Realigning the Conferences and MAC Bowl Relationships

The Blade has some comments today from AD Greg Christopher, who weighs in on one impact on the MAC from the conference realignment, and that impacts bowl arrangements.

There really are two:

First, the Humanitarian Bowl is current a WAC-MAC tie-in.  That made sense when Boise--the bowl host--was in the WAC, so the article says that logic dictates a new partner for the Humanitarian Bowl.  I don't really see why.  Or, more accurately, I don't see a MORE logical partner, other than the Mountain West, which would only be better for the MAC.  The WAC is severely impacted by the loss of Boise, and becomes a much weaker conference.  However, even if you stay with the WAC, they have plenty of teams in close enough proximity to Boise to make it work, and certainly closer proximity than any other conference.  And if you are only jiggering the conferences because Boise might actually play in the Humanitarian Bowl, I think you have to concede that is unlikely.

Second, the article presents the chance that the MAC could face Nebraska at some time.  Even more likely, however, is that a 12-team Big 10 is more likely to be able to produce a bowl-eligible team for the Motor City Bowl, which they have done only twice, and that Bowl game can become more of what is was supposed to be all along.