With its win over Boston College, Florida State became the ACC’s first bowl eligible team of the season. More teams will soon follow -- as NC State, Virginia Tech and Georgia Tech each have five wins. Maryland, Miami and UNC are two wins away.
Not bad considering the Hokies started the season 0-2 with a loss to James Madison, Maryland was a two-win team last year and UNC started the season with more than a dozen players sidelined because of the NCAA investigation.
The ACC has agreements in place to send eight teams to bowls, and right now it appears that’s how many teams will qualify. One program with little margin for error right now is Clemson (3-3). The Tigers snapped their three-game losing streak with their win over Maryland, and should be favored in games against Wake Forest and Boston College. It’s finding the third win that could be difficult.
The Tigers made the cut, though, in the first round of bowl predictions:
Orange Bowl: Virginia Tech versus BCS
Chick-fil-A Bowl: Florida State versus SEC
Champs Sports Bowl: Miami versus Big East
Hyundai Sun Bowl: Clemson versus Pac-10
Meineke Car Care Bowl: NC State versus Big East
Franklin American Mortgage Music City Bowl: Georgia Tech versus SEC
Advocate V100 Independence Bowl: North Carolina versus Mountain West
Eagle Bank Bowl: Maryland versus Conference USA