The University of Cincinnati football team is headed to its first bowl game since the 1950 season - or so the Bearcats were led to believe Tuesday night.
UC will be granted the at-large bid to the inaugural Sports Humanitarian Bowl in Boise, Idaho, according to several sources. The Idaho Statesman newspaper is reporting today that UC will ''likely'' be extended an invitation to the bowl, where it would face Big West champion Utah State on Dec. 29.
An official announcement is not expected until Thursday, because some Boise bowl committee members are out of town.
For UC, the final obstacle apparently was hurdled Tuesday when Oregon was selected to play in the Las Vegas Bowl.
''We had been told all along that should Oregon go elsewhere, we're next in line for Boise,'' UC coach Rick Minter said. ''However, I will not believe that until I hear it.''
Steve Schmader, Sports Humanitarian Bowl president, would not confirm that UC has been selected.
''I don't think I can comment, in all fairness to the other teams on our plate,'' he said.
The Bearcats may not be completely out of the woods. The Humanitarian Bowl has been approached in recent days by North Carolina State, Mississippi, Utah, and Mississippi State about the at-large bid. UC has a relatively small fan base (20,135 per home game this year), but Schmader said he has been impressed with the Bearcats' intense lobbying.
UC Athletic Director Bob Goin said the school is willing to commit to buying 15,000 bowl tickets, at $30 per ticket. That would cost UC $450,000, with the bowl payout $750,000.
Goin saying he is not looking to make money, but does want to cover expenses.
''We're looking for the exposure,'' Goin said. ''This would be a great way to get us over the hump.''
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