We’ve talked and we’ve talked about different variables that generate a host of scenarios related to the ACC and NC State’s bowl line-up. The most recent set of updates and conversations can be found by clicking here.
Something that has been discussed without a lot of detail is the role and the influence that John Swofford and the ACC Office will play “behind the scenes” with the bowls. Socialist/Communist/Democrats will love the market intervention; free-market capitalists will despise it. NC State fans, like Clemson fans, generally fall on the free-market side since we support our teams year around and travel well compared to most other ACC programs. We therefore (generally) like for the bowls to have the power to choose whomever they would like.
NC State’s general situation is pretty simple, but is littered with dozens of variables that ultimately impact the final decision. Let’s set the table with some statements:
* The generally accepted best case scenario for NC State fans is an appearance in Mieneke Car Care Bowl in Charlotte.
* The 2nd most attractive opportunity is ACC’s at-large spot in the Music City Bowl in Nashville.
* The Emerald Bowl (San Fran) and the MPC Computers Bowl (Boise) are generally the least attractive options. Boise is considered the worst option because of a host of reasons, including a ‘no-win’ situation on the home field of a very good but no-named Boise State.
* NC has no shot of doing better than Charlotte – but the ACC teams that ultimately are chosen to fill all of the earlier bowl slots will dictate NC State’s ultimate fate.
* Simply put, if Clemson is off the board by the time Mieneke chooses, NC State goes to Charlotte. This is as much of a certainty as possible in this web off confusion.
Because Clemson is so appealing to individual bowls, the only way that they would still be available for Charlotte is if the ACC Office tampers with the bowl selection process at the Peach &/or Champs Sports Bowl levels. If you believe Boston.com, that very well may be happening and could ultimately screw Clemson out of a Peach Bowl bid and NC State out of an appearance in Charlotte.
Boston College’s evolving bowl prospects may have turned north, as the Eagles very well could be headed to the Peach Bowl Dec. 30 to face Georgia, LSU, Alabama, or South Carolina.
That latest twist came yesterday as Atlantic Coast Conference commissioner John Swofford listened to the desires of his conference teams and weighed them with the wishes of the eight bowls to which the ACC has commitments.
You can read the whole article and a good outline of the impact of this scenario by clicking here.
Ironicly, the strength of the fanbase of the University of Georgia creates a situation where the Peach Bowl won’t have to worry with selling tickets and would compensate for the weakness of Boston College’s fanbase. The ‘logic’ is — why not send poor-traveling but well-performing BC to the guaranteed sellout in Atlanta? This slotting by the ACC office will result in Florida State playing in the Champs Sports Bowl in Orlando and Clemson taking the Mieneke opportunity in Charlotte. Because Georgia Tech and Virginia have both appeared in Boise in the last two years, it would basically be a given that NC State ends up in Boise.
Since NC State’s fate is so closely tied to Clemson’s, it makes sense to share with you the Clemson perspective from CUTigers.com. (While we share this, we really need to provide kudos to CUTigers for their great work. Unfortunately, it has become a pipe dream to expect Pack Pride or the Wolfpacker to ever provide such detailed, timely, and informative analysis to their paying customers. But, if you want to know about a 14 year old potential tight end from Manteo…they’ve got you covered. It’d be nice if the performance and current NC State players meant as much as the future play of players that might not come to NC State in a few years):
* What we know for sure is that Clemson will NOT fall past the Mieneke Car Care Bowl in Charlotte. We also know that bowl will either take Clemson or N.C. State. So if Clemson doesn’t play there- N.C . State will. The opponent will either be South Florida or Connecticut. You can scratch Rutgers off the list.
* What we are also hearing is that you can likely scratch Georgia Tech off the Peach Bowl list. As mentioned here in “The Valley” last night, we still think the Yellow Jackets end up in the Music City Bowl in Nashville against a team from the Big Ten. This obviously is one less team for Clemson to worry about in regards to playing in Atlanta.
* A couple of intriguing scenarios are playing out with the ACC and its other tie ins right now. For starters, we now believe Clemson has just as good a shot to land in the Peach Bowl as it does the Mieneke Car Care Bowl in Charlotte. In fact, as it stands now, the Tigers appear to be in good position to avoid playing in Charlotte, which would of course open the door for N.C. State as I mentioned above.
* If Clemson does play in the Peach Bowl, the opponent would be Georgia (if Georgia loses in the SEC Championship game Saturday to LSU) or Alabama (if Georgia wins the SEC Championship game).
* Here’s the kicker, as we understand it: If Florida State loses the ACC Championship game (as expected) against Virginia Tech, giving the Noles a massive, uglified four-game losing streak, the Peach Bowl obviously has a decision to make between Clemson and Florida State.
* The problem is, there’s always a chance that ACC Commissioner John Swofford could step in and another team into the mix- Boston College. And this is where it gets kind of ugly. With Georgia going to the Peach Bowl, a sellout against any team is virtually set in stone (especially with all of the corporate tickets/boxes already sold). So, if Swofford decides to step in, to make sure a ranked 8-3 Boston College team doesn’t end up in Boise, ID during it’s first year in the league … he can. We’ve been told to look out for that. It’s not probable, but possible.
* That is the one scenario that would move Clemson from the Peach Bowl … ALL THE WAY DOWN to Charlotte, because the Champs Sports Bowl will NOT pass up Florida State (as we reported earlier today). So if you are like me, and WANT Clemson in the Champs Sports Bowl or better, you hope that the Peach Bowl takes Florida State if it doesn’t take Clemson. That way, you know Clemson at least plays in Orlando. And we don’t think the Champs Sports Bowl takes Boston College – because no tickets from their side or the Big 12 opponents’ side. Clemson at least will take 10,000 fans down there … if not more. And again, Clemson’s opponent in the Champs Sports Bowl would be either Colorado or Kansas at this stage.
