Once again it is proven, the Indy Bowl is a Bowl you have to lose your way into. I have an extremely hard time feeling sorry for that bowl in s'port that doesn't have a sponser.
No Virginia for Independence Bowl
Shreveport game turns attention to Mid-American Conference teams.
December 1, 2004
By Scott Ferrell
sferrell@gannett.com
No, Virginia, there won't be a Shreveport Christmas for the Cavaliers.
The No. 18-ranked Virginia Cavaliers accepted a bid on Tuesday to the MPC Computers Bowl in Boise, Idaho, just one day after it appeared the team was possibly headed to Shreveport.
The change came as a result of a hectic day on the bowl front. The MPC Computers Bowl, which has tie-ins to the Western Athletic Conference and the Atlantic Coast Conference, did not release Virginia (8-3) for selection by Shreveport's Independence Bowl.
"We had a board of directors meeting. Virginia was the best possible matchup for our bowl,'' MPC Computers Bowl Executive Director Gary Beck told the Idaho Statesman for today's editions. "At that point, we made the decision to invite Virginia and they accepted.''
Only a day earlier, Beck had told the Washington Post that his bowl was "trying to work with the ACC and get Virginia a little closer to home and get a higher payout for an 8-3 team.''
His bowl would have to get one of three Big East schools --Boston College, Connecticut or Syracuse -- in exchange.
However, things changed. The Big East sent none of the three to Boise.
Fresno State, the WAC team expected to play Virginia, also made rumblings about opting for the Silicon Valley Classic instead.
Fresno State coach Pat Hill told the Fresno (Calif.) Bee that he was going to Boise only to play Virginia. Otherwise, Hill was prepared to play in San Jose again.
The Boise bowl capitulated and now the I-Bowl is once again looking for a team to replace its Southeastern Conference tie-in for the Dec. 28 game at Independence Stadium.
"We're evaluating other options,'' I-Bowl Executive Director Glen Krupica said. "Basically, they're MAC (Mid-American Conference) schools.''
The most likely scenarios for the I-Bowl are these:
If the Big 12 has only one school playing in the Bowl Championship Series, it will likely be Oklahoma State playing Northern Illinois (8-3) in the I-Bowl.
If the Big 12 has two schools playing in the BCS, then it will likely be Iowa State playing the loser of the MAC Championship Game between Toledo (8-3) and Miami of Ohio (8-3).
"It was disappointing this morning (with Virginia going to Boise),'' Krupica said, "but all along I knew there was a decent chance that it might not happen ... I think we'll have somebody come to this game that will be absolutely thrilled with the opportunity.'