College Football Question.

[cassanova]

How the hell does a team with a record of 6-6 get into a bowl game? That just doesn't seem right to me because I'm pretty sure there are teams with better records that didn't make it to a bowl game, so this isn't making much sense to me.

[Pilgrim]

They get in because they're eligible.

Six wins is the minimum for eligibility, and each of the conferences has a number of bowl partnerships. You win 6, you can go bowling unless all the berths for your conference are full.

[cassanova]

I found out some information on this. More or less the Noles were let in on a courtesy because there were other teams with better records. Link posted below.

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/200...owl/index.html

[capnsandwich]

College football is very controversial, especiallyt when it comes to bowls and rankings. Some conferences are tougher and have better teams, like the SEC, Big Ten, Big 12, PAC 10, etc. than teams in the WAC, Sun Belt, SWAC, etc. You can have a team in the WAC that's 12-0 against a team in the SEC that's 9-3 and the SEC team will roll over them simply because of strength of schedule. It's a weird thing but that's how they do it.

[Eublet]

In the NFL, a .500 record can get you in the playoffs!

[dangnewt]

IMHO, this is the money paragraph from the SI article:

"But potentially massive fan interest both locally and nationally surrounding Bowden's last game after 34 years with the Seminoles will presumably trump other considerations. Asked if the Gator Bowl will definitely take the 'Noles if available, Catlett replied, "Yes."

Read more: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/200...#ixzz0cLc0APY5
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College football is no different from many things in life - follow the money. If a team can put fans in the seats and eyeballs in the front of the tube; that's the team you want in your bowl.