Boston College finished its first season in the ACC with an 8-3 record, 5-3 within the ACC, and a tied first place finish for the Atlantic Division with Florida State. Then game Selection Sunday, when the 28 college football Bowls select who is going to play for them.
As an ACC team, these were the non BCS Bowls the Eagles could have been selected for:
Champs Sports Bowl - Orlando, FA - vs. a Big XII team
MPC Computers Bowl - Boise, ID - vs. a WAC team
Emerald Bowl - San Francisco, CA - vs. a Mountain West team
Gaylord Hotels Music City Bowl - Nashville, TN - vs. a Big Ten team
Chick fil-a Peach Bowl - Atlanta, GA - vs. an SEC team
Meineke Car Care Bowl - Charlotte, NC - vs. a Big East team
The Miami Hurricanes, understandably, got the Peach Bowl against LSU. Then the NC State Wolfpack, which BC defeated 30-10, got selected for the Meineke Bowl. Then the Champs Sports Bowl picked Clemson, which BC beat 16-13 in South Carolina. Boston College was then picked to play Boise State on Boise State's field in the winter wonderland of Idaho in the MPC Computers Bowl. The game will receive little national attention, and the Eagles have very little chance of winning. Boise State has won 31 straight on the blue turf and 45 of 46 since 1999.
The Eagles had this coming, in a way. They've never been a team that travelled very well in terms of fan support. And they certainly could have beaten North Carolina which would have given them the Atlantic Division title, a chance, albeit a slim one, at a BCS Bowl, and no way in hell could any bowl turn them down had they made it to the ACC Championship game.
If BC can win this game, it will be a big story. They'll get some attention on a national scene and some respect from the ACC, and college football.
BC deserves some recognition and praise for another thing they have already accomplished. This year, 41% of Bowl bound teams failed to meet academic standards outlined by the NCAA, including #1 USC and #2 Texas. Only Northwestern had a higher graduation rate than Boston College for players in Division I-A. Only Navy and Rutgers had a higher Academic Progress Rating. Considering how mediocre those teams are, and how consistently good BC is, it is made an even more impressive achievement.
