Belk Bowl: Frequently Asked Questions
Is the creature on the left the elusive "Belk"? Probably, right?
The 2012 Belk Bowl is just hours away. We’re sure you have so many questions. We’re here to help. (For an X's and O's breakdown, click through to Mallory Rubin's game preview.)
• What's all this, then? The 2012 game will mark the second Belk Bowl, abandoning close to a decade of automotive-related title sponsors. And what is a Belk? A department store.
• Where will this game be played? Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte.
• When is it on television? Coverage begins on ESPN at 6:30 p.m. ET, with Mike Patrick, Ed Cunningham and Jeannine Edwards bringing you the action.
• Whom does it feature? ACC versus Big East.
• What about this year? 9-3 Cincinnati versus 6-6 Duke. Duke's goin' bowling!! Please. The term is "Belking."
• Does the bowl have a social media presence? It does!
• What shiny baubles will be showered on the players? The Belk Bowl takes the brazenly adorable step of bestowing a shopping spree on participating teams -- a shopping spree at Belk.
• What wacky activities will be on offer during bowl week?
• What's the pick?Stewart Mandel: "Duke will presumably be jacked up for its first bowl game in 18 years. Cincinnati, meanwhile, is going through its second coaching change in three years. But Duke's injury-riddled defense imploded down the stretch, allowing at least 41 points in five of its final six games, while the Bearcats' struggling offense got a boost from new starting quarterback Brendon Kay (3-1 as the starter)."
• Please impart any miscellaneous knowledge you might have concerning the 2012 Belk Bowl.
In unrelated news, The Princess Diaries and The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement will be showing back-to-back on ABC Family starting at 6:30.
Are the team captains in this game called Belk Cows? How much does a pound of Belk cost in 2012? Have poaching and illegal hunting depleted the world's supply of Belk? Have we reached peak Belk?