Running down the tie-ins for the Dec. 29 EagleBank Bowl at RFK Stadium ...

ARMY

The Black Knights (3-6) lost at Air Force and must now win out against VMI, North Texas and Navy to secure their first bowl berth since 1996. Otherwise, Conference USA takes over the bid.

CONFERENCE USA

The options from Conference USA East were cut by one yesterday when Memphis lost its seventh game of the season. Still, five teams could become bowl eligible from this side of C-USA:

* East Carolina (5-4) must beat Tulsa OR UAB OR Southern Mississippi.

* Southern Mississippi (5-4) must beat Marshall OR Tulsa OR East Carolina.

* Marshall (5-4) must beat Southern Mississippi OR Southern Methodist OR Texas-El Paso.

* Central Florida (5-4) must beat Houston OR Tulane OR UAB.

* UAB (4-5) must beat TWO of Memphis, East Carolina and Central Florida.

Meanwhile, things aren't quite as good in the ACC, where the EagleBank Bowl owns the No. 8 pick.

* Maryland (2-7) in eligible.

* Virginia (3-6), N.C. State (4-5) and Wake Forest (4-6) are eliminated with their next loss.

* Duke (5-4) must win two of its final three games.

* Florida State (4-5) must win two of its final three games.

Two of that group must become bowl eligible for the EagleBank Bowl to have a chance at selecting an ACC team.

--- Patrick Stevens

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