ESPN College Football

It was an historic weekend for the ACC, which announced it would accept Pittsburgh and Syracuse as its newest members. One of the more interesting reactions in the ACC was Maryland athletic director Kevin Anderson, who, buried at the bottom of his statement, endorsed further expansion.

Here's a look at what others in the ACC are saying about the move, thanks to quotes released from their respective schools:

Clemson AD Terry Don Phillips

“This is a good decision for our conference. We are adding two programs that have won the national championship in football and been consistently outstanding in basketball. That includes Syracuse winning the national championship in 2003 and Pittsburgh’s five Sweet 16 appearances in the last decade.

"The addition of Syracuse and Pittsburgh extends our footprint on the Eastern seaboard, which further enhances the national exposure of all of our universities and athletic programs.

“We can accomplish all of goals in all sports in the Atlantic Coast Conference. That most assuredly includes football. Our challenge individually as a university, as well as collectively as a league is to continue to improve in all facets of our program. That includes facility improvements and other infrastructure, and the attraction of outstanding coaches and student-athletes to our campus.”

Miami President Donna E. Shalala

“As a proud Syracuse graduate, I am delighted the Orange and our colleagues at Pittsburgh are joining the ACC. Both of these universities are good fits for the ACC academically and athletically and are led by first-rate presidents.”

Virginia AD Craig Littlepage

"During so much uncertainty in the college athletics' landscape over the past year and a half, the ACC routinely examined this very fluid situation in an effort to build upon its position among the nation's elite conferences. The ACC has considered the opportunities and decided to accept the applications for membership from two outstanding institutions that are excellent fits academically, athletically, and geographically. I am pleased that schools of the quality of the University of Pittsburgh and Syracuse University had an interest in joining the ACC."

Maryland AD Kevin Anderson

“It’s rewarding to think that there are a number of prestigious institutions like the University of Pittsburgh and Syracuse University that want to become a part of what the ACC has become both on and off the field. These two institutions are a great fit for the league based on the quality of the athletics programs and based on the quality of their academic reputations.

“We already compete against Pitt and Syracuse in a number of our sports and have appreciated the quality and sportsmanship of those teams. The competition against quality programs in a number of sports will certainly enhance the experience for our student-athletes.

“From a regional standpoint, adding these two high-quality schools will enhance the marketing footprint of the league. Both Pittsburgh and New York City will offer the conference new opportunities to attract fans in all our sports. We look forward to discussions about the future of the league and would encourage a future expansion.”

Duke coach David Cutcliffe

"One thing that never wavered during this process was the confidence we had in the leadership at both the conference level with commissioner [John] Swofford and the institutional level with Dr. [Richard] Brodhead and Kevin White. Strengthening the foundation of our league has been a priority, and we've accomplished that goal. The University of Pittsburgh and Syracuse University have tremendous traditions in both academics and athletics, and we are proud to have both schools join the ACC."

When Virginia hosts Eastern Michigan on Saturday, another milestone for minority coaches and athletic administrators will be realized. Not only will this mark the 1,000th game for the Eastern Michigan football program, it will also be a noteworthy day for minority football coaches and athletic directors on the Division I FBS and FCS levels (excluding historically black colleges). Currently, 15 of the 120 FBS football coaches are of color, according to the BCA (Black Coaches and Administrators).

Virginia coach Mike London and AD Craig Littlepage will host coach Ron English and AD Derrick Gragg, and while no official NCAA record currently exists, the game is believed to be the first football game on the Division I level with the opposing coaches and athletic directors being black.

“This game between Eastern Michigan and the University of Virginia affirms the progress seen in hiring for the highest levels of intercollegiate sport," Littlepage said in a prepared statement from the BCA. "UVA sends congratulations to EMU’s leaders, Dr. Derrick Gragg and Ron English, on the occasion of Eastern Michigan’s 1,000th football game.”

"College athletics has been a major part of my life for the past 20-plus years and I am honored to be able to play a role in this historic event," Gragg said in a prepared statement. "I have great respect for Craig Littlepage and his contributions to intercollegiate athletics as a coach and athletic administrator. I am certainly looking forward to Saturday's game."

“It is significant that we are experiencing such tangible events as this in intercollegiate athletics today," BCA executive director Floyd Keith said. "This event follows a breakthrough year in the hiring of football coaches on the college FBS level. As we move forward into 2011, I am encouraged that this trend will continue and such meetings will become more commonplace on our fall Saturday afternoons.”

Bill Dudley, who was regarded by many as one of the greatest players in Virginia's history, died on Thursday at his home in Lynchburg. He was 88.

Dudley lettered at Virginia from 1939-1941 and won the Maxwell Trophy in 1941 as the nation's top player. As a 19-year-old halfback, he led the nation in scoring (134 points), touchdowns (18) and all-purpose yards (1675). He finished fifth in the Heisman Trophy voting as a senior.

"Everyone associated with the University of Virginia and our athletics programs is saddened by the passing of Bill Dudley," athletic director Craig Littlepage said in a prepared statement. "His accomplishments as both a college and professional athlete are well documented by the various awards he earned during his playing career. Stated succinctly, Bill Dudley was one of the all-time greats in college and pro football.

"Most of all, Bill Dudley truly distinguished himself in the way he was an ambassador for the University of Virginia throughout his life. There will never be a better representative of the University than 'Bullet' Bill Dudley. We all share the sorrow and the loss felt by members of Bill's family."

After an 8-16 record over the past two bowl-less seasons, and four losing seasons in the past nine years, it comes as no surprise that Virginia fired coach Al Groh one day after losing to Virginia Tech in the season finale. Again.

As tough as it was to fire one of their own, it was time for a change in Charlottesville, as the Cavaliers have had losing records in three of the past four seasons and finished this year 3-9. The question now is how much of a change athletic director Craig Littlepage is really looking for.

A “national search” will begin immediately, according to a news release issued today, but Littlepage doesn’t have to look far for head coaches who know the rich recruiting grounds of Virginia and have had ties to the program. Al Golden was defensive coordinator at Virginia for five seasons prior to taking over Temple in December 2005 and has done a remarkable job turning around the Owls’ program. Former defensive coordinator Mike London, now Richmond’s head coach, has had instant success at the neighboring school -- just ask Duke coach David Cutcliffe, who lost to the Spiders this year. And Liberty coach Danny Rocco, who coached with Groh for five seasons at Virginia and one with the New York Jets, has improved a program from one win to 10 wins.

Those candidates’ biggest downfall, though, might be their ties to Groh, even though each of them have developed their own philosophies as head coaches.

Considering Littlepage’s last hire -- hoops coach Tony Bennett -- came out of left field to many following the coaching search, there’s no telling which direction he’ll go. The only clue from that hire is that Littlepage isn’t afraid to broaden the search.

There are plenty of options, like Florida defensive coordinator Charlie Strong, or coaches who have been off the sidelines but not out of the picture like Tommy Tuberville. There are also the popular picks, like Boise State’s Chris Petersen, who seems to be happy right where he is. Heck, Wake Forest coach Jim Grobe is a Virginia alum, but in the what-have-you-done-for-me-lately world of college football, his name has probably dropped down the list of candidates this year. And Virginia Tech fans would have a collective stroke if Bud Foster crossed enemy lines to take his first head coaching job.

Most of those options seem unlikely.

Virginia is not going to hire a flashy big-name coach. It will have to be somebody the fans can embrace, who can get them to fill the seats again. Somebody who knows how to rejuvenate a program and recruit. That’s a tough combination, but Groh has already helped prepare several good candidates for that opportunity.

The question is whether or not Littlepage thinks Groh’s protégés can do better than he did. At the non-BCS level, some of them already have.

With a 3-7 record, the future doesn’t look bright for Virginia coach Al Groh. The Cavaliers have lost four straight games, and head into another uphill battle on Saturday in Death Valley. Virginia has won one home game all year, against Indiana, and fans have had little to cheer for, as this will be the second straight bowl-less season for the program.

So it’s time to look ahead.

There’s no reason Virginia can’t be a successful football program again. Charlottesville is an attractive location, Virginia is a beautiful campus, and the state is a hotbed for some of the nation’s best recruits. All it needs is the right man for the job. I’ve got three who are great recruiters, have rebuilt programs, and have ties to Charlottesville.

Here are my top three suggestions for athletic director Craig Littlepage:

1. Temple coach Al Golden. Not only is he the perfect fit because of his history with Virginia, but if you can win at Temple, you should certainly be able to win at Virginia. The 8-2 Owls are leading the MAC and have made a dramatic turnaround under Golden, who was defensive coordinator at Virginia for five seasons prior to taking over Temple in December 2005. The 16 seniors on Temple’s current roster were 1-11 as freshmen, and are now bowl eligible for the first time since 1990. Both Golden and his wife, Kelly, received degrees from Virginia.

2. Richmond coach Mike London. Virginia’s former defensive coordinator led the Spiders to their first-ever FCS national championship last year. He’s familiar with the ACC, as he was also defensive line coach at Boston College from 1997-2000, and he knows the recruiting areas in Virginia as well as he does his own living room. His contract runs through the 2014 season. London has seven children, including his daughter, Kristen, who is a senior on Virginia’s women’s basketball team. His younger brother, Paul, was a defensive back at Virginia from 1991-95.

3. Liberty coach Danny Rocco. Rocco inherited a program that was 1-10 when he was hired in 2005. He improved Liberty to 6-5 the following year and earned the title of Big South coach of the year. Last year, the Flames repeated as Big South champs, and ended with the program’s first 10-win season. And Rocco did it using the 3-4 defense he learned in five seasons under Groh at Virginia and with the New York Jets in 2000. He also played at Wake Forest for two seasons under Groh, and coached the defensive line at BC from 1991-93.

There are only two more weeks remaining in the regular season, which means there’s little time for anyone to make a serious move in the conference race. We know who is the best -- and who is the worst -- in the ACC. Georgia Tech is No. 1 until somebody proves otherwise. We’ll find out this week if Clemson will get that chance in the ACC championship game. Maryland remains No. 12.

Here’s how the ACC hierarchy looks heading into Week 12:

1. Georgia Tech (10-1, 7-1 ACC; LW: No. 1) –The Yellow Jackets clinched the Coastal Division title with their convincing win over Duke, and have the bye week to enjoy it before hosting rival Georgia. They remain at No. 7 in the BCS standings this week, and have earned their spot as the top one-loss team in the country.

2. Clemson (7-3, 5-2; LW: No. 4) – With their win over NC State, the Tigers are finally in a position to make the program’s first appearance in the ACC title game. First they need to guarantee it with a home win over Virginia this weekend. It's been an impressive season for the Tigers in the first full year under coach Dabo Swinney.

3. Virginia Tech (7-3, 4-2; LW: No. 3) – The Hokies got a complete effort against the bedraggled Terps, and haven’t given up on their goal of a 10-win season. While it’s not the finish they had been hoping for this year, Virginia Tech deserves credit for regrouping instead of letting back-to-back losses to Georgia Tech and North Carolina snowball into a disaster.

4. Miami (7-3, 4-3; LW: No. 2) – The Canes have been struggling on both sides of the ball lately, and turnovers have been costly. This isn’t the same team that started the season with a 3-1 record, and the loss to North Carolina on Saturday ruined any remaining shot Miami might have had of receiving a BCS bowl bid.

5. North Carolina (7-3, 3-3; LW: No. 6) – The Tar Heels have reversed their fortunes, and now look capable of contending for the Coastal Division. Unfortunately for them, it’s too little, too late. Still, the program is capable of improving upon last year’s eight-win season and earned a bowl appearance. Hardly the disaster it started out to be. I know UNC just beat Miami, but I keep my power rankings the way my Top 25 looks, and I just sneaked the Tar Heels in this week at No. 24.

6. Boston College (7-3, 4-2; LW: No. 5) – The Eagles have found ways to overcome their weaknesses all season, and Saturday at Virginia was no different. BC picked up its first road win of the season, and kept its hopes alive to sneak into the ACC championship game. They’ll need some help from Virginia this weekend, though, as BC needs Clemson to lose.

7. Florida State (5-5, 3-4; LW: No. 9) – With Christian Ponder watching from the sidelines, backup quarterback E.J. Manuel made a smooth transition into his starting role, and everything was clicking on offense for the Noles in their win over Wake Forest. They seem to have salvaged their postseason hopes, but can’t afford an embarrassing slip-up now at home against Maryland.

8. Duke (5-5, 3-3; LW: No. 7) – Duke proved that there is still a significant gap in the Coastal Division between the best team and the Blue Devils, though the conference standings indicated Duke and Georgia Tech were closer. Duke still has a chance to become bowl eligible, though, and they’ll be catching Miami while it’s down.

9. Wake Forest (4-7, 2-5; LW: No. 8) – It was a disappointing home finale for senior quarterback Riley Skinner, who had an uncharacteristically off performance in the loss to Florida State, and the Demon Deacons will be home for Christmas. Wake has a bye week this week, but it does the Deacs little good now.

10. Virginia (3-7, 2-4; LW: No. 10) – If athletic director Craig Littlepage hasn’t begun to think about the program’s future without Al Groh, now is probably the time to start. With only one home win this season -- against Indiana -- the Cavaliers’ fans have had little to cheer for. The only hope left is to play spoiler against Clemson and beat rival Virginia Tech.

11. NC State (4-6, 1-5; LW: No. 11) – The Pack has lost five of its past six, but this one stung particularly hard because it ended NC State’s hopes at bowl eligibility. It won’t get any easier as the Pack will face a ranked Virginia Tech team on the road this weekend.

12. Maryland (2-8, 1-5; LW: No. 12) – The best news for the Terps is that there are only two weeks remaining. They’ll have to face a Florida State team on the road this Saturday during a game in which the Seminoles are still playing for something. Even if Ralph Friedgen were to lose his job -- a costly $4 million option for Debbie Yow -- little would change in 2010.

Posted by ESPN.com’s Heather Dinich

Virginia athletic director Craig Littlepage recently told the Associated Press that he will evaluate the job coach Al Groh has done at the end of the season.

Groh, though, doesn’t wait that long to look in the mirror. He said he evaluates what he and his staff have done on a weekly basis.

“We’re fairly self-critical,” said Groh, who is currently 59-50 and in his ninth season at Virginia, heading in the direction of his third losing season in the past four years. “It’s the nature of coaches that when things don’t turn out score-wise the way we want them to, to be very self-critical. If I wasn’t that way by nature, then I’d probably sleep better on Saturday nights.”

	Bob DonnanUS Presswire
	Al Groh owns a 59-50 record during his time at Virginia.

Needless to say, it’s been a restless season in Charlottesville.

The problem for Groh is that it’s not the first. Virginia is 3-6 heading into Saturday’s home game against Boston College, and has lost 10 of its past 13 games. The Cavaliers ended the 2008 season without a bowl appearance and on a four-game losing streak. They picked up right where they left off, starting this season with a three-game losing streak. What appeared to be a turnaround midseason was halted by better competition, as the Cavaliers have lost three straight to Georgia Tech, Duke and Miami.

In order to go to a bowl game this year, Virginia would have to win its final three games, which include BC, Clemson and rival Virginia Tech. Both the Tigers and the Hokies are ranked in the Associated Press Top 25 this week. Virginia’s chances of reaching the postseason seem slim. Again. That doesn’t mean, though, that the Cavaliers don’t have anything to play for.

“We’re playing to win on Saturday,” Groh said. “Really, in the long run, that’s what we’re playing for every week, just to walk out of that place on Saturday and say that everything we put into it -- the planning, the practice and the competition -- hey, we’ve got this to show for it. That’s about as long-term as my world is -- next Saturday.”

Unfortunately for Groh, a UVA alum, he’s running out of Saturdays. Groh’s contract doesn’t expire until Dec. 31, 2011, but the noticeable drop-off in attendance at Scott Stadium has caught Littlepage’s attention.

According to the Associated Press, Virginia is averaging 46,605 fans for its five home games, down more than 7,000 from what last year's 5-7 team drew. Fan support is one of the factors Littlepage told the Associated Press he is concerned about.

“When I walk out there, I have an idea of how many people are there, but frankly, once we’re playing, I don’t know if there’s six or 60,000 there,” Groh said. “I’m just trying to concentrate on doing my job.”

No one is questioning his effort. Groh made the painful decision to fire his son as offensive coordinator this past offseason, bringing in Gregg Brandon to install the spread offense. Without the personnel, though, the offense won’t work. Groh adjusted after the first three games and it paid off with a three-game winning streak.

When asked on Sunday night if he and his staff are doing everything they can to win games, Groh said that “to say everything would be egotistical.”

“I’ve never come out of one in a lot of years, even when we’ve won pretty well, that I thought I got them all right,” Groh said. “We analyze ourselves first, before we do anything else. Certainly there is plenty to analyze there, but as we did talk about in our meeting with the players [Sunday], the coaches’ job during the game is to put the players in position to make plays. We spend the whole week trying to do that, and come up with the right plan for that, and the right ideas, and everybody has to be able to respond to that particular thing.

"We’ve had some games where we’ve done a really good job of it. We had some real good things, some very, very good things down in Chapel Hill that frankly put the players in position to make the plays that determine the game. We did some real good things the previous two weeks in those games. But in the long run, they didn’t result in enough points or enough wins.”

And in the long run, those are the bottom-line numbers Littlepage will have to consider at the end of the season.

Posted by ESPN.com's Heather Dinich

Hey everybody, just got to my seat in Memorial Stadium. Here are a few quick thoughts after catching up on today's games:

• First, UNC running back Shaun Draughn is out with a shoulder injury and is doubtful to return. Ryan Houston has been playing well as of lately, so I think they'll still be OK, though obviously it hurts to lose your starter and leading rusher in such a key game like this. This game is tied 6-6 at the half, and as exciting as anticipated.
• Wake is surprising Georgia Tech 17-10 at the half, but the Deacs have yet to see the Jackets in the dreaded third quarter. That's when they've been at their best, running out the clock and extending the drives. Quarterback Riley Skinner, as expected, is a big reason why Wake is in this game right now. Neither team has turned it over yet, and that's something Wake has done uncharacteristically this year. Somehow, the Deacs have controlled the clock to this point. That will be a huge factor in the second half.
• Maryland deserves a lot of credit for the way it fought in a 38-31 loss to NC State. Russell Wilson, though, was the difference with his four touchdowns, including one rushing. This was another team that tried to give it to the Terps -- Wilson had a career-worst three interceptions. In the end, it came down to Maryland's struggling offensive line, which couldn't protect backup quarterback Jamarr Robinson. Now he knows how Chris Turner has felt all season.
• Welcome back, Miami. The Canes came to life in the second half of a 52-17 romp over Virginia behind an amazing performance by Graig Cooper, who finished with a career-best 152 yards and a touchdown. Al Groh's future in Charlottesville is shaky at best with a 3-6 record. Might be time for Craig Littlepage to make some phone calls.

Posted by ESPN.com's Heather Dinich

Happy August, ACC fans. Here we go:

• Boston College linebacker Mark Herzlich can see himself playing football again in 2010, and he's got reason to believe.

• BC quarterback Dave Shinskie has already heard most of the old-timer jokes, but he's taking it all in with a smile and a laugh. Adjusting to college, though, has been a bit of a shock to his system.

• Ask Paul Johnson what Georgia Tech has done under his watch, and aside from beating Georgia, he'll tell you "nothing." The Jackets still have some unresolved issues to address this summer, and it starts today.

• Here are five questions to ponder as summer camps begin in the ACC.

• Tom O'Brien and Butch Davis get along much better than their predecessors did, but which program really has the edge? NC State does, if you're strictly speaking quarterbacks. Bobby Bowden said Russell Wilson might be the most dangerous quarterback in the country. It's true. But can he stay healthy?

• Here are five newcomers who could have an immediate impact for Clemson.

• Just when it looked like FSU's tight ends might be free to help out more in the passing game than in the blocking, one of them might have to slide into the fullback role.

• Can Virginia ever be a powerhouse in football? AD Craig Littlepage says there can be a "sustained level of success" in all of the Cavaliers' programs.

• Wake Forest scored another recruit from Pahokee. The Deacs will be looking for a little more balance offensively this fall, and they've got the players to do it.

Posted by ESPN.com's Heather Dinich

• Media days begin on Sunday for the ACC, and Bobby Bowden is sure to get plenty of questions regarding his future at FSU. One thing is for sure -- the university has no plans of paying Jimbo Fisher $5 million.
• Boise State sent out a press release making its 2010 matchup against Virginia Tech official. And the Broncos will get $1.25 million to play the Hokies. Heck, I'd line up against Bud Foster's D for that. You know how tough the Hokies' schedule is this year? Well, it's the exact opposite next season, but adding Boise State will give it a boost.
• NC State's Nate Irving is out indefinitely, and that's no big surprise considering the severity of his car accident. Whether or not he comes back is entirely in the hands of his doctors. 
• Mark Bradley tackles the most pressing questions facing Georgia Tech this fall and makes a favorable prediction for the Jackets' record.
• There's a common thread to Maryland's "good but not great" theme under coach Ralph Friedgen and it starts up front, on the defensive line.
• Virginia athletic director Craig Littlepage is one of many athletic directors feeling the effects of the economy.
• Miami's ground game is in need of some life. Can "Coop and J.J." be the answers? Miami coach Randy Shannon is certainly ready for a 1,000-yard rusher.

Posted by ESPN.com's Heather Dinich

VIRGINIA

1. Al Groh will not lose his job. Anyone can see that this is a transition year for the Cavaliers, and that includes athletic director Craig Littlepage. In addition to the numerous offseason staff changes that were made -- including a new offensive coordinator -- Groh has to replace three of his best linebackers, his top four receivers and his leading rusher, just to name a few. He has to find a quarterback he can depend on, and he has three he can choose from, which is a much better scenario that it was last year. It doesn't seem to be the time to make a change considering changes were made in the form of five new assistants.

2. Gregg Brandon's offense will struggle in the first year without the playmakers to execute it. A year ago, it probably would have flourished with receivers like Kevin Ogletree and Maurice Covington. Now the most visible face of the offense is Mikell Simpson, and he faded from the picture last year after making a name for himself in 2007. The offense will have to consist of more than just Simpson, though, to have the effect Brandon would probably like it to have.

3. Two quarterbacks will play. Jameel Sewell still has to compete for his old job, but he's a capable runner who led the team to a 9-4 season in 2007. Vic Hall, a former cornerback, is an exciting new option but a little undersized at 5-foot-9. And Marc Verica, though he struggled with the interceptions, gained some valuable experience last year. They all bring different attributes to the table and playing more than one would certainly make it tougher for defenses to prepare each week. Playing both Sewell and Hall could be the best option.

Posted by ESPN.com's Heather Dinich

Perhaps in a response to a recent column written by Doug Doughty of the Roanoke Times, Virginia athletic director Craig Littlepage issued a statement about the recent struggles of Virginia athletics.

The statement is on the school's Web site, and it has also made its way around a few message boards:

February 4, 2009

The University of Virginia has some of the most loyal and generous fans of any school in the country and we are extremely appreciative of that support. Significant investments have been made in our program and, as with any investment, results are expected. As the Athletics Director, I expect results as well.

Many of our fans have voiced their frustration and I am frustrated as well. I am committed to making sure we are the very best we can be in each of our 25 programs. Many of our programs have performed extremely well over the past several years, while others need our attention and support. Improvements in football and men's basketball are a priority. All of our programs will continue to receive the support they need. The programs that need to improve will be given the proper focus and attention.

I expect us to win our in-state battles, and to compete for ACC and national championships. This was part of our plan several years ago when we stated publicly that we wanted to be a top ten program consistently in the Directors Cup standings. We remain committed to building a program that will finish in the top ten on a consistent basis.

I am committed to do everything needed to get all of our programs on track. The intended results are for our student-athletes and teams to have high levels of achievement, academically and athletically, while contributing to the quality of the University community.

Craig Littlepage
Director of Athletics

First, football fans still calling for coach Al Groh to be fired shouldn't read too much into this. After the staff changes Groh made in the offseason, odds are his job is pretty safe right now. The hot seat is more like lukewarm, especially considering the Cavaliers turned around what began as a miserable 2008 season and by the 11th game of the season were actually in the mix to win the Coastal Division. That doesn't necessarily mean, though, that another 5-7 season and no bowl appearance will fly in 2009.

If anyone is on the hot seat at Virginia right now, it's hoops coach Dave Leitao, who currently has a miserable 1-6 record in the ACC.

This letter is less a threat to the coaches, though, and more of a reassurance to Virginia fans that their athletic director is aware of the state of affairs in Charlottesville, and wants to see football and basketball succeed as much as they do.

Posted by ESPN.com's Heather Dinich

The ACC closed the regular season with a bang, not a bust. Clemson and North Carolina State both earned their bowl eligibility, and so far the league is 2-1 against the SEC with the Wake/Vandy game still in progress. (I'll check back on that one when I get back to the hotel, which won't be for a while.) Until then, here are a few thoughts from all of today's games, and what a week it was:

GEORGIA TECH 45, GEORGIA 42
This was arguably the ACC's biggest win of the season, and will be even tougher to beat in the Orange Bowl. Now, that's how you represent. On the road against a ranked SEC team. If this is what Paul Johnson did in his first year, imagine how tough the Yellow Jackets will be to beat in his third, when he's brought in his own recruits. And no doubt the win over Georgia helped win some local talent over. Even without an ACC title, Georgia Tech fans have at least nine other reasons to celebrate, the latest being the biggest.

VIRGINIA TECH 17, VIRGINIA 14
Regardless of how they did it (with defense and coaching) the Hokies deserve credit for making it to the ACC championship game again. Virginia Tech was probably the one team in the ACC that met preseason expectations, as they were picked by the media to win the division. Nobody, though, probably expected it would be this difficult. Virginia, on the other hand, ended its season with a four-game losing streak and failed to become bowl eligible for the second time in the past three years. AD Craig Littlepage stands behind his earlier statement this season that Al Groh's job is secure, regardless of how he finishes the season.

CLEMSON 31, SOUTH CAROLINA 14
Dabo Swinney hasn't had an official interview yet for the head coaching job, but his win over rival South Carolina spoke louder than anything he probably could have said anyway. The Tigers are now bowl eligible and will be an attractive team to a lot of bowls. One of the most impressive aspects of this win is that Clemson's defense outplayed South Carolina's, which was one of the best in the SEC. Swinney made a tough call firing former offensive coordinator Rob Spence, but judging by the success they've had since that move was made, it was the right one. Of course, having a healthy offensive line and the right combination there has also made a tremendous difference.

NC STATE 38, MIAMI 28
The Wolfpack are now bowl eligible, and odds are they wind up in D.C. for the first Eagle Bank Bowl. It's hard to believe NC State entered the month 2-6. The turnaround can be attributed to the coaching staff, the health of the team, and quarterback Russell Wilson. He did it again today, throwing for two touchdowns and running for another. They racked up 439 yards against what was one of the better defenses in the ACC. While NC State made a run similar to the one it did last season, the program took another step forward by finishing the job. Last year, their four-game winning streak was marred by back-to-back losses.

BOSTON COLLEGE 28, MARYLAND 21
Dominique Davis proved he is a capable quarterback and an accurate passer. He's good enough to win his next game, especially if he gets another outstanding performance from the defense and Montel Harris adds another 100-yard rushing performance. When the Eagles hold opponents to under 100 yards rushing like they have their past five opponents and the offense doesn't make mistakes, it's usually a winning formula. It's also a formula that doesn't bode well for the one-dimensional Hokies.

FLORIDA 45, FLORIDA STATE 15
FSU coach Bobby Bowden said before this game it would be interesting to see how much they had closed the gap with their rivals. Maybe he'd rather not know. This shouldn't be a surprise to anyone who has been paying attention to the Gators this season. They've made their case as the best team in the country. FSU placekicker Graham Gano was the best offense the Noles had. It was another learning experience for Christian Ponder, who was benched in favor of Drew Weatherford.

NORTH CAROLINA 28, DUKE 20
The Tar Heels finally got what they needed from quarterback T.J. Yates, and were able to snap the two-game losing streak. Yates threw three touchdown passes, and the defense looked like it did a few weeks ago when Trimane Goddard intercepted a pass in the final minute to seal the win. Duke fans should still be happy with the job David Cutcliffe did this season as he brought the program back to respectability.

Posted by ESPN.com's Heather Dinich

• Virginia athletic director Craig Littlepage told the Richmond Times-Dispatch in an e-mail that "Al Groh will be our head coach" regardless of what happens in the Cavaliers' final two games. UVa. still has to face Clemson and rival Virginia Tech. That's a good thing for Littlepage, who just gave Groh a contract extension at the end of last season.
• Clemson interim coach Dabo Swinney might not be so lucky.
• There was legitimate first-round draft talent on the field in Winston-Salem on Saturday, and he went after Virginia like a "mad dog." Then again, maybe it was just the unis.
• Georgia Tech "got whipped" but the Jackets still have something to play for -- like which bowl game they're invited to.
• Boston College is three wins away from playing in the ACC Championship Game, a surprising scenario considering its 2-3 conference record.

Posted by ESPN.com's Heather Dinich

The Cavaliers need all the support they can get right now, which is why Virginia athletic director Craig Littlepage announced Thursday that he is repealing the policy prohibiting signs, banners and flags in all UVa athletics venues.

"The policy prohibiting signs, banners and flags in all UVa athletics venues has become a distraction and has taken the focus away from supporting our student-athletes," Littlepage said. "Our football team needs our support right now and that should be our collective focus. With that in mind, I am repealing immediately the policy prohibiting signs, banners and flags in all athletics venues. I encourage all of our fans to be in attendance at Saturday night's football game with Maryland. My hope is our fans will wear orange and be prepared to support the Cavaliers."

This just days after the Charlottesville Daily Progress reported the student body was debating wearing blue, not orange, "as a measure of protest."

Not sure if this is such a good idea. I've been to Charlottesville before when fans were unhappy with Groh, and there's a good possibility they'll come with signs. Just not the ones Littlepage is hoping for.