We all know that CUSA has 4 bowl tie-ins. There are 7 CUSA schools left with a chance at earning one of those bids.

First, Louisville has locked up one of the invites with a 7-1 record and great fan following. That leaves three spots for the remaining 6 schools.

Second, I believe ECU will be bowl eligible with their present 5-4 record despite a tough remaining schedule that includes (@Cincy, Louisville, and S. Miss). I believe they will win at least one of those games making them bowl eligible.

Third, TCU is currently 4-4 and I think the least likely school to secure a bid. They have tough remaining games (@UAB, Louisville, @S.Miss., and Marshall). They would have to win three of those four games to become bowl eligible unless the fallout from events of Sept. 11 changed the criteria for teams with 12 games. I don't think it did.

Memphis is 4-4 with (@Tennessee, Army and Cincy) left. That UC/Memphis game could be big for both schools.

UAB is also 4-4 with (TCU, @Houston, and @Pitt) remaining. Despite their poor offense, they got a big win at Memphis last week and can't be counted out yet, but I think they'll need to win all three to get an invite.

S. Miss. is 4-3 and are likely to become bowl eligible with games (@Penn St., Tulane, @ECU, and TCU). They have the added advantage of being a good bowl traveler.

If the favorites win Saturday, there will be Louisville with 8 wins; ECU and Cincy with five wins; and the other four schools with 4-4 records although S. Miss. is only a 2 1/2 point underdog to Penn St. I think the favorites right now are the same four schools that represented CUSA last year (Louisville, S. Miss., ECU and Cincy). I'm rooting that TCU doesn't qualify because the bowl in Houston would probably love having them and one of the others would get knocked out.