[Bamabeachlivin]

Just when you think you've figured out the game, somebody goes and changes the rules.
That's a little of the feeling on West End Avenue, where the 5-3 Vanderbilt Commodores might not be as close to ending their 25-year bowl drought as originally thought.
Although the basic premise is that six wins ensures bowl eligibility, that figure has long been based on an 11-game schedule, with six being the minimum for a winning record.
NCAA rules state that only "deserving winning teams" shall participate in bowl games, though there are also provisions in place for teams that are 6-6.
Under those provisions, a .500 team can be placed in a bowl only if all other conference teams with winning records — 7-5 or better — are placed first.
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