Marshall's bowl hopes in doubt

HUNTINGTON, W.Va. (AP) -- Marshall resumed football practice Friday refusing to believe that for the first time in 13 years, its season could be done before December.
Over the past decade, Marshall's mantra has been, "We play for championships."
Not this time.
There will be no Mid-American Conference crown. No division title. And more than likely, no bowl berth.
Blame Miami
No. 23 Miami (Ohio) ended Marshall's hopes for a seventh straight East Division title and sixth MAC crown in seven years with a dominating 45-6 win Wednesday night.
"We're moving on," Marshall coach Bob Pruett said Friday. "You've got a choice in this deal to sit down and feel sorry for yourself or pick yourself up and go on. That's what life is about. Football is not any different."
Marshall (6-4, 4-2 MAC) has games left at Central Florida next Wednesday and at home on Nov. 28 against Ohio.
The Thundering Herd faces the likelihood of being shut out of a bowl because three other MAC teams are having spectacular seasons.
But Pruett still has hopes of going to a bowl.
"You never say never. There's a chance," Pruett said. "There's some bowls out there that are going to be looking for people. The thing of it is, they're going to be looking for someone that will bring some people with them. We're the only ones in this conference that will do that."
The league champion will earn a berth in the Motor City Bowl on Dec. 26 in Detroit, while either No. 21 Northern Illinois, Miami or No. 25 Bowling Green could be invited to play in the GMAC Bowl on Dec. 18 in Mobile, Ala.
One of those three teams also faces the possibility of staying home unless it receives an at-large bowl berth. The MAC has never sent more than two teams to bowls in a season.