Let's go Bowling
Posted 03:20 p.m., November 30, 2008
Let’s go bowling!!
The question is where and which bowl will select the Tigers.
However, before we get into your holiday plans, “interim” Dabo Swinney is schedule to meet with Clemson AD Terry Don Phillips at 3 p.m. this afternoon to discuss his future.
According to two sources within the Clemson athletic department this “interview” is a mere formality and as the P&C has reported this morning, an announcement will be made either Monday or Tuesday. The contract is expected to be a four-year deal and with bonuses and all the bells and whistles, worth about $1 million a year.
Back to the bowls.
After talking with Champs Sports Bowl scout Glen Conwell at the game on Saturday it would appear that the Tigers are a strong candidate for the game in Orlando on Dec. 27. The Champs Bowl has the fourth pick of ACC teams. (see below pecking order of ACC bowls).
However, I learned my lesson about the Champs Sports Bowl/Tangerine Bowl back in 2001. I never assume anything with these guys. They are a squirrely bunch. Remember in 2001, when N.C. State coach Chuck Amato paid a personal visit to the land that Mickey Mouse built and lobbied the bowl committee members on behalf of the Wolfpack. They picked N.C. State and that forced Clemson to beg, borrow and steal its way to a Humanitarian Bowl bid in Idaho. I remember a week before the bowl bids went out in 2001 a high-ranking Clemson athletic department official scoffing at the notion that Tigers were would be locked out of the Orlando-based bowl.
The Champs Bowl picks their teams different than most bowls. Instead of a handful of committee members in a back-room making the decision, the teams are selected by the “entire” committee membership, which was about 60 at last count. That’s why N.C. State was picked over Clemson in 2001.
Yes, the circumstances are much different this year. In 2001, the Tigers had lost three of their final four games before a 59-31 win over Duke in the season finale (remember that Duke was moved to December because of the terrorist attacks on 9/11.). This year the Tigers have won three straight and four of their last five, so certainly they have more momentum going into the postseason.
The Tigers main competition will be from North Carolina and possibly Virginia Tech for the Champs Sports Bowl. Had Miami not lost to N.C. State, they’d certainly be in the mix, but the Hurricanes don’t travel well and have stumbled to at the end of the regular season. Remember that the loser of the ACC Championship game can’t fall any lower than the Music City Bowl. If Virginia Tech loses next week, chances are that Hokie fans won’t want to travel to Florida twice in less than a month.
The Meineke Bowl is hot for the Tar Heels. So, will the ACC step in and ask the Champs Bowl to pick the Tigers and send the Tar Heels to the Meineke? The Tigers want to go to the Champs Bowl, not just because it’s more prestigious, but because they recruit heavily in Florida. But UNC coach Butch Davis has ties with Florida, being the former head coach at Miami. That could play into the equation.
Georgia Tech and Florida State appear to be locks for the Chick-fil-A and Gator bowls respectively.
However, there are some newspaper pundits in N.C. that think that if Virginia Tech losses to B.C., that the Hokies will play in the Chick-fil-A Bowl. Now, if that happens, no question the Tigers will be bumped from Florida and play either in Charlotte or Nashville.
But I don’t see that happening. Georgia Tech just beat Georgia and they’ve got plenty of momentum going into the bowl season and Chick-fil-A would pick the Yellow Jackets over the Hokies.
So, here’s my take. As far as the Tigers are concerned, it doesn’t matter who wins the ACC Championship game, I think they’re headed to Orlando.
Assuming Boston College beats Virginia Tech, which they did during the regular season:
1. BCS (Miami, Jan.1); Boston College
2. Chick-fil-A (Atlanta, Dec. 31): Georgia Tech
3. Gator (Jacksonville, Jan. 1): Florida State
4. Champs Sports (Orlando, Dec. 27):Clemson
5a. Music City (Nashville, Dec. 31): Virginia Tech
5b. Meineke Car Care (Charlotte, Dec. 27): North Carolina
5c. Emerald (San Francisco, Dec. 31): Wake Forest/Maryland/Miami (but really, who cares).
-- Andrew Miller
Comments
Posted by bengalbabe on November 30 at 10:41 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Andrew you left out the Eagle Bank Bowl in WashingtonDC and the Blue Turf of Boise!
and odds are one of those bottom three is gonna go to Hawaii
Posted by garden on December 1 at 12:25 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I'd guess that either the PapaJohns or maybe the Liberty will get a look at an ACC team since the almighty SEC doesn't have enough bowl eligible teams.
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