Motoring up to the Motor City Bowl in Detroit is looking more and more likely for University of Cincinnati football fans — but official word may not come until today or Friday.

        UC (7-4, 5-2 Conference USA) has been pushing all along for the Motor City Bowl. The Bearcats could wind up in the galleryfurniture.com Bowl in Houston.

        “It's leaning a little bit favorably toward Detroit because of regionality,” said UC coach Rick Minter, noting that Detroit is only a 4 1/2-hour car ride away.

        UC is lobbying for Detroit over Houston because it is easier for UC fans to get to Detroit.

        “If we get an opportunity to go to the Motor City Bowl, then that means our fans are being called out to see how committed they are to following their football program,” Minter said. “Assuming it is going to be Detroit — not 100 percent certain, of course — then it's a turning point, a defining moment, in (UC) history ... Are we bowl-friendly? When people think of bowl teams, will they think of Cincinnati?”

        Fellow C-USA members Louisville, Southern Miss and East Carolina already have bowl-friendly reputations. UofL took 17,000 fans to the Motor City Bowl.

        Lack of support cost UC a bowl bid in 1993: “We were 8-3, but because of low seasonal attendance averages ... no (bowl) wanted us,” Minter said.

        The Motor City Bowl and galleryfurniture.com Bowl both pay $750,000 to each participating team; both bowls are Dec.27.

        Both bowls have to wait for the Mobile Alabama Bowl to choose its Conference USA representative —

        believed to be either Southern Miss or East Carolina.

        “Mobile holds the trump card,” said Brian Teter, C-USA assistant commissioner.

        Once Mobile makes its decision, Houston and Detroit will fall quickly into place, Teter said.

        The Houston bowl officials are going to get the team the Mobile bowl doesn't choose (Southern Miss/East Carolina), or they are going to choose UC.

        Mobile can either lock up Southern Miss now or wait until East Carolina plays at Southern Miss Friday afternoon. There isn't a lot to be gained by waiting, which is why UC's invitation to Detroit could come today.

        The reason why there isn't a lot to be gained from waiting is because Mobile isn't terribly interested in East Carolina (and vice versa). Last year in Mobile, ECU played Texas Christian, which is committed to play there again this year. Mobile officials don't particularly want a rematch.

        TCU is 9-1 and ranked No.13 and wants a chance to break into the top 10 by beating the highest-ranked foe possible — that's Southern Miss, No.27.

        Odds are Southern Miss goes to Mobile, ECU heads for Houston and UC goes to Detroit, where the foe will be the Mid-American Conference champion (Marshall or Western Michigan).

        “There are 2,000 UC alums who live in Detroit,” Minter said. “Only a handful live in Houston.”

        Whoever goes to Houston will face a huge crowd rooting for the foe — probably Texas Tech.

        UC's bowl invitation could be delayed if Mobile waits until Friday afternoon to see who wins the East Carolina game at Southern Miss.

        “We (C-USA) are the new kids on the block,” Minter said. “Our league is new; our bowl affiliations are new. We have to do what we can to keep those relationships friendly.”

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