Here's the real reason the Motor City Bowl near Detroit has delayed in offering its bid to the University of Cincinnati: It doesn't want them. It wants Michigan State. As a result, the Bearcats might end up bowling in Boise, Idaho.

        Seeing a chance to fill the Pontiac Silverdome with in-state and Northwest Ohio fans, the Motor City Bowl is trying to buy out its contract with Conference-USA so it can match Michigan State against Toledo - if Michigan State becomes bowl-eligible. The Spartans (5-5) have to beat Missouri Saturday to get the necessary six wins against Division I teams.

        If Michigan State loses Saturday, UC is probably going to Pontiac for the Saturday, Dec. 29 game. But if Michigan State wins - it's a 7-point favorite playing at home - the Bearcats may have to settle for a return trip to Boise and the Humanitarian Bowl on Monday Dec. 31. UC defeated Utah State 35-19 there in 1997.

        UC's opponent would be the third-place team from the Western Athletic Conference - probably Boise State.

        UC Athletic Director Bob Goin put on a happy face in discussing the possibility of a snub from the Motor City, where UC played last year.

        "We always listen to whatever proposals that people have and if it is in the best interest of our program, then we are all for it," Goin said on UC's Web site. "If helping the Motor City Bowl guarantees that we will be in a bowl this year while other bowl-eligible schools are left out, then that is what we will do."

        UC appears to have other bowl options: It is also eligible for the gallerfurniture.com Bowl in Houston (Dec. 28) and the GMAC Bowl in Mobile, Ala. (Dec. 19), which have contracts with C-USA. But those bowls are more likely to prefer regional C-USA teams such as Southern Mississippi, Alabama-Birmingham or Texas Christian over UC.

        So instead of 12,000 UC fans driving up I-75, as they did last year, hearty fans might have to fly to Idaho to see the Bearcats in their third bowl game in five years.

        George Perles, founder of the Motor City Bowl and a former Michigan State coach, is in negotiations with the Big Ten, C-USA and WAC to get Michigan State.

        "We are trying to make it happen," Perles told the Detroit News. "It is complicated because we have a contract with Conference USA. We are trying to do all we can in a first-class manner, but we would love to have the Spartans at the Motor City Bowl if that can happen."

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