Twitter: @Petepelegrin
Despite both FIU and Western Kentucky already being bowl-eligible, the Panthers and Hilltoppers are trying to get that seventh win to make a bowl berth more secure.
Friday night is a critical game for both teams' bowl aspirations. You just have to go back to 2011 when FIU got to a bowl and WKU did not. This despite both FIU and WKU being bowl-eligible and the Hilltoppers beating the Panthers and having a better conference record.
Conference USA has six guaranteed bowl tie-ins and two additional at-large spots (if other conferences can't fill the spots) and right now C-USA has eight bowl-eligible teams so that tells you how important Friday's game might be.