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College Football Bowl Games 2010: ACC Sending Nine Teams Bowling

We already know that Boston College is headed to the Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl, and Virginia Tech, the conference champion, is going to face Stanford in the Orange Bowl. But those are just two of the nine ACC teams (of the conference's 12 schools -- better luck next year, Virginia, Duke and Wake Forest) that will be playing in a bowl game this season.

Oddly enough, B.C., playing in what is considered the ninth ACC bowl, is facing the second-highest ranked opponent in the BCS (after the Hokies' opponent, Stanford). The Eagles play No. 15 Nevada in San Francisco. 

A complete look at all the bowls with ACC teams (final BCS rankings included): 

Orange: No. 13 Virginia Tech vs. No. 4 Stanford

Thanks to the majesty of the BCS system, viewers like you will see the fourth-ranked Stanford Cardinal in this year's Discover Orange Bowl on January 3. Facing them will be the Virginia Tech Hokies, ranked No. 13 in the BCS, a team that finished the season with 11 straight wins but lost to a I-AA team at home in September. Such is life. Snubbed teams that didn't have the good fortune to win the Big East include No. 9 Michigan State (11-1), No. 11 Boise State (11-1), and No. 15 Nevada (12-1). 

Chick-fil-A: No. 23 Florida State vs. No. 20 South Carolina

It will be a battle of championship game losers, but that doesn't mean the Chick-Fil-A Bowl will be an also-ran in this season's bowl schedule.

The Chick-Fil-A Bowl is bringing South Carolina and Florida State to Atlanta for its traditional 7:30 p.m. Eastern start on New Year's Eve, and giving Stephen Garcia and Christian Ponder chances to finish down years on high notes.

Military Bowl: Maryland vs. East Carolina 

In the end, all the advocacy, the politicking and the selling of the program was for naught. Despite a banner 8-4 season that featured a breakout quarterback and the ACC Coach of the Year, the Maryland Terrapins will be forced to stay home and play in the Military Bowl against East Carolina.

Champs Sports: N.C. State vs. No. 22 West Virginia 

The Champs Sports Bowl penciled in the 9-3 West Virginia Mountaineers some time ago, with the 8-4 N.C. State Wolfpack officially joining in today. This is the third Champs Sports appearance all-time for WVU, and the fifth for N.C. State.

The teams played a common opponent this year, the Maryland Terrapins. The Terps beat N.C. State 38-31 to knock the Wolfpack out of ACC Championship Game contention, and lost to WVU 31-17 early in the year.

Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl: Boston College vs. No. 15 Nevada 

Neither Nevada nor Boston College occupies all that rarefied air in the final BCS rankings, but the Wolf Pack own a signature win, having taken down Boise State. So Nevada will likely be the favorite in this game.

But the Eagles have two of the best linebackers in the country in Mark Herzlich and Luke Kuechly, and what they lack in consonants in their last names, they more than make up for in aggressiveness and pursuit.

Music City: UNC vs. Tennessee

The Volunteers will be playing in their home state, although Nashville and Knoxville aren't exactly close, and that probably means a highly partisan crowd will favor Tennessee. The Tar Heels, chock full of talented defensive players hoping for lofty NFL Draft selections, will likely be raring to go against an SEC team.

Sun: Miami vs. Notre Dame 

That's a renewal of the old "Catholics vs. Convicts" rivalry that pitted two of the nation's best teams in the late '80s and early '90s, and a matchup of two teams that seemed to be on different trajectories at season's end.

Both teams are 7-5, but while Notre Dame finished its regular season on a good note, with three straight wins - including victories over Utah and USC - the Hurricanes slumped to end the year, with starting quarterback Jacory Harris' injury helping condemn the 'Canes to a 2-3 finish that included losses to Virginia and South Florida and the firing of coach Randy Shannon.

Independence: Georgia Tech vs. Air Force

In what's sure to be the quickest Independence Bowl in history, two option run teams, the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets and Air Force Falcons, are set to meet in Shreveport. Ranked first and second in the nation in rushing yardage, these teams have a history of racking up ground gains against each other. In 1978 Jackets running back Eddie Lee Ivery set the NCAA single-game rushing record with 356 against Air Force.

Meineke Car CareClemson vs. South Florida

That's not a particularly exciting matchup, because the 7-5 Bulls and 6-6 Tigers had unremarkable seasons that were probably best known for upsets that meant more for the teams defeated. Clemson's upset of North Carolina State helped gum up the Wolfpack's bid to go to the ACC Championship Game; South Florida's grind-it-out win over Miami probably doomed Randy Shannon's tenure in Coral Gables, as he was fired just hours after the loss.

For more information, browse through SB Nation's complete college football 2010 postseason schedule.