SAN JOSE — Coach Ron Caragher said San Jose State would accept a bowl bid on a day that path got slightly easier with Missouri announcing Monday that it won’t play in the postseason with a losing record.

The Spartans, who finished the regular season 5-7 after getting drubbed by Boise State 40-23 last week, are among a handful of schools with losing records still in contention because only 75 schools have the minimum six victories to fill 80 berths.

“If that did happen, we would kick it into high gear and take advantage of that opportunity,” Caragher said Monday.

The coach added that school interim president Susan Martin and athletic director Gene Bleymaier support the plan should San Jose State get an invitation.

On Monday, NCAA leaders approved a one-time process in which the Football Oversight Committee will use Academic Progress Rates to determine the eligibility of 5-7 teams.

San Jose State (975) is tied with Minnesota for third with Missouri (976) bowing out. Nebraska and Kansas State are the only schools with higher marks. Illinois and Rice (both at 973) are just behind.

The Spartans will need the stars to align to receive an invitation.

Kansas State, Georgia State and South Alabama could earn their sixth victories this weekend, which would leave only two bowl vacancies for 5-7 teams. Kansas State of the Big 12 probably is in win or lose.

The Spartans’ chances improve greatly if Georgia State and South Alabama lose. That would leave four openings.

“I love the way they are going to beyond the playing field,” Caragher said of using graduation rates as the decider. “If that is such an important statistic, bringing that element into it is a nice gesture.”

In the past two decades, only Georgia Tech (2012), UCLA (2011) and North Texas (2001) have received bowl berths with losing records. But Caragher dismissed the backlash of the possibility of five 5-7 teams participating in bowls this year.

“If there aren’t enough six-win teams, something has to give,” he said. “I like the plan they have.”

But the Spartans are approaching the possibility with caution after the disappointment of getting overlooked in 2013 when finishing 6-6.

“Two years ago, there was a feeling of that excitement, then to have to break the news we weren’t selected was very crushing,” Caragher said. “We have a guarded optimism about our emotions.”