Sunny forecast for Eagles
BCmightfit El Paso bowl
Several scenarios would have to fall Boston College’s way to secure an invite to the Sun Bowl on Dec. 31 in El Paso, Texas.
Sun Bowl executive director Bernie Olivas was seated in the second row of the Alumni Stadium pressbox during the Eagles’ 42-21 loss to Syracuse on Saturday.
BC never has played in the Sun Bowl, and Olivas thinks it would be a good pick to represent the ACC against a Pac-12 opponent, possibly the winner of Saturday’s game between Stanford and California. The Sun Bowl committee will announce its selections Dec. 2.
“Almost any team from the East Coast is great for El Paso,” Olivas said. “I know it is a long way for the ACC (fans) to travel down to El Paso, but 80 percent of our tickets are bought locally so they like to see these name schools play in our game.
“The way the ACC works, we are in a pool. N.C. State played in the Sun Bowl last year, so they will be out of our picture, which opens it up for Boston College. They have never been to our bowl and would be a good choice for us.”
BC is 7-5, 4-4 in the ACC, and beat two bowl-bound league opponents, Miami (7-5) and Wake Forest (6-6). Virginia Tech (5-6) would be the third if it can beat Marshall in a makeup game on Saturday.
Clemson (12-0), ranked No. 2, will secure a bid to the College Football Playoff by beating Pittsburgh (7-5) in the ACC title game. Thirdranked Notre Dame (12-0) punched its ticket to the CFP playoffs with a 24-17 win against rival Southern California.
Notre Dame plays an independent schedule but is under the ACC bowl umbrella. With Clemson and the Irish removed from the ACC pool, other schools advance up the bowl chain.
BC’s chance of competing in the Sun Bowl depends on whether Syracuse (9-3, 6-2), which finished second in the ACC’s Atlantic Division, or third-place N.C. State (8-3, 5-3) is selected to play the Camping World Bowl against a Big 12 opponent on Dec. 28 in Orlando, Fla.
The Wolfpack play a nonleague makeup game against East Carolina on Saturday that will not affect their ACC standing. Syracuse beat N.C. State, 51-41, in the regular season.
If N.C. State goes to Orlando, Syracuse will play in the Sun Bowl, and BC likely will land in the Military Bowl against an American Athletic opponent like Cincinnati on Dec. 31 in Annapolis, Md.
If Syracuse goes to Orlando, N.C. State could end up in the Belk Bowl against an SEC opponent on Dec. 29. If Pittsburgh loses to Clemson, the Panthers would be a natural for the Pinstripe Bowl in Yankee Stadium against Michigan State on Dec. 27.
Miami salvaged its season with a 24-0 win against Pitt on Saturday and could end up in the Music City Bowl against Vanderbilt on Dec. 28 in Nashville, Tenn.
Virginia, Duke and Georgia Tech are seven-win teams in the Music City Bowl picture or the Independence Bowl on Dec. 27 in Shreveport, La. Virginia Tech could end up in the Quick Lane Bowl in Detroit on Dec. 26 if the Hokies beat Marshall. Wake would go to Detroit if Virginia Tech loses.