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Published Nov 25, 2023
Potential Hokie bowl destinations
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Tim Sullivan  •  HokieHaven
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With the Hokies' win over Virginia, The Orange and Maroon are back in the postseason. But where?

Let's take a look at the ACC's bowl tie-ins.

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The Bowls

The ACC's bowl tie-ins come in a few tiers, with equal pecking order within those tiers. Of course, the top tier (or you could consider it a pair of tiers) is set in stone.

College football playoff (Top 4 in final rankings)

Sugar Bowl (Top-ranked non-Playoff team in ACC)

Tier 1:

• Duke's Mayo Bowl (f/k/a/ Belk Bowl) (Charlotte, Dec. 27)
• Holiday Bowl (San Diego, Dec. 27)
• Military Bowl (Annapolis, Md., Dec. 27)
• Fenway Bowl (Boston, Dec. 28)
• Pinstripe Bowl (NYC, Dec. 28)
• Pop Tart Bowl (f/k/a Champs Sports/Russell Athletic/Camping World) (Orlando, Dec. 28)
• Gator Bowl (Jacksonville, Fla., Dec. 29)
• Sun Bowl (El Paso, Texas, Dec. 29)
• Realiquest Bowl (f/k/a Outback) (Tampa, Jan. 1)

Tier 2*:

• Gasparilla Bowl (Tampa, Dec. 22)
• Birmingham Bowl (Birmingham, Ala., Dec. 23)
• First Responder Bowl (Dallas, Dec. 26)

* The ACC's tie-in for Tier 2 games allows just one selection for any of the three bowls, though in years where other conferences with tie-ins don't have enough bowl-eligible teams, it can add another).

Generally speaking, the later in bowl season a game takes place, the more prestigious and desirable it is for teams to participate in. Ultimately, the better bowls extend invitations to the best team available before moving down the list.

The Possibilities

Florida State and Louisville will get the ACC's top two selections, and if FSU finishes in the CFP Top 4 after next weekend, that will be the Playoff and the Sugar Bowl, respectively. If FSU loses to Louisville (or wins but does not finish in the top four), that bumps each team down a notch.

Since there is no explicit pecking order, their 6-6 (5-3 ACC) finish means any of the Tier 1 affiliates is a distinct possibility. The ACC will have enough teams to hit the Tier 2 mark only if FSU misses the playoff.

The Hokies' recent history may make certain bowls less likely to select the Orange and Maroon.

They went to the Pinstripe Bowl in 2021, Belk in 2016 and 2019, Military in 2014 and 2018, and Russell Athletic/Camping World in 2012 and 2017. That may provide a bit of Hokie Fatigue for the organizers, though VT fans travel very well and thus especially the Belk and Military - in Hokie-friendly areas - may desire VT nonetheless. Most national projections have the Hokies headed to the Naval Academy to play an AAC team (most projections say Memphis).

The cursed Sun Bowl experience of 2013 probably didn't leave a lot of positive vibes between the program and the bowl, either. The Fenway, Gator, and Holiday Bowls feel like they make the most sense, given where the Hokies stand in the scheme of the ACC and the desire to go to new destinations. But smart money is on the Military until proven otherwise.

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