Here’s a look at how things are shaping up in the ACC and Pac-12 as bowl officials consider which two teams to invite Dec. 3 to San Diego college bowl game:
DirecTV Holiday Bowl
Wednesday, Dec. 27, 5 p.m. (Fox), Petco Park
Projected matchup: Clemson vs. USC.
Combined payout: $6.49 million.
Conference tie-ins: ACC vs. Pac-12.
2023 Playoff Semifinals: Rose Bowl (Jan. 1), Sugar Bowl (Jan. 1).
Other New Year’s Six games: Cotton Bowl (Dec. 29), Fiesta Bowl (Jan. 1), Orange Bowl (Dec. 30), Peach Bowl (Dec. 30).
Pecking order: After the New Year’s Six slots are filled, the Holiday Bowl gets the third pick of Pac-12 teams after the Alamo Bowl and Las Vegas Bowl. (In even years, the Holiday picks after the Alamo Bowl and before the Las Vegas Bowl).
In the ACC, the Holiday Bowl, Gator Bowl and Pop-Tarts Bowl all submit their top three choices. If all three bowls select different schools as their top pick, then they get that team.
If there is overlap, then the conference and bowls work things out.
Comments: Two losses in its first four games took Clemson (6-4) out of the national title picture. Two more losses over the next four games had the Tigers teetering on a losing season, not to mention ending the program’s 13-year streak of double-digit winning seasons.
Clemson has turned things around with victories the past two weeks over then-No. 15 Notre Dame (31-23) and Georgia Tech (42-21).
“We ain’t had much go our way this year, but the one thing that has shown up every week is the heart and the fight of Clemson,” Tigers coach Dabo Swinney said after beating the Fighting Irish. “And I know we’re down and everybody’s throwing dirt on us, but if Clemson’s a stock, you better buy all you freakin’ can buy right now.”
Clemson is a definite “buy” for the Holiday Bowl if it can finish the regular season with victories over No. 20 North Carolina (8-2) and South Carolina.
Four national championship appearances — and two titles — in the six-year period from 2015-20 remain vivid reminders of how coveted a brand the Tigers represent from the ACC.
With No. 4 Florida State (10-0) and No. 10 Louisville (9-1) playing their way into New Year’s Six picture and No. 19 Notre Dame (7-3) a candidate for the Gator and Pop-Tarts bowls, Clemson fits squarely in the Holiday Bowl’s sights with an 8-4 finish.
On the Pac-12 side of the equation, Saturday’s USC-UCLA game could decide whether the Trojans return to San Diego for the first time since closing out SDCCU Stadium with a 49-24 loss to Iowa in the 2019 Holiday Bowl.
USC also made back-to-back here appearances in 2014-15, beating Nebraska and losing to Wisconsin.
The Trojans have a huge following locally — their 2014 appearance drew 55,789, the largest crowd in more than a decade — and the short drive from L.A. doesn’t hurt. USC (7-4) has the nation’s third-ranked offense (43.8 ppg), which fits right in with the Holiday Bowl’s history of high-scoring games. A Trojans defense ranked 120th (34.6 ppg) is welcome as well.
The only potential downside to the invitation is the possibility — likelihood? — that Heisman-winning USC quarterback Caleb Williams doesn’t play in a bowl game.
“It’s a decision I have to make that hasn’t been made yet,” Williams told media members this week.
A loss to UCLA would make it a moot point.
The Holiday Bowl is otherwise sure to get one of the Pac-12’s ranked teams.
Assuming No. 5 Washington (10-0) and No. 6 Oregon (9-1) remain on an NY6 track, the Holiday still would be in line to get No. 11 Oregon State (8-2), No. 17 Arizona (7-3) or No. 22 Utah (7-3).
Saturday’s impact games:
ACC
No. 10 Louisville at Miami, 9 a.m. (ABC)
Duke at Virginia, Noon (CW Network)
Wake Forest at No. 19 Notre Dame, 12:30 p.m. (NBC)
No. 20 North Carolina at Clemson, 12:30 p.m. (ESPN)
North Alabama at No. 4 Florida State, 3:30 p.m. (CW Network)
Pac-12
No. 22 Utah at No. 17 Arizona, 11:30 a.m. (Pac-12 Network)
UCLA at USC, 12:30 p.m. (ABC)
No. 6 Oregon at Arizona State, 1 p.m. (Fox)
No. 5 Washington at No. 11 Oregon State, 4:30 p.m. (ABC)
