ACC and Orange Bowl announce new bowl partners and 12-year agreement with ESPN

CLEMSON - The ACC and Orange Bowl announced new bowl partners Thursday in a 12-year deal with ESPN that ensures the game remains relevant and in a primetime television slot on either New Year’s Eve or New Year’s Day.

Beginning after the 2014 regular season, the Orange Bowl will match the ACC champion against the highest ranked team from the Big Ten or SEC not already tied to another bowl game or college football’s playoff - or Notre Dame.

It means the game will feature, at worst, the No. 3 ranked team from the Big Ten or SEC or Notre Dame.

If the ACC champion is selected to play in the four-team playoff, another ACC team will earn the Orange Bowl berth.

In the years that the Orange Bowl serves as a semifinal host in the upcoming playoff, the ACC champion would then participate in another major bowl.

The Orange Bowl will no longer have ties to the Big East.

The deal is worth $55 million per year and the payout will be split evenly between the ACC and Big Ten or SEC. If Notre Dame participates it will receive a slightly less share.

Over the course of the 12-year deal the Big Ten and SEC must each send at least three teams to the game. Notre Dame is limited to two appearance.

The deal comes days after the SEC and Big 12 reached a $80 per year deal with ESPN to broadcast the Sugar Bowl.