As of last night, most bowl projections were predicated on undefeated NIU beating 9-3 Bowling Green in the MAC championship.
Silly bowl projectors, how dare you think that you can predict the ways of the #MACtion?
MAC 2013 football championship highlights (via Paul Palian)
Many projections had NIU in a BCS game, while some had Baylor left out. An NIU loss should push Baylor into a BCS spot, assuming an Art Briles offense can best a Greg Robinson defense (insert your own jokes here).
With Baylor and Oklahoma State claiming BCS bids, only Texas, Oklahoma, Texas Tech, and Kansas State are left eligible to fill the Cotton, Alamo, Buffalo Wild Wings (this is a thing... grape job, America), Holiday, Texas, and Pinstripe Bowls. We already know Notre Dame is taking the Big 12 Pinstripe Bowl slot, but now the Texas bowl should open up.
I don't know that the Texas Bowl, which is held at Reliant Stadium in Houston (Big 12 v. Big 10), is a possible destination for Syracuse, but it should open up an extra slot for the group of 6-6 power five schools that we've heard so much about: Syracuse, Pitt, Oregon State, and Wazzu. With the loss, NIU drops into the MAC bowl affiliations, which knocks another MAC school, likely Ohio or Toledo, into the pool of extra at large schools. It is highly doubtful that any 6-6 or 7-5 MAC school will be picked over the four aforementioned power five conference schools.
Things are looking good for Syracuse, so thanks Bowling Green! And you too, NIU! High five!
So what does this mean for rooting interests this weekend? A.) Root against Rutgers, B.) Root against G-Rob. Difficult stuff, I know.