Ranking the 2014 ACC Bowl Games
By Joe Micik
Oct 30, 2014; Louisville, KY, USA; Florida State Seminoles quarterback Jameis Winston (5) walks off the field after defeating the Louisville Cardinals 42-31 at Papa John
2014 ACC Bowl Games: #2
Belk Bowl
Who: Georgia vs. Louisville
Where: Charlotte, North Carolina
When: December 30
I know what you’re thinking: how did the freakin’ Belk Bowl end up with a matchup like this? Belk is going big-time.
Georgia was a little disappointing, at least relative to what they hoped to accomplish in the preseason, whereas Louisville was about as good as expected this season as they joined the ACC.
Two good defenses are going to face off, but these are also teams that figure out ways to score. Boston College fans know that you have to be careful with the Cardinals, and the Bulldogs, well, they average 42 points per game.
Louisville can hang with these guys, and this one should be a lot of fun.
Must-See Factor (out of 10): 8. Another opportunity for a quality bowl win for the ACC.
2014 ACC Bowl Games: #1
Rose Bowl
Who: Oregon vs. Florida State
Where: Pasadena, California
When: January 1
This has to be the best one, right? I mean, it’s a national semifinal and one of the three bowl games that actually matters. The rest are just exhibitions, but this is the real deal.
Florida State can see their long winning streak end against Oregon as the last two Heisman winners meet on the field. One would think Florida State’s egg timer is just about up, especially facing an opponent of this caliber, but the Seminoles are the football equivalent of cockroaches. Try as you might, you cannot get rid of them.
Must-See Factor (out of 10): 10. In part because it is the aforementioned national semifinal, and also because it is a true heavyweight fight between the team that scores a bazillion points and the team that invents new ways to win games every week like clockwork.