Well, we cannot blame UI for all the Big 12 teams being demoted in the bowl pecking order, but could point the finger at NU. The Hawks actually did their part and were the only team to beat NIU, but the Huskies ran the table. Then, since NU went down in flames in the B1G title game, they tubled 9 places in the poles, making room for NIU to make it to #16. But those are the rules of the BCS.
An ironic twist in all this is that La Tech was left out of the bowl picture completely at 9-3. Tonight, La Tech AD, and Jamie Pollard's predecessor at ISU,
Bruce Van De Velde is in the news tonight. It seems Bruce did not accept the Independence Bowl offer in a timely fashion, since he was holding out for the Liberty Bowl slot. Then when OU got bumped out of the BCS, ISU got bumped out of the Big 12 Bowls, and then the Big 12 (not sure how that works, actually) somehow swooped in and bumped La Tech from its expected place in the Liberty Bowl vs Tulsa. Can't blame Bruce for not leaping at a chance to lock down the Independence Bowl, But I am guessing he is kicking himself now.
:sad: