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Since Randy Edsall was hired at Maryland last January, 24 players with eligibility remaining have left the program.

Since the 2011 season ended, a total of a dozen players with eligibility remaining have bolted, including a combined 48 starts and both starting offensive tackles.

This one tops ‘em all.

Quarterback Danny O'Brien's decision to leave the program, which was announced by the school on Monday morning, doesn’t just leave the Terps in a bind at the position (C.J. Brown is now the only quarterback on the roster with any experience), it is a reflection on how poorly the situation was handled by Edsall from start to finish. O’Brien’s decision should come as no surprise to Maryland fans who have followed this saga since last season.

It began with last season’s quarterback controversy, when O’Brien was benched at Georgia Tech in favor of Brown. The move showed a lack of confidence and faith in O’Brien and it carried on throughout the rest of the season, leaving Maryland’s offense without an identity and its 2010 starting quarterback without any direction.

It continued with Edsall’s infamous quote about not “minimizing expectations” enough for O’Brien. According to Patrick Stevens of the Washington Times, Edsall said in November, "Again, I think sometimes that expectations on young people can make it tough as well. Maybe I didn't do a good enough job of minimizing expectations for him.” O’Brien responded by saying that nobody holds higher expectations for him than he does.

And now, as the two of them finally parted ways, Edsall let it be known he wasn't happy with O'Brien's decision.

“I’m disappointed by Danny’s decision,” Edsall said. “Danny told me that he’s not committed to our program, that he’s not ‘all in.’ I want what’s best for all of our players.”

There's a reason, though, that not all of them are there anymore.

Maryland has its new offensive coordinator. It has its new defensive coordinator. The recruiting class has been inked.

The Terps are ready to move forward and put their abysmal 2-10 season behind them, but there’s only one piece missing -- the starting quarterback.

Danny O'Brien and C.J. Brown, who were both used last year and sometimes in the same game, will continue to play out their competition this offseason, but O'Brien, who is still recovering from a broken left arm, will be limited this spring.

First-year offensive coordinator Mike Locksley said on Wednesday he is giving both quarterbacks a chance to start over.

“My thing is, and I told both of these guys -- I haven’t watched a lot of tape on either of them from last season or previous seasons because I wanted to have a blank slate when I go in and evaluate,” Locksley said. “Obviously Danny is a very talented quarterback, and I think he’s had some success here in both systems, whether it was two years ago in the West Coast, pro-style stuff, and last year he had some success in the spread system they’re running.

“I’m a guy who really believes in doing what your personnel allows you to do,” Locksley said. “We’ve got some tight ends and fullbacks. If you study our offense, we play under center, we play in the gun. We run power plays, we run lead plays, we spread them out and run zone read, we run zone read option, so a lot of that stuff will be predicated on our quarterback and what they’re capable of executing, as well as who the playmakers are with that personnel.”

There was some speculation this offseason as to whether or not O’Brien would return for the 2012 season or transfer. Locksley said he hasn’t talked to O’Brien about that.

“You hear those rumors,” Locksley said. “To me, I didn’t address it because unless I heard it from him, I wouldn’t address it. Everything I’ve talked to Danny about and C.J. about are things we want to do on offense and how I plan on shaping the offense to fit what they’re capable of executing.”

Locksley said he’d prefer, though, if only one of them were executing it this fall.

The early NFL draft hopefuls have gone, the early enrollees have arrived, and recruiting classes have been added that could have an impact on the 2012 ACC race. Considering all the offseason shuffling, it’s time for an updated yet still way-too-early look at how the ACC could stack up this season:

1. Florida State:The Noles brought in the No. 2 recruiting class in the nation, including the No. 1 defensive end, the No. 1 defensive tackle and the No. 1 quarterback. Not to mention the abundance of talent they return from last season’s nine-win team. Not only will FSU be better in 2012, but it will also be deeper and more talented.

2. Clemson: The Tigers have the No. 9-ranked class in the country, and they used it to fill some major needs up front. Clemson’s biggest obstacle this fall will be replacing three starters on both the offensive and defensive lines. Quarterback Tajh Boyd has enough skill players around him, though, that the Tigers can repeat as ACC champs.

3. Virginia Tech: The Hokies also have some big shoes to fill on the offensive line and running back thanks to the early departure of David Wilson to the NFL, but the staff lured in a top-25 recruiting class complete with some impressive running backs to rebuild the depth at the position. Virginia Tech’s best asset heading into 2012 will be one of the nation’s best defenses.

4. NC State: The Wolfpack can be a dark horse for the ACC title, especially if they stay healthy. Quarterback Mike Glennon should be one of the best in the league, four starters return on the offensive line, and this recruiting class gave the defensive line some old-school speed off the edge.

5. Virginia: Mike London quietly brought in one of the better recruiting classes in the ACC again, albeit with less fanfare than a year ago. If the Cavaliers can overcome the loss of seven starters on defense, they can again challenge for the Coastal Division title.

6. Miami: The outlook for the Canes has improved significantly with the nation’s No. 8 recruiting class, as many of those true freshmen will be given an opportunity for starting jobs or to at least work their way into the rotation and get meaningful reps. Still, there will be a learning curve, and quarterback Stephen Morris still has something to prove.

7. Georgia Tech: The Yellow Jackets seem like an average team right now. There are no superstars, the recruiting class was ho-hum, and the program’s place in the eyes of the NCAA right now is in limbo. While they return a bulk of their starters from a year ago, other programs seem to be making more progress quicker.

8. Wake Forest: The Deacs brought in a typical, Jim Grobe-type recruiting class: not flashy but will help the program to bowl games with the staff’s ability to develop talent. They return starting quarterback Tanner Price, who was one of the most improved players in the ACC a year ago, but must replace four starters on the offensive line.

9. North Carolina: First-year coach Larry Fedora has the energy, but does he have enough time? Fedora said he wants to change everything at UNC from the personnel to the philosophy and the culture. He’ll switch schemes on offense and defense, but is the offseason enough time to do that and make Carolina a contender in the Coastal race?

10. Maryland: The Terps will be better, and they should go to a bowl game, but without knowing what’s going on at quarterback, they’re a little tricky to predict. Is C.J. Brown the guy, or will Danny O’Brien be the man under first-year coordinator Mike Locksley? This team could move up the rankings quickly this season.

11. Boston College: The Eagles had another blue-collar class that could have been a disaster with defections but was salvaged in the end. Replacing linebacker Luke Kuechly isn’t realistic, but BC welcomes back more than it loses, and that could add up to a surprise season in Chestnut Hill.

12. Duke: The Blue Devils brought in a better class than it was probably given credit, but until that starts translating into wins, Duke will maintain the dubious distinction of last in the ACC.

With national signing day quickly approaching, we’re going to take a look at the recruiting needs of each school in the ACC, starting with the Atlantic Division. These needs are based on current rosters and anticipated departures in the near future. Here’s a look at who has what holes to fill in the 2012 class:

BOSTON COLLEGE

Linemen: The depth here continues to be a priority on both sides. The decision of defensive end Max Holloway to declare early for the NFL draft was an unexpected loss, and tackle Dillon Quinn will be a senior. Offensively, the Eagles will have to replace two veterans and leaders in center Mark Spinney and guard Nate Richman.

Linebackers: All-American Luke Kuechly’s decision to leave early for the NFL draft was expected, but the staff is looking for about two or three more linebackers in this class.

Receivers: This was a young group to begin with, as Alex Amidon and Bobby Swigert were both true sophomores, but the staff could use one or two more in this class.

CLEMSON

Linemen: The Tigers will lose three starters on the defensive line and three more on the offensive line from the 2011 ACC championship team. Center Dalton Freeman is a returning starter, but he will be a senior. Six players on the final two-deep depth chart on the offensive line were either seniors or graduate students in 2011, and four on the defensive line two-deep must be replaced.

Running back: Andre Ellington is entering his senior year, and while Mike Bellamy is back in school and in the good graces of coach Dabo Swinney, the future of the position is uncertain. Rod McDowell played well in the bowl game, and D.J. Howard has been a backup.

Defensive backs: The Tigers could start three seniors in the secondary in 2012: Xavier Brewer, Rashard Hall and Jonathan Meeks.

Kickers: The Tigers will lose punter Dawson Zimmerman, opening up an opportunity for a true freshman to play immediately.

FLORIDA STATE

Pick and choose: The Noles have built up enough depth that they can now be selective. Instead of building a class heavy on offensive linemen, Florida State can now pick and choose the best at each position. The Noles need at least one running back, one or two quarterbacks, a few offensive tackles, a linebacker to help replace Nigel Bradham and a safety or two.

Kickers: The Noles have big shoes to fill with the graduation of punter Shawn Powell, and kicker Dustin Hopkins is entering his final season.

MARYLAND

Running back: This is a position where a true freshman could see some playing time this year. Justus Pickett returns, along with Brandon Ross, who redshirted last year.

Quarterback: The Terps ended the 2011 season with only two scholarship quarterbacks on the roster in Danny O’Brien and C.J. Brown. Both will be juniors and nobody is behind them.

Cornerback. Maryland has to replace Trenton Hughes and Cameron Chism at cornerback, leaving Dexter McDougle the only one with any significant playing time.

NC STATE

Defensive line: The staff already has about six linemen committed and ends were a particular focus. Half of the linemen in the two-deep depth chart for the Belk Bowl were either juniors or seniors.

Secondary: This should be a strength for NC State in 2012, but the staff needs to prepare for the future here. Cornerback C.J. Wilson will be a senior, along with safeties Earl Wolff and Brandan Bishop.

Quarterback: Mike Glennon is already listed as a graduate student, and his backup, Tyler Brosius, redshirted this past season. The position is thin and the future uncertain behind Glennon.

WAKE FOREST

Offensive line: The Deacs will lose four starters up front, but coach Jim Grobe has only played one true freshman there in 11 years. He has several redshirt freshmen and sophomores who are expected to fill in, but the staff wants to continue to build the depth at the position.

Tight end: Wake Forest will graduate its top two tight ends and will turn to two redshirt sophomores in Neil Basford and Johnny Garcia who have yet to catch a pass. It’s possible this could be a spot where an exceptional freshman could see playing time.

Defensive backs: The Deacs have to replace starting free safety Josh Bush and starting strong safety Cyhl Quarles. Cornerback Kenny Okoro will be a redshirt senior.

It’s not easy being perfect. That’s why I’m not. One itsy bitsy teeny flaw in last week’s picks left me at 4-1, the lone erroneous pick against NC State. C’mon, five straight? Who outside Raleigh saw that one coming? Then again, it wouldn’t be a week in the ACC if there wasn’t at least one upset, right? Get ready for another one …

Georgia Tech 21, Virginia Tech 17: The Hokies are so well-coached that they won’t make the same turnover mistakes Clemson made against the Yellow Jackets, but the difference in this game will be the injuries to Virginia Tech’s defense. The veterans like Bruce Taylor who are sidelined are the ones who have seen this offense before, but too many rookies will be learning the ropes on the fly. The Jackets will sustain drives and keep Virginia Tech off the field just long enough to win.

NC State 24, Boston College 21 (OT): NC State hasn’t run the ball very well to begin with this season, and the Eagles will make it even more difficult and force quarterback Mike Glennon to win the game, which he will. As long as the Pack gives him time to throw, Glennon will get NC State one step closer to a bowl game.

Clemson 42, Wake Forest 21: The atmosphere at Death Valley combined with Clemson’s sheer talent will be too much for the Deacs to overcome. Clemson will be playing its final home game of the season, the crowd will be relentless, and the Tigers can clinch the Atlantic Division with a win. Wake Forest will play better than it did against North Carolina, but it will still be overmatched.

Florida State 31, Miami 28: That’s right, FSU by a field goal. The fact that it’s in Tallahassee was only a small factor in the decision. The main reason was because Florida State has played better more consistently in recent weeks, and the defense has been unstoppable. Miami quarterback Jacory Harris has played exceptionally well lately, but FSU quarterback EJ Manuel will have the edge against Miami’s secondary.

Notre Dame 38, Maryland 10: Turnovers will make this game ugly. Regardless of how coach Randy Edsall plans to use quarterbacks C.J. Brown and Danny O'Brien, the Terps won’t be able to get past a scoring defense that has held opponents to just 20.89 points per game. Nor will Maryland’s defense be able to stop one of the nation’s top receivers in Michael Floyd.

Virginia 28, Duke 24: This is going to be another heartbreaker for the Blue Devils. The Hoos’ three-game losing streak to Duke will end, thanks to Virginia’s improved defense. The pass efficiency defense is No. 20 in the country, and running backs Perry Jones and Kevin Parks will continue to get their yards and set up the pass for Michael Rocco.

Maryland and Virginia drew several very different conclusions for themselves this afternoon in College Park:

• With its 31-13 win over Maryland, Virginia is now bowl-eligible, and the Terps are mathematically ineligible for postseason play.
• Virginia officially looks ahead of schedule in the second season under coach Mike London, while Maryland looks like it has regressed under first-year coach Randy Edsall.
• Recruits in the state of Maryland should be more impressed with the Terps' border rival, which has already carved a niche in the Terps' backyard.

Virginia had three turnovers in this game and still won -- because Maryland had five. The Terps' defense again failed to stop the run, and the offense couldn't run the ball. A bad combination for Football 101. Maryland was held to just 3-of-14 third-down conversions, and allowed 527 total yards. The Terps lost this one in every phase of the game, regardless of whether Danny O'Brien or C.J. Brown was in at quarterback.

Virginia's Perry Jones ran for 139 yards and two touchdowns on 22 carries, and Michael Rocco threw for another 307 yards and two touchdowns. It was all Virginia in the second half, and while many will be hung up on Virginia's accomplishment of reaching the six-win mark, don't forget that the Hoos still control their own destiny in the Coastal Division. With a win against Georgia Tech and Virginia Tech still on the schedule, this race isn't over yet.

Bowl eligibility is an extremely impressive accomplishment for Virginia, and this team has already exceeded expectations. But with three games remaining, there is an even bigger goal still within reach.

With only five games this week, the math is easy: Two things to watch in each game. Here’s your top 10 in Week 10, in no particular order:

1. BC’s offensive line against Florida State’s defensive line. This could be the game-defining matchup, as the Eagles have been playing better up front in recent weeks and their running game has flourished as a byproduct, but Florida State’s defensive line has been flat-out dominant. The Noles are No. 3 in the country in sacks, and No. 8 in tackles for loss. Bjoern Werner (7.5) and Brandon Jenkins (6.5) lead the Seminoles in tackles for loss.

2. Young running backs in Chestnut Hill. For Florida State, Devonta Freeman has totaled 226 rushing yards in the past three games. He became the first freshman to rush for 100 yards in back-to-back games since Chris Parker in 1988. For Boston College, sophomore Rolandan Finch ran for 243 yards and two touchdowns in last weekend’s 28-17 victory over Maryland; prior to that, Finch had never surpassed the 100-yard mark. He has run for 81 or more yards in each of the past three games.

3. Quarterbacks in College Park. The saga continues, as Maryland coach Randy Edsall said on Wednesday’s ACC teleconference that both Danny O'Brien and C.J. Brown continue to compete and the Terps could “get in a situation where we play both of them, play one.” Virginia quarterback Michael Rocco, meanwhile, said this week he has benefited from the diminished role of true freshman David Watford, who was sharing the reps. Rocco took all but one snap in last weekend’s win at Miami.

4. Maryland’s run defense. The Terps enter this game with the nation’s No. 118 rushing defense, and Virginia’s ability to run the ball has been crucial to its success in this series. Virginia is 22-8 against Maryland since 1937 when gaining at least 150 rushing yards. UVa has rushed for at least 150 yards in seven of eight games in 2011. In last year’s loss, the Hoos ran for just 92.

5. NC State’s pass defense against UNC quarterback Bryn Renner. Renner is the ACC’s most efficient passer, but he will face a secondary that boasts the nation’s leader in interceptions in David Amerson, who has eight. Brandan Bishop has four. Renner has thrown nine interceptions this year to 19 touchdowns.

6. UNC tailback Giovani Bernard. He needs just 35 more yards to become the program’s first 1,000-yard rusher since Jonathan Linton in 1997. Bernard has 965 yards this year and leads all freshman runners in the country with 107.2 yards per game. He leads the ACC with 12 touchdowns. NC State’s rushing defense has been holding opponents to 160.1 yards per game.

7. Duke’s defense in the second half. The Blue Devils have allowed one second-half touchdown — a fourth-quarter score by Wake Forest — in their past two games, and held Virginia Tech scoreless last weekend for the entire second half. Safety Matt Daniels has defended 16 passes, second in both the ACC and the FBS.

8. Turnovers at Miami. The Hurricanes forced seven turnovers in last year’s victory over Duke, and the Blue Devils are coming off a loss to Virginia Tech in which they had four turnovers. Quarterback Sean Renfree has thrown four interceptions in the past two games, including three against the Hokies. Since the loss to Kansas State, Miami quarterback Jacory Harris has thrown 11 touchdowns to just one interception.

9. Wake Forest’s defensive line against Notre Dame’s offensive line. The Demon Deacons will have a definite size disadvantage, and the Irish went the whole month of October without allowing a sack. Notre Dame’s offense line averages 305.6 pounds; Wake Forest’s defensive front averages 247.5 pounds. Wake will have to put some pressure on Irish quarterback Tommy Rees to help disrupt a passing game targeted at one of the nation’s top receivers in Michael Floyd.

10. Wake Forest defensive back Merrill Noel. He leads the FBS in passes defended with 16, an average of 2.0 per game. The freshman only has one interception, but he’s been a major contributor to Wake’s defense and could play a crucial role in helping slow down Floyd, who is ninth nationally with 7.9 receptions per game.

Maryland coach Randy Edsall inherited a nine-win team ranked in the Associated Press Top 25 and led by the 2010 ACC Rookie of the Year.

He is currently coaching a two-win team, the Terps are closer to 25 injuries than any rankings, and the former rookie star is competing for his starting job each week.

In retrospect, it might be a good thing that Maryland’s quarterback controversy between Danny O'Brien and C.J. Brown has dominated the headlines this year. Otherwise, the program’s rapid descent in Edsall’s first season would be the main storyline. The Terps haven’t won a conference game since the season opener, against a Miami team that was missing eight suspended starters, and the only other win this season was against Towson. Maryland has lost four straight heading into Saturday’s game against Virginia, and now must win all four remaining games in order to become bowl eligible.

“Yeah, we would like to have more wins, no doubt,” Edsall said, “but when you’re installing a new system and trying to get the right guys to play in the scheme you want to play in, and then when you get the injuries on top of that, it just, there were things that were compounded and hasn’t allowed us to be as good as we wanted to be.”

Or as good as he’s getting paid to be.

With a six-year, $12 million contract in hand, it’s safe to say Edsall will be in College Park for a while. Maryland’s athletic department certainly couldn’t afford a second straight buyout after firing Ralph Friedgen, and any immediate change would concede a hiring mistake by athletic director Kevin Anderson. It’s still far too early in Edsall’s career to make that judgment call, but the 2-6 start hasn’t exactly done much to win over an already fickle fan base.

The announced attendance of 29,245 for Saturday’s 28-17 loss to Boston College, according to the Washington Times, was the smallest in nearly 11 seasons, and the Associated Press reported there were fewer than 10,000 fans remaining for the start of the second half, when Maryland trailed 21-3. Maryland enters Saturday’s game against Virginia with the nation’s No. 118-ranked rushing defense, No. 103 scoring defense, and ranked No. 110 in passing efficiency. Both O’Brien and Brown continue to compete this week for the starting job, a weekly routine that has developed since O’Brien was benched in the Oct. 8 loss at Georgia Tech.

The Terps have already played their way out of the ACC championship race, but Edsall said he would be making the same decisions in his first season if the team were 8-0 at this point.

“I’m just confidently trying to do a better job each and every week to help our young men go out there and perform to the best of their abilities,” he said. “Again, I think I can do something good every week, regardless of what the outcome is. I’m always going to look at myself first and foremost to find ways to make this team better, to help the coaches coach better, and even if we were 8-0 at this time, I’d still be doing the same thing. What happens sometimes is, when you don’t win, things get magnified, but my job is going to be the same regardless if we’re winning every game or if we’re 2-6.”

With the loss to Boston College, though, Edsall's job just got much more difficult in the month of November.

ACC, meet Rolandan Finch.

Maryland's defense tried to introduce itself, but he kept running past them en route to 243 yars and two touchdowns. Yes, BC can run the ball without Montel Harris, especially against Maryland's defense.

Congrats, BC.

With help from Finch, the Eagles finally picked up their first conference win of the season. The team deserves credit for not quitting this season and winning on the road. BC ran for 372 yards and proved it is possible to win and have four turnovers. BC has officially stepped over Maryland in the battle for last place in the Atlantic Division.

Maryland has now lost four straight. If the Terps are going to go to a bowl game, they've got to win their final four games. Doesn't matter who lines up at quarterback for the Terps in November. This season has already been one both C.J. Brown and Danny O'Brien would probably like to forget.

Just got to my seat in Bobby Dodd, in time to catch the end of the afternoon ACC games. A few thoughts so far ...

• Boston College is cruising past Maryland, 21-3 in the third quarter as I type. It's time for Maryland coach Randy Edsall to do a little self-evaluation. As I wrote this week, he did not inherit a bad team. Part of the problem is the quarterback controversy, which is a big reason why I picked BC to win this game. C.J. Brown got the start, but Danny O'Brien has played, too. Together they have combined for 38 passing yards and two interceptions. BC has fared even worse, and has four turnovers in this game (three fumbles). And they're winning! What does that say about the Terps? They're 2-of-11 on third downs. That might say it all.
• UNC leads Wake Forest 21-10 at the half. The Deacs didn't help themselves early with two turnovers on two straight possessions, and they've got three at the half. UNC's defense has played well and quarterback Bryn Renner has only thrown five incomplete passes and no interceptions. The Tar Heels look much better than they did last week against Clemson, when they had six turnovers. The Deacs need to get their offense going in the second half, or it will be Clemson and everyone else in the Atlantic Division race.

North Carolina and Wake Forest are the only two teams in the ACC that can become bowl eligible this weekend, and they happen to be playing each other. So one thing to keep an eye on is the six-win mark in Chapel Hill. Beyond that, here are 10 things to keep an eye on this week, starting Thursday night when Miami hosts Virginia:

1. Turnovers at Miami. Miami’s past two opponents have both turned the ball over on their first touch. North Carolina fumbled a kickoff, and Georgia Tech started with an interception. UVa had four turnovers last weekend in the loss to NC State and is No. 107 in the country with 18 turnovers lost this season.

2. Special teams at Miami. In the loss to NC State, Virginia blocked a field goal attempt for the second game in a row and the third time this season. Miami defensive back JoJo Nicolas fell on a muffed punt in the end zone for a touchdown last week, highlighting a strong performance on special teams for the Canes against Georgia Tech. UVa is No. 13 in the country in kickoff return yardage defense, and Miami is No. 15.

3. BC’s bowl streak. The Eagles have already lost six games this season; a loss to Maryland would make them ineligible to compete in a bowl game for the first time since 1998. BC’s active streak of 12 consecutive bowl games is tied with Oklahoma as the seventh longest in college football and is the longest in school history, and its streak of non-losing seasons is the longest in the modern era of BC football.

4. Maryland’s quarterbacks. Coach Randy Edsall said his starter will be a game-time decision, as both Danny O'Brien and C.J. Brown have been competing for the starting job this week. O’Brien played well at Florida State when he relieved the injured Brown, but Brown replaced O’Brien in the starting lineup for the Clemson game two weeks ago.

5. Clemson’s record books. With an average game on Saturday, Clemson wide receiver Sammy Watkins could establish four freshman records, three at the ACC level and one school record. Watkins needs just five receptions, 35 receiving yards and one touchdown reception to become the ACC freshman record holder in all three areas. He also has 1,391 all-purpose yards and needs just 25 to break C.J. Spiller’s Clemson freshman all-purpose yards record for a season.

6. Long scoring drives in Atlanta. Clemson’s No. 76-ranked rushing defense could be conducive to Georgia Tech hanging on to the ball for some pretty long drives on Saturday. Over the past two weeks, Georgia Tech has produced touchdown drives consisting of 20 plays (last week at Miami) and 19 plays (at Virginia). For the season, the Yellow Jackets have five touchdown drives of 90 yards or longer and four touchdown drives that lasted at least 9 minutes, 15 seconds.

7. NC State CB David Amerson vs. FSU QB EJ Manuel. Florida State is ranked No. 115 in the nation in turnover margin, and NC State is ranked No. 7. Much of the Wolfpack’s success is a credit to Amerson, who leads the nation with eight interceptions. FSU is tied for No. 111 in the country in interceptions with 11.

8. UNC’s secondary against Wake Forest WR Chris Givens. One of the Tar Heels’ weaknesses this season has been their pass defense, which ranks No. 101 in the country and is allowing 263.38 yards per game. Givens is fourth in the FBS in receiving yards per game (126.57) and tied for fifth with eight TDs.

9. Tar Heels turnovers. North Carolina had six turnovers last weekend in the loss to Clemson, and ball security has obviously been stressed at practice this week. Did it work? Wake Forest is ranked No. 21 in the country in turnover margin. UNC is No. 103.

10. Hokies' D vs. the ‘Killer V's.’ The best thing Duke has had going for it is its passing game, thanks to the duo of Conner Vernon and Donovan Varner. They have combined for 334 receptions as teammates, the third-highest total by a duo in ACC history. Virginia Tech’s defense has been one of the best in the country, but the Hokies continue to rely on youth and inexperience because of injuries.

Maryland coach Randy Edsall hasn’t given any clues as to who will start at quarterback for him on Saturday against Boston College, but it will be a game-time decision and uncertainty at the position is still an issue.

C.J. Brown has started each of the past two games, but former starter Danny O’Brien played well last week at Florida State when Brown was injured in a helmet-to-helmet collision. Both quarterbacks are healthy and practicing this week, but the depth chart is unsettled. When asked earlier on today’s ACC coaches’ teleconference why the competition is open again, Edsall said he has two quarterbacks who can start and two quarterbacks who can win.

“We had a situation where we thought one young man provided a spark, came in and did that, and we had a young man that took a shot but could go back in the game,” Edsall said. “Danny went in, so I wanted to make it a competition this week to see where we’re at and see who performs best during the week. Whoever does, that will be the guy who will start for us. I have complete confidence in both of them, that they can do the job. We’ll see where that leads us on Saturday.”

Edsall said the position will be evaluated “one week at a time.”

Problem is, after three straight losses, Maryland is running out of weeks to find its offensive identity.

Here's a look back at the rest of the final results in the ACC:

MIAMI 24, GEORGIA TECH 7

For two straight weeks now, Georgia Tech has not looked like the best team in the Coastal Division. It's a far cry from Georgia Tech's 6-0 start, and with the loss to Miami, the Yellow Jackets now have two conference losses and have joined a muddled mess of a Coastal Division race. With only one ACC loss, the Hokies are now the team to beat in the division, but Miami has played its way back into the race. This was not an offensive outburst by any means for Miami, but the Canes' defense got three takeaways and held the Jackets to 201 total yards. It's one thing for Georgia Tech's defense to be average while the offense puts up 60 points per game, but if teams are finding ways to stop this once unstoppable offense as they have in each of the past two weeks, Georgia Tech is in trouble.

NC STATE 28, VIRGINIA 14

Once again, Virginia failed to capitalize on a big win the previous week. A week after knocking off a ranked Georgia Tech team, the Cavaliers racked up four turnovers as true freshman quarterback David Watford threw three interceptions. NC State, meanwhile, finally got its first conference win and most meaningful victory of the season. The Wolfpack has earned a reputation for its comebacks in the second half of the season under coach Tom O'Brien, and this was a road win they desperately needed in order to have a chance to do that.

FLORIDA STATE 41, MARYLAND 16

For the majority of this season, Florida State fans have questioned where their running game has been. Maryland found it for them. The Seminoles ran for 218 yards against a young Maryland defense, and Florida State held the Terps to just 59 rushing yards. FSU limited quarterback C.J. Brown, giving embattled starter Danny O'Brien another shot, O'Brien's 180 yards and one touchdown weren't enough. This was hardly the season FSU had expected, but a strong finish now is the best it can hope for. By putting together back-to-back wins and starting to regroup, that's the direction the Noles are headed.

Maryland quarterback C.J. Brown and his ability to run are no longer a surprise.

Neither is this score.

Florida State got back on the winning track last weekend against Duke, and now the Noles returned home for the first time in weeks against a Maryland team coming off an all-out effort in a loss to Clemson. Brown ran all over Clemson last weekend, but the Noles were ready for him. FSU quarterback EJ Manuel has thrown an interception, but he has also completed 14 of 19 passes for 226 yards and a touchdown. He also accounted for a rushing touchdown.

So far, the veteran quarterback has the edge, and so does Florida State's defense.

For the only time this year, the schedule will feature an all-ACC lineup, with six league games. Two important division games will be played with Georgia Tech at Miami and Maryland at Florida State. Here are 10 things to watch in the conference this week, in no particular order:

1. Miami’s defensive line: How the Canes handle the suspension of starting tackle Micanor Regis will help determine how the run defense fares against the nation’s No. 2 rushing offense. Adewale Ojomo is expected to start in place of Regis, who punched UNC receiver Dwight Jones in the groin last week. Regis is the Canes’ healthiest and most experienced defensive tackle.

2. Miami quarterback Jacory Harris vs. Georgia Tech DB Rod Sweeting. Harris has thrown 89 passes without an interception, a span of three straight games. Sweeting, though, has intercepted a pass in three of Georgia Tech’s past four games, including one against Virginia last weekend that he ran back for a touchdown.

3. Clemson receiver Sammy Watkins. You should be watching him every week, but he’s on the verge of breaking freshman ACC records this weekend. Entering Saturday’s game against North Carolina, Watkins has 46 catches for 728 yards and eight receiving touchdowns. He needs 125 receiving yards and two touchdown catches to set the ACC records in both areas. Koren Robinson of NC State had 853 receiving yards a freshman in 1999. Greg Carr of Florida State had nine touchdown receptions in 2005 and Heath Miller of Virginia had nine TD receptions as a tight end in 2002.

4. Field position in Death Valley. Speaking of Watkins, he’s No. 6 in the country in kickoff returns, but he’s not the only one who has been playing well on special teams this season. UNC is No. 29 in the country in kickoff return defense, and the Tar Heels are No. 10 in the country in punt return yardage defense, allowing just 13 total yards on six attempts.

5. David Wilson’s 100-yard streak. He enters Saturday’s game against Boston College needing 97 rushing yards to reach 1,000 for the season. Wilson currently ranks third nationally in rushing yards (903), and fifth in rushing yards per game (129). He has surpassed 100 yards in six of the Hokies’ seven games.

6. Boston College on third downs. The Eagles have struggled to sustain drives this season and are No. 80 in the country in third-down conversion percentage at 37.93 percent. That could be a problem against a Virginia Tech defense that held Wake Forest to just 1-of-13 third-down attempts last weekend.

7. Big plays against Duke’s defense. Coach David Cutcliffe said he expects Wake Forest to try and do what Florida State did, which was exploit the defense with big pass plays. Duke allowed three passes of at least 50 yards in the first quarter against FSU. Wake Forest receiver Chris Givens is averaging more than 18 yards per catch, and this series has a history of high-scoring games.

8. NC State’s rushing defense. Virginia is coming off a season-high 272 rushing yards, and NC State’s defense is No. 77 in the country, allowing 172.33 rushing yards per game. UVa running backs Perry Jones and Kevin Parks are coming off their best game of the year.

9. Virginia’s pass defense against quarterback Mike Glennon. Glennon has already thrown 16 touchdown passes in six games. Virginia’s pass defense is No. 8 in the country at 166.83 yards per game. Cavaliers' cornerback Chase Minnifield is tied for third among all active FBS players with 12 career interceptions.

10. Florida State’s defense against Maryland quarterback C.J. Brown. After running for 286 yards in the past two games, Brown isn’t a secret anymore. FSU’s rushing defense, which is No. 9 in the country and holding opponents to 86.83 yards per game, should be prepared for Brown’s ability to take off. He ran for 162 yards against Clemson.