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Quarterback Nathan Rourke looks for a pass during Ohio’s game against Virginia on September 15, 2018. (FILE)

Football: Where Ohio might end up playing its bowl game

Correction appended.

As Ohio enters its final month of the season just one win away from bowl eligibility, bowl possibilities and their locations loom. Last season, Ohio traveled to the Bahamas for its matchup with UAB.

The Bobcats will more than likely stay in the continental U.S. for their bowl game this season, and national media outlets are trying to predict where the Bobcats could wind up playing in the postseason.

The Post checked out where the national experts have the Bobcats come bowl season:

CBS Sports: Frisco Bowl vs. Houston (Dec. 19, ESPN)

The MAC isn’t tied into this game, but the Frisco Bowl takes an American Athletic Conference team and an at-large bid.

This matchup would pit Ohio against Houston, who is currently 7-1 and 4-0 in the AAC. The Cougars have had recent success, and they even won the Peach Bowl two years ago as the highest-rated Group of Five team in the country. 

Sporting News: Cheribundi Tart Cherry Boca Raton Bowl vs. Florida International (Dec. 18, ESPN)

Conference USA and the AAC have automatic tie-ins to this game, but Akron played in it last year. MAC teams aren’t strangers to this bowl. From Conference USA, Florida International, who is currently 6-2 and 4-0 in conference, is playing as well as anyone in that conference. FIU is led by Butch Davis, who has past stops at Miami (Florida), North Carolina and the Cleveland Browns.

Sports Illustrated: Raycom Media Camellia Bowl vs. Troy (Dec. 15, ESPN)

This would be a familiar landing spot for the Bobcats, who faced Appalachian State in the Camellia Bowl in 2015. In that game, Ohio lost 31-29, despite being ahead by 17 entering the fourth quarter.

The MAC and Sun Belt both have tie-ins, so this matchup would make sense. Ohio and Troy met in the Dollar General Bowl in 2016. Troy won that game.

Stadium (Brett McMurphy): Frisco Bowl vs. Army (Dec. 19, ESPN)

Stadium’s Brett McMurphy has the Bobcats in the Frisco Bowl as well, but he has Ohio facing Army. The Black Knights are a Football Bowl Subdivision Independent and have no bowl tie-ins, so they can go anywhere. If the AAC does not have a bowl-eligible team to fill a slot in the bowl, it would make sense for two at-large bids to play in this game. 

USA Today: Independence Bowl vs. Duke (Dec. 27, ESPN)

The Bobcats’ second bowl win in program history came in the 2012 Independence Bowl over Louisiana-Monroe. If the Atlantic Coast Conference or Southeastern Conference cannot field a team in the bowl, Ohio could wind up in Shreveport. The ACC appears it will be able to. The SEC’s eligibility is still in the air.

@SpencerHolbrook

sh690914@ohio.edu

Correction: A previous version of this story incorrectly stated how many bowl games the Bobcats have won. The article has been updated to reflect the most accurate information.

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