BY JOHN FAY
The Cincinnati Enquirer
If Miami University can beat Akron on Saturday, thus ending the regular season with a 10-1 record, the RedHawks would be primed for a bowl bid. But that might not be enough.
The bowl with an at-large bid most likely to pick Miami is the Music City Bowl, a new bowl in Nashville.
"They're on our list," said Executive Director Scott Ramsey, "and we appreciate their interest, but right now, we're focusing on two or three other scenarios."
Ramsey said the Music City Bowl is hoping to get:
- A Big East team, either West Virginia or Virginia Tech;
- Louisville from Conference USA;
- A fifth-place Atlantic Coast Conference team.
"There's two weeks to go," Ramsey said. "A lot of things could happen, but some things would have to fall in place for Miami."
Music City is aligned with the Southeastern Conference for its other spot. The bowl has the option to take the fifth team after the Bowl Championship Series selection.
The best possible scenario for Miami would be for Kentucky to go the Music City Bowl. That would eliminate Louisville because UK has already played the Cardinals. It also makes MU tickets sales irrelevant, since UK itself could sell out the game, which will be played in 40,000-seat Vanderbilt Stadium.
"If you can work that out, we'd love to have (UK)," Ramsey said. "We're looking for the best matchup that would sell the most tickets, please the sponsors and draw the best TV ratings."
But UK, with Heisman-candidate Tim Couch, is more likely to go to the Peach or Outback bowls.
Miami is also making a pitch for the Independence, Aloha and Sunshine (if the Big Ten doesn't qualify six teams), but the Music City Bowl, because of its location and the fact that it has the minimum payout of $750,000, is probably MU's best bet.
