Is it the economy?

Seems the easy explanation for poor ticket sales to bowl games is "It's the economy stupid!" Sounds plausible. The economy does suck and trekking across the country to watch a football game isn't the best way to be fiscally responsible.

I'm just not buying it.

The Columbus Dispatch talked to Buckeye fans who have decided to stay home instead of going to the Fiesta Bowl for a potentially great match up with Texas. The reasons vary (including the economy), but clearly Ohio State's scarlet and gray clad faithful are tired of spending the holidays in the Phoenix area. The Fiesta Bowl execs should have really considered steering away from OSU and going with Utah. Buckeye fans may have enjoyed a Sugar Bowl trip (OK, last year's trip to New Orleans didn't go so well) to face Alabama.

In a somewhat embarrassing and sad pitch to coax fans into traveling to Miami for the Orange Bowl, Virginia Tech coach Frank Beamer is making an online appeal on the Hokies official website. No one went to the ACC Championship game, why would VT fans travel to watch them play Cincinnati? Let's stop the charade. Virginia Tech is not a big-time program.

Now look at two bowls with good ticket sales.

The Meineke Bowl, with regional opponents North Carolina and West Virginia, have surpassed 50,000 ticket sales. According to the Charleston (W.Va.) Gazette, bowl officials got the matchup they wanted. Fans of both schools aren't letting them down either with brisk sales.

According to The Oregonian, the Oregon Ducks second trip to San Diego in four years for the Holiday Bowl has not hurt the interest in tickets. The Ducks have sold 8,000 of their alloted 11,000 for the Dec. 30 game against Oklahoma State.

Good matchups and good fans will go to a bowl no matter what.