So...everyone's crystal balls got smashed this weekend. But here's a look at who the Hokies might face in the various bowls. (Full CFP bowl projections here.)
The bowl eligble teams in the ACC:
#4 Clemson 9-1
#5 Louisville 9-1
#17 Florida State 7-3
VT 7-3
UNC 7-3
WF, Miami, GT, and Pitt are 6-4
Playoffs are mathematically out.
1.) Orange Bowl vs. SEC or Big Ten
Current opponent: #8 Penn State
Current ACC projection: #5 Louisville
I doubt we have any ability to climb high enough in the rankings to get near the Cotton Bowl, unless total chaos breaks out the last two weeks of the season.
2.) Citrus Bowl
Since we still have a B1G team projected to the Orange Bowl, ACC gets this slot.
Current opponent: #16 LSU
Current ACC projection: #17 Florida State
3.) Russell Athletic Bowl
Current opponent: #14 West Virginia
Current ACC projection: Virginia Tech or UNC
(EDIT: Originally had Ok State here, but then remembered that it's the third pick of the Big 12.)
At this point, we start getting into the "one win" rule, so all of the 6-4 teams have access here.
Hypothetically, if UNC gets the RAB, and all of the Tier 1 bowls decide they want the 6-4 teams, we could drop into Tier 2. However, some of those 6-4 teams are a hot potato in the bowl selection process.
Comments
ESPN has us slated for the Citrus Bowl should the season end today.
That's possible too.
It's an interesting situation. Our (meaning ACC) spot in that bowl is dependent on another conference. But, following the Orange Bowl, we essentially have two bowls that are the same thing. Citrus and RAB are played in the same stadium, and run by the same organization, and only a few days apart. The only difference would be our opponent (SEC or Big 12), and in both cases, they're coming from almost the same spot in the pecking order.
The loss to GT really hurts us in terms of bowl selection I think. At this point winning the ACC we won't even get the Orange Bowl, unless I am misunderstanding how they are able to select a team.
Does the Orange Bowl have to take the ACC Champ or just the next highest ranked ACC team when it loses an ACC team to the playoff?
Looking into it, and it seems like the wording in the ACC bylaws has it so that the ACC Champion must go to the Orange Bowl, unless it is selected to the Playoff, in which case the next highest CFP ranked team would go to the OB.
It's quite simple.
ACC Champ goes to the the Orange Bowl. If the champ ends up in the CFP, then the next highest ranked ACC team goes.
Living in Penn State, I would die for a Va Tech v PSU Orange bowl, too bad it probably wont happen now if we lose against Clemson
We would have had one if we hadn't blown the ACCCG in 2005
Ah yes, the Old Fart's Bowl:
JoePa vs Bowden
which it would have been even if we hadn't crapped the bed against Free Shoes in the ACCCG
Well, at the time:
Beamer: ~59
Bowden: ~76
Paterno: ~79
I remember thinking that we were close to a VT/Ohio State bowl game if we had won the ACC that year. A lot of the interest in creating the PSU/FSU matchup was the coaching factor, so I don't think PSU was guaranteed that spot if we had won the ACC.
The teams available for at large spots that year were #3 PSU (Big Ten champ, displaced from the Rose Bowl), #4 Ohio State (automatic 3/4 rule), #6 Notre Dame (automatic with top ten finish at the time), #11 WVU (Big East champ). I can't find anything that specifies the selection order of the non-automatic bids. We definitely wouldn't have faced WVU, since we had already beaten them that year.
Speaking of that game, FSU was unranked and we were 5th, right now were unranked and Clemson is ranked 4th, Inception style
Honestly, I've been sitting here racking my brain trying to figure out a way to play Ohio State to bring the Revenge Tour to full completion at 6-0.
Penn State would be a nice consolation prize, as would either Wisconsin or Michigan. Honestly, just playing in the Orange Bowl again would be amazing.
Still can, just need to beat UVA and Clemson
The key isn't for VT to get high enough to meet OSU in a bowl, it's for OSU to drop low enough.
OSU would have to drop out of the semis, and cannot win the B1G. They would have to drop to the third ranked B1G team, but still be ahead of the third ranked SEC team to meet us in the Orange Bowl.
I couldn't even begin to run through all of the scenarios that need to happen for that to fall into place.
Not that simple:
- B1G champ goes to the Rose Bowl, unless they go to the Playoffs. In that case, the highest B1G team not in the Playoffs goes to the Rose Bowl.
- SEC champ goes to the Sugar Bowl, unless they go to the Playoffs. In that case, the highest SEC team not in the Playoffs goes to the Sugar Bowl.
- Highest-ranked SEC or B1G team not already allocated to the Playoffs or the Rose or Sugar Bowls is sent to the Orange Bowl.
In order for that to happen, Ohio State needs to be the 2nd highest B1G non-champion not in the Playoffs, or to be the highest B1G team not in the Playoffs if they are ahead of the B1G champion.
Though suddenly I realize you were probably replying to my "just playing in the Orange Bowl again would be amazing" comment, in which case yes. But beating UVA and (even more so) Clemson is no small task, and besides, I was more referring to the quick turnaround that would imply for Fuente's first year.
If the ACC gets two in the playoffs, it very well may happen even if we lose to Clemson.
We want FSU to lose to UF badly, otherwise they will be a rung higher than us.
I think FSU would get the edge over us in that scenario, just on "PRESTIGE" alone
Depends on who is ranked higher by the CFP committee, if either of us are...
All of the New Year's Six bowls are chosen purely on CFP rankings.
If Clemson and Louisville both end up in the CFP, then the highest ranked ACC team goes to the Orange Bowl. Doesn't matter what kind of "prestige" they have. As it stands right now, FSU is the only other ACC team ranked, so they would go to the Orange Bowl. If we were using last week's rankings, then we would be going to the Orange Bowl.
Small correction... aren't they chosen by 2 levels of priority?
1 - Conference Champion of tie-in conference, if they're not in the playoff
2 - If Conference Champion is in Playoff, next highest CFP ranked team
I was working on a scenario where Clemson or Louisville was conference champ.
How crazy would the world be if we go to Orlando and win, but Clemson and Louisville still get in the playoff?
Not that crazy... Bama and Michigan win out, Washington loses to WSU or the P12CG, WVU loses to Oklahoma who loses to Oklahoma State... Ohio State has 2 losses and didn't win their division, Wisconsin has 3, Penn State has 2 losses and only good win against OSU, WVU has 2 losses and a terrible non-conference slate, Big XII champ OU has 3 losses... who else do you put in aside from a 2-loss Clemson that lost their title game?
Last week we were a game better than FSU, They will be ranked ahead of us based on how they beat USF, Ole Miss, NC State, North Carolina, Probably Cuse, and kept it close with Clemson to the end. Unless FSU loses to Florida they will be ranked ahead of us. That is why they will get into the O-Bowl before us. In fact, we have the same record and they are ranked 17 and we are not at all.
Wait, Ranked 17? Don't count out Syracuse yet fellas
That's exactly what I said. It doesn't have to do with prestige or style points or who brings the better crowd or even the whims of whoever organizes the Orange Bowl. It's up to the rankings.
Right now, the pecking order is Clemson, Louisville, Florida State, everyone else. Assuming Clemson or Louisville wins the conference, the first team not taken in a semi-final goes to the Orange Bowl.
How many are going to make the trip if VT beats LOLUVA back to back to Orlando?
I was really considering it this morning and almost pulled the trigger but decided against it because I dont have the PTO for a real trip. BUT Round trip tix to Orlando for 12/2 or 12/3 are running pretty damn cheap right now no matter which VA/DC airport you leave from
I guess we should just win the ACC-CG then it won't be a problem.
It seems the Taxslayer (Gator) Bowl is another very interesting scenario if we don't win the ACC. In that scenario, the RAB selects Miami or UNC ahead of us, which would be preferable to us returning to ORL for a 2nd straight game.
Gator vs. SEC would be better than RAB against B12 to me. Better date as well (12/31/16 instead of 12/28)
can they permanently change that name to Gator, please?
You'd have to talk to Taxslayer about that.
Naming rights are a bitch.