With the Eagles’ 31-13 loss, coach Frank Spaziani’s team won’t be going to the ACC championship game (which instead will pit Clemson against Georgia Tech), and won’t be going to Atlanta (Chick-fil-A) or Orlando, Fla., (Champs Sports) for their bowl.

Although there won’t be an official announcement for a few more weeks, every indication points to a Dec. 26 date for the Eagles against the fourth-or fifth-place team from the Pac-10 in the Emerald Bowl Dec. 26.

Here’s why:

The ACC has nine bowl slots, including the BCS slot in the Orange Bowl. Right now, it has only seven bowl-eligible teams - BC, North Carolina, Georgia Tech, Clemson, Florida State, Miami, and Virginia Tech. If Duke beats Wake Forest next Saturday, that will make eight teams for nine bowls.

BC’s loss dropped it to 4-3 in the ACC, which would seem to leave them out of the top four bowls - Orange, Chick-fil-A, Gator, and Champs Sports.

The next tier of bowls includes the Meineke Car Care in Charlotte, N.C., the Emerald, and the Music City in Nashville, which should select from Florida State, Miami, BC, North Carolina, and Duke if it beats Wake Forest.

The conference bylaws state that each bowl will give its top choice and if there are no conflicts then the bowl will get the team it wants. If there is a dispute, the Music City gets first choice, the Meineke Car Care gets second choice, and the Emerald gets third choice.

BC went to the Music City Bowl last season and it is unlikely the Eagles will be back for a second consecutive season. The Meineke Car Care wants a local tie-in and would take Duke or North Carolina in a heartbeat, and would probably settle for Florida State or Miami.

Which leaves the Emerald Bowl. Miami played in that game last season and Florida State went there in 2006. BC has not been there since 2003, and seems the most likely pick.