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 to this year’s game:
DirecTV Holiday Bowl
When: Wednesday, Dec. 27, 5 p.m.
Where: Petco Park
TV: Fox
Projected matchup: Clemson vs. Oregon State.
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 after the Alamo and Las Vegas bowls in the Pac-12. In even-numbered years, the Holiday Bowl 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: No. 24 Clemson (7-4) remains squarely in the Holiday Bowl’s sights after last week’s win over North Carolina.
The Tigers must beat South Carolina this weekend to stay there. A fifth loss would likely shift the Holiday’s focus elsewhere.
Clemson remains one of the most sought-after brands after four national championship appearances — and two titles — in the six-year period from 2015-20.
With No. 5 Florida State (11-0) and No. 10 Louisville (10-1) playing their way into the New Year’s Six picture and No. 18 Notre Dame (8-3) a candidate for the Gator and Pop-Tarts bowls, Clemson seems most logically headed to the Holiday.
On the Pac-12 side, USC (7-5) had the inside track a week ago, but the Trojans’ loss to UCLA put an end to that.
Oregon State (8-3) heads into Friday night’s Civil War with No. 6 Oregon (10-1) favored to make its first appearance in the Holiday Bowl.
If the Beavers receive an invitation to this year’s game, it will leave Stanford as the only Pac-12 team to never play in San Diego’s postseason bowl game.
Fourth-ranked Washington (11-0) and No. 6 Oregon (10-1) remain on track for NY6 berths; No. 15 Arizona (8-3) is the most coveted team among the other bowls after gaining bowl eligibility for the first time in eight years.
The Wildcats have stirred their fans, who should travel in droves to San Antonio for an expected invitation to the Alamo Bowl.
Oregon State played in the Las Vegas Bowl last season, which makes Utah (7-4) the conference’s most logical team to fill that slot.
All this leaves Oregon State for the Holiday Bowl.
One of the storylines for a Clemson-Oregon State matchup would be Beavers quarterback DJ Uiagalelei facing his former team. He played three years at Clemson before transferring to Oregon State two years ago.
Saturday’s impact games:
ACC
Kentucky at No. 10 Louisville, 9 a.m. (ABC)
No. 5 Florida State at Florida, 4 p.m. (ESPN)
No. 24 Clemson at South Carolina, 4:30 p.m. (SEC Network)
North Carolina at No. 22 N.C. State
Pac-12
Colorado at Utah, noon (Pac-12 Network)
No. 15 Arizona at Arizona State, 12:30 (ESPN)
Washington State at No. 4 Washington, 1 p.m. (FOX)
No. 18 Notre Dame at Stanford, 4 p.m. (Pac-12 Network)
