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News

UH football awaits bowl decision

Six Conference USA teams vying for spots in five bowls with C-USA openings; notice to come Sunday

By Julie Afonso
The Daily Cougar

The UH football team is in the running for a possible spot in two bowl games, and the Athletics Department will find out Sunday if they've made the cut.

"We still have an opportunity. A number of things will have to happen, and right now, what I've indicated is that we are not at the top of the list of the two bowls that have us on the list," Athletics Director Dave Maggard said. "That could change depending on a number of games that are happening this weekend." 

The Cougars' chances depend on a number of things, including conference rankings, which won't be determined until after several championship games this weekend.

UH is competing with Texas-El Paso and Tulsa to go to the Fort Worth Bowl and is up against Southern Miss and Memphis for a spot in the New Orleans Bowl.

"I've indicated that we will go to whatever bowl selects us," Maggard said.

There will be 28 bowl games in all, five of which have spots for Conference USA teams. Six C-USA teams are eligible for one of the five bowl berths, meaning they finished the regular season with winning records. 

If one of the other C-USA teams are invited to another bowl game outside of those five, the Cougars' chances will increase.

"There is a willingness for one of our teams to go to a bowl outside of the conference. We have an opportunity then," Maggard said.

The Cougars gained exposure when they played in the Hawaii Bowl on Christmas in 2003, and being selected for another bowl game would bring more of the same, Maggard said.

"They're all television games, so it's additional exposure not only for the football team, but for the University. It really helps in terms of recruiting and just the momentum going into the next year," he said.

If the team is picked for the Fort Worth Bowl, it will play at 8 p.m. on Dec. 23 against a Big 12 team. The time and date for the New Orleans Bowl have not been determined, but it will be played in Lafayette, La., instead of New Orleans. Both games will be broadcast on ESPN.

The Athletics Department will find out in a conference call mid-day Sunday which bowl game, if any the Cougars will play in, as well as their opponent.

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