Emerald Bowl lucky to nab Georgia Tech

Gary Cavalli, executive director of the Emerald Bowl, said the game is "really, really fortunate" to pit 24th-ranked Georgia Tech against Utah.

The Emerald Bowl hit the jackpot, so to speak, when the Atlantic Coast Conference bowl picture was completed.

"I was just thrilled to be able to come out of it with Georgia Tech," Cavalli said. "It really wasn't hard. It really was just the way we all sorted it out."

After the ACC allowed its top five bowl partners to make selections, the three remaining games huddled with the commissioner's office to round out the field. With some of the earlier choices dictated by geography — Clemson (7-4) was taken by the Champs Sports Bowl in Orlando and the Charlotte-based Meineke Car Care Bowl opted for North Carolina State — Boston College (8-3), Georgia Tech (7-4) and Virginia (6-5) were still available for the MPC Computers (Boise), Music City (Nashville) and Emerald (San Francisco) bowls.

"Three pretty darn good teams to be left after five selections," Cavalli said. "I think it's a real tribute to the quality of the teams in the ACC."

The final round of discussions were smooth. The folks in Boise had a clear preference. They wanted Boston College since the other two teams had already been to the game.

In Nashville, a concern over ticket sales prompted a desire to choose a nearby team that would travel. Virginia, thus, was ticketed for Music City.

That left Georgia Tech, which would have played in the Peach Bowl had Florida State not upset Virginia Tech in the ACC title game, for the Emerald Bowl.

"After talking to all three teams and all three bowls we all just sort of sorted out what would be best," said Cavalli, who got the ACC to fill a vacancy created when the Pac-10 was unable to supply a bowl eligible team for the game. "I think we recovered pretty nicely and landed on our feet."

Georgia Tech, he added, is a program rich in tradition with a strong national reputation.

Utah coach Kyle Whittingham likes how things turned out.

"I think we got the best opponent of all the Mountain West Conference draws," Whittingham said. "It's a name team. Georgia Tech is recognized across the country. The tradition and the quality teams they've had for years and years, I think, is good for the Emerald Bowl and good for us."

Indeed.

"I think it's a great match-up," Cavalli noted.