Greensboro, NC (Sports Network) - The Atlantic Coast Conference and the Orange
Bowl have announced a 12-year agreement that will keep the league's champion
in the New Year's Day game.
The new deal will go into effect with the 2014 season, when the new postseason
alignment also begins. A new four-team playoff for major college football was
announced last week.
If the ACC champion is part of that four-team playoff, a replacement team from
the ACC will participate in the Orange Bowl.
"The ACC and Discover Orange Bowl have a terrific relationship and, as we look
ahead to the future of postseason college football, this will further an
already beneficial partnership for both organizations," said ACC commissioner
John Swofford. "The Discover Orange Bowl has a rich history of prestige, is
located within the league's footprint and is a great destination for our
student-athletes, alumni and fans. In addition to our continued partnership,
we are very pleased to be playing annually on New Year's Day."
The Orange Bowl has been the destination for the ACC champion since 2006.
In the years that the Orange Bowl serves as a national semifinal host in the
playoff rotation, the ACC champion would then participate in one of the three
host bowls that will be established as per the direction of the BCS
Presidential Oversight Committee.
The Sports Network