Florida State Clinches Spot In BCS Title Game

With a dominant showing in the ACC Championship Game, Florida State clinches a spot in the BCS title game and finishes an undefeated 2013 season.

Florida State took care of Duke easily and will remain the No. 1 team when the final BCS standings of the year come out Sunday night. The Seminoles will await an opponent — either Ohio State or Auburn will be on the opposite sideline when the title game kicks off from Pasadena on Jan. 6.

Led by Heisman favorite Jameis Winston, the Seminoles will be headed to their eighth BCS bowl, and second straight after topping Northern Illinois in last year’s Orange Bowl.

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Florida State Claims ACC Title To Return To Orange Bowl

Florida State is back in a BCS bowl.

For the first time since the 2006 Orange Bowl, the Seminoles will return to the group of five bowls that make up the BCS after an absence that knocked them from the ranks of the traditional BCS combatants.

The Seminoles’ 21-15 victory over Georgia Tech in Saturday’s ACC Championship Game will send Florida State back to the BCS as the recipient of the ACC’s automatic BCS bowl bid. And because the Seminoles are not vying for the BCS national title, they will represent the conference in the Orange Bowl this year.

The Seminoles can anticipate an at-large opponent or the Big East’s BCS representative, Louisville, to meet them in the New Year’s Day night game.

Florida State went to a BCS bowl in six of the first eight years of the BCS era, but after Virginia Tech took over the Seminoles’ mantle as the perennial BCS combatant from the ACC, Florida State had a long break from the Bowl Championship Series.

Virginia Tech On Their Way to the Orange Bowl

Virginia Tech used a masterful performance from quarterback Tyrod Taylor and a well-rounded attack to take down Florida State in the ACC Championship Game and claim an ACC title and Orange Bowl bid.

By winning the ACC Championship Game but not making their way to the national title game, the Hokies will fulfill the ACC’s contractual agreement with the ACC and act as the host of the Orange Bowl, which will be held January 3 in Miami, Fl.

The Hokies had an inauspicious start to their 2010 season, losing two straight to Oregon State and FCS James Madison, however since that embarrassing loss to a FCS team, the Hokies have reeled off 11 straight victories.

The Hokies’ opponent is yet to be decided in the Orange Bowl, but will likely either be the Big East champions or the Stanford Cardinal.

This will be Virginia Tech’s fifth appearance in a BCS bowl and third Orange Bowl appearance in four years.

Championship Week 14 to Answer All BCS Questions

Each week we like to say something to effect that the BCS picture is clearing up and we’re getting a better understanding of the BCS picture.

It’s a lie.

In reality, with the unpredictable nature of the BCS and college football as a whole, the only time when we’ll ever have a clear picture is after the final game is played.

Luckily (or unluckily depending on how you view it) we will finally get the clarity that we’ve been working towards all season this weekend, as the 2010 regular season comes to an end with Championship Weekend.

Championship games in the Big 12, SEC and ACC along with conference-deciding games in the Big East will make this final weekend an exciting one beginning to end, and nearly every game has an effect on postseason positioning — especially of the BCS variety.

Among the guarantees of this weekend — which are few and far between — are that the winners of the three automatic qualifying conference championship games will be headed to BCS Bowls. And in all likelihood, the winner of the ACC game (Virginia Tech or Florida State) will be going to the Orange Bowl and the winner of the Big 12 game (Nebraska or Oklahoma) will be on their way to the Fiesta Bowl.

But past that, it gets a little more complicated. A win in the SEC Championship Game would obviously give the Auburn Tigers a berth in the BCS National Championship Game, but what if they lose to South Carolina? Where would Auburn end up and how would that shuffle the picture?

Where will TCU end up? The Horned Frogs are done with their season and would be headed to the Rose Bowl if they don’t get to the BCS title game and Oregon does, but what would it take to send the Horned Frogs to Glendale?

Oregon and Auburn stand in their way, and although the Ducks have already clinched a spot in the BCS, they will need to beat instate rival Oregon State on Saturday to secure their spot in the title game. A loss, and who knows, we could actually have the non-AQ team in the title game everyone has been talking about.

The Big East will also be supplying a team to the BCS, however it could easily be any of the three remaining teams in contention for the crown — who will all be in action on Saturday. Connecticut, West Virginia Pittsburgh, remain alive, with the Huskies controlling their fate despite having four losses to their name.

The final weekend of college football always features a bevy of possibilities to be pondered, but this year’s edition raises an exceptionally large number of questions and possibilities.

BCS Know How will be here on Saturday guiding you through the action and then on Sunday as bowl selections and BCS rankings are released.

To get up-to-the-second updates from BCS Know How follow us on Twitter @BCSKnowHow.

We’ll also be setting up a live chat for any questions and selection weekend hub page to help you gather all the information you’ll need in order to fully understand the selection process and BCS system when the time comes for the final announcements.

It’s going to be a great weekend, enjoy.

Florida State Clinches Spot in ACC Championship Game

Maryland’s upset 38-31 victory over NC State on Saturday has given the ACC Atlantic Division title to the Florida State Seminoles, and in turn, a berth in the ACC Championship Game to be held next Saturday, December 4.

Florida State had not been in control of its own destiny on Saturday, instead playing Florida in a non-conference rivalry game while Maryland and NC State played in the game that would decide the Atlantic victor.

The Seminoles were convincing in their 31-7 victory over Florida, however the game could not effect the race for the spot in the ACC Championship Game.

An NC State victory would have given the Wolfpack the Atlantic crown and sent them on their way to Charlotte, North Carolina to play for the ACC’s automatic BCS bowl bid and likely trip to the Orange Bowl. However with a chance to control their own BCS destiny, the Wolfpack fell just short against the Terrapins.

The Virginia Tech Hokies will be awaiting the Seminoles after they clinched their spot in the game last weekend, and rounded out their ACC schedule on Saturday with a convincing victory over Virginia.

Virginia Tech Clinches a Spot in the ACC Championship Game

With their victory over Miami on Saturday, the Virginia Tech Hokies clinched a spot in the ACC Championship Game, to be held December 4th in Charlotte, North Carolina.

The Hokies started the season with two crushing losses to Boise State and FCS James Madison, but rebounded and are now the only remaining team in the ACC to be undefeated through conference play.

The Hokies play Virginia next weekend, and a win there would give them a perfect 8-0 run through their ACC schedule and 10 straight wins headed into the ACC Championship Game.

The Hokies will either face the Florida State Seminoles or the North Carolina State Wolfpack in the ACC Championship Game.

If the Maryland Terrapins beat NC State next Saturday, the Hokies will face Florida State, however if the Wolfpack beat the Terrapins, the Hokies will see NC State on the other sideline.

Road to Glendale 2011: Conference Championship Games Star in Week 14

As part of BCS Know How’s 2010 college football season preview, we will be breaking down each week’s most important games that could have BCS and postseason implications in the “Road to Glendale 2011”.

Let’s move on to Week 14 where the three BCS conference championship games will play a huge role in which teams make BCS bowls in 2011.

Big 12 Championship Game: Saturday Dec. 4, TBA

In what will be the conference’s final championship game, a matchup of two top-ten teams is more than likely in a very deep 2010 Big 12.

Among the favorites in the North are the defending division winners Nebraska, a revitalized Missouri team and even possibly an unexpected team, like a Colorado or Kansas.

The Big 12 South is sure to once again provide some of the best conference action in the country in the upcoming season, and when the time comes for the South to fill its bid, it could go to a team that has been battered by a tough schedule.

Oklahoma and Texas — as in years past — are the favorites, but don’t overlook teams like Texas Tech and Oklahoma State in the division.

Projected Matchup: Oklahoma Sooners vs. Nebraska Cornhuskers

ACC Championship Game: Saturday Dec. 4, TBA

Some might wonder if the ACC Championship Game has lost some of its luster in the past few years when the game failed to provide truly compelling matchups.

However, in 2010, you can expect two high-quality opponents to make their appearance in Charlotte for this years’ edition, as the ACC looks to have a bevy of talent and good teams all around the conference.

Among the favorites are Virginia Tech, Florida State and defending ACC champ Georgia Tech.

No matter what the matchup is, you can expect the ACC Champion to be a nationally vaunted team, and who knows, even a contender for a BCS National Championship.

Projected Matchup: Virginia Tech Hokies vs. Florida State Seminoles

SEC Championship Game: Saturday Dec. 4, TBA

The last four years of the BCS have been ruled with an iron fist by the teams from the SEC. And for each of those four teams, the SEC Championship Game was their penultimate proving ground before making their way to a national title.

Could 2010 be more of the same?

Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Auburn, Arkansas and even more give the SEC the depth we’re used to expecting from the conference, meaning that we could be headed for a national semifinal of a SEC Championship Game, as it has been in the past few seasons.

The defending champion Crimson Tide must be the preseason favorites, but any of the aforementioned teams can make a legitimate run at the title. The SEC continues to be the best conference in the country, and there’s no reason to think the dominance will end anytime soon.

We should be treated to yet another high-quality and top ranked matchup when the final week of the regular season comes around.

Projected Matchup: Alabama Crimson Tide vs. Georgia Bulldogs

Oregon at Oregon State: Saturday Dec. 4, TBA

Last year, this “Civil War” decided more than just the statewide bragging rights for the Ducks and Beavers.

Oregon’s victory in this game allowed the Ducks to return to the Rose Bowl for the first time since 1995 and their first Pac-10 title since 2001.

This year’s matchup will feature some of the stars that featured heavily in the decisive game last season, including Oregon running back LaMicahel James and Oregon State back Jacquizz Rodgers.

However, both teams will be relying on new quarterbacks this season and their respective play could end up not only deciding which team is victorious in the Civil War, but whether that team is successful throughout the 2010 year.

Other Games of Note: C-USA Championship Game, MAC Championship Game, Pittsburgh at Cincinnati.

Final Projected BCS Rankings: Alabama and Texas Meet For National Title

Oh what could have been.

We waiting weeks for this weekend to come, hoping that it would deliver the drama and intrigue that the rest of the season was missing, and it did not dissapoint.

Texas, playing in what was supposed to be a cakewalk of a Big 12 Championship Game instead needed instant replay on the clock and a 46-yard field goal that just sneaked in the uprights to clinch victory and a likely shot at the national title game.

Alabama and Florida were supposed to play in the season’s most intriguing game. Instead what we got was an Alabama romp, blowing out the Gators and likely clinching their shot at the national title.

So it’s likely that we’ll get that SEC Champ vs. Texas game when the last BCS standings are released tomorrow.

But it could have been much different.

If Texas had lost, we would have entered one of the messiest final BCS rankings in the system’s history, but we avoided that by the slimmest of margins.

So here’s our reality for tomorrow, and what we know so far:

• We know that Oregon and Ohio State will make the Rose Bowl game and continue the Big Ten vs. Pac-10 rivalry.
• We know that Cincinnati will receive a BCS bowl bid, we just don’t know from where.
• We know that Georgia Tech is going to get a bid to the Orange Bowl with their victory over Clemson in the ACC Championship Game, as the bowl and the conference have ties that allow for the conference champion to receive an automatic bid there.
• We are almost 100% sure that Alabama and Texas will meet for the national title game after winning every game they needed to in order to get to the biggest game of the season.
• We can also be pretty sure that Florida will receive a Sugar Bowl bid despite losing the SEC Championship Game, as the Sugar Bowl will likely want an SEC team despite the SEC Champ going to the National Title Game.
• Another thing that’s guaranteed: TCU will get a BCS bowl bid due to the BCS’s automatic bid qualifying policy for non-BCS schools.

So the six BCS conference bid are set, and two at-large bids are also nearly set in stone.

That leaves two openings. Iowa, Penn State, Boise State, Virginia Tech, LSU and BYU will all likely be eligible tomorrow.

It seems like the Big Ten teams that trail behind Ohio State; Iowa and Penn State, will be one of the at-large selections. The other selection cannot be a Big Ten team, but could be any of the other teams mentioned.

If logic holds up, Boise State would receive that bid, and we at BCS Know How project that they will in fact get that final bid.

Here’s a look at what the BCS standings might look like when they are released tomorrow:

Projected BCS Standings December 6th

Rank	Team
1	Alabama
2	Texas
3	Cincinnati
4	TCU
5	Florida
6	Boise State
7	Oregon
8	Ohio State

Georgia Tech Clinches Orange Bowl Bid

With their victory over Clemson in the ACC Championship Game, Georgia Tech has clinched the ACC Championship and a bid to the Orange Bowl. The Yellow Jackets clinch the ACC’s automatic bid to the BCS with their late victory over the very game Clemson Tigers and CJ Spiller. Although Josh Nesbitt and the Georgia Tech offense was good, CJ Spiller was better.

In fact, Spiller was the MVP of the game despite losing.

The Yellow Jackets will likely face either an at-large team or the Big East winners, Cincinnati.

Week 14 Preview: The Championship Weekend We’ve Been Waiting For

We’ve been waiting all year for this weekend, and finally after thirteen compelling weeks of college football action, its finally here.

Four games will decide conference champions, and many others will be important in bowl positioning for a variety of teams.

Obviously most important is the matchup that’s been anticipated basically since day one of the college football season, Alabama vs. Florida for the SEC Championship.

The winner of this game not only gets an automatic bid to the BCS as the SEC Champion, will also get a bid to the national title game. The loser won’t fare all that bad, as they will likely receive one of the at-large BCS bids to the Sugar Bowl.

Three other games will decide conference champions.

The ACC Championship Game will feature Georgia Tech and Clemson. Depending on who might or might not lose in the rest of the country on Saturday, this is likely the decider for the only BCS bid the ACC will receive.

The Big 12 Championship Game will feature Nebraska and Texas. Texas has spent the entire season with the knowledge that a perfect season would mean a berth in the national title game, and they are one win from that. A Cornhusker victory would open up a huge can of worms, but the Longhorns would likely receive an at-large bid if Nebraska shocks them.

A de facto Big East Championship will take place on Saturday between Cincinnati and Pittsburgh. Its also likely that a loss for either team would relegate them to non-BCS land, but a Bearcat victory combined with a Longhorn loss would make things a little interesting.

Cincinnati has crept very close to No. 4 TCU in weeks past, and if Texas loses, there is a possibility that a team that finishes its BCS conference schedule undefeated could jump the idle Horned Frogs.

Even less likely, but still possible, is the idea that the BCS National Title Game could be an SEC Championship Game rematch. This would require Pittsburgh and Nebraska to win, and the human polls to show absolutely no confidence in the Horned Frogs, keeping the Tide/Gators ahead of TCU in the polls and the BCS.

Undefeated No. 6 Boise State is likely to feel disappointed after this weekend if they can complete a perfect schedule with a victory over New Mexico State. Even a huge victory over the Lobos (3-9) would not equal a national title berth for the Broncos, but they need to win to hold hope for a BCS bowl bid, for which TCU virtually locked in for.

With Oregon and Ohio State already sitting pretty with BCS bowl bids clinched, this weekend will be all about matching the Ducks and Buckeyes, and is sure to be exciting throughout.

The BCS rankings and bowl matchups will be released Sunday at 8 PM eastern and will make everything official. Until that time stay tuned to BCS Know How for all the latest BCS news.