Bowl projections showing up ...

[kaTNap]

Fiutak with us playing UVa in the Pinstripe Bowl (link)

CBS is on-board with it.

SI has us playing Clemson in the Mayo Bowl (Charlotte, NC)

ESPN says Cactus vs. Okie State or Baylor

 

[rmndcat]

Pinstripe v UVa would be fun. I have Cavalier in-laws.
Cactus might be drivable from here.
I worked for banks in Charlotte for several years. Profoundly meh. Have zero interest in playing Clemson.

 

[NJCat]

I'd love to see Braun whup Dabo. Plus it's in my backyard.....

 

[LathamLad]

Fiutak with us playing UVa in the Pinstripe Bowl (link)

CBS is on-board with it.

SI has us playing Clemson in the Mayo Bowl (Charlotte, NC)

ESPN says Cactus vs. Okie State or Baylor

I respect those who enjoy speculating, but I prefer not to do so. It's all fantasyland, at least until the Cats become bowl eligible, right?

 

[Deeringfish]

I respect those who enjoy speculating, but I prefer not to do so. It's all fantasyland, at least until the Cats become bowl eligible, right?

Yeah a little too soon. Maybe when we have 5 wins with 4 or 5 games to go. Given this schedule.

 

[Sheffielder]

No need to get worked up or be pragmatic about bowl projections, it's all just for fun (and clicks) - good to see the program actually getting predictions; sometimes I will Crtl+F "Northwestern" in those articles and...0 results.

 

[kaTNap]

I respect those who enjoy speculating, but I prefer not to do so. It's all fantasyland, at least until the Cats become bowl eligible, right?

Nobody is even hypothetically bowl-eligible for another week or two. It's just for fun, but it's nice to see us get recognition ... and hopefully see us rise in the bowl pecking order.

 

[kaTNap]

Post week 5:

CBS says ReliaQuest vs A&M (quite a bump up from last week!)

Athlon says Music City vs Kentucky (think I've heard that song before)

ESPN says either Duke's Mayo vs Duke (vomit!) or Pinstripe vs SMU

CFN is still stuck on Pinstripe vs UVa

 

[rmndcat]

Nobody is even hypothetically bowl-eligible for another week or two. It's just for fun, but it's nice to see us get recognition ... and hopefully see us rise in the bowl pecking order.

We have a pretty clear path to bowl eligibility by the time of the Oregon game.

 

[GECat2]

I am not worried about Bowl Eligibility. I am worried about getting to 11 wins!

 

[freewillie07]

Yeah a little too soon. Maybe when we have 5 wins with 4 or 5 games to go. Given this schedule.

I’m the last one to normally count chickens, but c’mon, have a bit of fun after this week?

I mean ESPN FPI has NU with a 15% chance of making the CFP.

 

[Purple Pete]

Post week 5:

CBS says ReliaQuest vs A&M (quite a bump up from last week!)

Athlon says Music City vs Kentucky (think I've heard that song before)

If I recall corectly, I think the name of that tune was, "We're Going to Try to Eject as Many Players as We Can."

 

[jne381]

Is it too early to dream about a playoff bid? They have a tough road. Even if they take care of Ball State, Rutgers, Michigan State, Minnesota, and Illinois (which I think they can win all those), they have to host a very good Iowa team, and then OSU and Oregon on the road. To make the playoff, they will need to win those first five, and then take two of the last three. I am not sure a three loss team will make the playoff.

I can't help but think how amazing a home playoff game at NRF would be.

 

[UpsetAlert]

Is it too early to dream about a playoff bid? They have a tough road. Even if they take care of Ball State, Rutgers, Michigan State, Minnesota, and Illinois (which I think they can win all those), they have to host a very good Iowa team, and then OSU and Oregon on the road. To make the playoff, they will need to win those first five, and then take two of the last three. I am not sure a three loss team will make the playoff.

I can't help but think how amazing a home playoff game at NRF would be.

Gameday watch vs Iowa?

 

[kaTNap]

Post week 6 (warning! may induce nausea!):

• CFN/Fiutak: Duke's Mayo vs. Florida State (I like this one!)
• CBS Sports: Pinstripe vs. Duke (yuck!)
• ESPN: Pinstripe vs. Louisville -or- Duke's Mayo vs. Duke (yuck x2!)
• Athlon: Pinestripe vs. Pitt (like deja vu all over again!)
• On3/McMurphy: Pinstripe vs. Pitt (is there an echo in here?)
• USAToday ... think this was done by PJ Fleck's mom's best friend, possibly with help from Clucko the Chicken. They don't list us at all, they have Minnesota going to the ReliaQuest bowl (sure, buddy ... whatever you say!), and they think the Duke's Mayo Bowl is SEC vs ACC, when everyone else agrees it's B1G vs ACC. Sheesh....!

(I tried to put in links for all of these, but the board software just won't tolerate it, sorry. Something is buggy, somwhere ...)

 

[kaTNap]

I am not sure a three loss team will make the playoff.

Alabama made the playoffs last year with 3 losses, but one of those was in the SECCG ... and they're Alabama. And the argument can be (and was) made that it was a mistake to put them there.

 

[mickbula]

Alabama made the playoffs last year with 3 losses, but one of those was in the SECCG ... and they're Alabama. And the argument can be (and was) made that it was a mistake to put them there.

Indiana and cig humiliated bama. I loved it

 

[TheC]

Is it too early to dream about a playoff bid? They have a tough road. Even if they take care of Ball State, Rutgers, Michigan State, Minnesota, and Illinois (which I think they can win all those), they have to host a very good Iowa team, and then OSU and Oregon on the road. To make the playoff, they will need to win those first five, and then take two of the last three. I am not sure a three loss team will make the playoff.

I can't help but think how amazing a home playoff game at NRF would be.

If we win all those games except OSU, I think we are in. That is probably the only way (well.... other than winning all of them).

 

[JustGary]

If we win all those games except OSU, I think we are in. That is probably the only way (well.... other than winning all of them).

Basically, we can only lose one of our remaining conference games. It doesn’t matter which one as beating Ohio State and losing to anyone else will put us in. Losing two more is a deal breaker. Basically we are competing with UCLA, Oregon, USC, Iowa, and Wisconsin for one or two spots. I’m think Indiana and Ohio State are safe but things can change.

 

[IMC Cat]

First two out this AM:

CBS Sports: Pinstripe Bowl vs VT
Athlone: Music City Bowl vs Missouri

 

[mickbula]

I’m hoping to go see bowl in LA. Rose bowl. But Nashville or ny are fun too I’m sure

 

[phatcat_rivals223240]

First two out this AM:

CBS Sports: Pinstripe Bowl vs VT
Athlone: Music City Bowl vs Missouri

I thought you meant Vermont

 

[HKKJB]

First two out this AM:

CBS Sports: Pinstripe Bowl vs VT
Athlone: Music City Bowl vs Missouri

We can do better than that. Still, I have no objections to another good smackdown of James Franklin

 

[Fanaticat98]

I suspect after this week, even though we won we’re not going to move up in anyone’s projection as they figure we’ve got Iowa, @Oregon and @OSU ahead.

 

[kaTNap]

I suspect after this week, even though we won we’re not going to move up in anyone’s projection as they figure we’ve got Iowa, @Oregon and @OSU ahead.

Actually, we bumped up a little in Athlon's view already. It will be interesting to see the other projections when they come out on Tuesday.

 

[IMC Cat]

Two more projections tonight:

Sports Illustrated: Cactus Bowl vs UCF

On3: ReliaQuest Bowl vs Florida

So yeah, that's 4 vastly different bowl projections today.

 

[kaTNap]

Two more projections tonight:

Sports Illustrated: Cactus Bowl vs UCF

On3: ReliaQuest Bowl vs Florida

So yeah, that's 4 vastly different bowl projections today.

I wonder if Sports Illustrated and USAToday even pay attention to non-CFP contenders. SI has Penn State in the Duke's Mayo Bowl and us in Cactus. Penn state is 0-4 in conference, with Purdue, @Washington, and Minnesota still on the schedule. They will struggle to make it to 6-6.

 

[Purple Pile Driver]

I suspect after this week, even though we won we’re not going to move up in anyone’s projection as they figure we’ve got Iowa, @Oregon and @OSU ahead.

I suspect after this week, even though we won we’re not going to move up in anyone’s projection as they figure we’ve got Iowa, @Oregon and @OSU ahead.

I don’t think pollsters do or should base their rankings on who remains on the schedule. The results will take care of themselves in the rankings.

 

[Deeringfish]

So all these different outlets, predicting all these different things. I wonder if they just look and see that NU is 5-1 and don't consider the rest of the schedule? It is fun to be in the conversation and getting good press.

 

[Sheffielder]

Two more projections tonight:

Sports Illustrated: Cactus Bowl vs UCF

On3: ReliaQuest Bowl vs Florida

So yeah, that's 4 vastly different bowl projections today.

I think a lot depends on whether the person writing thinks we will beat Oregon and Iowa (or not), which then also potentially impacts whether they think B1G gets three playoff bids or just two, which also impacts the pecking order.

But at this early stage it's all just clickbait.

 

[AdamOnFirst]

I think a lot depends on whether the person writing thinks we will beat Oregon and Iowa (or not), which then also potentially impacts whether they think B1G gets three playoff bids or just two, which also impacts the pecking order.

But at this early stage it's all just clickbait.

Bowl bid projections have indeed never been more difficult