If you told me.....................

[wpgrad]

This year should be the best opportunity for Coach JM to pick up that signature wi of his career. In addition to Notre Dame, they can either play #5 seed in the Big Dance, or if they don’t get the invite have a chance at an elite program in the Big 10 or SEC in. New Years Game (LSU? UGA?) that will also be left out.Any of these programs will look at such a matchup as a major letdown and likely to have all draft prospects sitting out. All the ingredients necessary for an upset victory. Given all the conference realignments going on Army may not have any opportunities to even schedule an elite program much less beat one. Let this be the year!

Obviously everyone wants to make the playoffs, but on the topic of a Bowl Game if they don’t make the playoffs, I’d really hope a 10 win Army team that at least reaches the conference title game is given a fairly high profile bowl. No offense to the folks who run the Armed Forces Bowl, but it’s going to be a little disappointing if Army goes something like 11-1, wins the AAC, and gets sent to the same bowl they would have if they’d gone 6-6.

I may be wrong, but my understanding is that if Army doesn't get into the playoff they are automatically going to the Independence Bowl in Shreveport as part of the 6 year deal they signed (and that deal remains in place when Army joined the AAC since the Independence bowl is one of the AAC's 4 partner bowls).

Other bowl options would be military bowl at Navy (yuck), Wasabi Bowl at Fenway (yuck again), or the Armed Forces bowl at TCU (yuck a 3rd time). Not exactly 4 wonderful options but it is what it is.

[Lusk2003]

This year should be the best opportunity for Coach JM to pick up that signature wi of his career. In addition to Notre Dame, they can either play #5 seed in the Big Dance, or if they don’t get the invite have a chance at an elite program in the Big 10 or SEC in. New Years Game (LSU? UGA?) that will also be left out.Any of these programs will look at such a matchup as a major letdown and likely to have all draft prospects sitting out. All the ingredients necessary for an upset victory. Given all the conference realignments going on Army may not have any opportunities to even schedule an elite program much less beat one. Let this be the year!

Obviously everyone wants to make the playoffs, but on the topic of a Bowl Game if they don’t make the playoffs, I’d really hope a 10 win Army team that at least reaches the conference title game is given a fairly high profile bowl. No offense to the folks who run the Armed Forces Bowl, but it’s going to be a little disappointing if Army goes something like 11-1, wins the AAC, and gets sent to the same bowl they would have if they’d gone 6-6.

I may be wrong, but my understanding is that if Army doesn't get into the playoff they are automatically going to the Independence Bowl in Shreveport as part of the 6 year deal they signed (and that deal remains in place when Army joined the AAC since the Independence bowl is one of the AAC's 4 partner bowls).

Other bowl options would be military bowl at Navy (yuck), Wasabi Bowl at Fenway (yuck again), or the Armed Forces bowl at TCU (yuck a 3rd time). Not exactly 4 wonderful options but it is what it is.

Looks like we have an option to decline if offered a better bowl.
From the West Point Athletics website:
“ A clause in both agreements allows Army the opportunity to accept a bid from a different bowl game once per each three-year cycle with ESPN and the Independence Bowl.”

[wpgrad]

Obviously everyone wants to make the playoffs, but on the topic of a Bowl Game if they don’t make the playoffs, I’d really hope a 10 win Army team that at least reaches the conference title game is given a fairly high profile bowl. No offense to the folks who run the Armed Forces Bowl, but it’s going to be a little disappointing if Army goes something like 11-1, wins the AAC, and gets sent to the same bowl they would have if they’d gone 6-6.

I may be wrong, but my understanding is that if Army doesn't get into the playoff they are automatically going to the Independence Bowl in Shreveport as part of the 6 year deal they signed (and that deal remains in place when Army joined the AAC since the Independence bowl is one of the AAC's 4 partner bowls).

Other bowl options would be military bowl at Navy (yuck), Wasabi Bowl at Fenway (yuck again), or the Armed Forces bowl at TCU (yuck a 3rd time). Not exactly 4 wonderful options but it is what it is.

Looks like we have an option to decline if offered a better bowl.
From the West Point Athletics website:
“ A clause in both agreements allows Army the opportunity to accept a bid from a different bowl game once per each three-year cycle with ESPN and the Independence Bowl.”

More wording: A month after the Independence Bowl agreement, Army announced an agreement with the Charlotte Sports Foundation, owner and operator of the Belk Bowl, that could lead to Army participating in the Charlotte-based postseason game twice over the next six years, beginning in 2020. As part of the deal, Army will serve as a primary backup for the Belk Bowl, and will have the opportunity to accept an invitation to the game twice during the next six-year bowl cycle that runs from 2020 through 2025.
As part of those deals, Army will have the opportunity to exercise an "Acceptance Option" for a different bowl game, one time during each of the separate three-year terms -- once during the even years with the Independence Bowl and once during the odd years with ESPN Events. Army could exercise the "Acceptance Option" for the Belk Bowl or another game that extends an invitation to the Black Knights

From this, it looks like we can get upgraded to the Belk Bowl which is now the Duke Mayo bowl. Has a $5m payout

[neumanna1]

Obviously I want them to make the playoffs, but Monken getting mayonnaise dumped on him would be a decent consolation prize at the end of a great season.