ACC Championship Race – 11/19
Like the other conferences, it is getting close to the time when the ACC Championship teams will finally emerge from the darkness. Both the Atlantic and the Coastal picture cleared up considerably thanks to a single game. Georgia Tech’s defeat of Clemson put the Jackets at 6-2 with no conference games left and took the Tigers down to their second conference loss. This second loss likely means that the Atlantic is sealed up. The Coastal still needs some work and a true Coastal champion will not be found until the final week of the season if all goes well.
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The ACC Atlantic:
1.Florida State Seminoles (7-0)
We can stop there. Florida State will be headed to Charlotte. Every other team in the Atlantic has two or more conference losses, and there is no way the Seminoles can have worse than one loss. So you can start buying tickets, Noles fans. Unless you are saving up for the playoff. At which case, you start buying tickets Charlotte-area football nuts who are not going to see playoff games.
The ACC Coastal:
1.Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets (6-2)
2.Duke Blue Devils (4-2)
Duke’s loss to the Hokies opened up the chance for other teams to get in the race, but Georgia Tech slammed the door quickly by beating Clemson. Tech has the advantage of being done with its conference season. Duke has the advantage of owning the tiebreaker. Beat rivals North Carolina and Wake Forest and Duke is in the game for the second year in a row. Lose one of those and the option is on its way to Charlotte.
Either matchup will be interesting. Duke proved what it can do against a high performing offense with suspect defense in the Peach Bowl last year against Johnny Manziel and Texas A&M. Georgia Tech will offer a style and opponent unlike any Florida State has faced this year. That suspect defense may not like heavy doses of option football. For proof, remember that Tech had both Duke and UNC on the ropes before being denied in those games.