Wed Apr 30 19:37:32 2008

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NCAA licenses 34 bowl games for 2008-09

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Indianapolis, IN (Sports Network) - The NCAA licensed a pair of new bowl games for the 2008-09 on Wednesday, launching the St. Petersburg Bowl and the Congressional Bowl to bring the total number of postseason contests to 34.

The St. Petersburg Bowl will match a Big East member against an opponent from Conference USA. These two conferences previously met in the PapaJohns.com Bowl, but that postseason event will now feature a team from the Big East against a Southeastern Conference foe.

The game, to be played at Tropicana Field, was established by ESPN Regional Television and will air on ESPN in December.

The Congressional Bowl will be played in Washington, D.C. and will likely feature a representative from the Mid-American Conference or Atlantic Coast Conference facing Army or Navy.

"The addition of two new bowl games will only provide more quality experiences for the student-athletes, institutions and fans," said Richard Giannini, director of athletics at Southern Mississippi and chair of the NCAA Postseason Football Licensing Subcommittee.

All 32 bowl games from last year were also licensed, but the proposed Rocky Mountain Bowl in Salt Lake City, Utah was not granted a license.