vs.
Full name: The Motor City Bowl
Match up: MAC #1 vs Big Ten (but since the Big Ten placed two teams in the BCS, Sun Belt Co-Champs MTSU takes their place)
Teams: Central Michigan vs Middle Tennessee State
Location: Detroit, MI
Date/Time: Tuesday, December 26, 2006 - 7:30 p.m. (central) on ESPN
Venue: Ford Field
Years in existence: This is the tenth playing of the Motor City Bowl
Per Team Payout: $750,000
Endorsements:
Todd: The Blue Raiders wound up in Detroit after going 7-5 and sharing the Sun Belt title with Troy. This isn't much of a post season blessing for them, since Detroit sucks (even in summer), and they now have to face the MAC champion Chippewas. Central Michigan is a hot mid-major, going 9-4 with only one conference loss and three losses to BCS schools with only one being a "bad" loss. They also topped another hot mid-major, a similarly 9-4 Ohio, in the MAC championship game to take the conference. While I want to root for MTSU since they are a southern team and I really, really hated my Central Michigan dynasty in NCAA 2007 (the only one where I've ever wound up with a WORSE record than the real life team's), I don't think the Blue Raiders have a chance.
Nico: I've got to go with Middle Tennessee State on this one. Since they occasionally turn up as one of Alabama's opening weekend punching bags, I want them to win this one. Plus, I'm going to side with a Southern team if I don't have a strong opinion either way.
Irrational Bama Fan: Bama is 2-0 against MTSU and has never played Central Michigan, so this one is tricky. Gut instinct, YANKEES SUX!!!!11, but MTSU has that pesky "Tennessee" thing going for it. Still, southern folks is southern folks whether they bathe regular or not. Go Blue Raiders.