Clemson can clinch the Atlantic this weekend
November, 16, 2009
11/16/09
10:30
AM ET
By
Heather Dinich | ESPN.com
With two weeks remaining in the regular season, the ACC picture has become much clearer.
Georgia Tech has clinched the Coastal Division with its win over Duke, and Clemson needs only to beat Virginia in its home season finale on Saturday to earn the program’s first trip to the ACC championship game. If all goes as scripted in the ACC -- which, remarkably, it seems like it might actually do for the first time in who knows how long -- ACC fans should be treated to an exciting rematch of the regular-season game which Georgia Tech won 30-27.
It’s been a while for both teams, as Clemson’s last ACC title was in 1991, and Georgia Tech’s last outright title was in 1990, the same year the Yellow Jackets’ won the national championship. Georgia Tech also shared the ACC title in 1998, and made an appearance in the championship game in 2006.
The matchup is not a guarantee yet, though.
Boston College kept its hopes alive with its win over Virginia on Saturday, but needs the Cavaliers to play spoiler this weekend in Death Valley if the Eagles are going to sneak into the ACC title game for the third straight season. Not only does BC need a Virginia win, the Eagles also have to win out against North Carolina and Maryland, and the Tar Heels are looking good these days. Even if BC finishes as runner-up in the Atlantic Division, consider it a successful season under first-year coach Frank Spaziani.
For now, though, it’s still Clemson’s division to lose.
Georgia Tech has clinched the Coastal Division with its win over Duke, and Clemson needs only to beat Virginia in its home season finale on Saturday to earn the program’s first trip to the ACC championship game. If all goes as scripted in the ACC -- which, remarkably, it seems like it might actually do for the first time in who knows how long -- ACC fans should be treated to an exciting rematch of the regular-season game which Georgia Tech won 30-27.
It’s been a while for both teams, as Clemson’s last ACC title was in 1991, and Georgia Tech’s last outright title was in 1990, the same year the Yellow Jackets’ won the national championship. Georgia Tech also shared the ACC title in 1998, and made an appearance in the championship game in 2006.
The matchup is not a guarantee yet, though.
Boston College kept its hopes alive with its win over Virginia on Saturday, but needs the Cavaliers to play spoiler this weekend in Death Valley if the Eagles are going to sneak into the ACC title game for the third straight season. Not only does BC need a Virginia win, the Eagles also have to win out against North Carolina and Maryland, and the Tar Heels are looking good these days. Even if BC finishes as runner-up in the Atlantic Division, consider it a successful season under first-year coach Frank Spaziani.
For now, though, it’s still Clemson’s division to lose.
Heather Dinich | email
College Football- ESPN.com ACC blogger
- Joined ESPN.com in 2007
- Wrote for The Baltimore Sun
ABOUT THIS BLOG
Heather Dinich
Dinich covered ACC and Big Ten football for five seasons before joining ESPN.com in November 2007. She's an Indiana grad but somehow her favorite day of the week is Saturday.
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