It's a really good sign

[nemsdawg]

When everybody on here is bitching about the Gator Bowl! We would have offered our first born about 4 years back to go to the Gator.

 

[MetEdDawg]

I have mixed feelings about the Gator Bowl.

I loved the trip two years ago and had a fantastic time in Jacksonville. Would love to go back. But that game just doesn't get the national respect the Chick Fil A bowl does. Some want to head to Jacksonville and steamroll some weak Big 10 team.

From a national perspective, the Chick Fil A bowl will do much more for our image if we are able to win. I know 10 wins is important, but I just wonder how much more a win on a stage like the Chick Fil A bowl will do for recruiting and for our image going forward.

But if we can get to a point where we are legitimately mad at the prospects of going to the Gator Bowl, then we are doing something right as a program.

 

[maroonmania]

Just need to stay focused 100% on the Bears for now...

I loved the trip two years ago and had a fantastic time in Jacksonville. Would love to go back. But that game just doesn't get the national respect the Chick Fil A bowl does. Some want to head to Jacksonville and steamroll some weak Big 10 team. From a national perspective, the Chick Fil A bowl will do much more for our image if we are able to win. I know 10 wins is important, but I just wonder how much more a win on a stage like the Chick Fil A bowl will do for recruiting and for our image going forward. But if we can get to a point where we are legitimately mad at the prospects of going to the Gator Bowl, then we are doing something right as a program.

if we don't win Saturday night whatever slim chance we still have to get into the Chic-Fil-A Bowl will be gone anyway.

 

[DawgatAuburn]

I loved the trip two years ago and had a fantastic time in Jacksonville. Would love to go back. But that game just doesn't get the national respect the Chick Fil A bowl does. Some want to head to Jacksonville and steamroll some weak Big 10 team.

From a national perspective, the Chick Fil A bowl will do much more for our image if we are able to win. I know 10 wins is important, but I just wonder how much more a win on a stage like the Chick Fil A bowl will do for recruiting and for our image going forward.

I'm not saying that I disagree with you, but I certainly cannot agree with you at this time. Can you provide some insight as to why you believe that? Is there some data out there to support what you believe? Have teams who went to the CFA bowl had significantly higher boosts in recruiting and image than those in the CFA bowl? All of that my be true, but in my mind the bowls are about equal in prestige, with Gator having more history and being on NYD, while Peach has the proximity advantage and likely a much better game atmosphere.

 

[missouridawg]

I loved the trip two years ago and had a fantastic time in Jacksonville. Would love to go back. But that game just doesn't get the national respect the Chick Fil A bowl does. Some want to head to Jacksonville and steamroll some weak Big 10 team.

From a national perspective, the Chick Fil A bowl will do much more for our image if we are able to win. I know 10 wins is important, but I just wonder how much more a win on a stage like the Chick Fil A bowl will do for recruiting and for our image going forward.

But if we can get to a point where we are legitimately mad at the prospects of going to the Gator Bowl, then we are doing something right as a program.

You make some pretty good points for the Chik-fil-A bowl...

I'm in the crowd of "go to the Gator Bowl and get an easy 10th win" (assuming we beat OM, which is'nt a given, by any means). Right now, I'm not too worried about our national perception. We need to get all of our ammunition ready for recruiting in January and winning a bowl game helps that. We'll get our national recognition when it's due.

Something else that hasn't been mentioned... is that the 12/31 game in Atlanta doesn't have much competition in programming. NYD at noon is a crowded time slot... so there is definitely some merit there when looking at which game. The Peach bowl will, without a doubt, put more eyes onto our game.

 

[PBRME]

The only complaint I have about the Gator Bowl is it falls on a Tuesday. The only way I could make it is if I fly in that morning and fly out that night. I can't justify dropping 1200-1500 on 2 round trip tickets and 2 good seats off stub hub for a 3 hour football game.

The Peach on the other hand is a different story. I could make that game.

 

[esplanade91]

You can make it to a Monday night game in ATL (based on you spending $1500 on tickets to Jacksonville you can't be very close to there either) but you can't go to the Gator?

I can't go either, I'm just saying.

The thing for me, I'll be in NYC and I REALLY want to go to one of the Clemson bars in Manhattan AT NIGHT and drink and watch the game. New Year's Day at noon doesn't do anything for me. In that case I'll probably just stay in Long Island and grill and watch it with a bunch of women who could care less (nooooooo!).

I don't think either are any more prestigious than the other. The perception that the chic fil a is is because its been an SEC tie in for so long and we're never good enough for it. The Gator went and did its thing for a while and came back and the first year, we played in it. And night games > day games.

 

[SkullCandy.sixpack]

Brad Edwards has us Gatorin' but he also has TSUN in Music City, which aint happenin' so maybe we won't be in the Gator either. Music City won't want Vandy because it would be a home game--ie no extra hotels booked or restaurants busy.

 

[BogeyGolfer.sixpack]

I'm going whether it's in Atl or Jax because if we want to build a

big time program bowl attendance is extremely important. Other than the 9 hour drive and the cost of gas, I can stay in Jax a lot cheaper than in Atl. Also, the bowl tickets will be cheaper. One thing I remember from two years ago was being able to stay three nights in a good hotel for around $200.

 

[PBRME]

Driving to Atlanta Monday, going to the game, and driving back Tuesday would cost me around $700 for gas, hotel, and tickets. The flight alone from Memphis to Jacksonville round trip for 2 people is a grand. That's for the earliest arriving flight at 11 am.

 

[MetEdDawg]

Missouri touched on a few points that I think are relevant.

Chick Fil A gets the primetime night slot by itself on December 31st. Gator Bowl goes up against Outback and Capital One during the day. Add to that the fact we will get a terrible team from the Big 10 that we should hammer and you come up with a game that just wont get the national recognition the Chick Fil A bowl gets.

The opponent we would play in the Chick Fil A bowl would be better, and we would get a primetime spot all by ourselves at night on New Years Eve with no other bowl going up against us. The opportunity for recruits to watch us since we are the only game on that night could be a big help. Do I have facts to back that up? No. But logic says that if high school football players are going to watch the bowl games, they don't have the option to flip from our game and watch a Bama or Florida or LSU. They watch us versus a quality ACC opponent.

We went up against Bama Michigan State and Florida Penn State two years ago. We were the 3rd best game on because of name recognition of the other schools involved in those games. Recruits are going to watch us when those two games are on. The same thing will happen this year if we get paired with a Northwestern. I say give us the primetime slot against the #2 ACC and let's take our chances in a game against a better team. Would a team like Clemson be much tougher to beat? Definitely. But I think the benefits of beating them in a primetime slot would do wonders for us down the home stretch of recruiting.

I can see where people are coming from with getting the easier opponent and getting to 10 wins. I just think with all the talk about us trying to recruit better and getting the talent to come to MSU that we need to get in primetime slots and beat quality opponents, not some middle of the road Big 10 team. The Chick Fil A bowl does that.

 

[SkullCandy.sixpack]

I'm torn on the opponent in the bowl. I would rather play play the weaker team at this point, because I think all what matters most now for recruiting is the win. A few weeks ago, I was hoping we had played tougher teams, because once we finally got to the cream of the SEC, the team didn't look like it was ready for the speed and intensity of a Bama or A&M. Playing Troy and JSU just doesn't get you ready for the better SEC teams. I'm glad we upgraded to OSU in the opener. I think the experience of playing at least some quality teams early is needed before you get on the filed with Bama and LSU. That's my opinion anyway.