SEC Football: Adding Independence Bowl Is Natural Fit for Next Two Seasons

[FeatheredCock]

The unintended consequences associated with conference expansion seem to be limitless. Scheduling headaches, the cancellation of non-conference games and division alignment have dominated the headlines this offseason.

The SEC jumped through another hoop on Monday, when CBSSports.com reported that the Independence Bowl would be added as an SEC bowl tie-in for the 2012 and 2013 seasons.

The Shreveport, La.-based bowl was tied to the SEC from 1995 to 2009 and has long since been a punchline in SEC circles as the landing spot for mediocre SEC teams. But given today's changing landscape, the association between the SEC and the Independence Bowl makes sense.

With Missouri and Texas A&M now in the conference, there's a greater chance that the SEC will have at least one more bowl-eligible team per season.

That team needs a landing spot, and the familiarity of the Independence Bowl is a natural fit.

The fact that the report only states that the tie-in is for two years is a strong indicator that the SEC feels that there's a strong chance that the new Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) postseason will result in changes to the lower-tier bowl games.

A seven-game minimum for bowl eligibility would almost certainly prevent the Independence Bowl from getting an SEC team and would likely result in several lower-tier bowls closing up shop.

For now, though, it makes sense. It's a temporary solution to an immediate problem.

 

[FeatheredCock]

SEC will add Independence Bowl as an SEC bowl for the 2012, 2013 seasons

The SEC, which has won an unprecedented six consecutive BCS national titles, will set another record this year: most bowl tie-ins.

The SEC will add the Independence Bowl as an SEC bowl for the 2012 and 2013 seasons, sources told CBSSports.com.

The Independence Bowl opening became available when the Mountain West opted to take an available opening in the Armed Forces Bowl, which previously had a tie in with BYU. The Cougars, who were contracted to the Armed Forces Bowl in 2011, have an agreement with the Poinsettia Bowl in 2012 and the Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl in 2013.

SEC commissioner Mike Slive said last week at the league's spring meetings in Sandestin, Fla., that the SEC would be adding another bowl tie in "very shortly." Another bowl was sought, Slive said, because the addition of Texas A&M and Missouri this fall increased the SEC's membership to 14 schools.

An official announcement on the SEC's new bowl could be made within the next two weeks.

The addition of the Independence Bowl gives the SEC an NCAA record 10 bowl tie ins for the next two years. Located in Shreveport, La., the Independence Bowl had a SEC tie-in from 1995-2009. The 2012 and 2013 Independence bowls are scheduled to pair an SEC team against the No. 7 selection from the ACC.

The SEC and ACC also are scheduled to meet in the Chick-fil-A and Music City bowls.

No longer affiliated with the Independence, the MWC will play a Conference USA team in the Armed Forces Bowl held in Fort Worth, Texas.

If BYU is bowl eligible, the Cougars will play the No. 2 selection from the MWC in San Diego's Poinsettia Bowl.

The SEC will now have 10 bowl tie-ins among the 35 bowls for the next two seasons.

The SEC and Big 12 also announced the start of the Champions Bowl between the two leagues when the new bowl cycle begins after the 2014 regular season.

 

[FeatheredCock]

ACC team to face SEC......

 

opponent next two years in Independence Bowl.

 

Link: MASH HERE

 

[GCF Staff Support]

That was great. Here's another link where they discuss the USC schedule and they say that Cl3mson is a "sure fire win" and not "sure fire losses".

Link: http://slantandgo.blogspot.com/2012/06/schedule-analysis-south-carolina.html