The Big East is in the middle of conversations with city officials in Tampa, FL to potentially play a future bowl game at Tropicana Field.
They will need an opponent for the game. Would/Could the ACC be a natural choice?
Whereas the ACC used to play schools from the Big East in the old Tangerine/Champs Sports Bowl in Orlando and in the Gator Bowl in Jacksonville, the ACC’s re-alignment of bowl commitments in last year’s offseason left the ACC matched-up with a Big East opponent in only the Meineke Car Bowl in Charlotte. (I believe that the Gator has a split commitment where – in addition to a Notre Dame option – some years they choose a Big 12 team and some years they choose a Big East squad.
In light of the dearth of games against the Big East and the ACC’s natural geographic fit in Tampa, wouldn’t a conference affiliation in a game there be natural to presume? Don’t forget the ACC used to play in Raymond James Stadium in the Outback Bowl when it was known as the Hall of Fame Bowl. The SEC ultimately replaced the ACC in that match-up with the Big 10. We say that it is time for the ACC to say good-bye to playing football in Boise, Idaho in December and hello to Tampa, Florida.
