OCF is correct.  Talked to "administration sources" today, and they confirmed this as well.  It is possible that we win the MACC and still go Boise.

The Pizza is most definitely going to accept the 11-3 MAC winner over a 9-4 NIU or a 8-4 Toledo team that played in the game last year. Yes and Boise is more likely than Mobile since it wraps up early in the bowl season, pays the most cash to visiting teams and the Cats have not played there. I would not worry about being shut out of a Big Ten opponent in the Pizza Bowl. The situation would be different MAYBE if Ohio was looking at winning the MAC at 8-5 and Western or Central was sitting at 10 wins looking for a placement. That isn't the case at all for Ohio here.

OCF is correct, in '06 we knew we were going to the GMAC bowl before we ever set foot on the field in Detroit.  The MAC tie-in bowls get their pick of who they want, and first pick rotates on a yearly basis.

As far as this poll goes - beating a down and out OSU team would have as much impact as beating a down and out UNC team did for basketball back in '02.  Sure it'll be great, and sometime over a beer in Athens you might talk about 'where you were when,' but overall, it would have zero impact for Ohio on a national level.

This question is just  flawed at the outset. This isn't that boring association of football that convenes on sundays (and mondays), where sucking is a verified strategy. This is America's game, where you go out and try to win it EVERY week. Go for the win. Besides, there is no guarantee that by losing the game we'd be paired with tC^3 (the Columbus Cow College) for a bowl game.

I know. My point was two-fold. First, as fans, we should want to win every week! There should be no question of "Suck for Buck...eyes" (a la Suck for Luck) or rooting for a close but competitive loss on the basis of a potential bowl loss. Second, there is NO promise that the desired OHIO/OA&M matchup would occur should we lose the MACC

EDIT: I didn't mean for either of those posts to come off as hostile sounding (which reading them again, they do sort of sound). I assure you that that tone isn't there as I type. I'm going for a good-natured back-and-forth over beers tone, not one jerk shouting at someone in a parkinglot or message board.

According to ESPN (graphic on last night's UT-CMU game) and CBS, GD.com gets the first pick of MAC teams, followed by Pizza and Tater.  I think we'll get either GD or Tater, probably Tater.  UT brought a huge crowd to Pizza last time they were there (was it last year?) and I'm sure they'll want them back.  If that happens, we could wind up in Boise, even with a win over NIU in the MACC.  Chandler Harnish has gotten a lot of press and could be a draw (butts and ratings) in Mobile.  The likely opponent in Boise would be the loser of today's Nevada-LaTech game.  If UT wins the MAC West, tho, our chances of being in Mobile improve.

The Big Ten is on pace to have 10 bowl eligible teams. Northwestern became bowl eligible today. Purdue will need a win it its final game against Indiana so that is a probable. I'm going to go out on a limb and say that Penn State won't end up playing in a bowl due to controversy. Illinois is a real possible in Detroit ahead of Northwestern in the packing order. An Ohio-Illinois Pizza Bowl would be interesting with the tradition of the 2 schools and Ohio's all time record of 3-2 against the Illini. In the case Ohio loses the MAC Championship, NIU would head to Mobile while Toledo takes the Illinois matchup. Ohio at 9-4 would square off against 9-3 Nevada in the Spud. The Cats have never played in Boise and Northern Illinois has never played in Mobile so my gut instinct says we aren't heading back to Mobile at least this year.

I can't speak for the whole board, but I want Go Daddy.  I was there in 2007.  You have a great city that personifies Southern Hospitality.  The parade was a blast.  Dauphin Street is a southern version of OUr Court Street.  Loved the Oysters at Wintzell's.  Even with the outcome and rain game day, I had a great time and hope to return as MAC Champions and pick up OUr first bowl win ever in your fine city.