The San Diego County Credit Union Poinsettia Bowl and Pacific-10 Conference reached an agreement that will provide the bowl game with the 7th place team from the conference in 2008, and the 6th place team in 2009, Bowl President Rudy Castruita announced today. The Pac-10 participants will face teams from the Mountain West Conference. The bowl gets the second pick from the MWC. 

This announcement does not impact the bowl game’s 2007 match-up between the Mountain West Conference and a bowl-eligible United States Naval Academy or another at-large team.

"We are thrilled the Pac-10 has agreed to partner with the Poinsettia Bowl," Castruita said. "It’s going to be quite a treat for San Diego football fans to have two opportunities each December to experience Pac-10 football."

San Diego’s other bowl game, the Pacific Life Holiday Bowl, pits the runner-up from the Pac-10 against an opponent from the Big 12 Conference.

"The announcement of this agreement will be well received by our members and their fans,” said Pac-10 Commissioner Tom Hansen.  “The organizers of the two San Diego bowl games make it such that a bowl trip to San Diego is one of the most sought after in America."

The Pac-10 announcement coincides with an extension of the Poinsettia Bowl’s agreement with the Mountain West Conference. The extension guarantees the MWC will be represented in the bowl through the 2009 contest. The original contract was to expire after the 2008 game.

"Our conference looks forward to continuing this great relationship with the Poinsettia Bowl and the new match-up with the Pac-10 in San Diego," said Mountain West Commissioner Craig Thompson. "We are confident that college football fans from all around the country will be treated to some exciting Poinsettia Bowl games."

In the first two Poinsettia Bowls, Mountain West Conference schools played at-large opponents.  Navy defeated Colorado State 51-30 in the inaugural game in 2005; and TCU beat Northern Illinois 37-7 last year.