Bowl scouts from the TaxSlayer (formerly Gator), Russell Athletic, Sun and Belk bowls were in attendance at Saturday’s game. After the Orange Bowl, which takes the ACC champion unless it is selected for the College Football Playoff, the Russell Athletic Bowl in Orlando has the next choice of ACC teams, unless a Big Ten team is chosen to play in the Orange Bowl, in which case the Citrus Bowl picks before the Russell Athletic.
The Sun, Belk and TaxSlayer bowls are in the same tier of bowls, along with the Pinstripe and Music City bowls, and will collaborate with the ACC to select their teams. Tech went to the Sun Bowl in 2011 and 2012, but has never been to the Belk. Tech’s last trip to the Gator was in 1999.
The Orange is still a possibility. First, Tech could go if it wins the ACC title, which would require Duke to lose one of its next two games (North Carolina and Wake Forest) in order for the Jackets to make the ACC title game. Even if not, if Florida State wins the ACC and is chosen for the College Football Playoff, the Orange Bowl will take the next highest-ranked ACC team in the CFP rankings. By beating No. 19 Clemson, the No. 22 Jackets could well leapfrog No. 21 Duke when the CFP rankings are released Tuesday and would stay ahead of Duke with a win over Georgia or possibly even a respectable loss.
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