Big East bowl lineup includes UC-Florida

On Monday October 20th I posted that there was a pipe dream shot that the University of Cincinnati Bearcats would end up in New Orleans, Louisiana playing former Bearcat Urban Meyer’s Florida Gators. (http://adamniemeyer.blogspot.com/2008/10/could-this-happen.html)

Fourteen months later, I have a dream come true.

I have so many reasons why this game will be so darn exciting, the least of which is the video tape I have of Meyer proclaiming that UC was a “bull**** program” when he played there. I’m sure Kelly and his staff will use these sound bites as inspiration for a team that is headed to its second straight BCS bowl game.

UC is 0-1 against the Gators all time, losing 48-17 on October 20th, 1984. Yes, that was 24 years before I posted that I’d love to see the matchup. Sometimes even weird things come true. More on this bowl game throughout the month of December.

Other Big East teams going bowling this season include:
-Konica Minolta Gator Bowl: West Virginia (9-3) vs. Florida State (6-6)
I’m thinking West Virginia will be a little bit too much for Florida State, but FSU will be playing in their last game with legendary Bobby Bowden as Head Coach. By the way, for what it is worth, South Florida defeated FSU and West Virginia this season. So in the common opponent theory doesn’t make much of a difference here.

-Meineke Car Care Bowl: Pittsburgh (9-3) vs. North Carolina (8-4)
Pittsburgh—as you may know—was very close to being in the Sugar Bowl yesterday. Unfortunately they’ve fallen to the Meineke Car Care Bowl. This matchup should be an interesting battle between two former pro coaches, and two similar pro offenses.

-Papajohns.com Bowl: Connecticut (7-5) vs. South Carolina (7-5)
UConn might be the story of the year this season and they’ve rallied behind each other since losing corner Jasper Howard midway through the season. They’ll get to play the Gamecocks of the SEC in Birmingham. Everyone who isn’t wearing maroon and white will be pulling for the Huskies in this one, myself included.

-St. Petersburg Bowl: Rutgers (8-4) vs. Central Florida (8-4)
Rutgers got blown out by Cincinnati to start the season and made their way up the ladder from there. Central Florida played Texas, and that’s about all I can tell you about them. This game is early on in the bowl season and Rutgers will look to freshman sensation quarterback Tom Savage to lead them to another bowl victory.

-International Bowl: South Florida (7-5) vs. Northern Illinois (7-5)
USF was looking at a possible BCS berth in early October, as they sat at 5-0 on October 3rd. Then they lost to Cincinnati, Pittsburgh, Rutgers, Miami (FL) and UConn. Even though they beat West Virginia and a lowly Louisville team, it wasn’t enough for USF to get a good bowl. Instead the kids from Tampa get a road trip to lovely…Toronto? What should be an easy win could be a tough game for the Bulls who may be less than inspired to be in Toronto.