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By Marc Hudgens
SouthernPigskin.com ACC Columnist
SouthernPigskin.com ACC Columnist Marc Hudgens reflects on week eight in the ACC.
All in all, not a good outing this week for the ne’er-do-well conference. Lost both non-con matchups and now will not be sending a team to the BCS title game. Ugh.
Running Tally
Non-Con mark: 25-15 overall (7-8 BCS & Notre Dame)
Boston College 16, Notre Dame 20
When you turn over the ball as many times as the Eagles did (five - three picks, two drops), there’s a high chance you’ll lose. The last turnover, a Dave Shinskie interception, was particularly painful since it happened inside the last two minutes of regulation after driving all the way down to the Notre Dame 27 which, otherwise, could have led to a Boston College touchdown and the win.
But every blind squirrel finds a nut every now and then, and the Fighting Irish finally found theirs after a six game skid against the Eagles. At least this wasn’t a conference game, so technically Boston College is still in the race for the ACC crown. Problem is now Clemson leads the Atlantic due to the head-to-head it has over the Eagles.
Wake Forest 10, Navy 13
Times are hard these days in Winston-Salem, as they’ve lost two straight games by a combined score of 51-13. Both losses were away, so perhaps next week’s home game at Groves Stadium may be the turning around point. Problem is it’ll be against a wounded and perhaps angry Miami team who just lost its chance at a BCS title shot. Or Will Miami be demoralized and not care anymore? Injuries abound in Coral Gables, so perhaps that may be in Wake’s favor. Deacon quarterback Riley improved from last week, which is a good sign, but the Deacs have to convert a lot more third downs to get it going as Jim Grobe’s guys have only converted nine of the past 30 attempts across the past two games.
Inclement weather could be construed (or contrived) as a valid reason, but that goes with the territory in football. It is an outdoors sport, last I checked, and it doesn’t pansy its way out with a rain delay. Besides, rain didn’t stop Navy from winning, did it?
Final Thoughts
I don’t know what the bigger news is, Clemson beating Miami in overtime at Miami in a college football classic, or Florida State winning their first ACC game.
The Canes’ loss 37-40 overtime loss to Clemson essentially kicked them out of the BCS title race. That parity thing rears its ugly head at the most inopportune times, huh? However, when you really look at the matchup, this was possibly a win-win for the ACC. Had Miami have won, the conference would still have a BCS title contender, which is one win. However, Clemson’s huge victory, which perched it atop the Atlantic Division, could carry the Tigers to the Atlantic crown and a resulting berth in the ACC title game, and Clemson playing for the ACC title, especially winning it, would be the other win (should it happen) because it would be a big shot in the arm to 1) a Clemson team desperate for that elusive championship gold, and 2) the ACC title game, which has not put butts in seats in a long time. But the Tigers’ offense absolutely has to play at this level for the rest of the season. It’s a must. This second straight hot offensive attack proves that Clemson can be consistent if it plays with a nothing-to-lose mentality. With this win and the preceding win over Wake, there is no turning back now for Dabo Swinney’s men, because there is now no excuse for flopping.
Down by 18 over four minutes into the second half in Chapel Hill, Florida State had a moment of rediscovery, rattling off 24 points in a comeback 30-27 win over North Carolina on Thursday night while holding the Tar Heels to zero touchdowns during that scorch. It looked like the same old Seminoles before that, but as they say good teams find a way to come back in the face of adversity to win. Not saying Florida State is “good” now, per se, because part of being good is consistency. They still have a lot to prove from here on out. Next week against N.C. State will be a test, as well as playing at a now-hot Clemson team after that. Their gauntlet isn’t done. North Carolina, on the other hand, now at 0-3 in conference play, is effectively out of the Coastal race, and it’s looking like 0-4 given they’re playing at Virginia Tech this Thursday night.
I was wondering when the Cavaliers would regress back to their old ways, and this weekend was it as Georgia Tech, who now sits atop the Coastal Division, put the 34-9 wood to Virginia. The Jackets’ offense looked like a typical productive Paul Johnson squad (362 ground yards with four rushing touchdowns), and there looks to be no signs of slowing down at all. Defense finished in excellent fashion also, only allowing three field goals, zero touchdowns. Not sure if this loss puts Al Groh back on the hot seat, because his three-game win streak prior to this cooled it down quite a bit. But there is a bit more warmth on it now that before Saturday.
Let’s finish this off right with yet another Duke win. Don’t look now, but the Fighting Cutcliffes are now 4-3 (2-1 ACC) and are third in the Coastal standings. Next week the Blue Devils travel to Charlottesville to face Virginia, and a win there would give Duke its most regular season wins since 1994. Looking at their schedule, even if they don’t beat Virginia there are plenty of opportunities to hit that milestone. Hit it, and expect Cutcliffe to get a much deserved contract extension. Maryland’s Ralph Friedgen, on the other hand, will likely be getting the exact opposite of an extension after this season. Two-thirds into their season and after years of mediocrity and inconsistency, Friedgen getting the pink slip treatment has to be a fait accompli, as the Terps are 2-6 (1-3 ACC).
Next week are three non-cons on the old docket. Clemson hosts a patsy in the FCS’ Coastal Carolina, Boston College hosts a 7-1 (5-0 MAC) Central Michigan team who is currently atop the Mid-American West standings, and Georgia Tech travels to Nashville to take on the SEC’s Vanderbilt. Vandy appears to have regressed this season so I’m thinking a Jacket win in Music City. Clemson should mop the floor with their middling Big South opponent, as Coastal Carolina may be just what’s needed for the Tigers to calm down from the emotional high of the Miami win, but I’m not sure about Boston College against CMU. Certainly the Chippewas are theoretically a tune-up but they’re a very good MAC team that beat Michigan State earlier in the year at East Lansing. This is an opportunity for the Eagles to get back on track before finishing the rest of their season against nothing but ACC opponents.
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Stories written by SouthernPigskin.com columnists are done independently. Views do not always coincide with those of the remainder of the staff or the ownership of SouthernPigskin.com.
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