
Will Coastal Carolina Get A Bowl Game?
Uhhhhhhhh, maybe? The only way to describe Coastal Carolina right now is … floopy. It’s super-inconsistent. Georgia State isn’t very good, but it played out of its mind in a win over Texas State, and this is its last game of the season.
Eastern Michigan
Record: 5-6
Opponent: at Western Michigan
Line: Western Michigan -7
Will Eastern Michigan Get A Bowl Game?
Soft no. Eastern Michigan has been awful lately over a four-game losing streak. Western Michigan has been worse.
Kansas
Record: 5-6
Opponent: at Baylor
Line: Baylor -1.5
Will Kansas Get A Bowl Game?
Lean no. Baylor is better than everyone thinks. If this was in KU’s house in Kansas City – for this year – then yes. At Baylor? Eh … probably not.
Michigan State
Record: 5-6
Opponent: Rutgers
Line: Michigan State -1.5
Will Michigan State Get A Bowl Game?
Soft as church music yes. Rutgers is just the type of team to screw it all up if the Spartans aren’t air tight when it comes to turnovers.
NC State
Record: 5-6
Opponent: at North Carolina
Line: North Carolina -3.5
Will NC State Get A Bowl Game?
Soft yes. It should’ve happened last week against Georgia Tech, or the week before against Duke. North Carolina, though, is freaking weird this year – it won three straight against layup teams and got rolled by Boston College.
New Mexico
Record: 5-6
Opponent: at Hawaii
Line: New Mexico -2.5
Will New Mexico Get A Bowl Game?
Ehhhhhhh, a sheepish yes. Hawaii plays its tail off at home, and freaky things happen to game plans when opposing teams get off the plane. This is supposed to be like a bowl game for New Mexico, and it might be tight.
North Texas
Record: 5-6
Opponent: at Temple
Line: North Texas -10.5
Will North Texas Get A Bowl Game?
Yes, but this is dangerous. Temple is awful, but it’s the final game of the year, it’s in Philadelphia in late November, and there’s a coaching change.
Oregon State
Record: 5-6
Opponent: at Boise State
Line: Boise State -19.5
Will Oregon State Get A Bowl Game?
No, but this is nowhere near the slam dunk you probably think it is (Part 1). The Beavers stunned Washington State to stay alive, and Boise State is benefiting from not exactly being in the national spotlight – it’s not playing as well as the final scores might indicate.
ULM
Record: 5-6
Opponent: Louisiana
Line: Louisiana -9.5
Will ULM Get A Bowl Game?
No, but this is nowhere near the slam dunk you probably think it is (Part 2). ULM was 5-1 and lost its last five – the defense has gone bye-bye – but this rivalry produces the weirdest left turns sometimes.
Virginia
Record: 5-6
Opponent: at Virginia Tech
Line: Virginia Tech -7
Will Virginia Get A Bowl Game?
No, and this is going to sting. The Cavaliers were 4-1 and dropped five of its last six when the schedule got really, really hard. So …
Virginia Tech
Record: 5-6
Opponent: Virginia
Line: Virginia Tech -7
Will Virginia Tech Get A Bowl Game?
Yeah, but mainly because Virginia Tech owns this rivalry. Virginia keeps battling, but the results aren’t there. The Hokies will win this bowl play-in game.
Western Michigan
Record: 5-6
Opponent: Eastern Michigan
Line: Western Michigan -7
Will Western Michigan Get A Bowl Game?
As mentioned in the Eastern Michigan portion, both teams are mega-meh right now. Western MichiganĀ shouldĀ win, but it should’ve locked down the sixth win weeks ago.
Wisconsin
Record: 5-6
Opponent: Minnesota
Line: Wisconsin -2
Will Wisconsin Get A Bowl Game?
Soft lean to …Ā Ski-U-Mah. The Badgers just aren’t that good. Seriously, you don’t lose to Nebraska likeĀ thatĀ if you have your stuff together. The Gophers are playing far better right now.
