The bowl season will provide the Mid-American Conference a chance to shine as several schools will look for post-season success. That includes Miami of Ohio which takes an 8-4 record into the December 28th Independence Bowl. Long considered a second-tier conference the MAC has five teams in bowl games. Miami coach Terry Hoeppner says this is an opportunity for them after going 10-1 in 1998 and not going to a bowl game. He says this gives the conference a chance to show it belongs. Hoeppner says someone told him the conference is favored in all their games, he says if they can play well and win them, that would make a statement for the league.Other MAC teams in bowl games are Bowling Green, Marshall, Northern Illinois and Toledo. The Cyclones are 6-5 and will be playing in their fourth bowl in five years.