College Football Report: Clemson To Play in Meineke Car Care Bowl

*CONFIRMED: Clemson will play South Florida on New Years Eve at Noon as of 12/5/10*

According to numerous sources the Clemson Tigers (6-6) will play in the Meineke Car Care Bowl in Charlotte, NC.

Though the Tigers would rather be playing in Charlotte this weekend in the ACC Championship Game, they certainly have a lot to be excited about by playing in this game.

Sure, the Tigers likely don't deserve this game, but thanks to an onslaught of e-mails, faxes, and phone calls to the bowl offices, Clemson fans may have once again vaulted their team into a better bowl.

The reports, if true, would indicate that Clemson would be taken over other ACC teams Miami (7-5), Georgia Tech (6-6), North Carolina (7-5), and Boston College (7-5). Is it fair? Actually, all but Georgia Tech defeated the Tigers this year.

Once again we're proving, however, that when it comes to bowls money talks. Despite Clemson's disappointing season, they will likely travel extremely well to nearby Charlotte, which is only a two-hour drive up I-85.

Clemson's opponent has not been leaked. Sources indicate it will be West Virginia should Connecticut win their game this weekend. This would be a historical matchup considering the 1989 Gator Bowl where the Tigers defeated Major Harris and a good WVU team to send their soon to be fired coach Danny Ford out on a high note.

The Tigers and Mountaineers also have more intertwined history between coaches Tommy Bowden (played for West Virginia) and coach Rich Rodriguez, who was the offensive coordinator under Bowden before leaving for West Virginia.

Should this be the case, a win could go far for a Clemson team having major doubts about itself to finish the season. A win would help take some heat off second-year coach Dabo Swinney and potentially help carry some momentum into next season, where the Tigers could be a favorite in the Atlantic Division thanks to a large number of returning starters on offense.