SI calling it: NIU is #15 in BCS

[colleyvillesooner]

Made it comfortably according to source with direct knowledge of the selection.

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2012/writers/pete_thamel/12/02/orange-bowl-northern-illinois/index.html

[SoonerStormchaser]

****ers...I hope the DIE in their bowl game!

[colleyvillesooner]

Their school will when they lose a TON of money for making this bowl game. Enjoy that invoice on tickets, Huskies.

[kevpks]

I hope FSU drills them by 40 points.

[SoonerStormchaser]

Outside the MNC game and the Fiesta Bowl, this might be the worst slate of BCS bowl games EVER!!!

Congrats BCS...enjoy eating your **** sandwich!

[jk the sooner fan]

this is going to be laughable - the project ratings for the Orange and Sugar bowls now will be in the toilet - nobody wants to watch FSU v. NIU - this will be a colossal monetary blow to the BCS

so stupid

[EatLeadCommie]

Funny thing is they may be able to beat FSU

[JLEW1818]

@ESPNStatsInfo: Sources report that Northern Illinois will play in Orange Bowl, be 1st Mid-American Conference team ever to play in a BCS bowl.

[SoonerCLF]

Yup, looks pretty solid. BCS bowls already reaching out and locking in their teams. Projections now that OU likely playing LSU in the Cotton Bowl. Georgia going to capital one bowl.

[JLEW1818]

We beat LSU.
We lose to aggie.

Pretty simple

[rdusooner]

Outside the MNC game and the Fiesta Bowl, this might be the worst slate of BCS bowl games EVER!!!

Congrats BCS...enjoy eating your **** sandwich!

This

[BillyBall]

We lose LSU
We lose to Georgia.
We lose to aggie.

Pretty simple

Yep.

[8timechamps]

Yep.

You must have seen a different LSU than I have.

[SoonerCLF]

Orange Bowl with the last pick got the fat ugly one.

From this (http://espn.go.com/college-football/story/_/id/8702724/northern-illinois-wildcats-earn-bcs-bowl-bid) ESPN article:


Because NIU ranked in the top 16 and ahead of at least one conference champion from an automatic qualifying conference (NIU ranked above both Louisville and Wisconsin), the Huskies earned an automatic berth.

The Sugar Bowl had the first pick to replace SEC champion Alabama and picked Florida. The Gators were guaranteed a BCS berth by finishing in the top four.

The Fiesta Bowl had the next at-large selection of eligible teams and chose Oregon to face Big 12 champion Kansas State. The Sugar Bowl was next and had two options: Louisville or Northern Illinois. The Sugar chose Louisville, leaving NIU for the Orange Bowl against ACC champion Florida State (11-2).

With Northern Illinois, Louisville and Wisconsin all earning BCS bowls, it marks the first time in the BCS era (since 1999) that three teams ranked lower than No. 15 earned a BCS bowl berth.

[kevpks]

Worst Rose Bowl ever. Worst Sugar Bowl ever (at least Hawaii was undefeated). Worst Orange Bowl ever. Good job BCS. Great system.

[Widescreen]

Orange Bowl with the last pick got the fat ugly one.

The Sugar Bowl had the first pick to replace SEC champion Alabama and picked Florida. The Gators were guaranteed a BCS berth by finishing in the top four.

The Fiesta Bowl had the next at-large selection of eligible teams and chose Oregon to face Big 12 champion Kansas State. The Sugar Bowl was next and had two options: Louisville or Northern Illinois. The Sugar chose Louisville, leaving NIU for the Orange Bowl against ACC champion Florida State (11-2).

When I was reading that I was envisioning a schoolyard player selection where it would be embarrassing to be picked last. That's NIU. I doubt they care though.

[spatton713]

http://espn.go.com/college-football/story/_/id/8702724/bcs-bowl-schedule-northern-illinois-huskies-earn-orange-bowl-bid

[picasso]

We beat LSU.
We lose to aggie.

Pretty simple
Why is that?

[bluedogok]

This was the BCS carrot that was thrown out there to to placate the lower level conferences. They probably never thought any one outside of a Boise like team would make it.

[Seamus]

We beat LSU.
We lose to aggie.

Pretty simple

I'd say you are a regular ray of sunshine, but "sunshine" would be overselling it.

Dickglow, maybe?

[soonerlaw]

"With Northern Illinois, Louisville and Wisconsin all earning BCS bowls, it marks the first time in the BCS era (since 1999) that three teams ranked lower than No. 15 earned a BCS bowl berth."

Is this what the BCS was created for? Glad it is being changed.

[stoopified]

How does a team jump from #21 to #15 by beating the #17 ranked team by 7 points in OT?

[EatLeadCommie]

Blame the Big Least for this mess. If their conference didn't suck so bad, this mess wouldn't be happening. There are plenty of deserving teams for the BCS slot, us among them. NIU is not one of them.

[boomersooner28]

How does a team jump from #21 to #15 by beating the #17 ranked team by 7 points in OT?

THIS is a great question. I can't get over their schedule. Their fricking schedule. How do they even have a computer ranking? This is all so dumb. Just dumb. I am over it though. : )

[boomersooner28]

As we sit here complaining though....the BCS Bowls (Orange, Sugar, and Rose, anyway) have to be PIZZED.

LOLOLOLOLOLOL

[Widescreen]

As we sit here complaining though....the BCS Bowls (Orange, Sugar, and Rose, anyway) have to be PIZZED.

LOLOLOLOLOLOL
Yep. Congrats, BCS. You have the worst collection of matchups in the BCS era. Enjoy!

[Salt City Sooner]

Blame the Big Least for this mess. If their conference didn't suck so bad, this mess wouldn't be happening. There are plenty of deserving teams for the BCS slot, us among them. NIU is not one of them.

Can't blame the Big East solely; Wisconsin is un-ranked too.

[kevpks]

I'm not by a TV. Is ESPN bashing NIU or have they re-edited NIU into all of their tired Cinderella team footage?

[SoonerMom2]

I'm not by a TV. Is ESPN bashing NIU or have they re-edited NIU into all of their tired Cinderella team footage? ESPN started pushing NIU right after the beat Kent State for a BCS berth. Fox Sports is televising the Cotton Bowl not ESPN so one of the better matchups is not even on ESPN.

[flysooner9]

Kirk just tore NIU and the Bcs apart. Was really funny.

[TitoMorelli]

I'm not by a TV. Is ESPN bashing NIU or have they re-edited NIU into all of their tired Cinderella team footage?

Believe it or not, Herbstreit pitched a fit over the NIU selection over the Sooners. Where the f___ was he last week?

[LRoss]

Kirk just tore NIU and the Bcs apart. Was really funny.

Is he really as upset as he made himself appear? I don't see how it means so much to him, does he have to call the OB or something?

Also, 16 year-old looking dude not making himself sound credible by knocking Northern "ill-in-noise."

[SoonerCLF]

Believe it or not, Herbstreit pitched a fit over the NIU selection over the Sooners. Where the f___ was he last week?

Not only about the Sooners, Herbie was complaining just as much about the logjam of SEC teams at 6 through 10 being left out due to the 2 BCS teams per conference cap.