Welcome to this week's edition of the HuskieWire.com Q&A.
Every Thursday, I'll answer your NIU and MAC-related questions right here. Do you have a question about NIU or the MAC? E-mail your questions to me at jsahly@daily-chronicle.com and I'll answer them next Thursday.
Here are this week's questions and answers:
Mike asked: My first question pertains to bowl scheduling. This year the NCAA scheduled 5 bowls on Jan. 2 because it fell on a Saturday. Next year, New Year's falls on a Saturday meaning Jan. 2 would be an NFL day. With 36 bowls how will the NCAA fit them all in unless they start earlier, do more overlapping, put a few on Christmas (which has sadly become an NBA day) or, gasp, go up against the NFL?
My second question: I think NIU, like in 2006, drew the hardest team any MAC school played in bowl season. Which MAC school do you think had the toughest bowl opponent this year?
John Sahly: Your first question is an excellent question, Mike. I don't have any concrete answers for you, but my guess is you'll see more of a traditional route with more New Year's Day bowl games. The NCAA doesn't want to go up against the NFL and New Year's Day works pretty perfectly for bowl games. I don't know how much earlier you can start because I think some teams might not be able to use the full 15 practices they get with a bowl. Another option? More games on Jan. 3, 4, 5 and 6 (and maybe even later) leading up to the BCS title game.
As I'm writing this, Dan LeFevour and the Chippewas of Central Michigan just upended a very tough Troy team in double overtime. But I would agree that NIU had the toughest bowl opponent this season. South Florida was better than its record indicated and just outplayed the Huskies in the International Bowl.
