1.     Discover Orange Bowl (Jan. 4)

Miami Gardens, Florida – Sun Life Stadium

Conference Tie-Ins: ACC Champion v. BCS at large

Projected ACC Team: #5 Virginia Tech Hokies (11-1; 7-1 in ACC) Coastal Champion

The Hokies are the favorite in this weekend’s ACC Championship Game and have been on the upswing since their 23-3 loss to Clemson on Oct. 1. If the Hokies win on Saturday and secures the automatic bid to Miami, Virginia Tech will go to the Orange Bowl for the fourth time in the past five seasons.

2.     Chick-fil-A Bowl (Dec. 31)

Atlanta, Georgia – Georgia Dome

Conference Tie-Ins: ACC runner-up v. SEC #3/4/5

Projected ACC Team: #21 Clemson Tigers (9-3, 6-2 ACC) Atlantic Champion

At one point, Clemson was sitting at 8-0 and looked like a BCS Title contender. However, the Tigers dropped three of their last four games in becoming an afterthought on the national stage and appear destined for the Peach Bowl, which traditionally hosts the loser of the ACC Championship Game.

3.     Champs Sports Bowl (Dec. 29)

Orlando, Florida – Florida Citrus Bowl

Conference Tie-Ins: ACC #3 v. Big East #2

Projected ACC Team: #25 Florida State Seminoles (8-4, 5-3 ACC) No. 2 Atlantic

The Champs Sports Bowl will likely select Florida State as the ACC representative due to the school’s in-state location and the ability to create an intriguing match up between the ‘Noles and likely opponent, Notre Dame. The Seminoles have had another disappointing season after coming into the season ranked No. 6 in the country, but will have a chance to springboard into 2012 with the opportunity of a respectable bowl game.

4.     Hyundai Sun Bowl (Dec. 31)

El Paso, Texas – Sun Bowl

Conference Tie-Ins: ACC#4 v. Pac-12 #4

Projected ACC Team: Virginia Cavaliers (8-4, 5-3 ACC) No. 2 Coastal

The Wahoos were this year’s surprise team in the conference following inauspicious preseason rankings that predicted Virginia finishing second-to-last in the ACC. Keyed by dramatic victories over then-undefeated Georgia Tech and at No. 25 Florida State, the Hoos would be excited to make the trip out west to El Paso. 

5.     Belk Bowl (Dec. 27)

Charlotte, NC – Bank of America Stadium

Conference Tie-Ins: ACC #5 v. Big East #3

Projected ACC Team: North Carolina State Wolfpack (7-5, 4-4 ACC) No. 4 Atlantic

N. C. State will likely get the nod for the Belk Bowl because it can sell more tickets than both Georgia Tech and Wake Forest. The only thing consistent about the Wolfpack’s season has been inconsistency, but sparks of inspired football down the stretch make State a prime candidate to stay in the Tar Heel State for the holidays.

6.     Franklin American Mortgage Music City Bowl (Dec. 30)

Nashville, TN – LP Field

Conference Tie-Ins: ACC #6 v. SEC #7

Projected ACC Team: Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets (8-4, 5-3 ACC) No. 3 Coastal

It was a tale of two halves for the Yellow Jackets this season, as Tech lost four of its last six games down the stretch. The disappointing end to a once-promising campaign has the Jackets falling down the bowl game pecking order, most likely resulting in a trip to Nashville or El Paso.

7.     AdvoCare V100 Independence Bowl (Dec. 26)

Shreveport, LA – Independence Stadium

Conference Tie-Ins: ACC #7 v. Mountain West #3

Projected ACC team: Wake Forest Demon Deacons (6-6, ACC 5-3) No. 3 Atlantic

Wake Forest is another team that exceeded expectations, as the Deacs beat all the teams they should have and managed to pull off a few upsets. Wake appears destined for Shreveport based on stipulations where a team with a losing record in ACC play can’t be picked ahead of a team with a .500 or better record in conference play.

8.     Military Bowl presented by Northrop Grumman (Dec. 28)

Washington, D.C. – RFK Memorial Stadium

Conference Tie-Ins: ACC #8 v. Big Ten/Mountain West

Projected ACC Team: North Carolina Tar Heels (7-5, 3-5 ACC) No. 4 Coastal

The Tar Heels season started out with turmoil once again with the dismissal of Head Coach Butch Davis a month before the season opener. Despite this, the Heels managed to meet expectations and arrive at a bowl game for the fourth consecutive season. With a nationally recognized brand, playing in the nation’s capital appears like a steal for the Military Bowl.