Week 11 ACC Bowl Projections: Hokies to Gator is Most Likely Scenario

by furrer4heisman on Nov 17, 2009 7:30 AM EST

The holidays mean it's time for two things in my house: Bowl games and Emmet Otter's Jug Band Christmas (Via).

At this point, the only place we know the Hokies won't be going bowling is Miami. And barring an epic collapse with losses to NC State and Virginia, it looks like the Hokies won't be going to San Francisco or Nashville, either.

The Hokies' best case scenario is to win their last two games and finish 9-3 overall and 6-2 in ACC play. This would give them second place by themselves in the Coastal and likely mean a trip to either Jacksonville or Atlanta depending on the result of the ACCCG.

I won't even allow 7-5 to enter my head, but if we entertain the idea that Tech loses one of its last two, it would put the Hokies at 8-4 overall and 5-3 in league play. That would likely send the Hokies to either Orlando or Charlotte for their bowl.

The Peach Bowl is probably rooting for Georgia Tech to win the ACCCG. Assuming Clemson beats Virginia and goes to to Tampa, a Clemson win would give the Peach Bowl the choice between Virginia Tech and Georgia Tech.

Virginia Tech's fan base has already made two forgettable trips to Atlanta this year. Georgia Tech was in the bowl last year and its fans are already in town. The bowl committees have two obligations when making their choices: Sell tickets and fill hotel rooms. The Yellow Jackets will only take care of one of those.

Instead, the Peach probably covets Clemson and the potential match-up with Georgia.

I think Georgia Tech will beat Clemson in the ACCCG, leaving the Hokies heading to Jacksonville to face either Notre Dame or Pittsburgh. A quick note: I've got Florida playing GT in the Orange. The Orange Bowl has the first pick of BCS at-large teams this year and I think Alabama will beat the Gators. It would leave the Sugar Bowl without an SEC team for the first time since 2000 when the Hokies and Florida State played for the national title.

**ACC Bowl Projections**
Bowl	City	Date	ACC	Opp
Orange	Miami	Jan. 5	Georgia Tech	Florida Penn St.
Peach	Atlanta	Dec. 31	Clemson	Kentucky
Gator	Jacksonville	Jan. 1	Virginia Tech	Pittsburgh
Tangerine	Orlando	Dec. 29	Miami	Northwestern
Music City	Nashville	Dec. 27	North Carolina	Auburn
Car	Charlotte	Dec. 26	Florida State	Rutgers
Nut	San Francisco	Dec. 26	Boston College	California

Update: Brian is right. The Sugar Bowl gets a replacement selection for losing the SEC champ to the BCSCG, so it would obviously take Florida. I'm guessing the Orange would rather have Penn State than Cincinnati, TCU or Iowa, so the Nittany Lions go here.

Poll

Where do you want the Hokies to go bowling?

Peach Bowl (Atlanta)

46 votes

Gator Bowl (Jacksonville)

81 votes

Tangerine Bowl (Orlando)

8 votes

Car Bowl (Charlotte)

5 votes

Music City Bowl (Nashville)

8 votes

148 votes | Poll has closed

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Comments

fly in the gator ointment

other than a collapse.

ND losing to stanford (very likely) making them Gator undesirable and Pitt beating Cincy.

They won’t make Cincy vs VT, I don’t think.

by BeerControl on Nov 17, 2009 7:46 AM EST reply actions

Florida to the Sugar Bowl

Even though Orange Bowl has first pick, I’m pretty certain Sugar Bowl would get first replacement pick if the SEC Champ is in the BCS National Championship Game (before the Orange). I don’t think there’s any shot the SEC runner-up is in Miami.

Here are my bowl projections:
Orange – Georgia Tech (7-1)
Peach – Clemson (6-2)
Gator – Virginia Tech (6-2)
Champs – Miami (5-3)
Music City – BC (6-2, forced to take them by “BC Rule”)
Car Care – North Carolina (4-4)
Nut – Florida State (4-4)

by Brian Favat on Nov 17, 2009 8:33 AM EST reply actions