Right now, by my calculations, Auburn is 83rd on the "bowl eligibility list," and there are only 82 openings. I say "right now" because it drops to 84 if Buffalo beats Akron on Friday (in which case, replace "Auburn" with "Michigan State").

However, there are still two ways I can see for Auburn to get into a bowl game:

1. If Akron beats Buffalo, and somebody, er, "convinces" UNLV that it doesn't really want to lose money on some random bowl game (remember, all of the 6-win teams have to be assigned bowls first, then the 5-win teams choose from what's left);

2. If any team accepts a bowl bid and then has to withdraw for whatever reason, the bowl organizers can choose any team to replace it.

> However, there are still two ways I can see for Auburn to get into a bowl game:
> 1. If Akron beats Buffalo, and somebody, er, "convinces" UNLV that it doesn't really want to lose money on some random bowl game (remember, all of the 6-win teams have to be assigned bowls first, then the 5-win teams choose from what's left)

UNLV just fired its head coach. Would the AD still accept a bowl bid with an interim?

Meanwhile, New Mexico State is desperately searching for a team to play so it can get to 6 wins; however, the name that keeps popping up is Valparaiso, which (a) is an FCS school that has already played its maximum allowed 11 regular season games, (b) would be NMSU's second FCS win, and (c) is in a conference that doesn't give out any athletic scholarships, so who knows how the NCAA will feel about NMSU counting a win towards bowl eligibility - especially as it kicks (choose one depending on the circumstances: UNLV, Michigan State, Auburn) out of a bowl.

> Meanwhile, New Mexico State is desperately searching for a team to play so it can get to 6 wins; however, the name that keeps popping up is Valparaiso, which (a) is an FCS school that has already played its maximum allowed 11 regular season games, (b) would be NMSU's second FCS win, and (c) is in a conference that doesn't give out any athletic scholarships, so who knows how the NCAA will feel about NMSU counting a win towards bowl eligibility - especially as it kicks (choose one depending on the circumstances: UNLV, Michigan State, Auburn) out of a bowl.

After apparently striking out with Wyoming and Nevada, both of whom would have been allowed to play another game without NCAA permission (as they both had away games at Hawaii, but didn't play a 13-game schedule), NMSU is asking the NCAA directly for a bowl eligibility waiver.