ACC Bowl Eligibility Watch, Week 5: Clemson one win away from bowl eligibility.

The ACC Bowl Eligibility Watch is set up to indicate how ACC teams are to six wins, the magic number (in theory) to become eligible for an appearance in the upcoming postseason. Tough with 39 bowls needing 78 spots to fill, the chances a 5-8 team gets a bowl invite is a distinct possibility if there aren't enough teams with six-plus wins.



Unless otherwise noted, all bowl projections come from CBS Sports' Jerry Palm.

5-0 Record (Magic number: 1 win)

ACC Atlantic 

Clemson 

Clemson can become bowl eligible this coming Saturday when it faces a Wake Forest team that has done surprisingly well. Clemson will be definitely be bowl eligible, the question is whether its record will be good enough to make it to the College Football Playoff as projected.

Projected bowl: 
2018 Rose Bowl Game (Jan. 1, Pasadena, Ca.) (College Football Playoff semifinal no.2 vs. no. 3)

Projected opponent: 

Oklahoma

ACC Costal

None

4-1 Record (Magic number: 2 wins)

ACC Atlantic

North Carolina State

NC State faces Louisville on Oct. 5, Pittsburgh on Oct. 14, and Notre Dame on Oct. 28. Two wins  to cement bowl eligibility are entirely possible during this stretch, but Wolfpack fans should ready themselves for a huge or loss or two during this time as well.

Projected bowl: 
2017 Belk Bowl (Dec. 29, Charlotte, NC)


Projected opponent:

Tennessee

Louisville 

Louisville faces NC State on Oct. 5, Boston College on Oct. 14, FSU on Oct. 21, and Wake Forest on October 28. At this point, the easiest place for a win during this stretch appears to be Boston College, the Cardinals' only home game during month.

Projected bowl:

2017 Orange Bowl (Dec. 30, Miami, Fl.)

Projected opponent: 

Wisconsin

Wake Forest 

Despite a good start to the season, the Demon Deacons will have an uphill climb to notch up the required two wins to become bowl eligible in October.  Wake faces Clemson on the road on Oct. 7, then travels to Georgia Tech on Oct. 21, and finishes  up the month playing Louisville at home on Oct. 28.

Projected bowl (Jason Kirk, SB*Nation): 2017 Quick Lane Bowl ( Dec. 26, Detroit, Mi.)

Projected opponent:

Northwestern

Palm doesn't believe Wake Forest will make it to the 2017 postseason. Jason Kirk placed Wake in the Quick Lane Bowl against Northwestern, which may or not be a ban nerd school joke.

ACC Costal

Duke

Despite the 4-1 start, Duke is a measly 1-1 in conference play. The Blue Devils' October schedule takes the team on the road to Virginia on Oct. 7. It then takes the team back home for a two-game stretch hosting Florida State on Oct. 14, then Pitt on Oct. 21. The Deacons go back on the road to face Virginia Tech in Blacksburg on Oct. 28.

The best shots for two wins during this stretch are probably against Virginia and a currently struggling Pitt.

Projected bowl: 

2017 Sun Bowl (Dec. 29, El Paso, Tx.)

Projected opponent: 

Colorado

Virginia Tech 

Virginia Tech lost its first ACC conference game against Clemson in Week 5. The Hokies travel to Boston to face Boston College on Oct. 7, then following a bye week, play host first to North Carolina on Oct. 21, and Duke on Oct. 28. Winning at least two out of the next three games seems to be a solid possibility.

Projected bowl:

2017 Camping World Bowl (Dec. 28., Orlando, Fl.)

Projected opponent: 

Kansas State

3-0/3-1 Record (Magic number: 2 wins)

ACC Atlantic

None.

ACC Costal

Miami (Fl.) (3-0)

Hurricanes Harvey and Irma forced Miami to cancel a road against Arkansas St., and caused it's in-state rivalry game against FSU to be moved to Oct. 7, and pushed its home game against Georgia Tech back a week to Oct. 14. Things should be back on schedule when the Hurricanes host Syracuse on Oct. 21, and North Carolina on Oct. 28.

Miami needs three wins to become eligible for the postseason, and barring a getting those three wins seems quite doable in October

Projected bowl: 

2018 Citrus Bowl (Jan. 1, 2018, Orlando, Fl.)

Projected opponent:

Florida

Georgia Tech (3-1) 

Georgia Tech's road game against Miami was pushed back a week to Oct. 14 due of Hurricanes Harry and Irma. The Yellow Jackets host Wake Forest on Oct. 21, Then travel to Clemson on Oct. 28.

Having Clemson on the October part of the schedule would be enough reason to assume that Ga. Tech's hopes for postseason play won't be fulfilled until some time in November.

Projected Bowl: 

2017 Military Bowl (Dec. 28, Annapolis, Md.)

Projected opponent:

Navy

Fun fact about Palm's 2017 Military Bowl Ga. Tech vs. Navy projection: It would mean that former President Jimmy Carter two alma maters would be facing each other.

Virginia (3-1)

Palm didn't project a postseason appearance for Virginia following Week 5. Things could easily change as Virginia hosts Duke on Oct. 7, struggling North Carolina on Oct. 14, Boston College on Oct. 21, and Pitt on Oct. 28. Getting at least two out of four wins in October seems like a good possibility.

Projected bowl (Kirk, SB*Nation):

2017 Military Bowl

Projected opponent: 

Navy

For the record, Kirk has Georgia Tech slated for the Belk Bowl.