Ay-Ziggy-Zoomba.com

SAN JOSE, Calif. - (KRT) - Just as one-half the picture for this year's Silicon Valley Football Classic came into focus Tuesday, the other half grew a little fuzzy.

Bowl officials announced an agreement with the Mid-American Conference that is expected to bring Bowling Green, Miami (Ohio), Northern Illinois or Toledo as a replacement for a team from the Pacific-10 Conference.

But Western Athletic Conference Commissioner Karl Benson acknowledged he can't guarantee his league will provide the opposition in the Dec. 30 game at Spartan Stadium.

The WAC is supposed to send a team to San Jose. But like the Pac-10, it might not have enough bowl-eligible teams to do that. The situation is complicated by the fact that fewer Division I teams than normal are bowl-eligible, making WAC teams Boise State, Fresno State and Texas-El Paso attractive to more prestigious games.

"Is there a possibility that the WAC would vacate Silicon Valley?" Benson said. "That's under consideration. No decision has been made."

Chris Hutchins, the SVFC's executive director, was in Ohio meeting with athletic directors from the four schools she identified as bowl candidates among the six eligible MAC teams. Hutchins said she would contact Benson Wednesday to discuss the WAC situation.

"Obviously it would be a concern if the WAC were not able to provide a bowl-eligible team for us," she said.

The MAC doesn't have the name value of the Pac-10, but Hutchins said the league's top teams have nationally ranked offenses and "great fan bases that are very hungry and excited" at the prospect of a California bowl game.

A fan base that follows its team is particularly important to the Silicon Valley Classic, which has struggled financially. Hutchins said the MAC agreed that its representative will purchase approximately 7,000 tickets.

The fact that MAC teams have limited bowl experience works to the San Jose bowl's advantage, league commissioner Rick Chryst said.

"Our folks are not bowl-spoiled," he said.

The MAC, a mid-major with nine of its 14 universities in Ohio and Michigan, already has tie-ins with the Motor City Bowl in Detroit and the GMAC Bowl in Mobile, Ala. It will have a third team in post-season play for the first time in its 58-year history.

The MAC bowl picture isn't likely to sort itself out until after the conference's Dec. 2 championship game, but Chryst said he wasn't concerned who the MAC team might face if the WAC is unable to send a representative.

The WAC has what Benson termed "handshake agreements" with the Hawaii Bowl in Honolulu and the MPC Computers Bowl in Boise, Idaho, in addition to the Silicon Valley Classic. The WAC currently only has three bowl-eligible teams; Hawaii would join the list if it wins its remaining two games.

But Boise State is expected to play in the Liberty Bowl - and still has an outside chance of even reaching one of the Bowl Championship Series games. If Hawaii doesn't win out and earn a spot in the Honolulu bowl game, only two WAC teams - Fresno State and UTEP - would be eligible for three games.

Should that occur, Benson doesn't know which bowl comes up empty-handed.

"None of that has been resolved yet," he said. "We're analyzing and discussing as we try to figure out what's in the best interests of the WAC and what's in the best interests of our bowl partners."

Fresno State has played in all four previous Silicon Valley Bowl games. But the Bulldogs have indicated that they would like to go elsewhere this year.

"If the WAC had to vacate Silicon, there are going to be other teams available," Benson said. "This would all be done in cooperation with the bowl. The WAC has strong reasons for wanting the bowl to be successful. We'll need them in the future."

Wasn't Benson MAC Commish at one time

If no eligible teams could always have a BG - UT rematch, or a BG - NIU rematch

It's just the fog out here!

I done cried last night as the game ended.....

Didn't know I was soooo attached to BGSU -- great to hear the bad though!

What did that post from GAY have anything to do with the SVC????

why that would be the fog of the Bay Area determining the Falcons future

I think the fog and the bay did something to your mindset dude

bgsufan1972 wrote:I think the fog and the bay did something to your mindset dude

I think she posted in the wrong thread.

Interesting story '72. It seems we have a new wrinkle.

I don't see who else would possibly be available for the other end of the Silicon Valley Bowl except for Troy State.

Here is another wrinkle: If Northwestern doesn't beat Hawaii this weekend, the Motor City would have to turn to the Big East for a team. I'm not sure if the Big East will have a team available (perhaps someone could check). If so, we may be talking Connecticut.

We are seeing another side to this weird, weird bowl year that I hadn't really counted on. As we hope for openings, other leagues are looking at those openings too for chances to better themselves.

It's going to be a wild ride.

Actually I think Minnesota already locked up the MCB, but you are right, NW needs to beat Hawaii to become eligible.

bgsufan1972 wrote:Actually I think Minnesota already locked up the MCB, but you are right, NW needs to beat Hawaii to become eligible.

This isn't the case.

The Motor City gets seventh pick. The first five have picked. Minnesota is the only eligible team left at the moment, and the Music City has yet to pick.

It is widely believed -- apparent, even -- that the Music City would prefer to pick Northwestern. But the Wildcats need to get eligible by beating Hawaii.

I look for Fresno St. to still play in the SVC Bowl but look for a MAC school to replace a WAC team in the bowl in Boise.

doughash wrote:I look for Fresno St. to still play in the SVC Bowl but look for a MAC school to replace a WAC team in the bowl in Boise.

That makes sense.

I can't blame Fresno State for wanting to go to fly to a bowl game for once.

But Boise can't be that appealling. It doesn't appeal to me, that's for sure.

Schadenfreude: If we didn't have a game scheduled with Boise in the near future, it would be more appealing. I mean, I just love the idea of our team playing on blue turf.