Mid-American Conference commission angry about NCAA bowl bid decision
11/30/2012Mid-American Conference commissioner Jon Steinbrecher is displeased with the NCAA's decision to approve Georgia Tech's waiver to be bowl eligible with a losing record. Steinbrecher released a statement late Thursday that reads:
“I am disappointed in the NCAA’s decision to issue a waiver. I could not disagree more with the rationale provided. One of the reasons for the development of the policy covering this matter was to clearly create a selection order to manage just this situation.
“These selection orders were developed with NCAA staff input and approved unanimously by the NCAA Board of Directors last July. To suggest that that the NCAA staff or task force working on bowl policy did not contemplate such a circumstance, when this same situation occurred last year, is incorrect. The policy is clear and understandable.
“What is lacking is the willingness to enforce NCAA policy and that is regrettable. All the Mid-American Conference asks is that the rules that have been approved by the member institutions of the NCAA be enforced. That did not occur in this instance."
The source of Steinbrecher's frustration is obvious, as Georgia Tech could deny one of the MAC's seven bowl eligible teams an at-large berth in a bowl. The NCAA approved a measure last offseason forbidding teams with a losing record from playing in a bowl. Georgia Tech is 6-6 entering Saturday's ACC title game against Florida State. The Yellow Jackets are a 14-point underdog.