▁Conference ▁school ▁against ▁an ▁at - large ▁oppon ent . ▁ ▁From ▁ 1 9 9 8 ▁to ▁ 2 0 0 9 , ▁the ▁game ▁normally ▁featured ▁a ▁match up ▁between ▁teams ▁representing ▁the ▁Big ▁ 1 2 ▁Conference ▁and ▁the ▁SE C . ▁Teams ▁from ▁other ▁con ferences ▁were ▁included ▁only ▁if ▁one ▁of ▁those ▁le agues ▁did ▁not ▁have ▁enough ▁bow l - el ig ible ▁teams ▁to ▁fill ▁its ▁spot , ▁such ▁as ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 4 ▁when ▁Miami ▁( Oh io ) ▁played ▁instead ▁of ▁an ▁SE C ▁squad . ▁In ▁ 2 0 0 8 , ▁neither ▁the ▁SE C ▁nor ▁the ▁Big ▁ 1 2 ▁had ▁enough ▁bow l - el ig ible ▁teams ▁to ▁fill ▁their ▁respective ▁sp ots ▁resulting ▁in ▁a ▁match up ▁of ▁Louisiana ▁Te ch ▁and ▁Northern ▁Illinois . ▁ ▁From ▁ 2 0 1 0 – 2 0 1 1 , ▁the ▁Independ ence ▁Bowl ▁held ▁the ▁third ▁selection ▁from ▁the ▁Mountain ▁West ▁Conference ▁and ▁the ▁sevent h ▁selection ▁from ▁the ▁Atlantic ▁Coast ▁Conference . ▁It ▁was ▁announced ▁that ▁in ▁ 2 0 1 2 , ▁the ▁Mountain ▁West ▁Conference ▁team ▁would ▁be ▁replaced ▁by ▁the ▁t enth ▁selection ▁from ▁the ▁S out he astern ▁Conference . ▁ ▁The ▁Independ ence ▁Bowl ▁will ▁have ▁multiple ▁conference ▁and ▁team ▁tie - ins ▁for ▁the ▁ 2 0 2 0 ▁through ▁ 2 0 2 5 ▁seasons . ▁Both ▁the ▁SE C ▁and ▁A CC ▁announced ▁bow l ▁line ups ▁for