Baylor wins the battle but lost the war.

[Rabid Cougar]

Lots of talk of earning respect over the weekend but they still didn't get it. BCS still stiffed them. Why no Ohio State, Alabama, Clemson, Oregon? Oklahoma, Texas and Okie State all got better bowl match ups.

[Old Tiger]

It was going to be Northern Illinois but they lost to Bowling Green so UCF replaced them. UCF is a better team than NIU

[hookandladder]

The Fesita Bowl is committed to Conference Champions I guess unless you are playing in the NC game, Baylor and Oregon would have been a better matchup. Texas has it's hands full , with McCoy at QB this one could get ugly.

[vtskneb]

They better sell their allotment or they will really be screwed. UCONN didn't a few years back and had to pay the bowl back the unsold tickets at face value. This crowd will look like the Sugar Bowl game last year. Lots of empty seats. They could have sent UCF to the Oragne Bowl where they would have shown up in droves, but instead send them to AZ to play another school will a small alumni/fan base. They should have sent Oregon to the Fiesta and UCF could have gotten their #%@ kicked in by Bama. Oregon/Baylor would have been great, or even OSU would have been better. Why do they let them do this? It must not matter if they have empty seats, I guess all the money is made on the front end.

[Old Tiger]

UCF is the largest school in Florida I believe.

[vtskneb]

I would be shocked if this game has more at it than the Sugar Bowl last year. Louisville/Florida Sugar Bowl didn't have enough at the game to fill the top sections of the Super Dome, it was basically empty above the bottom bowl. This will be worse, as I am certain Florida travels better than UCF and Louisville probably is on par or better turnouts than Baylor.

[caleb_mccaig]

UCF is the largest school in Florida I believe.

Yes it is, they have 60,000 students. I think Baylor will travel just as well as any team. The alumni is strong with the school and I know a lot of friends who have already booked their tickets and flights. I think Baylor at least will do its part since everyone is on the train. This isn't common ground for the Bears and I think everyone will want to get their chance to see them play in a BCS game because you never know the next time you'll get there.

[Rabid Cougar]

I am not a Baylor fan at all but I see it as a slap in the face. ESPN in protecting their "jewels". Can't have Ohio State getting the crap beat out of them by the likes of Baylor. Goes back to the TCU/ Boise State games. TCU finally makes it to the Rose Bowl and the mighty Big 10 falls.

[Bullaholic]

I think it is an audience size consideration. ESPN & BCS don't think the Bears bring much of a national following.

[Emerson1]

I think it is an audience size consideration. ESPN & BCS don't think the Bears bring much of a national following.

They're still in the game. If they were worried about ratings they would have paired them with a team who has a big following to make up for it. I think more people would want to see Baylor v. Alabama over Oklahoma v. Alabama. I don't know if that was possible for them to even do though.

[bwdlionfan]

They're still in the game. If they were worried about ratings they would have paired them with a team who has a big following to make up for it. I think more people would want to see Baylor v. Alabama over Oklahoma v. Alabama. I don't know if that was possible for them to even do though.

The Big 12 champ (assuming they aren't ranked in the top 2) automatically goes to the Fiesta. Each BCS bowl gets its conference tie in and then after that the BCS bowls pick from the remaining teams who are eligible. The BCS bowls pick on a rotation, and this year was the year that the Fiesta got the last choice. Obviously out of the teams who were eligible, UCF was the last standing, so the Fiesta was forced to take them. It sucks and it's a crappy system, but that's how it goes. If Oklahoma State had beaten OU, then it'd be Oklahoma State vs UCF in the Fiesta and Baylor MIGHT have been selected for the Sugar.

Starting next year is the new bowl agreement between the Big 12 and the SEC where the conference champs (unless they are in the top 2) will automatically play against each other.

[Bullaholic]

They're still in the game. If they were worried about ratings they would have paired them with a team who has a big following to make up for it. I think more people would want to see Baylor v. Alabama over Oklahoma v. Alabama. I don't know if that was possible for them to even do though.

As much as I love Texas teams and would love to see Baylor be paired against a major power---no way the Bears vs anybody brings the audience share of 2 traditional national powers paired up.

[2muchOffense]

Poor Longhorns! Just trying to get this season done with. Graduate McCoy and move on.....oh wait you get the Oregon Ducks. Check please.

[Bullaholic]

Ags sort of in same boat as Baylor---they drew Duke in the Chik-fil-A Bowl. Personally, of course I'd rather see aTm vs Baylor in a bowl.

[coach]

UCF is the largest school in Florida I believe.

Yea i think UCF has around 40k students if I am not mistaken.