ACC Coming Attractions: FSU-Miami showdown, Top-25 matchup and more
This weekend is nearly as good as it gets for ACC football -- ranked or nearly-ranked matchups galore, big games with plenty of intrigue and few, if any, certain outcomes.
Florida State-Miami has not lived up to the billing in recent years, but the Hurricanes are playing as well as they have in quite some time. Clemson and Georgia Tech are two Top-25 teams fighting to move up some in the playoff standings before facing their annual in-state SEC rivals. Duke has to avoid an upset bid from a desperate Virginia Tech team, North Carolina has to win to keep its bowl hopes alive and NC State is desperately seeking that bowl-eligibility win.
These games shouldn't need much promotion, but...
Ever since Clemson and NC State started the trend that's sweeping the nation (otherwise known as Lead FSU), America has turned its anti-Seminoles eyes towards their more capable opponents, even weeks in advance. Louisville was the first, and the Cardinals embraced that trend too, even leading FSU by as much as 21-0. But the Seminoles did what they do, and that is basically turn it on in the second half and pull away. Interestingly, though, Miami might be the team with the best mix of ingredients to pull it off -- an athletic, tough defense coupled with an explosive offense and an experienced offensive line. But WILL they?
Get your popcorn: 'Only the Strong.' This movie was filmed and set in Miami, and it involves troubled kids learning the art of Capoeira -- which is basically dance-fighting -- to conquer their demons, both in real life and in their minds. WILL IT WORK FOR THE HURRICANES?
Clemson-Georgia Tech might seriously be one of the most underrated rivalries in the ACC. These two teams are permanent partners across divisions, and the games are almost always entertaining. From 1996-2001, the games were decided by three points each time (Georgia Tech won four and Clemson won two). Clemson has one of the best defenses in the country, and Georgia Tech's offense is among the nation's most efficient. And yet the Tigers finds themselves at 19th in the College Football Playoff rankings (behind a two-loss Notre Dame team that hasn't beaten anyone and three-loss LSU) and Georgia Tech, at 8-2, is 22nd. Wisconsin passed Georgia Tech this weekend when both won because Wisconsin beat ... Purdue? OK then. This rivalry is fighting for respect, and so are both of these teams. But we know one thing -- it will be fun.
Get your popcorn: 'Chitty Chitty Bang Bang.' A fun movie all-around, just like this game will be, and one that features an engineer! Both of these schools have great engineering programs. That's all I've got.
One team is ranked, and is the reigning Coastal Division champ looking to fight off an upset bid from an ACC team that has just one win. The other is Virginia Tech. This kind of a scenario would have been unimaginable for both No. 19 Duke and the flailing Hokies as recently as three years ago, and yet here we are. Duke is in full control of the division, but a bowl game is very much still in reach for the Hokies in spite of the disappointment this season has become -- can Virginia Tech salvage something by playing spoiler to the Blue Devils? Also, what world are we living in?
Get your popcorn: 'Trading Places.' An explanation is not necessary here.
The Tar Heels are well-rested and coming off a bye, and they'd better hope that their defense worked on tackling non-stop because Pitt and James Conner are coming into town, and Conner is averaging 6.1 yards per carry and 149 yards per game, a few spots higher than the last tailback to run all over North Carolina in Duke Johnson (135 yards a game). Will the Tar Heels get buried by Conner and company, or can they do enough to overcome their own defensive woes on the offensive side of the ball this time? Both teams desperately need a win to keep their hopes of a bowl game alive.
Get your popcorn: 'Vertical Limit.' The Tar Heels had better hope the avalanche otherwise known as Conner doesn't bury them.
WAKE FOREST! NC STATE! Um ... IN-STATE RIVALS! Yeah, that's all I've got. This is an important one for the Wolfpack, as they really need a sixth win to get to bowl eligibility before they close the season at North Carolina. It would be nice to take that pressure off heading into that one, for sure. But Dave Clawson's Deacons have shown that they won't go down without a fight, and the last few weeks, it has seemed that when NC State has had tough moments, it has struggled to bounce back from them. I think that I've basically highlighted all possible ways that this game could be intriguing in any way, shape or form.
Get your popcorn: 'Superbad.' Nothing went right for the main two characters in 'Superbad.' But they had a pretty entertaining night anyways. Well, if you're into schadenfreude. And ugly football.
