Chances of a Backyard Brawl in Orlando

[Sean Miller Fan]

If Pitt finishes 8-4, Florida Citrus Sports, who run the Citrus and Russell Athletic Bowls will have an interesting choice to make for the team they will have WVU play. I can't imagine a scenario where as the Big 12's only Eastern team, WVU is NOT the league's RA Bowl rep.

If things hold serve, Clemson goes to the CFP, Louisville to the Orange, and FSU to the Citrus.

That means the RA will have to choose between:

- UNC: they were there last year and aren't going back to back

- VT: they will have already played in Orlando 25 days prior and the bowl may fear their fans won't travel to Orlando twice. WVU/VT is an underrated rivalry.

- Miami: the safe pick. They dont travel well but they have a decent size fanbase in Central Florida.

- Pitt: Could the allure of a big-time rivalry overcome the fact that Miami and VT (eveb with 2 Dec Orlando games) would sell more tickets.

Honestly, I think Pitt has a pretty good chance if things break right.

 

[Dr. von Yinzer]

Maybe, but I don't see it. I would definitely go though. I used to live in O-town and still have many friends there.

 

[ThePanthers]

I still think Pitt is going to the Sun with the Pinstripe as the alternative.

 

[yourhired]

You bring up a good point about VT that I hadn't thought of so VT may say to the ACC hey send us somewhere else. My understanding recently it was a possibility that Pitt was okay with it but that was about ten days ago things during bowl season have a tendency to change.

 

[michnittlion]

As regards Miami ----- if you look at the last 7 Tangerine (Russell Athletic) Bowls, the 2nd and 3rd highest attended games of those 7 involved Miami.

The highest attended game was FSU/Notre Dame (obviously good draws both) in 2011. Then comes Miami/Wisconsin in 2009 and Miami/Louisville in 2013. Then you get games that involved NC State, UNC, Clemson and Virginia Tech on the ACC side.

WVU will bring fans to Orlando, no doubt. Miami doesn't travel overly well, of course, but they do have a decent track record with this particular Bowl game.

 

[Piranha]

Miami is an easy 3 to 3 and a half hour drive to Orlando, and you also have Canes fans in the Orlando area. They should easily bring 15k+ people.

Miami is a good team. They should have beaten FSU, and they took awhile to regroup after that loss. If they beat FSU, then I think they would have ended up 10-2 or possibly 11-1 and in the ACC Title game.

 

[CaptainSidneyReilly]

If Pitt finishes 8-4, Florida Citrus Sports, who run the Citrus and Russell Athletic Bowls will have an interesting choice to make for the team they will have WVU play. I can't imagine a scenario where as the Big 12's only Eastern team, WVU is NOT the league's RA Bowl rep.

If things hold serve, Clemson goes to the CFP, Louisville to the Orange, and FSU to the Citrus.

That means the RA will have to choose between:

- UNC: they were there last year and aren't going back to back

- VT: they will have already played in Orlando 25 days prior and the bowl may fear their fans won't travel to Orlando twice. WVU/VT is an underrated rivalry.

- Miami: the safe pick. They dont travel well but they have a decent size fanbase in Central Florida.

- Pitt: Could the allure of a big-time rivalry overcome the fact that Miami and VT (eveb with 2 Dec Orlando games) would sell more tickets.

Honestly, I think Pitt has a pretty good chance if things break right.

I like you SMF, you are always thinking that is what you are good at, always thinking, playing WVU would be a great game and sold out too.

 

[crosbymalkin8771]

No way Pitt gets selected to go there. I'd be surprised.

 

[Sean Miller Fan]

As regards Miami ----- if you look at the last 7 Tangerine (Russell Athletic) Bowls, the 2nd and 3rd highest attended games of those 7 involved Miami.

The highest attended game was FSU/Notre Dame (obviously good draws both) in 2011. Then comes Miami/Wisconsin in 2009 and Miami/Louisville in 2013. Then you get games that involved NC State, UNC, Clemson and Virginia Tech on the ACC side.

WVU will bring fans to Orlando, no doubt. Miami doesn't travel overly well, of course, but they do have a decent track record with this particular Bowl game.

Miami is definitely the safe bet. However, there is also the wildcard of Miami opting for the TaxSlayer Bowl in Jacksonville instead where they will face an SEC opponent which may be more highly regarded than WVU. Of course, the TaxSlayer may want VT or UNC instead.

Just saying there is a path for an Orlando Backyard Brawl. Even if the bowl doesn't even necessarily want Pitt, UNC was there last year, VT was in Orlando 25 days prior, and Miami may want to face an SEC opponent in Jacksonville (think Richt vs Georgia would sell any tickets?).

 

[paulbl99]

I still think Pitt is going to the Sun with the Pinstripe as the alternative.

Given it's Pitt
Bet this.......

 

[paulbl99]

If Pitt finishes 8-4, Florida Citrus Sports, who run the Citrus and Russell Athletic Bowls will have an interesting choice to make for the team they will have WVU play. I can't imagine a scenario where as the Big 12's only Eastern team, WVU is NOT the league's RA Bowl rep.

If things hold serve, Clemson goes to the CFP, Louisville to the Orange, and FSU to the Citrus.

That means the RA will have to choose between:

- UNC: they were there last year and aren't going back to back

- VT: they will have already played in Orlando 25 days prior and the bowl may fear their fans won't travel to Orlando twice. WVU/VT is an underrated rivalry.

- Miami: the safe pick. They dont travel well but they have a decent size fanbase in Central Florida.

- Pitt: Could the allure of a big-time rivalry overcome the fact that Miami and VT (eveb with 2 Dec Orlando games) would sell more tickets.

Honestly, I think Pitt has a pretty good chance if things break right.

Given that lineup of possibilities..
No chance.

 

[h2p_5150]

I still think Pitt is going to the Sun with the Pinstripe as the alternative.

I'm not even that optimistic. I'm expecting the Quick Lane Bowl in Detroit.

 

[crosbymalkin8771]

I'm not even that optimistic. I'm expecting the Quick Lane Bowl in Detroit.

I'm anticipating Pitt getting screwed too, but idk about that bad... unless they somehow lose to Syracuse.

Projections I see for the Detroit bowl:
Boston College - Army
Vanderbilt - Maryland
NC State - Maryland

If Pitt is going to get some mediocre opponent, I hope they slaughter them. This team/senior class has been through too much to lose their last game to a Maryland or a Northwestern.

A team like Stanford is a more respectable opponent that wouldn't be easy.