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Video: ACC vs. SEC in rivalry games

Tue, 24 Nov 2009 09:00:48 EDT

ACC blogger Heather Dinich discusses the conference's chances to improve their 2-2 record against the SEC this weekend.

Bragging rights in the ACC

Mon, 23 Nov 2009 17:00:46 EDT

Everyone in the ACC but Boston College and Maryland are playing in some sort of rivalry game this week. Here’s a quick look ahead at the bragging rights games:

Clemson (8-3) at South Carolina (6-5)

Series record: Clemson (65-37-4)

Last meeting: Clemson, 31-14, 2008

Overview: Steve Spurrier has only had the edge once against the Tigers, and the Gamecocks are trying to avoid losing out in the regular season for the third straight time. Clemson, on the other hand, is on a six-game winning streak, coming off winning the Atlantic Division title, and has a defense that will take advantage of a mistake-prone offensive line.

Florida State (6-5) at Florida (11-0)

Series record: Florida (32-19-2)

Last meeting: Florida, 45-13, 2008

Overview: The disparity between these two programs can be seen everywhere from coaching, to defense, to quarterbacks and their records. An upset seems highly unlikely, given that Florida is riding a nation-leading 21-game winning streak, and the Seminoles are just happy to be bowl eligible. FSU is on a five-game losing streak against the Gators, and it doesn’t look like it will end in what could be Bobby Bowden’s final game.

North Carolina (8-3) at NC State (4-7)

Series record: North Carolina (63-29-6)

Last meeting: NC State, 41-10, 2008

Overview: The plotline in this game took a dramatic twist earlier today when Tom O’Brien announced that offensive coordinator Dana Bible has cancer. It will be an emotional season finale for the Pack, but will emotion be enough to overcome UNC’s stingy defense? For NC State, this is the closest thing they’ll have to a bowl game, and they’ll be playing with Bible in their hearts and minds. This marks the first time the teams have met to close out the regular season since 1998.

Wake Forest (4-7) at Duke (5-6)

Series record: Duke (53-34-2)

Last meeting: Wake Forest, 33-30 ot, 2008

Overview: Wake Forest has won nine straight against Duke, a streak that includes four games at Wallace Wade Stadium. The last three games have been close, with the Demon Deacons winning by a combined nine-point margin, and there’s no reason to think either team will dominate this weekend. Both defenses will be tested, as it is the first meeting in ACC history between two quarterbacks who each have thrown for over 9,000 career passing yards in Duke’s Thaddeus Lewis and Wake’s Riley Skinner.

Georgia (6-5) at Georgia Tech (10-1):

Series record: Georgia (59-39-5)

Last meeting: Georgia Tech, 45-42, 2008

Overview: The Jackets snapped a seven-game losing streak to Georgia with last year’s win in Athens, and the same players are back to win the state championship again. Georgia’s defense has struggled all season, but there is also a lack of confidence throughout the program, and the turnovers and penalties have piled up. Georgia Tech is the better team this year and should show it on the field Saturday.

Miami (8-3) at South Florida (7-3):

Series record: Miami (1-0-0)

Last meeting: Miami, 27-7, 2005

Overview: It’s hard to consider it a rivalry, considering their short history, but when two South Florida teams match up, anything can happen. Florida State already lost to the Bulls, and quarterback B.J. Daniels was a big reason why. Miami has the better offense, but South Florida is holding opponents to just 19.4 points per game.

Virginia Tech (8-3) at Virginia (3-8)

Series record: Virginia Tech (48-37-5)

Last meeting: Virginia Tech, 14-3, 2008

Overview: The Hokies own a five-game winning streak in the series, but even coach Frank Beamer admitted there was a little bit of luck involved in last year’s win. The players haven’t given up on coach Al Groh, and regardless of what his future is, this will be the final chance the seniors have to beat the Hokies, and odds are they won’t give in until the last snap. Ryan Williams should face a better defense than he did last week, but Virginia Tech is playing its best football and should be able to overcome the intangibles.

Spiller ACC's lone award finalist so far

Mon, 23 Nov 2009 16:38:38 EDT

Of the 14 college football awards that have announced their finalists, only the Doak Walker Award has recognized an ACC player, and that's Clemson running back C.J. Spiller.

The award is presented each season to the top running back in the nation. Spiller is joined by Mark Ingram of Alabama and Toby Gerhart of Stanford. Spiller is the first Clemson running back to be named a finalist for the Doak Walker Award. The last Clemson player to be named a finalist for any award is Gaines Adams, who was a finalist for the Bronko Nagurski Award in 2006.

Slight changes in TV coverage announced

Mon, 23 Nov 2009 15:30:08 EDT

ESPN/ABC has made the following change in the networks for the Virginia Tech at Virginia and Miami at South Florida football games on Nov. 28.

Virginia Tech at Virginia will now be seen on ABC regionally, at a minimum in Virginia, West Virginia, Maryland, North Carolina, South Carolina, most of Georgia and the D.C. The game will also be shown to the rest of the country on ESPN.

Miami at South Florida will appear on ESPN in the areas where Virginia Tech at Virginia will be televised on ABC, and will be shown on ABC in its normal regional window.

Both game times remain at 3:30 p.m. ET.

Follow-up on NC State's Bible

Mon, 23 Nov 2009 14:59:32 EDT

NC State offensive coordinator Dana Bible has been diagnosed with leukemia, and is currently in the UNC Cancer Center, where he will receive treatment for the next 30 days.

Technically, it's called Acute Promyelocytic Leukemia. O'Brien didn't have any other medical information, other than Bible is still undergoing tests. O'Brien informed the quarterbacks this morning, and said he would tell the rest of the team this afternoon. He said it was a very difficult trip to Blacksburg on Saturday without Bible, and it's only gotten tougher since then. O'Brien found out on Friday night, when he called Bible from the team hotel at Virginia Tech, and Bible was still in Raleigh waiting for the ambulance to take him to Chapel Hill.

O’Brien said he will temporarily hire Jay Civetti, who was a graduate assistant at Boston College when O’Brien was there, and followed him to Raleigh the first season O’Brien was on staff with NC State. Civetti, who is now offensive coordinator at Tufts, will try to help the offense prepare for this week’s rivalry game against North Carolina.

“This is tough news to hear,” said safety Bobby Floyd. “I don’t work as closely with coach Bible as some of the offensive players, but he’s such a fiery person on the field you couldn’t miss him. He’s a family man. This has to be tough news on him and his family and I’m sorry to hear it."

So is the rest of the ACC.

It's been an emotionally draining year for the Boston College family, which learned of Mark Herzlich's battle with cancer this past May, and now Bible, who coached with O'Brien at Boston College and followed him to NC State. Herzlich's story has been an inspiration to us all, as he is now cancer free, and O'Brien reached out for your thoughts and prayers with the hopes that Bible might be able to say the same.

NC State OC diagnosed with leukemia

Mon, 23 Nov 2009 13:43:32 EDT

NC State offensive coordinator Dana Bible has been diagnosed with Acute Promyelocytic Leukemia, coach Tom O'Brien just said at his weekly Monday news conference.

O'Brien said he found out on Friday, and it was a very difficult day in Blacksburg on Saturday. Bible will undergo treatment for the next 30 days, and O'Brien will hire a temporary replacement to help the Pack get through this weekend's game against North Carolina. Bible coached the quarterbacks and wide receivers, too. He and O'Brien have coached together for 11 years.

"Prayers will be welcomed, and they’re definitely needed," O'Brien said.

O'Brien is still in the middle of his news conference. I'll have much more on this in a bit.

ACC's Players of the Week

Mon, 23 Nov 2009 13:36:38 EDT

It's nice to see Luke Kuechly get some love. Here are the ACC's Players of the Week, as announced today by the league office in Greensboro:

OFFENSIVE BACK: Jacory Harris, Miami, QB, So., 6-4, 190, Miami, Fla. (Northwestern)

For the fourth time this season, Miami sophomore quarterback Jacory Harris had the top performance by an offensive back after completing 25-of-43 passes for 348 yards and two touchdowns in No. 20 Miami’s 34-16 win against visiting Duke. Harris’ 348 passing yards gives him four 300-yard passing games this season, including three in his last four games. Harris also went over the 3,000-yard passing mark in 2009 to become the seventh Hurricane in school history to post 3,000 passing yards in a season, and first since Ken Dorsey in 2002. Through 11 games this season, Harris has totaled 3,003 passing yards and 21 touchdown passes.

OFFENSIVE LINEMEN: Sergio Render, Virginia Tech, G, Sr., 6-3, 313, Newnan, Ga. (Newnan)

Virginia Tech senior guard Sergio Render graded out at 82 percent and recorded a season-high 10 knockdown blocks in 16th-ranked Virginia Tech’s 38-10 win over visiting NC State. Render helped the Hokie offensive line lead the way for a Virginia Tech offense that piled up 397 yards of total offense, including 200 yards on the ground and 100-yard rusher Ryan Williams (120).

DEFENSIVE LINEMAN: Darryl Sharpton, Miami, Sr., MLB, 6-0, 235, Coral Gables, Fla. (Coral Gables)

Miami senior middle linebacker Darryl Sharpton ended his last home game with a career-high 12 tackles, including a career-best 11 solo stops and two tackles for loss, in the Hurricanes’ win over Duke. Sharpton’s performance included his first career interception, which he returned for a 73-yard touchdown. He is second among Hurricanes and ninth in the ACC with 79 tackles this season, including seven for loss.

DEFENSIVE BACK: Cody Grimm, Virginia Tech, OLB, Sr., 5-11, 202, Fairfax, Va. (Oakton)

Virginia Tech senior outside linebacker Cody Grimm’s third Defensive Back of the Week honor came after he set an ACC single-season record and tied a Football Bowl Subdivision single-game record with three forced fumbles—all of which came in NC State’s first four plays—in the Hokies’ win over the Wolfpack. Grimm helped the Virginia Tech defense limit NC State’s high-powered offensive attack to just 259 yards of total offense by recording eight tackles, two sacks, a quarterback hurry, and a fumble recovery. Grimm leads the nation with seven forced fumbles.

SPECIALIST: Greg Reid, Florida State, CB, Fr., 5-9, 175, Valdosta, Ga. (Lowndes)

Florida State freshman cornerback Greg Reid earned his second Specialist of the Week honor and third weekly accolade this season (Defensive Back of the Week, Sept. 19) after racking up 113 yards on punt and kick returns in Florida State’s 29-26 bowl eligibility-clinching win over visiting Maryland. Reid returned three punts for 88 yards to take control over the national lead (18.4 yards per return), including a 48-yard return to the Terrapin 44-yard line that set up the Seminoles’ game-winning touchdown with just 1:46 to play in the fourth quarter. Reid’s first punt return was a 33-yarder in the first quarter that set up Florida State’s first touchdown of the afternoon. He also returned his lone kickoff for 25 yards. Reid leads all Seminoles in all-purpose yardage this season with 947 yards.

ROOKIE: Luke Kuechly, Boston College, OLB, Fr., 6-3, 220, Cincinnati, Ohio (St. Xavier)

Boston College freshman outside linebacker Luke Kuechly registered an ACC season-high 19 tackles, including eight solo hits and 2.5 tackles for loss, in the Eagles’ 31-13 loss to No. 25 North Carolina. Despite the loss, Kuechly helped anchor an Eagle defense that limited the Tar Heels to 278 total yards and 96 rushing yards. With a team-leading 126 tackles, Kuechly holds the school freshman record for tackles, and is looking to become the first Boston College true freshman to lead the team in tackles in school history.

ACC's lunchtime links

Mon, 23 Nov 2009 12:30:24 EDT

Mmm ... turkey ...

Miami quarterback Jacory Harris had a little fun with the media this week, pretending he was in more pain than he really was. The postgame sling on his arm apparently was for added effect.
You want to talk pain? Try being Maryland coach Ralph Friedgen, who�is skating on thin ice these days. Not a good position for the big fella to be in.
BC coach Frank Spaziani says the freshman excuse won't cut it anymore.
Here's a breakdown of the Georgia Tech-Georgia series coming up on Saturday. Coach Paul Johnson says there's no worry of his team being overconfident.
Clemson is facing a similar situation against South Carolina this weekend, and the Braggin' Rights Barometer has the weekly pulse of both teams.
Even if UNC loses to NC State this weekend, coach Butch Davis deserves credit for the Tar Heels' improbable comeback.
Virginia might not have it all together, but the Cavaliers have stuck together, and they can take some pride in their continued desire to compete.
Virginia Tech's future looks bright, and there was plenty of evidence of that against NC State.
Couldn't agree with Mike Bianchi more on this one.

Video: State of the ACC

Mon, 23 Nov 2009 11:30:51 EDT

ACC blogger Heather Dinich talks with ACC commissioner John Swofford about the conference championship game matchup and his general thoughts on the state of the ACC.

ACC division winners set

Mon, 23 Nov 2009 10:30:04 EDT

This year, as we head into the final week of the regular season in the ACC, we do so knowing Georgia Tech and Clemson will represent the conference in the Dec. 5 ACC championship game in Tampa.

How refreshing.

This will be Clemson’s first appearance in the championship game and first chance at the title since winning it in 1991. Georgia Tech had a share of the title in 1998 and won it outright in 1990, the year it won the national title. The Jackets’ last appearance in the ACC championship game was in 2006, when they lost to Wake Forest.

Both Georgia Tech and Clemson are ranked in the latest BCS standings, and both teams are on a roll, setting up what should be an entertaining finish to the conference race. Clemson is on a six-game winning streak and hasn’t lost since Oct. 3 at Maryland (huh?). Georgia Tech has won eight straight and hasn’t lost since Sept. 17 at Miami.

Paul Johnson’s explanation as to what happened that day?

“I don’t have any idea,” he said on Sunday’s teleconference. “I think Miami was very motivated and they came to play and they played an excellent game, so my hat’s off to them. I don’t know, maybe we were tired, maybe we just got beat. The better team won that night. Miami was better than us.”

It’s a different story now, though, as Georgia Tech and Clemson have established themselves as the best in the ACC. Both teams should be favored heading into this weekend’s rivalry games against Georgia and South Carolina, and as long as they’re not looking ahead to Dec. 5, the should continue their winning streaks into the title game.