ORANGE BOWL COMMITTEE

Officers

President & Chair.........................Luis E. BouéChair-Elect..................................Lee E. StapletonVice Chair.................................Michael B. ChaviesVice Chair.........................................Don SlesnickSecretary...........................................Ann E. PopeTreasurer.....................................Shaun M. DavisImmediate Past President/Chair.... Andrew P. HertzCEO..................................................Eric L. Poms

Communications Staff

Larry Wahl (305) 341-4718VP, Communications lwahl@orangebowl.org

Kallan Louis (305) 341-4737Communications Coordinatorklouis@orangebowl.org

Kacie Albert (305) 341-4785Communications & Media Assistantshipkalbert@orangebowl.org

Daniel Pyser (305) 341-4734Communications & Media Interndpyser@orangebowl.org

IMPORTANT MEDIA DATES

College Football Playoff

First Year of the College Football Playoff - Beginning this season FBS college football will enter a new four-team playoff era. The best four teams, as determined by the College Football Playoff Selection Committee, will face off in two College Football Playoff Semifinals played in bowl games. The bowl games that will serve as the semifinals will rotate annually between the Sugar, Rose, Orange, Cotton, Peach and Fiesta bowl with the Sugar Bowl and Rose Bowl serving as the semifinals for the 2014-2015 season. For years that these bowl games are not hosting semifinals they will host teams consistent with conference affiliations and/or College Football Playoff committee selections. The two victorious teams from the semifinals will then advance to the College Football Playoff National Championship, this year played in Arlington, Texas. The National Championship Game will be played in a different city each year. In the process of selecting the final four teams for the semifinals, the College Football Playoff Selection Committee will release weekly, top 25 rankings beginning Tuesday, October 28th for five consecutive weeks. Factors that will influence rankings and eventual team selections include schedule strength, results from head-to-head matchups against common opponents and conference championships won.

The Orange Bowl In the Next 12 Years - The Orange Bowl will host a College Football Playoff Semifinal every three years: December 31 in 2015, 2018, 2021 and 2024 at either 5 p.m. or 8:30 p.m. During the eight years when the Orange Bowl does not host a semifinal it will feature the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) Champion, or if the champion is participating in the College Football Playoff the next highest ranked ACC school (selected by the CFP selection committee), against the highest ranked available school from either the Big Ten Conference, Southeastern Conference (SEC) or Notre Dame (as chosen by the CFP selection committee). The Big Ten and SEC will receive a minimum of three Orange Bowl appearances each during the eight games and Notre Dame may make up to two appearances in the eight games.

Sugar Rose Orange Cotton Peach Fiesta Championship

2014-15 Semi-Final

(Jan.1)

Semi-Final

(Jan.1)

Orange

(Dec. 31)

Cotton

(Jan. 1)

Peach

(Dec. 31)

Fiesta

(Dec. 31)

Arlington, TX

(Jan. 12)

2015-16 Sugar

(Jan. 1)

Rose

(Jan. 1)

Semi-Final

(Dec. 31)

Semi-Final

(Dec. 31)

Peach

(Dec. 31)

Fiesta

(Jan. 1)

Glendale, AZ

(Jan. 11)

2017-18 Sugar

(Jan. 2)

Rose

(Jan. 2)

Orange

(Dec. 31)

Cotton

(Jan. 2)

Semi-Final

(Dec. 31)

Semi-Final

(Dec. 31)

Tampa, FL

(Jan. 9)

ACC MATCHUP OF THE WEEK

Friday, September 57:00 P.M. EDT on ESPN

Tue. Oct. 28 First CFP Rankings Released

Sat. Dec. 6 Conference Championship Games

Sun. Dec. 7 CFP Selection Show / Coaches’ Teleconference

Tue. Dec. 9 Lou Groza Award Banquet

Sat.- Sun. Dec. 13-14 Orange Bowl Youth Football Alliance Championships, Presented by Sports Authority

Wed. Dec. 31 81st Annual Orange Bowl

WHAT THE EXPERTS ARE SAYING

Brett McMurphy Mark Schlabach Stewart Mandel Jerry Palm Brant Parsons Phil Steele

Clemsonvs.

Texas A&M

Louisvillevs.

Alabama

Clemsonvs.

Alabama

Clemsonvs.

Auburn

Clemsonvs.

Wisconsin

North Carolinavs.

Auburn

Florida Statevs.

Oklahoma

Oregonvs.

Georgia

Auburnvs.

UCLA

Florida Statevs.

Oklahoma

Auburnvs.

Oregon

Alabamavs.

Oklahoma

Georgiavs.

Oregon

Florida Statevs.

Texas A&M

Florida Statevs.

Georgia

Alabamavs.

Oregon

Florida Statevs.

Georgia

Florida Statevs.

UCLA

-------------- -------------- -------------- --------------Florida State

vs.Auburn

Alabama vs.

Florida State

Alabamavs.

Baylor

Baylorvs.

USC

Oklahoma vs.

Stanford

Texas A&Mvs.

Michigan State

UCLAvs.

Alabama

Baylorvs.

Oregon

LSUvs.

Michigan State

Oklahomavs.

Michigan State

Texas A&Mvs.

Washington

UCLAvs.

Ohio State

Oklahomavs.

Stanford

Ohio Statevs.

Marshall

Auburnvs.

Marshall

Cincinnati vs.

Ohio State

Ohio Statevs.

East Carolina

Georgiavs.

Cinncinati

Michigan Statevs.

UCF

Michigan Statevs.

Georgia

Photo Credit:Pete Madia Photo Credit:David Silverman

WEEK 2: SEPT. 4 - 6

Photos of the Week

Weekend Watch List

Pittsburgh at Boston CollegeFriday, September 7, 7:00 p.m.

Both teams opened week 1 with a win...First meeting since 2003, when both were in the Big East.

#14 USC at #13 StanfordSaturday, September 6, 3:30 p.m.

USC has not won at Stanford since 2008... USC leads series 58-29-3 and won the last matchup 27-20.

#15 Ole Miss at VanderbiltSaturday, September 6, 4:30 p.m.

Ole Miss rallied from a 21-10 deficit at halftime in last year’s matchup to win 39-35... Ole Miss leads series 48-38-2.

#7 Michigan State at #3 OregonSaturday, September 6, 6:30 p.m.

Two of the nation’s best in an early season showdown...Both teams won their season openers by 30+ points.

Michigan at #16 Notre DameSaturday, September 6, 7:30 p.m.

Last scheduled meeting between college football’s two winningest programs...Michigan leads the series 24-16-1.

BYU at TexasSaturday September 6, 7:30 p.m.

Unranked BYU upset No.15 Texas 40-21 in the 2013 matchup... BYU leads series 3-1.

Virginia Tech at #8 Ohio StateSaturday, September 6, 8:00 p.m.

Both teams began the season with 15+ point wins...First meeting between Virginia Tech and Ohio State.

Associated Press Top 25 Poll

Before Geno Smith was drafted by the New York Jets in 2013, he played in both the Orange Bowl Youth Football Alliance and in the 2012 Orange Bowl. In the 2012 Orange Bowl, Smith received most outstanding player honors in West Virginia’s 70-33 rout of Clemson. Smith still holds the Orange Bowl passing yardage record with 407 yards. He will start in the season opener this Sunday against the Oakland Raiders at Metlife Stadium in New Jersey.

The Orange Bowl has been named South Florida’s Top Sporting Event in BizBash Media’s list of “Miami/South Florida’s Top 100 Events 2014.”

BizBash Media is an innovator and resource hub for the event and meeting industry with its Web site, magazines, and trade shows. Event organizers responsible for events such as White House state dinners and the Oscars, as well as conferences, trade shows, fund-raisers, and more use BizBash products regularly for ideas and best practices that can be implemented at their own events.

To choose and rank the annual events on this list, BizBash looked at several factors, including economic impact, buzz, innovation, and an event’s prominence within the communities it intends to serve.

The Orange Bowl is college football’s second oldest bowl game and has a history of hosting some of the most exciting matchups while presenting first-class pre-game and halftime performances. Last season featured two of the country’s top offenses, Clemson and Ohio State, in a closely contested shootout with Clemson narrowly escaping 40-35. The halftime show featured multi-platinum, GRAMMY nominated country superstar Dierks Bentley. He joined a long-standing tradition of top entertainment showcased during the Orange Bowl halftime show, which has included Jake Owen, Train, the Goo Goo Dolls, Kelly Clarkson, Kool & the Gang, Ciara, ZZ Top and the Doobie Brothers in recent years. Other top artists performing at last season’s pre-game festivities included platinum selling country duo, Love and Theft and Danielle Bradbery, the season four winner of “The Voice.”

Starting this season, the Orange Bowl will return to its New Year’s holiday roots with a new and exciting matchup, and as part of a rotation of bowls included in the new College Football Playoff.

In the ACC – In the only intra-conference matchup of the weekend, conference newcomer Louisville rolled past Miami 31-13. Louisville’s defense opened strong logging three takeaways and limiting Miami to only one successful third down conversion in 13 attempts. On offense redshirt senior Dominique Brown led the rushing effort, recording 33 carries for 143 yards and a touchdown. Amongst ranked ACC teams, the No. 1 Florida State Seminoles outlasted the Oklahoma State Cowboys 37-31, extending their winning streak to 17. Reigning Heisman Trophy winning quarterback Jameis Winston threw for 370 yards and rushed for one of the Seminoles’ four touchdowns on a 28 yard run, the longest of his career. Seminole wide receiver and former South Florida high school standout Rashad Greene recorded 11 receptions for 203 yards and one touchdown. The matchup between the then No. 16 Clemson Tigers and then No. 12 Georgia Bulldogs was eerily similar to the 2013 season opener, until halftime. The 2014 game also entered halftime tied (21-21), however the Bulldogs took control in the second half, shutting out the Tigers in route to a 45-21 victory. For the then No. 23 North Carolina Tar Heels their 56-29 victory against the Liberty Flames was defined by the third quarter of play. In a span of four minutes near the end of the third, the Tar Heels scored 28 points to erase a 22-21 deficit. Several ACC schools took on in-state foes: Boston College beat Massachusetts 30-7, Virginia Tech routed William and Mary 34-9, and Duke overpowered Elon 52-13. Elsewhere in the ACC Syracuse defeated Villanova in overtime, Pittsburgh shut out Delaware 62-0 and NC State rallied in the fourth quarter to take down Georgia Southern. In week two Pittsburgh will travel to Boston College in the only ACC matchup of the week.

In the SEC - In the Southeastern Conference’s first game of the season, the then No. 21 Texas A&M Aggies upset the then No. 9 South Carolina Gamecocks 52-28 on South Carolina’s home turf. The Aggies took the lead on their first drive and never looked back. In his debut, quarterback Kenny Hill became the first Texas A&M quarterback to throw for more than 500 yards, finishing with 511 yards. In the SEC West division’s first matchup of the year then No. 6 Auburn defeated Arkansas 45-21. The game was tied at halftime (21-21), however, Auburn shutdown the Arkansas offense in the second half, holding them scoreless. Among the eight SEC teams not facing a conference opponent, seven emerged victorious. Due to weather, Florida’s matchup against Idaho was suspended. This week in SEC play No. 15 Ole Miss will travel to Vanderbilt, while the rest of the teams will face non-conference opponents.

In the Big Ten - After losing at home to UCF (34-31) in 2013, Penn State traveled to Dublin, Ireland and reversed their fortunes in the Croke Park Classic. Penn State led the whole game until UCF took a one point lead with just over a minute to play. On Penn State’s last possession Sam Ficken kicked a 36-yard field goal for a 26-24 Penn State victory. For the Michigan Wolverines week one was the opportunity to avenge their 2007 historic loss to Appalachian State. Michigan shut out Appalachian state in the first half (35-0) in route to their 52-14 victory. For the then No. 5 Ohio State Buckeyes their season opener against Navy was the first test for the offense’s new leader, true freshman quarterback J.T. Barrett. The Buckeyes found themselves trailing Navy in the second and third quarters, yet outscored Navy in the fourth (14-3) to rally for a 34-17 victory. Elsewhere in the Big Ten the then No. 14 Wisconsin Badgers entered halftime with a 17-7 lead against the then No. 13 LSU Tigers, but were outscored 14-0 in the fourth quarter giving LSU the 28-24 come-from-behind win. This week the Big Ten has several notable cross-conference matchups: No. 7 Michigan State will travel to take on the Pac-12’s No. 3 Oregon, Michigan will travel to take on No. 16 Notre Dame and No. 8 Ohio State will host the ACC’s Virginia Tech.

At Notre Dame - The then No. 17 Notre Dame Fighting Irish began the 2014 season with a 48-17 home victory over Rice. Notable for the Fighting Irish was the return of senior quarterback Everett Golson who became the third quarterback in school history to rush for three touchdowns in a game. Notre Dame, now ranked No. 16, will remain in South Bend for week two when they host the Big Ten’s Michigan.

Conference Action Relevant to the Orange Bowl

1. Florida State2. Alabama3. Oregon4. Oklahoma5. Auburn6. Georgia7. Michigan State8.Ohio State9.Texas A&M10. Baylor11. UCLA12. LSU13. Stanford14. USC15. Ole Miss16. Notre Dame17. Arizona State18. Wisconsin19. Nebraska 20. Kansas State21T. South Carolina21T. North Carolina23. Clemson24. Missouri25. Louisville

Orange Bowl Named South Florida’s Top Sporting Event