The NCAA approved the bowl game in order to accommodate all 83 bowl-eligible teams; otherwise, one bowl-eligible team would not have been selected for a bowl game.[a] The added bowl game essentially served as a replacement of the canceled San Francisco Bowl.[6]
The game features teams from the Group of Five conferences.[7] This was the first time that North Texas and Miami University ever played each other.[8]
North Texas, from Conference USA (C–USA), finished the regular season 6–6, 5–3 in conference play. The Mean Green won their season opener against Northwestern State, 44–14, but then lost the next six games, dropping to 1–6. North Texas then went on to win its next five games, including upset victories over UTEP and a 45–23 victory over no. 22 UTSA in the regular season finale, handing UTSA its first loss of the season.
Miami, from the Mid-American Conference (MAC), finished the regular season 6–6, 5–3 in conference play. In the team's regular season finale, the RedHawks had a chance to play in the MAC Championship Game by defeating Kent State. Miami trailed 31–41 with 11:17 left in regulation, coming back to tie the game 41–41 to send it to overtime. Kent State went on offense first, scoring a touchdown and making the point after attempt. The RedHawks would score a touchdown and attempted a two-point conversion pass, but the pass was incomplete. Miami lost 47–48, sending Kent State to the conference championship game.
^There were 83 teams that finished bowl-eligible, plus Hawaii, who compiled six wins in a 13-game schedule and would be selected ahead of any five-win team.[5]
^"Waiver approved for replacement bowl game". bowlseason.com. December 3, 2021. Retrieved December 5, 2021. Hawaii is an alternate ahead of any 5-7 teams because it participated in 13 regular-season contests and finished the season with six wins that count toward meeting the definition of a 'deserving team.'
