By Woodrow Carroll
Tucson, Ariz.
Maybe it’s Tucson, Ariz. premature to give the Mid-American Conference (MAC) a pat on the back for the way the Conference started this season’s bowl games.
Still, it was a nice surprise.
Two bowl games Friday kicked off the 2019-2020 run of 40 games for the FBS (Football Bowl Subdivision) schools. Just like that, two MAC members came away victorious.
At the Bahamas Bowl, Buffalo defeated North Carolina-Charlotte, 31-9. Not a shocking result because the Bulls were favored.
It was a most welcome result, nonetheless, because it was Buffalo’s first bowl victory after coming up short in three previous attempts.
Although not a stunner, Kent State’s 51-41 victory over Utah State in the Frisco Bowl was a mild surprise given that the Aggies from the Mountain West Conference were a touchdown favorite over their MAC opponent, Kent State. It was bowl victory No. 1 for the Golden Flashes football program.
Western Michigan lost, 24-16, to Wisconsin in the Cotton Bowl three seasons back. The Broncos’ loss to Wisconsin was a high-water mark for the MAC in what was head coach P.J. Fleck’s last game at Western Michigan before he moved to the University of Minnesota job.
Two years ago the MAC was 1-4 in bowl games with only Ohio a winner. Last season, the MAC was 1-5 in the postseason with Ohio again the lone victor.
MAC euphoria couldn’t last and didn’t! Saturday, Central Michigan from the MAC was handed a 48-11 thumping by San Diego State in the New Mexico Bowl to bring a touch of reality into the picture.
The big guys mostly get to sit back and enjoy the action in the early round of bowl games. Friday and Saturday games involved eight bowl games. Fifteen of the teams in those games were from what are called Big Five major conferences. The lone representative from the big guys was the Pac-12’s Washington. Washington upheld Power Five pride with a 38-7 conquest of Boise State in the Las Vegas Bowl.
Games involving LSU, Ohio State, and Clemson take care of themselves with ticket sales. Spending Winter in Tucson, Ariz. gives one a different perception on one of the lesser-known bowl games.
Tucson will be host to the fifth annual Arizona Bowl. Correctly entitled the NOVA Home Loans Arizona Bowl, the game will be played at 3:30 p.m. December 31 at Arizona Stadium. The participants will be Wyoming, 7-5, of the Mountain West Conference, against Georgia State, 7-5, from the Sun Belt Conference.
The Arizona Bowl has seen Illinois high school products shine!
In the first Arizona Bowl in 2015, Nevada edged Colorado State, 28-23. Offensive Player of the Game was Nevada’s James Butler, a St. Francis product in Wheaton.
Three years ago, Air Force stormed back from a 21-3 deficit to beat South Alabama, 45-21. The Air Force comeback was keyed by quarterback Arion Worthman who played at Normal West High School. Worthman won the Offensive MVP Award.
The past two Arizona Bowls both were overtimes. New Mexico State beat Utah State, 26-20, in 2017 and last season Nevada nudged Arkansas State, 16-13.
The Wyoming Cowboys are the slight favorite to beat the Georgia State Panthers, this season. One reason for picking the Cowboys might be Wyoming running back Xazavian Valladay, a sophomore from Chicago’s Brother Rice High School, who rushed for 1,061 yards this season.