There are now 63 teams in and another 14 teams just a win away. Mizzou is ineligible at the moment, but they've appealed, so they're on the list with an asterisk. ECU, VaTech, Hawaii, Army and Liberty have to win seven games because they play 13 and/or play more than one 1AA school.

AAC (6 slots)
In (7): SMU, Cincy; Memphis; Navy; UCF; Tulane; Temple
Close (0):
Precarious (1): USF (4-5)
Out (4): UConn; Tulsa; ECU+; Houston
This week: Memphis at USF

ACC + ND (11 slots)
In (9): Clemson; Wake; ND; Pitt; UVA; MiamiF; FSU; VaTech; L'ville
Close (1): BC (5-5)
Precarious (4): UNC (4-6); NCSt (4-6); Duke (4-6); Syracuse (4-6)
Out (1): GaTech
This week: NCSt at GaTech, Duke at Wake, BC at ND, Mercer at UNC, Syracuse at L'ville

B10 (9 slots)
In (8): O$U; Minn; PennSt; Wis; Ind; Iowa; Mich; Ill
Close (0):
Precarious (3): Neb (4-6); MSU (4-6); Purdue (4-6)
Out (3): Rutgers; NWern; MD
This week: Purdue at Wis, MSU at Rutgers, Neb at MD

B12 (6 slots)
In (6): Okla; Baylor; KState; OklaSt; Texas; IowaSt
Close (1): TCU (5-5)
Precarious (2): TxTech (4-6); WVU (4-6)
Out (1): Kansas
This week: TCU at Okla, OklaSt at WVU, KState at TxTech

CUSA (5 slots)
In (6): LaTech; UAB; T'erd; FAU; WKU; SMiss
Close (2): FIU (5-5); Charlotte (5-5)
Precarious (2): UTSA (4-6); NTex (4-6)
Out (4): Rice; ODU; UTEP; MTSU
This week: NTex at Rice, T'erd at Charlotte, FAU at UTSA, MiamiF at FIU

Indies (1 slot ‒ BYU)
In (1): BYU
Close (1): Liberty (6-4)+
Precarious (1): Army (5-6)+
Out (2): NMSU; UMass
This week: Liberty at UVA

MAC (5 slots)
In (4): CMU; Toledo; WMU; Fiami
Close (2): Buffalo (5-5); EMU (5-5)
Precarious (4): BSU (4-6); OHIO (4-6); Kent (4-6); NIU (4-6)
Out (2): Akron; BG
This week: OHIO at BG, EMU at NIU, Toledo at Buffalo, BSU at Kent

MWC (6 slots)
In (7): Boise; SDSU; Wyo; AFA; Nevada; Hawaii; UtahSt
Close (0):
Precarious (3): ColoSt (4-6); Fresno (4-6); SJSt (4-6)
Out (2): UNLV; NM
This week: ColoSt at Wyo, SJSt at UNLV, Nevada at Fresno

Pac12 (7 slots)
In (4): Oregon; Utah; Wash; USC
Close (4): ArizSt (5-5); Cal (5-5); WashSt (5-5); OregonSt (5-5)
Precarious (4): Ariz (4-6); UCLA (4-6); Stanford (4-6); Colo (4-6)
This week: Oregon at ArizSt, Utah at Ariz, Cal at Stanford, Wash at Colo, OregonSt at WashSt, UCLA at USC

SEC (10 slots)
In (6): LSU; Bama; Auburn; Fla; UGA; TxAM
Close (2): Tenn (5-5); UK (5-5)
Precarious (2): Mizzou (5-5)*; MissSt (4-6)
Out (4): Ark; Vandy; SoCar; Miss
This week: UT Martin at UK, Abilene Christian at MissSt, Tenn at Mizzou

Sun Belt (5 slots)
In (5): AppSt; GaSt; Louisana; ArkSt; GaSo
Close (1): Troy (5-5)
Precarious (2): Coastal (4-6); ULM (4-6)
Out (2): SBama; TxSt
This week: Coastal at ULM, Troy at Louisiana

At-large slots: Playoff (4); NY6 (2); Frisco Bowl (1)

TeamRankings prediction is down to 79.6 eligible teams so there may be hope at 6-6.

I honestly have little passion for a bowl game now. Guess it doesnt matter what I think.

Agreed Jeff. Most of these bowls are pretty much an absolute participation trophy joke.

I agree with both of you. The best we can finish is 500 and we can’t seem to beat any one over 500 this year so I would just as soon stay home.

Many people talk about the advantages of practices and as a reward for the players, but you have to admit that we are not really deserving based on our record. Might be a good time to rest, regroup, take a hard look at coaching staff, and get motivated to turn it around next year with more restrained expectations. If we would happen to go, that’s okay I guess, but I can’t image a lot of enthusiasm outside some players and parents.

This is where I'm at too. Not sure a 6-6 record merits a reward with a bowl game. I'd rather see Ohio skip it this year and take a little break before Winter practices start. Let the players' bodies and mind heal up.

Several people have mentioned the benefits of extra practices the bowl games bring. I have to wonder (and ultimately disagree with) how beneficial those 14 extra practices really are. Last year's Frisco Bowl practices sure didn't benefit this year's team. Plus, the team pretty much practices in some form or fashion from Winter through Summer (either through NCAA-allowed organized practices or on the players' own), so how beneficial for the following season are 14 bowl game practices held 9 months prior to the following season?

And how about the cost of sending the team and staff to the game? Is the financial drain on the athletic department worth it?

We have to actually win then actually be INVITED before anyone can go anywhere.

This.

I just can’t believe would be a very good candidate for a bowl spot, I have to think there’s at least some 6-6 teams with a win over a team with a winning record.

ESPN and CBS Bowl Projectors still have us in (a) bowl(s). Even at 6-6, I think they like the idea of marketing Rourke undercenter vs. someone like Florida Atlantic or Georgia State in one of those first two days of bowl season bowls. You may be surprised where we wind up.

Yep. I will be surprised. Because I thought Ohio would end up in Detroit playing for a MAC title and going to a bowl game because they had a great season.

Instead, we're left crossing fingers they can salvage a .500 season with wins over two of the arguably worst teams in the country.

What a season!

Let's celebrate it with a bowl game!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U7fjDS0jKiE

A-Men

Ok, I get it. Bobcat nation is down because the Germans bombed Pearl Harbor. Yes, I know. It's over. Nevertheless, I won't let you bad mouth the United States of America by whinnig over bowl eligibility.

There are 40 bowl games so at 6-6 we would and possibly at 5-7 as Ohio is close to the top of the APR calculations. Will Ohio be able at 6-6 to secure one of the MAC's contractual ties? Very possible as at the moment the MAC only has 2 teams CMU & WMU with 7+. We can't bump Miami since they won the East. EMU at 6-6 can be bumped and so can Buffalo.

The MAC has five primary slots to fill, plus the possibility of two secondary. Assuming Ohio beats Akron to get to 6-6, I'm pretty sure it would get an invitation to one of them. Miami, Western Michigan, Central Michigan and Toledo probably get invites before Ohio, but who else would? Maybe Eastern Michigan if it gets to 7-5 with a win against Kent State. Probably not Ball State, Kent State or Buffalo, if they get bowl eligibility, considering Ohio beat those teams.

A lot depends on how many "P" teams that are currently 4-6 get in. "P" teams will always get the nod over MAC teams. MSU plays Rutgers and MD so they're likely to get in. UNC and NCSt have soft games this week and play each other next week so one of them will likely get to 6. And Stanford has a shot with home games vs Cal and ND. Also CUSA and Mountain West might each have 3-4 extra eligible teams that probably would be picked over MAC teams because they're closer to most bowl game sites and may travel well.

Bowl tie ins are what counts as that determines who is in the pool. A C-USA team will not get a MAC. slot regardless of their record being better than a MAC team. Now when it comes to slots that a conference can’t fill, that’s a different thing. At least that’s the way I understand it.

Right, the MAC has at least five slots to fill. Then if the conferences with primary affiliations to the Quick Lane Bowl (Big Ten and ACC) and the Frisco Bowl (AAC and Mount West) are unable to meet their obligations to fill those bowls, the MAC gets those spots. Then after that, if there are bowls that still need teams, they can pick from whoever is left among bowl eligible teams from any conference. I really can't see the MAC getting less than six bowls, and I can't see Ohio not being in those six.

The MAC already has enough bowl-eligible teams to fill its five slots -- EMU got its sixth win last night. Three of those slots are already filled: Fiami as East winner, WMU and CMU, each of which has seven wins. As many as five teams could be in the mix for the other two slots: Toledo and EMU already have six wins; Buffalo is 5-5, Ohio 5-6, and the BSU-Kent winner will be 5-6. Buffalo should get to at least six because they play BG next week (they host Toledo this week) and so should Ohio (at Akron). Kent has EMU and BSU has Fiami. Odds are there will be at least seven bowl-eligible MAC teams, so at least two would be looking for a non-MAC slot. They'll have to compete with CUSA, Mountain West and maybe some other conferences for it. Then it comes down to who can put the most butts in the seats and eyes on the tube.

But there's always a lot of horse-trading that goes on. That's one reason we wound up at the Independence Bowl a few years ago. Depends on which teams are in the mix and who can make the best offer.

If the Quick Lane Bowl came open, WMU or CMU would probably wind up there, which could open up another slot for a MAC team. But the MAC might have to trade it away, too.

E. Michigan and Buffalo now bowl eligible after wins this week.

NIU eliminated

Right, the MAC might end up agreeing to go to different bowls rather than the ones they are committed to, but regardless, they are guaranteed that many slots.

And now the way Toledo is playing, even though they will be bowl eligible, Ohio is looking like a more attractive team. The Rockets very well might end up 3-5 in the MAC. Only Miami, Central Michigan and Western Michigan are definitely ahead of Ohio in the pecking order.