It’s not the BCS and it’s not the Gator Bowl… but it’s also not the Meineke Car Care Bowl or the Music City Bowl.
It’s official, the Miami Hurricanes are headed to Orlando to take on the Wisconsin Badgers in this year’s Champ Sports Bowl. Both squads finished the season with matching 9-3 records.
The Canes were slated to trek to Jacksonville for the Gator Bowl, but were snubbed for the retiring Bobby Bowden. Gator Bowl officials used their pick to go the sentimental route, inviting 6-6 Florida State to take on West Virginia, in an effort to honor Bowden.
The almost-gone Noles coach will end his illustrious career after bowl season and ironically enough, coached the Mountaineers before the Noles, so it’s a good fit… besides the fact that FSU went .500 this year and absolutely doesn’t deserve a New Years Day bowl.
Back in 1999, a resurging Miami put together an 8-4 campaign and earned a Gator Bowl berth, upending Georgia Tech and finishing the season 9-4. Ten years later, it’s not enough. 10-2 would’ve had Miami in the BCS as an at-large, yet 9-3 gets snubbed for nostalgia-sake. No offense, but if Bowden is so classy, why not turn down the invite and agree to a lesser, deserving bowl?
Similar to the 2000 season where he lobbied for a slot in the title game, got worked by Oklahoma and afterwards admitted that Miami belonged. No offense, but the old man can’t leave soon enough.
Check back for some Champs Sports Bowl coverage as the month rolls on.