ACC gains spot in Emerald Bowl

GREENSBORO, N.C. – An Atlantic Coast Conference team will play in the Emerald Bowl because the Pac-10 does not have enough eligible teams to fill the slot.

ACC commissioner John Swofford and Gary Cavalli, executive director of the bowl game, said Sunday that the league will place one of its teams against Utah in the Dec. 29 game in San Francisco. The game was slated to match Mountain West Conference and Pac-10 teams.

Stanford’s loss to Notre Dame meant that the bid would go to an at-large team, and the ACC had reached a four-year deal with the bowl that was scheduled to begin next year.