Every other bowl game the tie-in is ACC or ND. The Orange is ACC only. Looks like a 4 loss UVA or VT team will get in the Orange when they definitely would have picked ND if they could have and ND would have had a chance to snap the major bowl losing streak. Surprised Jack let that happen.
The Orange Bowl qualification contracts do seem to be a convoluted mess. It would take some kind of miracle to get there this year.
An ACC team could theoretically play in 12 years in a row. All the other bowls consider ND an ACC team with regards to selection. Orange doesn't. It was an oversight by Swarbrick that is costing us this year.
How do you know what the negotiations were like. Maybe he had to give that up to get some of the other concessions. Personally, I think he got a pretty good deal with the ACC. Yes, I would like to see the Orange available, but to have such a tie in to the ACC conference without having to join completely; I'm surprised that the ACC went for that. They were anxious to get the ND brand now and to set up for a possible full membership down the road.
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