BSU's bowl options seem down to two sexy matchups

Boise State's bowl options appeared to narrow to two Monday, both of them tantalizing:

Stay home and play No. 12 Ball State in the Roady's Humanitarian Bowl on Dec. 30 at Bronco Stadium.

Or, for many of the players, go home and play No. 11 TCU in the Poinsettia Bowl on Dec. 23 in San Diego.

The WAC athletic directors are scheduled to meet Tuesday to discuss bowl options, but Boise State's fate likely will hang in the air until Ball State decides whether it's willing to play the Broncos on the blue. The Cardinals (12-0) also must beat Buffalo on Friday in the Mid-American Conference championship game to preserve the "Battle of Unbeatens" concept.

The Humanitarian Bowl board of directors met Monday. Instead of telling the WAC it wanted Boise State regardless of opponent, which might have led the league to force the Broncos to play in Boise, the board indicated it would spend the week trying to lure Ball State here.

Humanitarian Bowl executive director Kevin McDonald did not return phone calls from the Idaho Statesman on Monday, but he did appear on Idaho Sports Talk with Caves and Prater on KTIK.

"We came out of (our meeting) saying we'd like to pursue a Boise State-Ball State game," McDonald said. "That's our marching orders, to make that game happen."

Ball State and the MAC have expressed reservations about playing that game in Boise, where the Broncos are 64-2 in the past 10 seasons - including a nationally televised 61-10 beating of Fresno State on Friday. A neutral site, such as the MAC-affiliated Motor City Bowl in Detroit, isn't likely to work because it wouldn't be a better arrangement for the Broncos than the Poinsettia.

"If you ask any coach, he'd rather play at a neutral site," Ball State coach Brady Hoke told The Star Press of Muncie, Ind. "(Boise) has a great following, which they deserve, and they're a great, well-coached football team. It would be a big challenge for us anyway, without playing them on their home field. What they did (in beating Fresno State) shows the strength of their team. It would be fun to watch, and as a competitor you'd like to play that kind of team. But No. 1, we have to be loyal to the people who have been with the Mid-American Conference."

USA Today reported that the Humanitarian Bowl and Boise State might offer Ball State an increased payout, the right to wear dark jerseys as the designated home team and a future Boise State regular-season game at Ball State to sweeten the deal.

McDonald wouldn't get into specifics, but he said he has not been told no yet.

"It's a game that definitely has a chance of happening, but all it takes probably is somebody in the right position saying they're not interested in the game," McDonald said. "I think it can be pulled off. There are obstacles out there that could foul the whole thing up. At this point, with the people we've talked to, we haven't had anybody shoot the game down."

Ball State would replace the Humanitarian Bowl's eighth choice out of the Atlantic Coast Conference. That team would need to be placed elsewhere.

The most likely ACC teams to land in Boise are Maryland (7-5) and Wake Forest (7-5). McDonald also named Florida State (8-4) and Miami (7-5) as possibilities.

Nevada (7-5) likely would replace Boise State on the WAC side if the Broncos leave. Fresno State (New Mexico Bowl), Hawaii (Hawaii Bowl) and Louisiana Tech (likely Independence Bowl) have other suitors.

Meanwhile, Poinsettia Bowl executive director Bruce Binkowski is waiting on the sidelines with his fingers crossed. The Las Vegas Bowl chooses first from the Mountain West and is expected to take No. 18 BYU (10-2) but could take TCU (10-2); the WAC will decide whether to send Boise State or, likely, Nevada to San Diego.

Binkowski has given the WAC his choice - Boise State - and he expects TCU to fall to him.

"We think that could be one of the premier bowl matchups of the year," Binkowski said.

The Broncos still remain in the running for a Bowl Championship Series berth. Those invites come out Sunday, and No. 10 Ohio State is expected to get the 10th and final spot ahead of Boise State, TCU and Ball State.

Ohio State's larger fan base (104,976 fans per game to Boise State's 32,275) and better track record for drawing TV viewers are the difference-makers for the BCS games.

"It's pretty much the same as any other bowl - starting with the economic impact that it would have in your local setting and obviously the television audience, what type of interest there would be in the general public," Sugar Bowl CEO Paul Hoolahan said.

Chadd Cripe: 377-6398