November 3, 2007
Shoot For .500 And Bowl Eligibility??!!
Editor's note: The Pac-10 has 6 bowl game agreements not 7 as we has suggested below. The Pac-10 added a 7th bowl game for next year. End result, UCLA may not get a bowl invitation even if we end up bowl eligible at 6-6.
This season has become such a disaster there is a good chance now that we will end up with a sub .500 record and not even be bowl eligible!! To be bowl eligible we need to have at least a .500 record. We need 1 more win in our final 3 games to get to that magical .500 mark that Karl Dorrell seems destined to hit every year. Yet those 3 games are against the best teams in our conference this year, Arizona State, Oregon and SuC. Even though we play ASU and Oregon at home, it's hard to imagine beating both those teams. If we are lucky we might beat ASU. But we don't have any confidence in even having a chance against Oregon. But even getting to 6 wins and a .500 record does not guarantee we play in a bowl. Bowl eligibility (not bowl invitation) is guaranteed when a team ends their season over .500. Eligibility is guaranteed for a .500 team ONLY if there are no more above .500 teams in one's conference to satisfy bowl agreements the conference has. If we are not mistaken there are 7 bowls that the Pac-10 has agreements with, so if there are 7 teams in the conference with above .500 records then UCLA would not get to go to a bowl as a .500 team, even if we were ahead of another conference team in the conference standings. Since there are only 5 teams other than UCLA that have a chance realistically of ending the season above .500 this is probably a moot discussion, but there might be some other small print that we are missing. Basically, the NCAA doesn't like .500 teams going to bowls and they instituted new rules to combat that. It does not look good that we will end up above .500 at 7-5 … this discussion will come up again. So, will Karl Dorrell end his tenure with the stain of a .500 season and no bowl appearance … or worse a sub .500 record?? It is not only possible, the odds are that he will. Even we could not imagine this happening to our team this season. We hope that if Dorrell loses the next two home games against ASU and Oregon that he at least gets the team a win against SuC … end on a high note Karl.
5 Comments on Shoot For .500 And Bowl Eligibility??!!
November 4, 2007
Javier @ 5:14 am:
It has come down to this. What was once to be UCLA great season it turns out to be a shameful one. I try to be optimistic before the game starts. But watching the game yesterday was awful. I had this weird feeling about the game before it started but I just try to ignore it. Once it started I knew we were done. Yes, there were a few plays that show we should be a good to great team. But it also shows the inconsistency of the coaching staff.
Just a hint to KD. Talking on the head set is not coaching. You are the HEAD COACH!!! How about you check on your players and make sure they are listening to your coaches. Give the players and coaches your input on what is going on and how we are going to attack it on the next series. Give the players and coaches some indication that you have everything under control. Not by acting cool and collective on the sideline but by actually talking to your players and motivating them. This might not be your style but guess what; your other style is not really working.
I know this is almost a mode point but I had to get it off my chess. I hate to see UCLA lose. I am never happy when they do. I don’t blame this on the players. Yes, they have to play the game but it is up to the coaches to make sure the players are in the right position to succeed. It’s about time DG. No more games to see if we still have a chance to win the PAC 10. Just in case you haven’t notice yet. We have two loses in the PAC 10. The writing is on the wall. It’s time to find a new Ben Howland to coach the football team.
bruinz50 @ 5:40 am:
Whoda thunk that we would LOSE to PATHETIC Utah and even ND this year (and oh what chips an ND win would have banked KD and Co). And then LOSE to lowly Wazu (who can’t even win a game outside of the Paloose) and then AZ?? I don’t believe the inconsistency. Coaches need to plan depth charts, really deep depth charts, and obviously KD & Co. did not do this pre-season and we are paying dearly for it.
Speaking of depth charts, SC had 9 receivers catching for Booty in his return yesterday. NINE!! Holy cow Batman!
Diego @ 7:28 am:
ALL efforts and all energies must be directed to the fight against SUC. Let’s just wipe out SUC again. SUC has trouble against running QBs (who doesn’t). It was the one element that allowed us to keep holding on to the ball just enough. Pat would take off on a run and keep the ball in our possession. Also, our loan TD was set up by a long run by Pat. LEt’s give them a healthy dosage of Osaar, play strong, lights out defense up front in the same fashion we did last year, and let’s win !
WHP '68 @ 8:16 am:
“..So, will Karl Dorrell end his tenure with the stain of a .500 season and no bowl appearance … or worse a sub .500 record? It is not only possible, the odds are that he will. Even we could not imagine this happening to our team this season.
The truly sad thing is that if Dorrell goes three-and-out and gets a sub-.500 season (and no bowl invitation) and gets fired then everyone will say, “Poor Karl, he had one losing season so the fans jumped on hos case and had him fired.” Sadly, those who have not followed UCLA’s trail of tears over the last five seasons will not truly understand how abysmally incompetent he and his staff were.
Bruinblue @ 9:40 am:
Well its time for CD to get fired along with DG……..Both are not doing there job well……………………….:(