Bowling for dollars

Written by TFW Bryan | 22 September 2011

St. Petersburg, FL.  Birmingham, AL.  Memphis, TN.  Charlotte, NC.

These are just some of the destinations that BIG EAST teams look forward to every January 1st...err...mid/late December.  It's no secret that the BIG EAST's bowl lineup was weak...on indesirable dates in indesirable locations.  Don't forget the fact that in order to land it's second best bowl, the Champs Sports Bowl, the BIG EAST has to promise that it could choose Notre Dame instead of a conference team once every four years.

But that is all about to change.  The ACC is not the BIG EAST, and thus better bowl opportunities will present themselves in the near future.  Let's take a look, shall we?

First off, the BCS game.  The ACC winner gets invited to the Orange Bowl.  The BIG EAST used to get an automatic invite to the Orange Bowl. However, after the first conference realignment, the BCS decided to make the BIG EAST winner an "at-large team" which allowing them to be selected last.  

While 2 bowl games put both the BIG EAST and the ACC against each other, the ACC sends lower ranked teams in the conference...one in Orlando and one in Charlotte.  Outside of those games, the ACC's best destination is the Chick-fil-A Bowl in Atlanta against a top SEC team...the BIG EAST, NYC against the BIG 12's #6 team (of 9).

Also, all ACC bowl games are played between Christmas and New Years (sans BCS).  The BIG EAST, well they have the Beef 'O' Brady's Bowl on December 20th and the BBVA Compass Bowl on January 7th.

Finally, remember this...with the addition of 2 (possibly 4) new teams, the ACC bowl affiliations will most likely grow by atleast one.  You also have to wonder if the BIG EAST's 2nd bowl, the Champs Sports Bowl, will renegotiate with them once the current contract expires after the December 2013 game...just in time for Pitt and Syracuse to bolt.