# College Football Bowl Season, Bowl Pool? **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [December 10, 2009, 3:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/college-football-bowl-season-bowl-pool/520733 "2009-12-10T15:52:45Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![Fear\_the\_Turtle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_the_turtle/32/2926_2.png) [@Fear\_the\_Turtle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_the_Turtle)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2009, 10:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/college-football-bowl-season-bowl-pool/520733/81 "2009-12-23T22:15:19Z")
I gotta stop listening to “experts”. I got off MTSU and lowered my confidence for the BYU game. I’d have about 20 pts more if I had just stayed with my gut. ---
**Author:** ![Omniscient](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omniscient/32/3290_2.png) [@Omniscient](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omniscient)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2009, 10:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/college-football-bowl-season-bowl-pool/520733/82 "2009-12-23T22:21:12Z")
Well, looks like a full half of the players have already screwed up the confidence rules. ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_the\_Turtle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_the_turtle/32/2926_2.png) [@Fear\_the\_Turtle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_the_Turtle)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2009, 11:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/college-football-bowl-season-bowl-pool/520733/83 "2009-12-23T23:32:26Z")
Guilty. When I bumped down the BYU game I forgot to check that it was one of the chosen games. But in my defense - I screwed myself! Any way to rectify? Can I slide my least confident game into the 22 slot? 😃 This is really embarrassing since I’m the one who suggested it ☹ ---
**Author:** ![Omniscient](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omniscient/32/3290_2.png) [@Omniscient](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omniscient)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2009, 12:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/college-football-bowl-season-bowl-pool/520733/84 "2009-12-24T00:55:07Z")
The only fair way to rectify the situation is to sacrifice your highest confidence total in a given bracket. Basically you’d have to not pick a game for your 29 point game to offset any potential gains by not picking the closely matched Vegas Bowl. ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_the\_Turtle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_the_turtle/32/2926_2.png) [@Fear\_the\_Turtle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_the_Turtle)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2009, 1:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/college-football-bowl-season-bowl-pool/520733/85 "2009-12-24T01:31:23Z")
> [@Omniscient](#): > > The only fair way to rectify the situation is to sacrifice your highest confidence total in a given bracket. Basically you’d have to not pick a game for your 29 point game to offset any potential gains by not picking the closely matched Vegas Bowl. ? But I did pick the Vegas Bowl (correctly even), I just forgot it was a chosen bowl and accidentally lowered the confidence (screwing myself out of 14 pts (lowering it from 22 to 8)). Now you can make the argument that by lowering it I bumped up the confidence of games ranked 21 through 8 by one each, but I’d have to get them all correct to get my 14 pts back. Had I gotten it wrong, you could say I “owed” 14 points by only missing out on 8 instead of missing out on 22. ---
**Author:** ![notfrommensa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/f14d63/32.png) [@notfrommensa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/notfrommensa)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2009, 2:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/college-football-bowl-season-bowl-pool/520733/86 "2009-12-24T02:53:32Z")
Looks like I am on my way to going 0 for 5. I got Cal. Wonder if its possible to have this game pitch a shutout. ---
**Author:** ![Rucksinator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/898d66/32.png) [@Rucksinator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rucksinator)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2009, 3:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/college-football-bowl-season-bowl-pool/520733/87 "2009-12-24T03:20:34Z")
> [@Omniscient](#): > > The only fair way to rectify the situation is to sacrifice your highest confidence total in a given bracket. Basically you’d have to not pick a game for your 29 point game to offset any potential gains by not picking the closely matched Vegas Bowl. If there were an actual prize, then we could debate how to handle this. But I think it’s a waste of effort. Since we’re only playing for pride, I say that we put the “violaters” into an \*asterisk group, and if it ends up mattering, (if the winner is \*), then they will be the “\*winner”, and the person not in violation with the most points will be “The Winner”. \*in violation of the Confidence Rules ---
**Author:** ![Rucksinator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/898d66/32.png) [@Rucksinator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rucksinator)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2009, 3:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/college-football-bowl-season-bowl-pool/520733/88 "2009-12-24T03:23:40Z")
> [@notfrommensa](#): > > Looks like I am on my way to going 0 for 5. I got Cal. Wonder if its possible to have this game pitch a shutout. I’ve got Cal, too. And **wolfman** /Matt Millen’s legacy picked Utah. Sigh… Are you in any money pools, **wolfman**? ---
**Author:** ![gonzomax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e8c25b/32.png) [@gonzomax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gonzomax)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2009, 3:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/college-football-bowl-season-bowl-pool/520733/89 "2009-12-24T03:47:54Z")
I am listed as Smedley. I missed the first game but have the next 3. ,but low points in all of them ---
**Author:** ![notfrommensa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/f14d63/32.png) [@notfrommensa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/notfrommensa)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2009, 3:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/college-football-bowl-season-bowl-pool/520733/90 "2009-12-24T03:58:21Z")
> [@gonzomax](#): > > I am listed as Smedley. I missed the first game but have the next 3. ,but low points in all of them I see no **Smedley** on our list. One of my old college buddies was nicknamed “Schmedley.” ---
**Author:** ![Ogre](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/ecb155/32.png) [@Ogre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ogre)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2009, 4:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/college-football-bowl-season-bowl-pool/520733/91 "2009-12-24T04:10:41Z")
Good lord. I hope the SEC doesn’t lay as big an egg as the PAC-10 is laying. ---
**Author:** ![wolfman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/a8b319/32.png) [@wolfman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfman)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2009, 4:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/college-football-bowl-season-bowl-pool/520733/92 "2009-12-24T04:14:59Z")
> [@Rucksinator](#): > > I’ve got Cal, too. And **wolfman** /Matt Millen’s legacy picked Utah. Sigh… > Are you in any money pools, **wolfman**? No, first year ever I’m not in a money pool. ☹ I thought the MWC was vastly underrated and the pac-10 was vastly overrated. I do think the MWC is a better conference this year. I also think the SEC is overrated, so we’ll see about that later. But all in all the points so far are still only slightly more than one of the big games. ---
**Author:** ![notfrommensa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/f14d63/32.png) [@notfrommensa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/notfrommensa)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2009, 5:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/college-football-bowl-season-bowl-pool/520733/93 "2009-12-24T05:06:47Z")
Zero wins thus far!! FTR, I have picked Nevada tomorrow. If anyone wants to change their pick and go against me. Nevada is a big favorite, for whatever that is worth. ---
**Author:** ![Cyberhwk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/7993a0/32.png) [@Cyberhwk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cyberhwk)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2009, 6:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/college-football-bowl-season-bowl-pool/520733/94 "2009-12-24T06:30:53Z")
> [@notfrommensa](#): > > What if there are three non-BCS conferences with undefeated teams? Then the top two as ranked by the BCS get in. Note, though that if there is a “quality win” requirement, I doubt we’d ever see it. ---
**Author:** ![Omniscient](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omniscient/32/3290_2.png) [@Omniscient](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omniscient)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2009, 9:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/college-football-bowl-season-bowl-pool/520733/95 "2009-12-24T09:30:15Z")
> [@Fear\_the\_Turtle](#): > > ? > But I did pick the Vegas Bowl (correctly even), I just forgot it was a chosen bowl and accidentally lowered the confidence (screwing myself out of 14 pts (lowering it from 22 to 8)). Now you can make the argument that by lowering it I bumped up the confidence of games ranked 21 through 8 by one each, but I’d have to get them all correct to get my 14 pts back. > > Had I gotten it wrong, you could say I “owed” 14 points by only missing out on 8 instead of missing out on 22. I’m thinking about it in a vacuum. I don’t care what score you got, essentially any game picked outside of the rules becomes null and void. Since you’ll now have to replace a Omni game with a regular, potentially lopsided game and could rank it as high as 29 that what you’d have to sacrifice. Essentially the most points the Vegas bowl could have gotten you is 29 and therefore thats what you need to surrender. But, I agree with **Rucksinator** in that it’s much ado about nothing. I don’t care enough and not enough people signed up to break a sweat over it. ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2009, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/college-football-bowl-season-bowl-pool/520733/96 "2009-12-24T18:34:36Z")
That wasn’t wind. That was Oregon State _sucking_. ---
**Author:** ![gonzomax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e8c25b/32.png) [@gonzomax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gonzomax)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2009, 9:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/college-football-bowl-season-bowl-pool/520733/97 "2009-12-24T21:53:08Z")
> [@notfrommensa](#): > > I see no **Smedley** on our list. One of my old college buddies was nicknamed “Schmedley.” After Smedley Butler who told it like it was. ---
**Author:** ![notfrommensa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/f14d63/32.png) [@notfrommensa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/notfrommensa)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2009, 2:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/college-football-bowl-season-bowl-pool/520733/98 "2009-12-25T02:23:59Z")
> [@notfrommensa](#): > > Zero wins thus far!! FTR, I have picked Nevada tomorrow. If anyone wants to change their pick and go against me. Nevada is a big favorite, for whatever that is worth. Don’t say that I didn’t warn you. SMU up 24-0 and driving late in the 2nd qtr. I’ll post my picks for Saturday’s game, but until Saturday. Merry Christmas. ---
**Author:** ![Rucksinator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/898d66/32.png) [@Rucksinator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rucksinator)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2009, 2:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/college-football-bowl-season-bowl-pool/520733/99 "2009-12-25T02:49:28Z")
I can’t believe this shit. Of course I picked Nevada… I know nothing about either of these teams and Nevada was a 12 point favorite. And I see Smedley now… up at top with SMU picked. ---
**Author:** ![notfrommensa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/f14d63/32.png) [@notfrommensa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/notfrommensa)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2009, 4:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/college-football-bowl-season-bowl-pool/520733/100 "2009-12-25T04:18:10Z")
SMU’s QB was impressive in this game. Nice to SMU back in the bowl picture and coming back from the "Death Penalty. Maybe there is reincarnation? I remember the Pony Express back when I was back in college. Dickerson and James at Running Back and McIlhenny at QB. 0 for 6. FWIW, My Christmas gift to everyone, I got Ohio in the Lil Greasers Bowl. Make any necessary adjustments. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/college-football-bowl-season-bowl-pool/520733.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/college-football-bowl-season-bowl-pool/520733.md?page=6)