The ACC remains a fickle conference

As fans we’re always quick to play the transitive property game. If Team A lost / beat Team B, then Team C should lose to / should beat Team A or B.

Of course that’s not necessarily how things shake out and it’s why the games get played.

Miami fans were hot and bothered last Saturday after Duke put up 55 points in a win over the same Virginia team that just upended the Canes, 24-19 weeks back.

Of course that rationale only applies to losses as few mentioned what happened in Tallahassee hours later when Florida State, who whipped Miami by four touchdowns back in October, fell 37-35 to North Carolina. The same North Carolina who Miami fans didn’t want to give credit to after the Canes rolled the Heels 33-10, citing suspensions and injuries as the reason for the beat down.

A month back the Noles sat at 6-1, undefeated in the ACC. Jimbo Fisher was on a pedestal year one as head coach and many were already pondering who would face Florida State in the Orange Bowl as a conference crown was fait accompli.

Since then, not only two losses – but two embarrassing ones, where turnovers and coaching blunders did the Noles in.

A muffed fake handoff killed a game-winning drive against the Wolfpack – marking the second Christian Ponder fumble of the night – and last week against the Heels, it was poor clock management by Fisher.

Down 35-34, North Carolina took over at their own 23-yard line with just under six to remaining and drove 72 yards in 4:54, settling for a 22-yard field goal when not scoring on 3rd and goal.

Florida State took over with under a minute remaining, taking two timeouts into their final possession, having let too much time burn. A fifty-yard return by Greg Reid looked like it’d save FSU, but after three Ponder passes picked up 25 yards, Dustin Hopkins missed a 40-yard game-winner … wide right.

Even more puzzling, the fact Mark Stoops’ defense allowed T.J. Yates to throw for a career high 439 yards and three touchdowns. The same Yates that Miami held to 140 yards weeks back.

And so it goes in the ACC again this year.

Boston College, picked by some as a sleeper in the Atlantic … only to lose its first four conference showdowns (Virginia Tech, NC State, Florida State and Maryland) before finally beating Clemson and Wake Forest. Still remaining, Duke and Virginia.

Clemson, also expected to hang in their division, has faltered. After a near OT upset of still-undefeated Auburn, lost to Miami and North Carolina back-to-back. From there, wins over Maryland and Georgia Tech, before falling to Boston College and ekeing one out over NC State. Still remaining, Florida State and Wake Forest.

Georgia Tech took out North Carolina, Wake Forest and Virginia, but has fallen to NC State, Clemson and choked away an early 14-0 lead at Virginia Tech last Thursday, giving up 21 points in the fourth quarter of a 28-21 loss.

The same Hokies that fell 21-16 to James Madison week two, but has since rattled off three wins. Virginia Tech is 16-3 the past five seasons between November 1st and bowl season, though their final month stretch this year is more daunting than normal with North Carolina and Miami remaining.

The Heels welcome the Hokies on Saturday and are playing for pride and at best a second place division finish depending how the next few weeks fare for Miami and Virginia Tech. (The Hokies currently are undefeated in conference and the Canes have two ACC losses, but own the tiebreaker over the Heels.)

It’s been a valiant effort by a depleted North Carolina bunch this year, highlighted by last week’s win in Tallahassee. There have been wins over Virginia and Clemson, but an early season loss against Virginia Tech coupled with the beating administered by Miami essentially ended UNC’s hopes.

There’s no rhyme or reason to ACC play this year, so don’t hurt yourself looking for a logic or science behind what you’ve seen.

In the same breath, don’t count out anything but a wild ride down the stretch.

Virginia Tech remains the favorite, but counting out North Carolina and Miami taking out the Hokies obviously hasn’t been paying attention to how the past few months have played out. It clearly is anybody’s game.

Miami needs to focus on Georgia Tech this weekend and with a win in the books, will turn into the biggest Butch Davis fans in the country. For three hours, at least, as it’ll set up a do or die showdown between the Canes and Hokies next weekend in Miami.

Of course that’s all moot if the Yellow Jackets run their triple option all over a Canes defense that’s struggled to stop the run one week, while completely shutting it down the next.

Another up and down year in the ACC and it ain’t finished yet. If you’re a Hokie or Cane, the Coastal remains up for grabs while the Atlantic is a three team race.

Two recent losses aside, FSU is still tops at 4-2, though NC State holds the tiebreaker after the recent Thursday night upset of the Noles, while Florida State and Maryland go head-to-head next weekend – the Terps fate hinging on taking out Virginia this weekend, looking to respond from losing a heartbreaker at Miami.

Lots of football left to be played these next three weeks. Throw logic out the window and hang on because this one will come down to the wire. Anyone who thinks they know, based on ACC play thus far, you really have no idea.

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