Those of you offended by rants, please move onto the next post.
Before I get started, this is no disrespect to Maryland. My rant has nothing to do with my opposition in the bowl game but more at some statistical oddities in the ranking system. For the rest of you...
/rant
Exactly what all must I do at the University of Nevada to get a top tier bowl game? We went undefeated, had an 45 point average margin of victory and beat Arizona State and Notre Dame on the road as well as another elite at home. I understand the challenges of living in a weak conference, but it can be somewhat difficult to recruit people to a conference where you have an eighty game winning streak and very little hope of making a major bowl game. Hopefully by the end of this rant, I'll give some of you a reason to try just that.
On top of this, a team ranked behind us with a loss makes a top tier bowl game while we go to the Gator Bowl (where Nevada has been to that or the Outback 8 of the past 9 seasons). All due respect to ez at Minnesota (we have a long tradition of competition going back to sharing a conference in 1AA where we would play three times a year, the last being in the title game), but there is simply no way Nevada should be on the outside looking in.
Additionally, Texas, with an identical record and an SOS of one better than Nevada, is ranked 6th. Exactly how does that make any sense? Is the difference of 1 point of SOS the difference between 6th and 12th? Apaprently the WIS ranking system treats it as 6.27 ratings points different. That is absurd.
Since I want to stick around at least long enough to see the development of Robert Bailey, I'm going to have to try to come up with a solution to this dilemma. The only solution I have within my direct control is twofold:
1) I will attempt to schedule five elites as non-conference games here on out. USC, Florida, Notre Dame, Ohio State, Michigan, Alabama, Tennessee, Oklahoma, Florida State, Penn State and whoever else I'm missing, I'll need your help by accepting my challenges. The only other school I will want to schedule is Stanford, since I think his team is on the verge of greatness (and he paid enough recruiting Robert Bailey that eh should at least see him get to play once a year) If I beat five elites, go undefeated and still cant make a championship game, I'll drop this game like a perfect pass to a KC wide receiver.
2) I'll put out a standing offer to give a gift certificate good for two seasons of WIS Gridiron Dynasty to the first team that ends my run in the WAC by beating us in the conference championship or replaces me in the conference championship by beating us. This offer isn't good if we both go undefeated in WAC play but you get the CC bid because of my murderous OOC schedule and I lose the tiebreaker. I know that there are a ton of great coaches in D1AA and I'm calling you out directly. If I can build a team like this in the WAC, you can too and have me pay for your season(s). This offer applies until I get sick enough of Gator/Outback bowls that I rage quit. It will definitely last at least until Robert Bailey's graduation. If we can get enough good teams into the WAC, I'll be happy to pay and to stay.
cjsweat, if you wouldn't mind passing my challenge on to the D1AA guys on your show I'd appreciate it.
/endrant