(Editor’s Note: We were a little late publishing this article and a few of these games have already taken place. Georgia Tech took care of business at home, dominating Clemson 28-6 where Tigers quarterback Deshaun Watson suffered a likely season-ending injury. Virginia Tech snapped a three-game losing streak with a 17-16 road win at Duke and now requiring one more win for bowl eligibility. Later tonight, Florida State puts their 25-game unbeaten streak on the line at SunLife Stadium against a hungry Miami Hurricanes team looking to play CFP spoiler.)
Tallahassee is certainly no Disney World, but it’s turning out to be goofy if you don’t consider Florida State for the College Football Playoff. This is the one and only team the ACC can hang it’s shirt tails on and enjoy the ride. However I am still not convinced that this bunch of Seminoles has what it takes to repeat as champions. There is still some interesting intrigue beyond FSU, as Clemson, Georgia Tech and Duke are still hanging around the one and two loss mark for consideration. The rest of the pack has basically beat up each other and is in dire need of wins down the stretch if the conference even hopes to fill its quota for bowl game affiliations. So let’s take a look at the ACC after week 11 and see what the football gods have in store for New Years Day.
Florida State 34, Virginia 20
Good thoughts: Florida State continues to roll along unimpeded.
Bad Thoughts: The Seminoles will get eaten up if a tough team scores early and stymies any FSU comeback
This weekend: At Miami
Once again Jameis Winston and company faced a hole after fifteen minutes of play. Virginia is not Clemson or Alabama and they just didn’t have the horses to stay with the Seminoles. Quarterback Greyson Lambert is a gamer and heaved three important touchdowns, but had mental lapses that Florida State just pounced on once again. Florida State scored 21 unanswered points in the second quarter to ensure the lead going into the second half. That has been unthinkable in the last month. Winston was efficient in this one going 22/35 and tossing the pigskin to the one man who singlehandedly has been a thorn in most defenses this season. Rashad Greene has an uncanny ability to be open and his yards after catch are impressive. Greene had another 13 catches for 136 yards against an improving Cavaliers defense.
Coach Mike London, unfortunately may never see the fruits of his labors this year because at 4-6 it will be tough to win out and be bowl eligible. No bowl game, probably no more Mike London in Charlottesville. Jimbo Fisher is probably dreading the home stretch tough matches against Miami, Boston College and Florida. The Seminoles will have to stop Duke Johnson early and put the Hurricanes in a hole, something this Florida State crew hasn’t done all year. Boston College who are more Jekyll than Hyde still have Tyler Murphy running all over the field, which could also cause problems for a usually tough Seminoles defense. If the Eagles play like they did against USC, expect a closer game. Then of course we have the ground pounding exploits of the Florida Gators. Coach Will Muschamp might just run the ball all day and roll the dice against his in state rival. Another game like the one with Georgia and FSU could be in trouble by the end of November
Clemson 34, Wake Forest 20
Good thoughts: Clemson’s stout [not Stoudt} defense is the real deal and continues to hold the Tigers in games until Deshaun Watson gets up to game speed
Bad thoughts: Cole Stoudt is efficient but not flashy in this Chad Morris high powered offense
This weekend: At Georgia Tech
Oh yes those Tigers from the other Death Valley. If they can’t beat you with their offense, they sure as hell will with that dynamite defense. Vic Beasley, Grady Jarrett and Stephone Anthony have turned into the kind of leaders that take teams to new heights. The only problem is that Clemson hasn’t beaten anyone of note and the two losses were not exactly good losses. The other problem is playing down to your opponent and not putting them away. Last weekend the Tigers defense virtually stopped Wake Forest for a season low 119 yards of total offense and yet there was the Demon Deacons tied at 20-20 with less than fifteen minutes to play. The fact that Wake Forest came unglued is not surprising, but hopefully Clemson is not hanging their hat on Deshaun Watson coming back next week and becoming the savior.
The road to a New Year’s bowl game runs through Atlanta against the Ramblin’ Wreck of Georgia Tech and then two weeks later at in state rival South Carolina. Those defining games mean everything to this successful program. Which makes this weekend’s tilt with Georgia Tech so enticing. Clemson would like to continue with their double digit wins into year four and Georgia Tech needs to catch Duke for the Coastal Division. Look at these two programs for the last 10 years and all you can see are close encounters with wild finishes, and this weekend will be no different. Vic Beasley and company will have to stop the three headed running attack of coach Paul Johnston and Clemson will have to put some points on the board early to take the crowd out of the game. Clemson needs to win to keep their New Years dream alive, because quite frankly they haven’t really beaten anyone important this year yet and will need a ten win season to be considered.
Georgia Tech 56, North Carolina State 23
Good thoughts: Lets run all over the Wolfpack for 465 yards and 56 points
Bad Thoughts: If Clemson can stop the run, we don’t pass enough to catch up
This weekend: Hosting Clemson
Georgia Tech was written off at the beginning of the campaign with so much emphasis on the Tar Heels and two losses in the ACC didn’t exactly enamor the Yellow Jackets to everyone’s ACC top listing. Also the fact that Georgia Tech plays boring methodical football doesn’t help their mantra. Yes boring, winning, run the ball down your throat football. Their “stop me if you can mentality” just wore down the Wolfpack and there really wasn’t any reason to panic after that. Jacoby Brissett actually had the Pack in front 13-7, but three touchdowns later it became a rout for the Ramblin Wreck.
Georgia Tech now gets to host Clemson in Atlanta on the weekend and this one promises to be more push than shove. Simple formula is wear out the front seven of the Tigers and keep Clemson’s offense off the field with long grinding drives that chew up big chunks of the clock. A win over Clemson kicks the door open to several bowl opportunities like the Russell Athletic Bowl and perhaps if the cards swing right maybe even the high profile Peach Bowl. A three loss season moves them down the rung into the Sun Bowl or less. Perhaps we should also mention that there is still an in state rival game at the end of the season with the Georgia Bulldogs.
Duke 27, Syracuse 10
Good thoughts: Oh yeah, no one gave us a chance at repeating for the Coastal Division crown.
Bad thoughts: No one will take us seriously until we beat Florida State
This weekend: Hosting Virginia Tech
Duke is in another conundrum of sorts. Win out and get to face FSU for another chance to prove the Blue Devils have moved out of the dark ages of Duke football. David Cutliffe has done an amazing job with little or no recruiting surprises. Duke probably offers twice as many basketball scholarships as football ones, as I say this tongue in cheek. Anthony Boone is a bona fide quarterback with lots of upside. His leadership skills over this last season has given the Blue Devils fans something to cheer about and turned the program on the road to success. Throw in a little cardiac kid mentality and you probably have the Duke formula down pat.
Last weekend in upstate New York they scored 17 unanswered points in the fourth quarter to defeat the Orangemen in the two teams’ first meeting since 1939. Again nothing flashy, just opportunistic football to get the job done, and still no one respects the team. Duke still has games against Virginia Tech, North Carolina and Wake Forest. The first two should provide some insight into how Duke will finish their year out. Win those two and go to Charlotte for the ACC Championship, where anything can happen. Lose both of these games and kiss the Coastal title goodbye and any thoughts of a big bowl invite.
This weekend the Georgia Tech and Clemson tilt will hold the most intrigue, as the winner gets a decent invite to an upper echelon bowl game. The ACC needs Florida State to stay clean to guarantee a berth in the CFP. That makes the Miami game on Saturday so very important. Any other New Year’s invites will be on the Duke, Clemson or Georgia Tech table. North Carolina, Pittsburgh, Virginia and Virginia Tech have to win out to even become bowl eligible, and with late season head to head matchups that scenario is impossible. Boston College and Miami have enough wins to go bowling, but their losses probably get them a lower tier bowl game.
So there you have it for the ACC. Hang your hat on Florida State and roll into the playoff. Get a boost if Clemson runs the table and watch them perhaps get a New Year’s invite. If a one loss Duke managed to beat FSU, would that change the invite to the Blue Devils in the hunt for the CFP? Watch Georgia Tech roll over Clemson and stay clean over Georgia for an impressive 10-2 mark. Beating two ranked teams at the end of the season probably gets you a New Year’s invite like the Orange Bowl. The rest of the ACC will just have to restart their engines and try again next year. Louisville has acquitted themselves quite nicely as a new entrant to the ACC fold, but losses against Florida State and Clemson doomed the season to third fiddle in the Atlantic Division. Some will make bowl games, but most will struggle to get above .500.
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