Miami Football: Best Bowl Game Options for the Hurricanes

The 2014 edition of the Miami Hurricanes have clinched bowl eligibility, but Al Golden's team is still waiting for the postseason picture to unfold.

Eight Atlantic Coast Conference teams have reached six wins, while North Carolina and Virginia Tech both currently sit at 5-5. Of course, the ACC has at least nine guaranteed bowl slots, so Miami isn't in danger of missing the cut.

So, where will the 'Canes be traveling for their final outing of the season? A handful of analysts have published their thoughts on the matter.

Source	Bowl	Location	Date	Opponent
CBS: Palm	Sun	El Paso, TX	Dec. 27	USC
ESPN: Hale	Sun	El Paso, TX	Dec. 27	n/a
ESPN: Schlabach	Music City	Nashville, TN	Dec. 30	Tennessee
ESPN: McMurphy	Sun	El Paso, TX	Dec. 27	Arizona State
Fox Sports: Mandel	Pinstripe	Bronx, NY	Dec. 27	Penn State
Sporting News: Bender	Military	Annapolis, MD	Dec. 27	East Carolina
Phil Steele	Sun	El Paso, TX	Dec. 27	Utah
Sports Illustrated: Ellis	Military	Annapolis, MD	Dec. 27	UCF

Considering the projections, however, the destinations Miami should prefer for its bonus game are relatively clear. For example, the Military Bowl would certainly be a neat tribute to the U.S. Armed Forces, but playing an American Athletic Conference program would also be a disappointment.

Accounting for competition value is important, since the Hurricanes need to show improvement against above-average teams. Put simply, other postseason options provide a more meaningful contest for the rebuilding program.

Remember that the following are the best remaining opportunities. Miami is definitely out of the running for the Orange and Peach Bowls, while a repeat appearance in the Russell Athletic Bowl is unlikely, as is the Belk Bowl.

Pinstripe Bowl

Tim Reynolds of The Associated Press believes a showdown with a Big Ten opponent in Yankee Stadium is the probable outcome for Golden's crew.

Reynolds notes Miami has a large alumni base in the area, which is an important component of the selection process. Of the three postseason games listed here, however, the Pinstripe is the least preferred from a competition perspective.

Penn State is an obvious pick to occupy the Big Ten's slot, and battling Christian Hackenberg is an intriguing prospect. It would be the first postseason meeting between the schools since the 1987 Fiesta Bowl, when Vinny Testaverde's five interceptions doomed the Hurricanes' hopes for a national championship.

Additionally, Maryland and Rutgers are also logical candidates from the conference, which Miami once opposed in the ACC and Big East, respectively.

While other options may be subjectively better, taking a trip to the Pinstripe Bowl would not be a complete disappointment for the 'Canes.

Music City Bowl

USA TODAY Sports

Miami has an outside chance at heading to LP Field, but the Music City Bowl pits the ACC vs. the much-heralded, oft-criticized SEC.

Unsurprisingly, Tennessee is a popular choice from the SEC side, given the school's proximity to Nashville. The Volunteers aren't necessarily a glamorous opponent, but they've significantly improved since dual-threat quarterback Josh Dobbs took over.

Not only would Butch Jones' squad be a quality nonconference opponent anyway, they'd possess a distinct home-field advantage. The Hurricanes lost away games to Louisville, Nebraska and Georgia Tech this season with a combined deficit of 100-61.

Realistically, there are a handful of other SEC teams that could be chosen to represent the conference in Nashville. Kentucky is another program to watch, but the Wildcats must upend rival Louisville to clinch their sixth win.

Miami could put its season-long improvement to the test and see if the evident progression results in what would essentially be a road victory over an SEC foe. The 'Canes have never appeared in the Music City Bowl throughout its 16-year history.

Sun Bowl

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Ahh, memories. The lone time Miami was chosen for the Sun Bowl (2010), it was shellacked by Notre Dame 33-17 in sub-40-degree temperatures as then-newly hired coach Golden watched from the press box.

Golden detractors could attempt to establish a full-circle irony, saying he essentially began and ended his career in El Paso. That's probably not happening, nor should it—but that's a different story for another day.

Regardless, the Dec. 30 game chooses a Pac-12 opponent for the other sideline, and the western conference boasts a solid group of mid-level teams. Long story short, the 'Canes would almost assuredly oppose one of USC, UCLA, Arizona, Arizona State or Utah—five teams Miami has played a combined 10 times.

Each of those programs have posted a record of 7-3 or better, battling each other in hopes of winning the South Division.

The only team to knock off Oregon is Arizona, though it lost to USC, which lost to Utah, which lost to Arizona State, which lost to UCLA, yet USC currently leads the division. The Pac-12 South is exactly like the ACC Coastal, except the former isn't as collectively embarrassing.

The Hurricanes have never played Utah, but the Utes have attempted to establish a nationwide brand of "The U," which is Miami's claim to fame. Without question, someone from either side would call a postseason meeting a "Battle for The U." That would be a travesty, but it would undoubtedly happen.

Petty disagreements aside, there's little doubt the Hurricanes' toughest potential competition would be found at the Sun Bowl.

Follow Bleacher Report college football writer David Kenyon on Twitter: @Kenyon19_BR.