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Nov. 17th, 2007
Stupor Bowl update
Nov. 17th, 2007 10:14 pmOn a lighter note, today Notre Dame managed to pull itself out of Stupor Bowl contention. Their play against Duke was, in a word, miserable, but Duke handed Notre Dame several turnovers which allowed the Frightened Irish to win, 28-7. That keeps Duke in the hunt for a Stupor Bowl berth, although there's still teams in front of them.
North Texas lost Thursday against Arkansas State, 31-27. They're still on course to face Florida International on December 1 for a Stupor Bowl face-off, as FIU falls to Louisiana-Lafayette, 38-28.
The formerly leading team for the other Stupor Bowl spot, Utah State, won its first game of the year, defeating New Mexico State in surprisingly handy fashion, 35-17. This win brings Idaho, previously eliminated from consideration, back in; the two teams go into next week's face-off tied with 1-10 records. (Idaho folded like a cheap card table today against Boise State, 58-14.) What's more, by defeating
SMU fell 49-20 to University of Central Florida- who are bowl-bound for the second year in a row, only three years after earning a Stupor Bowl bid themselves.
Colorado State escaped Stupor Bowl ignominy by upsetting Division 1-AA Georgia Southern 42-34.
Finally, Minnesota remains on the top of the bottom, so to speak, fighting Wisconsin tooth and nail, remaining competitive to the end, when the Badgers emerged triumphant 41-34. Minnesota ends the season at 1-11.
So, with Idaho back in consideration, here's how things break down:
Thanks to the intense intra-conference competition to be awful this year, the Stupor Bowl committee this week has established a new rule for selecting bids. The rules are as follows:
1. The teams must have the worst record, or be tied for the worst record, in NCAA Division I football, or have the second-worst record or be tied for it if one team stands alone as the worst.
2. The two Stupor Bowl teams must come from different conferences.
3. No team which wins its final game of the season may be named to the Stupor Bowl.
4. No team which loses its final game of the season against a team which came into that final game with a worse record may be named to the Stupor Bowl (they had their chance).
So:
* If Florida International pulls off the miracle of the century and defeats Florida Atlantic next week, then the FIU/UNT game of December 1 becomes a straight fight to avoid the Stupor Bowl. If Florida Internation remains winless, however, UNT becomes ineligible, as they would play their final game of the season against a team with a worse record. FIU would have to win BOTH games to avoid a Stupor Bowl berth.
* North Texas gets a Stupor Bowl bid if it goes winless against West Kentucky and FIU and if FIU wins against Florida Atlantic. Otherwise it is eliminated from consideration. (And I can hear the "Go FAU!" cheers from Denton now.)
* The winner of the Utah State - Idaho game is, of course, eliminated from consideration. That game, next week, is the final game for both teams.
Based on current tiebreaker considerations- quality of sole win, number of close losses, and average margin of defeat- our rankings for the other spot in contention are:
Idaho (win v. Div. 1-AA Cal Poly, 2 close losses, avg. margin defeat 16.4)
Utah State (win v. 4-8 New Mexico State, 3 close losses, avg. margin defeat 14.9)
SMU (win v. 1-9 North Texas, 4 close losses, avg. margin defeat 12.2)
Duke (win v. 6-6 Northwestern, 2 close losses, avg. margin defeat 16.1)
Minnesota (win v. 6-5 Miami (OH), 6 close losses, avg. margin defeat 10.4)
These standings, however, are too close to play out any solid scenarios. If, for example, Utah State absolutely overwhelms Idaho, Idaho is in, no question; but if Idaho just barely edges out Utah State, while SMU or Duke loses their final game by massive amounts, the close loss and margin of defeat numbers could potentially shift to favor either. Minnesota is, to all practical purposes, out of contention; its season is over, and it would take SMU and Duke both winning their last games and about a one-point victory by Utah State over Idaho to make it even worth considering.
North Texas lost Thursday against Arkansas State, 31-27. They're still on course to face Florida International on December 1 for a Stupor Bowl face-off, as FIU falls to Louisiana-Lafayette, 38-28.
The formerly leading team for the other Stupor Bowl spot, Utah State, won its first game of the year, defeating New Mexico State in surprisingly handy fashion, 35-17. This win brings Idaho, previously eliminated from consideration, back in; the two teams go into next week's face-off tied with 1-10 records. (Idaho folded like a cheap card table today against Boise State, 58-14.) What's more, by defeating
SMU fell 49-20 to University of Central Florida- who are bowl-bound for the second year in a row, only three years after earning a Stupor Bowl bid themselves.
Colorado State escaped Stupor Bowl ignominy by upsetting Division 1-AA Georgia Southern 42-34.
Finally, Minnesota remains on the top of the bottom, so to speak, fighting Wisconsin tooth and nail, remaining competitive to the end, when the Badgers emerged triumphant 41-34. Minnesota ends the season at 1-11.
So, with Idaho back in consideration, here's how things break down:
Thanks to the intense intra-conference competition to be awful this year, the Stupor Bowl committee this week has established a new rule for selecting bids. The rules are as follows:
1. The teams must have the worst record, or be tied for the worst record, in NCAA Division I football, or have the second-worst record or be tied for it if one team stands alone as the worst.
2. The two Stupor Bowl teams must come from different conferences.
3. No team which wins its final game of the season may be named to the Stupor Bowl.
4. No team which loses its final game of the season against a team which came into that final game with a worse record may be named to the Stupor Bowl (they had their chance).
So:
* If Florida International pulls off the miracle of the century and defeats Florida Atlantic next week, then the FIU/UNT game of December 1 becomes a straight fight to avoid the Stupor Bowl. If Florida Internation remains winless, however, UNT becomes ineligible, as they would play their final game of the season against a team with a worse record. FIU would have to win BOTH games to avoid a Stupor Bowl berth.
* North Texas gets a Stupor Bowl bid if it goes winless against West Kentucky and FIU and if FIU wins against Florida Atlantic. Otherwise it is eliminated from consideration. (And I can hear the "Go FAU!" cheers from Denton now.)
* The winner of the Utah State - Idaho game is, of course, eliminated from consideration. That game, next week, is the final game for both teams.
Based on current tiebreaker considerations- quality of sole win, number of close losses, and average margin of defeat- our rankings for the other spot in contention are:
Idaho (win v. Div. 1-AA Cal Poly, 2 close losses, avg. margin defeat 16.4)
Utah State (win v. 4-8 New Mexico State, 3 close losses, avg. margin defeat 14.9)
SMU (win v. 1-9 North Texas, 4 close losses, avg. margin defeat 12.2)
Duke (win v. 6-6 Northwestern, 2 close losses, avg. margin defeat 16.1)
Minnesota (win v. 6-5 Miami (OH), 6 close losses, avg. margin defeat 10.4)
These standings, however, are too close to play out any solid scenarios. If, for example, Utah State absolutely overwhelms Idaho, Idaho is in, no question; but if Idaho just barely edges out Utah State, while SMU or Duke loses their final game by massive amounts, the close loss and margin of defeat numbers could potentially shift to favor either. Minnesota is, to all practical purposes, out of contention; its season is over, and it would take SMU and Duke both winning their last games and about a one-point victory by Utah State over Idaho to make it even worth considering.
Stupor Bowl update
Nov. 17th, 2007 10:14 pmOn a lighter note, today Notre Dame managed to pull itself out of Stupor Bowl contention. Their play against Duke was, in a word, miserable, but Duke handed Notre Dame several turnovers which allowed the Frightened Irish to win, 28-7. That keeps Duke in the hunt for a Stupor Bowl berth, although there's still teams in front of them.
North Texas lost Thursday against Arkansas State, 31-27. They're still on course to face Florida International on December 1 for a Stupor Bowl face-off, as FIU falls to Louisiana-Lafayette, 38-28.
The formerly leading team for the other Stupor Bowl spot, Utah State, won its first game of the year, defeating New Mexico State in surprisingly handy fashion, 35-17. This win brings Idaho, previously eliminated from consideration, back in; the two teams go into next week's face-off tied with 1-10 records. (Idaho folded like a cheap card table today against Boise State, 58-14.) What's more, by defeating
SMU fell 49-20 to University of Central Florida- who are bowl-bound for the second year in a row, only three years after earning a Stupor Bowl bid themselves.
Colorado State escaped Stupor Bowl ignominy by upsetting Division 1-AA Georgia Southern 42-34.
Finally, Minnesota remains on the top of the bottom, so to speak, fighting Wisconsin tooth and nail, remaining competitive to the end, when the Badgers emerged triumphant 41-34. Minnesota ends the season at 1-11.
So, with Idaho back in consideration, here's how things break down:
Thanks to the intense intra-conference competition to be awful this year, the Stupor Bowl committee this week has established a new rule for selecting bids. The rules are as follows:
1. The teams must have the worst record, or be tied for the worst record, in NCAA Division I football, or have the second-worst record or be tied for it if one team stands alone as the worst.
2. The two Stupor Bowl teams must come from different conferences.
3. No team which wins its final game of the season may be named to the Stupor Bowl.
4. No team which loses its final game of the season against a team which came into that final game with a worse record may be named to the Stupor Bowl (they had their chance).
So:
* If Florida International pulls off the miracle of the century and defeats Florida Atlantic next week, then the FIU/UNT game of December 1 becomes a straight fight to avoid the Stupor Bowl. If Florida Internation remains winless, however, UNT becomes ineligible, as they would play their final game of the season against a team with a worse record. FIU would have to win BOTH games to avoid a Stupor Bowl berth.
* North Texas gets a Stupor Bowl bid if it goes winless against West Kentucky and FIU and if FIU wins against Florida Atlantic. Otherwise it is eliminated from consideration. (And I can hear the "Go FAU!" cheers from Denton now.)
* The winner of the Utah State - Idaho game is, of course, eliminated from consideration. That game, next week, is the final game for both teams.
Based on current tiebreaker considerations- quality of sole win, number of close losses, and average margin of defeat- our rankings for the other spot in contention are:
Idaho (win v. Div. 1-AA Cal Poly, 2 close losses, avg. margin defeat 16.4)
Utah State (win v. 4-8 New Mexico State, 3 close losses, avg. margin defeat 14.9)
SMU (win v. 1-9 North Texas, 4 close losses, avg. margin defeat 12.2)
Duke (win v. 6-6 Northwestern, 2 close losses, avg. margin defeat 16.1)
Minnesota (win v. 6-5 Miami (OH), 6 close losses, avg. margin defeat 10.4)
These standings, however, are too close to play out any solid scenarios. If, for example, Utah State absolutely overwhelms Idaho, Idaho is in, no question; but if Idaho just barely edges out Utah State, while SMU or Duke loses their final game by massive amounts, the close loss and margin of defeat numbers could potentially shift to favor either. Minnesota is, to all practical purposes, out of contention; its season is over, and it would take SMU and Duke both winning their last games and about a one-point victory by Utah State over Idaho to make it even worth considering.
North Texas lost Thursday against Arkansas State, 31-27. They're still on course to face Florida International on December 1 for a Stupor Bowl face-off, as FIU falls to Louisiana-Lafayette, 38-28.
The formerly leading team for the other Stupor Bowl spot, Utah State, won its first game of the year, defeating New Mexico State in surprisingly handy fashion, 35-17. This win brings Idaho, previously eliminated from consideration, back in; the two teams go into next week's face-off tied with 1-10 records. (Idaho folded like a cheap card table today against Boise State, 58-14.) What's more, by defeating
SMU fell 49-20 to University of Central Florida- who are bowl-bound for the second year in a row, only three years after earning a Stupor Bowl bid themselves.
Colorado State escaped Stupor Bowl ignominy by upsetting Division 1-AA Georgia Southern 42-34.
Finally, Minnesota remains on the top of the bottom, so to speak, fighting Wisconsin tooth and nail, remaining competitive to the end, when the Badgers emerged triumphant 41-34. Minnesota ends the season at 1-11.
So, with Idaho back in consideration, here's how things break down:
Thanks to the intense intra-conference competition to be awful this year, the Stupor Bowl committee this week has established a new rule for selecting bids. The rules are as follows:
1. The teams must have the worst record, or be tied for the worst record, in NCAA Division I football, or have the second-worst record or be tied for it if one team stands alone as the worst.
2. The two Stupor Bowl teams must come from different conferences.
3. No team which wins its final game of the season may be named to the Stupor Bowl.
4. No team which loses its final game of the season against a team which came into that final game with a worse record may be named to the Stupor Bowl (they had their chance).
So:
* If Florida International pulls off the miracle of the century and defeats Florida Atlantic next week, then the FIU/UNT game of December 1 becomes a straight fight to avoid the Stupor Bowl. If Florida Internation remains winless, however, UNT becomes ineligible, as they would play their final game of the season against a team with a worse record. FIU would have to win BOTH games to avoid a Stupor Bowl berth.
* North Texas gets a Stupor Bowl bid if it goes winless against West Kentucky and FIU and if FIU wins against Florida Atlantic. Otherwise it is eliminated from consideration. (And I can hear the "Go FAU!" cheers from Denton now.)
* The winner of the Utah State - Idaho game is, of course, eliminated from consideration. That game, next week, is the final game for both teams.
Based on current tiebreaker considerations- quality of sole win, number of close losses, and average margin of defeat- our rankings for the other spot in contention are:
Idaho (win v. Div. 1-AA Cal Poly, 2 close losses, avg. margin defeat 16.4)
Utah State (win v. 4-8 New Mexico State, 3 close losses, avg. margin defeat 14.9)
SMU (win v. 1-9 North Texas, 4 close losses, avg. margin defeat 12.2)
Duke (win v. 6-6 Northwestern, 2 close losses, avg. margin defeat 16.1)
Minnesota (win v. 6-5 Miami (OH), 6 close losses, avg. margin defeat 10.4)
These standings, however, are too close to play out any solid scenarios. If, for example, Utah State absolutely overwhelms Idaho, Idaho is in, no question; but if Idaho just barely edges out Utah State, while SMU or Duke loses their final game by massive amounts, the close loss and margin of defeat numbers could potentially shift to favor either. Minnesota is, to all practical purposes, out of contention; its season is over, and it would take SMU and Duke both winning their last games and about a one-point victory by Utah State over Idaho to make it even worth considering.