PonySoprano wrote:I understand why the Hawaii bowl officials would want June and SMU, especially since Hawaii is not going to be bowl eligible this year, but if (and this is a HUGE if) we get an opportunity to play in the Liberty Bowl, I don't see how we could turn that down to play an SEC team and a $1.7M payout versus playing a WAC team and a $400k payout.
If everything falls our way and we have the opportunity to play in the Liberty Bowl, I would hope that Orsini would be doing everything he could to get us in that game because it would be best for the program in terms of dollars and exposure.
From what I understand from the Hawaii media and from talking with people very close to the program (like having dinner with the AD and his wife before the season and meeting with the head of the booster club 2 weeks ago), SMU will go to the Liberty Bowl if it has a chance. However, the Hawaii Bowl is supposed to have priority for the other C-USA tie-in bowls.
Frankly, when the Hawaii Bowl deal with C-USA was announced before the season I do not think that anyone thought that SMU could actually have a chance to win the conference. Most people in Hawaii and I'm guessing most SMU fans didn't think that SMU could make a bowl this season (though next season was likely)...and I doubt that anyone thought that the Liberty Bowl was possible.