So, Wait... Who's Bowl-Eligible...???

The short answer is Minnesota, Duke, Tulane, and Rice...

And, no, this is not some kind of pre-Halloween joke or something...

The HQ has always enjoyed Coach Cut's work at Duke... he gets it... and, thankfully, the Athletic Department has had the patience they're supposed to with a program that is a square peg-round hole when it comes to the sport and the kids you can bring in to the program on a yearly basis...

Everyone likes to talk about "signature wins" and all that stuff... a supposed win where your program moves forward past a point of success and a glass ceiling- on to bigger things...

If you believe in those things, then the win over Virginia Tech yesterday in Blacksburg may have been it. There were entirely too many interceptions thrown by Logan Thomas. The Hokies defense kept the football Devils in check (and downright ineffective) in the second half, but the visitors held on.
((HT: ACCDN))


In the B1G, Minnesota either showed everyone how they're progressing as a team- putting the concerns around head coach Jerry Kill aside for another few days- or they exposed Nebraska for the charade they are as a ranked team...

Probably, the latter if you as the HQ (and Tommie Frazier- who went on another Twitter "toldyaso" rant after the game)...
Here's the Tracy Claeys special...
((HT: BTN))


Tulane knocked off Tulsa 14-7 in C-USA play to improve to 6-2 and stay undefeated in division play. The Green Wave are now bowl eligible for the first time since 2002...

It led to song...as it should have...
((HT: Stephen Segari))


And Rice is also 6-2 after taking care of UTEP 45-7. Taylor McHargue threw 4 TD passes and the Miners are now 1-6 on their own. But the cool moment was when 4'9" walk-on Jayson Carter got his first in-game reps...
Evidence below...
((HT: Rice SID))

Big East Raids Conference USA: Gets E.Carolina and Rutgers (UPDATED With WAC Movement)

All hail the Big East!

We aren't sure this necessarily would be classified as "Galactic Realignment", but the Big East made a move on Monday to keep themselves at least viable for the immediate future.

That move is adding East Carolina and Tulane to the mix. And it should be noted East Carolina is only bringing their football team.

The move makes up for the loss of Rutgers to the Big 10 and supplements the Big East maneuver to become the "New" Conference USA. We say that because noted powers SMU, UCF, Memphis and Houston, all C-USA teams are heading to the Big East/West.

It should be noted that the Big East will lose their "Automatic" BCS status in 2014. They will be a part of the "Group of 5" in the new playoff system with the Sun Belt, Conference USA, the MAC and the Mountain West. The best/highest ranked team in that group; will have a shot at the playoff. A shot, not a guarantee.

Here's coverage from WNCT-TV on the East Carolina end...


PM UPDATE: And in another part of global realignment, the Western Athletic Conference (or what's left of it...) is adding Grand Canyon and losing the University of Denver to the Summit- after one season...

How's that for stability...??? And they need to find another school quickly to keep their automatic bid in the post-season tourneys...

Grand Canyon joins Cal State-Bakersfield, Idaho, New Mexico State, Seattle and Utah Valley in the WAC starting in 2013-14.

That just screams "power conference..."
((HT: Azfamily.com))