ACC, Orange Bowl reach 12-year deal

GREENSBORO, N.C. — The Atlantic Coast Conference is remaining tied to the Orange Bowl.

The league on Tuesday announced a 12-year agreement with the bowl beginning after the 2014 season. It says details on the opponent and broadcast partner will come later.

The ACC sent its champion to the South Florida-based bowl every year since 2006, and this announcement means that relationship will continue when the Bowl Subdivision makes the switch to a four-team playoff in two years.

This past season, West Virginia beat Clemson, 70-33.

“As we look ahead to the future of postseason college football, this will further an already beneficial partnership for both organizations,” ACC commissioner John Swofford said. “The Discover Orange Bowl has a rich history of prestige, is located within the league’s footprint and is a great destination for our student-athletes, alumni and fans.

“In addition to our continued partnership, we are very pleased to be playing annually on New Year’s Day.”

The Orange Bowl will be played annually at 1 p.m. on Jan. 1.

The league anticipates the Orange Bowl hosting at least four semifinal games and says in those years, its champion will play in one of the three other host bowls.

If the ACC champion makes the playoffs, another ACC team will play in the Orange Bowl.

The ACC becomes the fifth major conference to announce a tie with a bowl that expects to be part of the pool of six bowls from which two semifinal sites will rotate. The Big 12 and Southeastern Conference are creating the Champions Bowl for their representatives, while the Big Ten and Pac-12 are committed to the Rose Bowl.

O. Ford Gibson, president and chair of the Orange Bowl Committee, says his bowl is “is extremely pleased to continue its relationship” with the ACC and is “looking forward to entering this new era of postseason collegiate football with a valued partner and its historically successful member institutions.”