Question: Aditi, There used to be a rule in the Big East that the Gator Bowl could not invite any conference team (or Notre Dame) if there was another eligible team with more than two fewer losses available. For example, the bowl couldn’t invite a 7-5 team if there’s a 10-2 team that’s not yet going to a bowl. Is that rule still in place? It’s never come into play, but could this year with Pittsburgh and Notre Dame.
Thanks,
Dan (DKB) McDevitt
Notre Dame sure does rile up Big East fans, doesn’t it?
Alright, first, let’s get the basics out of the way: there is absolutely NOTHING written in the Gator Bowl contract that says the game has to adhere to any sort of win comparison rule if it wants to invite Notre Dame. I talked to a Big East official this morning and I was told that the “two-win rule” – whereby the Gator will not pass over an eligible Big East team for Notre Dame if that Big East team has at least two more wins than the Irish – is only a GUIDELINE. Again, there’s nothing written in stone on that.
Now, Gator Bowl president Rick Catlett hasn’t bothered with tact in sharing his feelings on the Big East. He’s made no secret about how much his game covets Notre Dame and although he did tell the South Bend Tribune last week that “it would be difficult” to take a 7-5 Notre Dame team over a 10-2 Big East team, he also said “it wouldn’t be impossible.” He’s ended his affiliation with the Big East, this is the last year of his contract with the Big East and he’s already proven he doesn’t care how classy – or not classy – his game looks in its dealings with the Big East. I don’t know: can you be confident he’ll honor a mere “guideline” come selection time?
Of course, Notre Dame’s at Pittsburgh this weekend. Then Connecticut, who maybe deserves a win more than any team in America, goes out to South Bend on Nov. 21. Two Notre Dame losses to two Big East teams sure could make things interesting.
Aditi Kinkhabwala has written a regular column for SI.com and been published in Sports Illustrated.
Nice work Aditi. Rick “Chicken” Catlett seems like a grade-A loser. He deserves an ACC affiliation.
That’s too bad. Our only hope now is that ND loses out. Then at 6-6, I believe NCAA rules will prevent the Gator from selecting ND as long as teams with 7+ wins exist. This rule kept ND out of the Sun Bowl last year. Although all 3 teams left on their schedule are capable, I have a feeling ND will take one of these. I’d almost like to see RU lose another game as a trip to Detroit for a 10-2 season would be pretty hard to swallow.