With no conference championship to get ready for and the weekend’s coming conference championships having no baring on Notre Dame’s postseason destination, it’s easy to see why Fighting Irish fans are so quick to look ahead to whatever bowl game the Irish end up in the Camping World Bowl and Notre Dame’s date with the Big XII.
But who they play remains to be seen.
Yesterday I went over all the latest projections from various outlets I could find and although the majority had Oklahoma State being the opposition, Kansas State and Texas each both showed up as well.
While Baylor and Oklahoma battle this week for conference supremacy and a potential shot at the College Football Playoff, Oklahoma State, Kansas State, Iowa State and Texas all finished with identical 5-4 marks in conference play.
What that means is that there is no obligation to have to pick a set team who finished third, instead the Camping World Bowl and potentially the Alamo Bowl (more on that later) have their pick of those squads potentially to invite to their bowl.
It all depends on what happens Saturday in the Big XII Championship and other conference title games.
If Oklahoma wins but doesn’t make the College Football Playoff, they’ll be headed to the Sugar Bowl. It’ll then be up in the air whether or not a two-loss Baylor team gets into a New Year’s Six Bowl as an at-large, but I’d bet against it considering they’ve been shown no love from the playoff committee do date despite having only one loss.
That would mean that Baylor would automatically go to the Alamo Bowl because they’re the highest non-NY6 team in the Big XII and that’s the rules the conference has agreed to.
The Camping World Bowl would then have it’s pick of any of Iowa State, Kansas State, Oklahoma State and Texas since they all tied for third place in the Big XII.
It doesn’t take a brain-surgeon to figure out that there is one team on that list that bowl games love because of their insane following and one team on that list that would bring a massive following even if they were a big-time underachiever in 2019:
Texas.
Here’s the thing. The same can be said for the Alamo Bowl who the same rules would apply to if Baylor and Oklahoma were both to make NY6 Bowl games. This is entirely reliant on Baylor losing Saturday and then not being invited to the New Year’s Six, but again, I have a strong belief that will be the case.
If they both manage to get into those contests, Alamo Bowl gets the first pick of the 5-4 Big XII’s in a game that would be against Oregon or USC.
They’d be all over Texas too, at least given the chance to be.
As much as I’m a fan of Matt Rhule and what he’s been able to do first at Temple before turning around Baylor, my bet is that Oklahoma wins the conference title again on Saturday and that Baylor is left out of the New Year’s Six.
That would automatically send them to the Alamo Bowl while the Camping World Bowl gets their pick of the 5-4’s like we discussed and can anyone see them not taking a Notre Dame vs. Texas match-up?
Love them or hate them, where both those teams go ratings follow.
And think about it – are there two bigger possible fan-bases ESPN could wish for to start their December 28 game coverage with than Notre Dame and Texas?
Notre Dame’s only appearance in the game (2011, then the Champs Sports Bowl) resulted in the game’s only ever sellout. Sure, in-state Florida State wouldn’t be the opposition but you’re a fool if you don’t think Texas travels as well as anyone.
It’s dependent on Baylor losing and not being invited to the New Year’s Six, but I find that likely and can’t wrap my head around the idea of a bowl game passing on a Notre Dame/Texas match-up.
Ok, cool. Hook ’em.