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ACC agrees to 7 bowl deals

The Atlantic Coast Conference announced Thursday partnerships with seven bowl games which will be effective for the six years of postseason play following the 2014 through 2019 seasons.

The league reached agreements with the Russell Athletic Bowl in Orlando; the Hyundai Sun Bowl in El Paso, Texas; the Belk Bowl in Charlotte, N.C.; the Franklin American Mortgage Music City Bowl in Nashville, Tenn.; the TaxSlayer.com Gator Bowl in Jacksonville, Fla., and the New Era Pinstripe Bowl in New York City.

"We are extremely pleased to announce relationships with this outstanding collection of future bowl partners," said ACC commissioner John Swofford. "Each of these premiere bowls is recognized for its excellence, and they collectively combine to offer our 15-member league more flexibility, improved financials, marquee match-ups and attractive destinations."

The ACC's champion is contracted to play in the Discover Orange Bowl when the game is not part of the semifinals in the College Football Playoff.

The Russell Athletic Bowl in Orlando will get the next selection from the ACC of any teams that didn't qualify for the semifinals or Orange Bowl, sources said.

However, when a Big Ten team plays opposite the ACC in the Orange Bowl, the ACC would take the Big Ten's slot in the Capital One Bowl in Orlando, sources said. When that occurs, the Capital One Bowl would get the selection before the Russell Athletic Bowl.

The ACC's next four bowl slots after the Russell Athletic Bowl will be shared by the Belk, Gator/Music City, Pinstripe and Sun bowls to provide flexibility for the conference and the bowls, sources said.

The Gator Bowl in Jacksonville and the Music City Bowl in Nashville will each get an ACC and Big Ten school three times over the six-year period.

Sources said the ACC's bowl opponents will be: Capital One (SEC), Russell Athletic (Big 12), Belk/Music City (SEC), Pinstripe (Big Ten) and Sun (Pac-12).

ESPN previously reported the ACC also would play the Big Ten in a new Detroit bowl at Ford Field and also face the American Athletic Conference in the Military Bowl in Annapolis, Md.

Other bowls that could be part of the ACC's new bowl lineup include the Liberty, AdvoCare V100 and Beef 'O' Brady's St. Petersburg, sources said. With 15 football members, the ACC could have as many as 11 bowl tie-ins beginning in 2014.