The MAC and Sun Belt conferences look to settle the score once and for all in New Orleans on Dec. 18. In the first day of bowls, the Troy Trojans and Ohio Bobcats will square-off in the New Orleans Bowl at the Superdome. The Trojans finished tied with FIU atop the Sun Belt standings while Ohio finished second in the MAC’s Eastern division.
Inconsistent may be the best world to describe Troy. The Trojans hung with Oklahoma State early in the season, falling to the Cowboys, 41-38. Against another top-flight opponent, Troy went down without a fight, dropping a game against South Carolina, 69-24. Due to some fancy Sun Belt tie-breakers that don’t actually exist, Troy shared the title with FIU despite being blown out by the Golden Panthers, 52-35.
On the other side of the field, Ohio brings an 8-4 record to the table, including a 6-2 mark in the MAC. The Bobcats opened the season with a win over the fighting Wofford Terriers before dropping the next three, including a 42-7 loss to Ohio State. The ship was righted and wins came rolling in as the Bobcats rolled through the MAC. It wasn’t until the final game of the regular season that Ohio lost again, stumbling on the road against Kent State.
Mid-major football at its finest in New Orleans on the first day of bowl season? Count me in.
Browse our complete college football 2010 postseason schedule, and connect with Ohio, and MAC, fans at SB Nation’s Hustle Belt.