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2011 Chick-Fil-A Bowl Projection: Virginia Tech To Atlanta, As Is Custom

The Hokies and Tigers are still favorites to meet in Atlanta on New Year's Eve, but any number of upsets in the season's final two weeks or the conference title games could radically shake up the bowl picture.

ATLANTA, GA - NOVEMBER 10:  The HokieBird, mascot of the Virginia Tech Hokies, celebrates after a touchdown against the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets at Bobby Dodd Stadium on November 10, 2011 in Atlanta, Georgia.  (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
ATLANTA, GA - NOVEMBER 10: The HokieBird, mascot of the Virginia Tech Hokies, celebrates after a touchdown against the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets at Bobby Dodd Stadium on November 10, 2011 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
Getty Images

The 2011 Chick-Fil-A Bowl projection has held steady in recent weeks, as Virginia Tech and Auburn are still the most popular prediction for the December 31 game in Atlanta. 

Both Brad Edwards and March Schlabach of ESPN.com have the Hokies and Tigers, while SB Nation's bowl projections have the Florida Gators representing the SEC. Believe it or not, the notoriously arcane selection system for non-BCS bowls with tie-ins to major conferences is getting some transparency, as Chick-Fil-A is featuring a blog on their official web site by none other than bowl scout (and former Atlanta Falcons head coach) Leeman Bennett.

As of November 10, Bennett listed the most likely teams the bowl committee is targeting as follows: The ACC (Clemson, Georgia Tech, Virginia Tech, Wake Forest) and The SEC (Auburn, Florida, Georgia, South Carolina).

The ACC's participant will almost certainly be the loser of the ACC Championship, projected to be between Clemson and the Hokies. The SEC is a little cloudier, as Georgia should go to the Cap One if they win the SEC East and presumably lose to LSU in the title game. That leaves the Gamecocks (who played in the bowl last season) and the Gators (who will be considered by Florida bowls regardless of their record) and, finally, Auburn. 

For more on the developing NCAA Bowl picture, check out SB Nation's weekly bowl projections at the college football page

Photographs by coka_koehler used in background montage under Creative Commons. Thank you.