D.C. mayor Adrian Fenty will be watching college football with more than passing interest. The success of the District’s EagleBank Bowl, Dec. 20 at RFK, will depend on the final standings.
The area’s first college bowl game was trumpeted Wednesday as a match-up between Navy and an Atlantic Coast Conference school. But that’s assuming Navy (1-1) and nine of the 12 teams in the ACC win six games. It’s a big assumption.
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In order to qualify for the postseason, teams in the NCAA must finish .500 or better. Navy’s loss Friday to Ball State was a blow to the Midshipmen’s postseason hopes. Among the teams left on the schedule are No. 20 Wake Forest, Rutgers, Notre Dame, Pittsburgh and Air Force. The Middies play at Duke (1-1) Saturday.
“Every year is the same deal, nothing’s new,” said Navy athletic director Chet Gladchuk. “The last five years, even though we’ve administratively orchestrated a deal, the team has had to go out and earn it.”
In the ACC, several teams are off to disappointing starts. How likely is it that nine will win six games? Not very. Last year eight ACC teams qualified for bowl games, including Maryland and Georgia Tech with the minimum six wins.
Where the EagleBank Bowl is concerned, Navy-Maryland (1-1) would be the ideal scenario. Navy-Georgia Tech (2-0) would be enticing as well. The Ramblin’ Wreck are coached by Paul Johnson, who took Navy to five straight bowl games before departing last December.
But with 68 teams required for the NCAA’s 34 bowl games, the EagleBank might have to settle for less — much less.
Middle Tennessee and Ball State perhaps?
