2007 ACC Bowls

As we head into the bowl season, FSU does not know where they will be headed but it will be one on of the lower tier bowls that has a tie-in with the ACC. The bowl picture for the ACC will be clear after the ACC championship game on Saturday between Boston College and Virginia Tech.

For 2007, the ACC has tie-ins to eight bowls. The bowls are as follows:

1. The ACC's automatic representative in the BCS will be the winner of the ACC Football Championship Game. That team will play in the FedEx Orange Bowl, if not ranked No. 1 or 2 in the BCS. Since that is not the case, either Virginia Tech or Boston College will be in the Orange Bowl.

2. The Chick-fil-A Bowl in Atlanta, Ga. (Dec. 31, 7:30 p.m. ET on ESPN) has the first selection of ACC teams after the BCS. The team chosen must be within one conference victory of the remaining, highest-ranked ACC team or be ranked more than five spaces ahead of the ACC team with the best Conference record available in the Final BCS Standings. Opponent is the Southeastern Conference's third or fourth pick after the BCS.

3. The Konica Minolta Gator Bowl in Jacksonville, Fla. (Jan. 1, 1 p.m. ET on CBS) has the second selection of ACC teams after the BCS commitments are fulfilled. If not the next available team in the ACC standings, then must be within one conference win of the second-place team or be ranked more than five spaces ahead of the ACC team with the best Conference record available in the Final BCS Standings. The opponent is the third selection out of the Big 12 Conference after the BCS Selections have been made OR the first available Big East team after the BCS selections OR Notre Dame.

4. The Champs Sports Bowl in Orlando, Fla. (Dec. 28, 5 p.m. ET on ESPN) has the third pick of ACC teams after the BCS. If not the next available team in the ACC standings, then the team must be within one conference win of the available team with the best Conference record, or be ranked more than five spaces ahead of the ACC team with the best Conference record available in the Final BCS Standings. The opponent is from the Big 10 Conference and is its third or fourth selection after the BCS.

5. The Gaylord Hotels Music City Bowl in Nashville, Tenn. (Dec. 31, 4 pm ET on ESPN);

6.The Meineke Car Care Bowl in Charlotte, N.C. (Dec. 29, 1 p.m. ET, on ESPN) and

7. The Emerald Bowl in San Francisco, Calif. (Dec. 28, 8:30 pm ET on ESPN) share the fourth, fifth and sixth selections of ACC teams after the BCS. These bowls will submit their top three preferences of ACC bowl-eligible teams to the Conference Office in order to make the best selections from the available teams and bowls.

If an agreement cannot be reached, then a financial ranking will be used to determine the selection order which would be:
1. Gaylord Hotels Music City Bowl
2. Meineke Car Care Bowl
3. Emerald Bowl

If the order is used to determine selection then if the bowl selecting does not choose the next available team in the ACC standings, then the bowl must choose a team within one conference win of the ACC team available with the best Conference record. The bowl could also choose an ACC team that is ranked more than five spaces ahead of the ACC team with the best Conference record available in the Final BCS Standings.

The opponent for the Gaylord Hotels Music City Bowl will be the fifth selection of teams after the BCS from the SEC. The opponent for Meineke Car Care Bowl will be the second selection of Big East teams after the BCS Selections. The Emerald Bowl opponent will be the third or fourth selection after the BCS from the Pac-10 Conference.

FSU will be likely going to the Music City Bowl or the Meineke Car Care Bowl. The Emerald Bowl in San Francisco is probably out since FSU played there last year.

8. The Roady's Humanitarian Bowl in Boise, Idaho (Dec. 31, 2 p.m., ET on ESPN2) has the seventh pick of ACC teams after the BCS. If the Roady's Humanitarian Bowl does not select the ACC team available with the best Conference record, it must select a team within one win of the ACC team available with the best Conference record. Also, Roady's Humanitarian could take a team ranked more than five spaces ahead of the ACC team available with the best Conference record. The opponent is either the champion, or the second choice of teams in the Western Athletic Conference (WAC).

ACC Divisional Champion Protection
The ACC Divisional Champion which does not win the ACC Dr. Pepper Championship Game is guaranteed to be selected by one of four bowl games from among the Chick-fil-A Bowl, the Konica Minolta Gator Bowl, the Champs Sports Bowl or the Gaylord Hotels Music City Bowl, unless the team desires to go to another ACC-affiliated bowl game.