Without question this is my favorite non BCS Big East Bowl...West Virginia vs UNC or Maryland in Charlotte equals money for all involved
Jackson
Football: Meineke Bowl Invites WVU
MSNsportsNET.com
December 7, 2008
CHARLOTTE – West Virginia University has accepted a bid to play in the 2008 Meineke Car Care Bowl, it was announced tonight by bowl officials. The Mountaineers, representing the Big East Conference, will face a team from the Atlantic Coast Conference to be announced tomorrow afternoon. The 2008 Meineke Car Care Bowl will take place on Saturday, December 27, 2008 at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, N.C. with a 1:00 p.m. kickoff. It is televised nationally on ESPN.
“We are very excited to invite West Virginia University to the 2008 Meineke Car Care Bowl,” said Will Webb, Executive Director. “The Mountaineers have proven to be a very talented and formidable team this season. We feel that they will make the 2008 Meineke Car Care Bowl a very exciting contest.”
West Virginia finished the regular season with an 8-4 record (5-2 in the Big East, tied for second place). The Mountaineers lost three games by a total of 10 points, with two ending in overtime. They defeated South Florida earlier tonight 13-7 to complete the regular season. Webb was on hand to extend the invitation at the conclusion of the game.
The Meineke Car Care Bowl has averaged over 60,000 fans during its first six years, with two sellouts. It has reached over 13.5 million television households. In 2003, it was named one of the five-best start-ups in sports over the past five years by the Sports Business Journal, behind only the NFL Houston Texans and ESPN the Magazine.
Tickets are available through the Mountaineer Ticket Office by logging onto WVUGAME.com or by calling toll-free 1-800-WVU GAME. Online sales will begin Sunday afternoon, and the ticket office will begin accepting phone orders Monday morning.
The inaugural game, played on December 28, 2002 before a sold-out stadium, saw Virginia defeat West Virginia, 48-22. On December 27, 2003, Virginia once again claimed victory, this time over Pittsburgh, 23-16. The third year again produced a sellout, as Boston College defeated North Carolina, 37-24, on December 30, 2004. NC State defeated South Florida, 14-0, on December 31, 2005. Boston College defeated Navy 25-24, on a field goal as time expired on December 30, 2006. And last year, Wake Forest defeated UConn, 24-10 on December 29, 2007
