Dr. Pepper Bowl Set (Yawn)

No offense Florida State or Georgia Tech, but this year’s Dr. Pepper Bowl (the ACC Championship Game) is far from inspiring.Yesterday, Georgia Tech (6-5, 5-3 ACC) backed into the game to be played  Saturday, Dec. 1, at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, when Coastal division leader Miami self-imposed a second straight bowl ban (looking to curry NCAA favor?). The Seminoles, coached by Jimbo Fisher and ranked 5th nationally in this week’s USA Today poll, captured the Atlantic Division berth, posting a 10-1 overall record and a 7-1 conference mark tying Clemson for the Atlantic Division title. FSU earned the berth in the game by virtue of its 49-37 win over Clemson on Sept. 22.  The Yellow Jackets, coached by Paul Johnson and winners of three straight games, took the Coastal Division berth by finishing 5-3 in the conference with a 42-24 win over Duke last weekend.  The self-banned Hurricanes and NCAA bowl banned North Carolina both are 4-3 and could finish in a tie with Tech in the Coastal Division with wins this Saturday against Duke and Maryland, respectively but neither are eligible for the postseason as previously noted. Florida State holds a 12-9-1 advantage in the series between the two teams which began in 1952, and had won 12 straight against the Jackets after joining the ACC in 1992. But Tech has claimed the last two meetings between the teams.