Football weekend wrap-up: November 20

One division title was decided on Saturday, while the other saw its race whittled down to two teams.

Virginia Tech overcame a slow start to dominate Miami in the second half, winning 31-17 on the road. It was the Hokies’ ninth straight win; their longest streak since 1999.

With the Coastal Division in hand, they will face Virginia next Saturday for a chance to become the first team to run the table in the ACC since 2000.

Ryan Williams said his hamstring wouldn’t be 100 percent until he could rest it after the season. Whatever percent it is now, it’s still better than just about anyone else. Williams showed the explosiveness that made him a preseason Heisman Trophy candidate with a 142-yard, two-touchdown output.

The day kicked off with a thrilling rivalry game between North Carolina and NC State. The Wolfpack trailed 19-10 in the third quarter, but came back to win 29-25. They had to hold on late when North Carolina scored to come within two points, but a failed two-point conversion try left NC State standing.

The win moved the Wolfpack to 5-2 in ACC play, tied with Florida State for the time being.

The Seminoles edged Maryland in a tough environment, 30-16. The Terps were knocking on the door in the final minute down a touchdown, but Nick Moody intercepted a Danny O’Brien pass and returned it 96 yards for a touchdown.

Banged-up FSU quarterback Christian Ponder completed 16-of-26 passes for 170 yards and a touchdown. It was the Seminoles’ defense, however, that won the game. Mark Stoops’ unit forced four turnovers despite giving up 432 yards of total offense.

Maryland’s hopes for an improbable ACC title run were shattered with the loss, while Florida State now must hope the Terrapins can play spoiler next week against the Wolfpack. If NC State beats Maryland, the ‘Pack will play in their first ever conference championship game. If not, the Seminoles will face the Hokies on Dec. 4 in Charlotte.

Granted, there’s still a week left, but you’ve got to hand it to the Tar Heels. Despite all the turmoil, not to mention severe attrition of key players, they’ve been competitive every week. Of their five losses, three have come by six points or less. It’s a bit of a backhanded compliment, but Butch Davis was pretty darn good at keeping his team afloat despite the chaos surrounding his team.

The ACC Player of the Year appeared to be locked up a few weeks ago; and it would belong to Tyrod Taylor. Over the past three weeks, Taylor has cooled off significantly. In that span, he’s completed 35-of-67 passes (52%) with four touchdowns. He’s also only rushed for 62 yards in that time. He’s still the front-runner because of the plays he makes that don’t show up in the stat book.

Headed in the opposite direction, however, is Boston College’s Montel Harris, who continued his streak of 100-yard rushing games in the Eagles’ 17-13 win over Virginia.

Through five games, Harris averaged just 77 yards per game. Since then, he’s gained 142.6 yards per game and scored seven touchdowns. He’s the reason Boston College has won four straight games and is bowl eligible for the 13^th straight season. Linebacker Luke Kuechly may bring home more hardware this winter, but if it weren’t for Harris, the Eagles would never have been 6-5 today.

Weekend Preview: Boston College at Florida State

Boston College at No. 16 Florida State, 12:00 p.m.

Jimbo Fisher has Florida State back on track to greatness. (Photo by Joel Auerbach/Getty Images)

Florida State is coming off the program’s biggest win in arguably close to a decade, a 45-17 beatdown at Miami in prime time.

Jimbo Fisher has already put his mark on the program in his first season, and at the halfway point, the ACC race appears to be Florida State’s to lose.

Boston College, meanwhile, has been outscored 94-30 in its past three games. The Eagles have struggled in every facet of the game offensively.

They are 10^th in the ACC with 14 sacks allowed, and dead last with just 89.6 rushing yards per game. All of this coming with an offensive line that was supposed to be among the league’s elite.

Florida State, meanwhile, has been extremely productive on the ground, churning out 223.5 yards per game behind a dominant offensive line.

The ‘Noles offense is extremely balanced. They have 1,341 rushing yards and 1,296 passing yards this year.

Christian Ponder’s Heisman Trophy hopes may have been dashed following the debacle at Oklahoma, but he has been very efficient this season.

He is completing 60 percent of his passes with 10 touchdowns and four interceptions, two of which came against the Sooners.

This is a matchup of two progams headed in polar opposite directions. Boston College in no way resembles the ultra-consistent team it once was. Meanwhile, Florida State appears to be on the brink of being a perennial top-10 team again.

In the Seminoles’ five wins, their average margin of victory is 31 points per game. That should continue again this week.

PREDICTION – Florida State 38, Boston College 7

Weekend Forecast – October 9

1. Florida State at Miami

This game is nearly always a classic. Who could forget last year’s ending, when Christian Ponder thought he’d thrown the game-winning touchdown pass on the final play, only to see the official waving his arms signaling an incompletion?

The Seminoles looked strong last week at Virginia, especially on defense. Their secondary is extremely young but also very talented. Jacory Harris continues to struggle with his decision-making, but thankfully the Miami defense has played lights-out (leads the ACC allowing just 15 ppg).

Miami has the better combination of talent and experience, but Florida State has a more reliable signal-caller. It’s a tough call, but I think Miami’s defense does just enough to lead the ‘Canes to victory.

Miami 31, FSU 28

2. Boston College at North Carolina State

The Eagles will start a banged-up true freshman at quarterback in Chase Rettig, who looked good in limited action last week against Notre Dame. North Carolina State, meanwhile, is still licking its wounds after a monumental collapse against Virginia Tech.

The Wolfpack’s woeful run defense was exposed last week, allowing 306 yards on the ground to the Hokies. Boston College has a great running back in Montel Harris, except he’s struggled to get the ball rolling in 2010. So far, he’s averaging just 84 yards per game and has scored only one touchdown, and hasn’t exactly come against a who’s who of good defenses.

The Eagles’ secondary is average at best. They have allowed 230 passing yards per game, including 277 in the season opener to Weber State. While the group as a whole has matured over the past month, they’ve seen nothing like the passing attack that State will bring with Russell Wilson.

NC State will put up big numbers through the air and rebound from last week’s stunner.

NC State 35, Boston College 17

3. Central Michigan at Virginia Tech

The Hokies return home for a full month of games inside Lane Stadium, the first of which against the downtrodden Chippewas. The Hokies have yet to lead by more than seven points at halftime in any of their five games, but they’d love to do just that on Saturday.

CMU leads the MAC in scoring defense, giving up just 17.6 points per game. However, the most explosive offense they’ve faced belonged to Northwestern.

Ryan Williams is out for the third straight week for Tech, but it shouldn’t matter, as Darren Evans is back to his 2008 form after a 160-yard, two-touchdown showing last week.

The Hokies learned from the James Madison debacle not to overlook anyone, so expect a big win for the home crowd.

Virginia Tech 49, Central Michigan 14

4. Virginia at Georgia Tech

The Groh Bowl, as fans are putting it, pits former Cavaliers’ coach and current Georgia Tech defensive coordinator Al Groh up against his old team in a must-win game for both sides.

Virginia was embarrassed last week in a home loss to Florida State, while Georgia Tech has looked nothing like the team everyone expected to contend for the ACC title.

UVA coach Mike London is former assistant of Groh’s and has spent countless hours studying his style of defense. If you want to know whether or not that matters, look no further than Steve Sarkisian’s success at Washington against USC the past two seasons.

The Wahoos have a severe lack of playmakers offensively, but right now the Yellow Jackets can’t stop much of anything. Groh should throw some new wrinkles in the gameplan this week to try and rejuvenate his bunch.

Meanwhile, London may have trouble scheming against Paul Johnson’s triple option in his first try. It may not be pretty, but the Yellow Jackets move to 3-1 in the conference.

Georgia Tech 24, Virginia 20

5. Clemson at North Carolina

The Tar Heels get back another of their star defenders this week, safety Kendric Burney. Linebacker Quan Sturdivant is listed as questionable heading into the game.

Clemson looked as ugly as could be last week against Miami, yet the Tigers were a fourth-down conversion away from possibly winning that game. North Carolina has played so remarkably well in the absence of a multitude of starters that it’s starting to get hard to pick against them.

The play of Tar Heel quarterback T.J. Yates has been outstanding. The senior has completed 68 percent of his passes this season while throwing seven touchdowns and just one interception.

Kyle Parker threw three interceptions last week in what coach Dabo Swinney called the worst game of his young career.

I can’t help but to think that North Carolina will keep Clemson’s offense at bay again this week. The Heels are giving up just 2.8 yards per carry in the past two games.

At home, the Heels pull off another improbable win and nab their first conference win.

North Carolina 20, Clemson 13

6. Navy at Wake Forest

The Midshipmen are in a world of hurt right now after losing their first game to another service academy in seven years. Wake Forest lost in demoralizing fashion last week to Georgia Tech, when Joshua Nesbitt’s touchdown pass with 15 seconds left sealed the Deacons’ fate.

Tanner Price will start at quarterback for Wake Forest, after injuries to Ted Stachitas and Brendan Cross have depleted the Deacs’ supply of healthy arms.

Price has appeared in four games this season as a true freshman while completing 48 percent of his passes. He did not play in the loss to Georgia Tech last week, but Jim Grobe has confirmed Price will get a majority of the snaps on Saturday.

Wake’s opponents this year average 4.85 yards per carry, but they did hold Georgia Tech to just 4.3 yards per rush last week.

Facing the triple option after just playing against it the week before is a huge benefit that most teams never have. Navy is reeling right now, and despite the fashion of last week’s loss, Wake Forest took comfort in the fact that their young team hung with the defending ACC champions.

Wake holds on at home in a nail-biter.

Wake Forest 17, Navy 14

Doomsday

Whoever this guy Murphy is has some competition for the naming rights to his law.

Anything that could go wrong for the ACC did, and at the worst possible moment.

On a day when the two most prominent match-ups featured the most storied programs in the conference clamoring to reach the top of college football once more, both were annihilated.

Also, the conference favorite lost – to an FCS school, the second time a ranked team has lost such a game in the history of the sport.

So did the defending league champion – to school which failed to produce a touchdown in a loss to another FCS school the week before.

A season full of hope suddenly became one on the verge of disaster.

Five teams were ranked in the preseason AP top 25 poll, the most in six years. Only one remains, and not a single one has a winning record.

Look at it this way. Miami failed to score an offensive touchdown until the fourth quarter and threw four interceptions in a 36-24 loss at Ohio State, and they had the best day of the perceived “contenders” in the ACC.

Meanwhile, Florida State was getting beaten like a drum in Norman, Okla. by the Sooners.

Bob Stoops made mince meat of his brother’s defense at FSU, putting up 487 yards of total offense and 47 points on the Seminoles.

Entering the year, for Miami and Florida State to take the “next step” in rebuilding their respective programs, it was clear where they had to improve. Clearly neither has.

Miami is still undisciplined on offense. Head coach Randy Shannon admitted to several communication errors between the receivers and quarterback Jacory Harris on Saturday. That shouldn’t happen with an experienced group of pass-catchers and a seasoned veteran under center. That falls on not only the players, but the coaching staff as well. There is more than a simple problem down in Coral Gables.

Florida State had to revamp a defense that ranked at or near the bottom of the ACC in every category last season. A scheme that worked for three decades under Mickey Andrews suddenly failed for one year. Sounds like a personnel problem, rather than a coaching problem to me.

Mark Stoops clearly hasn’t made the impact head coach Jimbo Fisher thought he would as the new coordinator. Landry Jones torched the Seminole secondary for 380 yards and four touchdowns, succinctly shredding the supposed vaunted zone defense Stoops brought with him to Tallahassee.

Even Christian Ponder, the face of Florida State (and for that matter, ACC) football struggled mightily against a Sooner defense that is nothing remarkable. Ponder had perhaps the worst game of his career, completing just 11 of 28 passes and throwing two interceptions. It’s not going to be a fun week in Florida, that’s for sure.

Georgia Tech thought it could survive without the likes of Derrick Morgan, Morgan Burnett, Jonathan Dwyer, and Demaryius Thomas – all key components of last year’s ACC Championship team currently in the NFL. The Jacket’s can’t.

Joshua Nesbitt is still the same run-first quarterback with no ability to throw the football. He was bailed out time after time last year by Thomas catching deep balls like he was the world champion of “500″.

There is no such deep threat this year, rendering the Jackets so one-dimensional its criminal.

Kansas loaded the box and demolished the Jackets’ running game. When they had to play catch-up late in the game, Nesbitt was inept. He finished the game with five completions on fifteen attempts.

The Jackets’ did run for 291 yards, but most of that came between the 20-yard lines. They couldn’t cash in when it mattered most, in the red zone.

Georgia Tech is going to have a hard time winning games this year if they can’t grind it out near the end zone, or have some semblance of a passing game.

The most embarrassing loss of all came in Blacksburg, where Virginia Tech shockingly lost its first non-conference home game in its last 33 tries to FCS foe James Madison.

The Hokies struggled to tackle on a wet field, and the offensive line failed to open holes for its star running backs or protect Tyrod Taylor.

The Hokies succumbed to the hangover of the Boise State loss just five days earlier, and a drowsy environment inside Lane Stadium doomed the preseason sixth-ranked team in the coaches’ poll.

The most impressive game of the day came in the still of the night, when Virginia played inspired football in a 17-14 loss to USC. The Cavaliers were missing star cornerback Ras-I Dowling, yet still managed to keep the Trojans’ talented offense in check all night.

Mike London is doing wonders as Virginia’s new head coach. The spirit surrounding that program is at a level not felt in more than a decade. The Cavaliers have inferior talent to just about anyone in the ACC, yet they are playing better and more confidently than most of the league.

When the perennial cellar-dweller of your league carries the conference banner for the weekend, 99 percent of the time it’s a terrible thing. That’s the case this week, when the ACC didn’t just come to a standstill, but was launched backward in its climb to gain national respect.

Looking back: Week One

Embarrassment: Avoided

Last season’s disgraceful start to the season scarred the ACC. Teams like Baylor, William and Mary, and Richmond knocked off ACC foes. NC State held South Carolina to seven points – and lost. Maryland lost by 39 points to Cal. Conference favorite Virginia Tech was outgained by 300 yards in a nationally televised loss to Alabama.

This time around, the ACC took care of business. Eight games featured FCS opponents, which the ACC won all of them by an average of 31.6 points.

On Monday, Maryland stunned Navy, prevailing 17-14 thanks to a last-minute goal line stand. The Terrapins were the doormat of the ACC a year ago, but this win proves they are poised for a respectable season this time around.

Virginia Tech looked sloppy in a loss to Boise State, but it was a better performance on national TV than last year’s loss to Alabama, or Clemson’s embarrassing loss to the Crimson Tide in 2008.

The ACC did lose its two most prominent games, but they both came down to the wire and didn’t do anything to show the league can’t compete on a national stage.

The bigger test comes this week, with Florida State playing Oklahoma and Miami traveling to Ohio State.

Hot start for Jimbo

In front of less than a sellout crowd in Tallahassee, Jimbo Fisher kicked off his tenure at Florida State in style. The Seminoles led 42-0 at halftime over Samford en route to an easy 59-6 win. Christian Ponder was razor sharp, missing on just two passes and throwing for four touchdowns.

Yes, it was Samford, but remember last year, when Jacksonville State held the Seminoles to just 19 points? This game proved the ‘Noles offense is in gear and primed for a high-flying season.

There’s life without Spiller at Clemson

In the win against North Texas, Andre Ellington and Jamie Harper shouldered the load with excellence. Both players topped the 100-yard mark, showing the Clemson faithful that together they can ease the pain of losing the world-class talent C.J. Spiller.

Just 16 seconds into the game, Ellington burst 60 yards for a touchdown in Spiller-esque fashion.

The Tigers only possessed the ball for 18 minutes, but that’s mainly due to the fact that four of their five scoring drives took four plays or less.

Clemson showed it has  game-breaking ability in the backfield, but Kyle Parker’s shaky performance (9-for-17, 170 yards, one interception) showed there is much to improve upon before a showdown with Auburn in two weeks.

North Carolina could have been a national title contender

Say what you want about LSU, but any SEC team worth a Cajun tailgate should have obliterated a team playing with its entire second unit in the secondary, as well as 3/4 of its defensive line. Oh, and its third string running back and backup wide receivers.

Instead, North Carolina held LSU scoreless in the second half Saturday night and nearly pulled off one of the most improbable wins in college football history. T.J. Yates looked like Dan Marino, throwing for 412 yards, three touchdowns and zero interception in the 30-24 defeat.

There’s no doubt about it: if UNC plays at full strength, it wins that game…easily. Thanks to Marvin Austin, Greg Little and the rest of the gang involved in the NCAA investigation, North Carolina won’t be a factor in the national title race.

If Yates plays anywhere near the level he did against LSU for the rest of the year and the defense gets back all of its starters, it’s hard to see how the Tar Heels could lose a game. They definitely should be considered a favorite in the ACC if all the players are back in time for the ACC opener in two weeks against Georgia Tech.

On the Docket – Week One Preview

Two games on Monday: Boise St. – Va. Tech and Navy-Maryland, will be previewed later in the week.

Presbyterian at Wake Forest, Thursday 6:30 p.m. (ESPN3)

Why it matters: It really doesn’t. The Deacs will need a miracle to even dare competing for the ACC this year, and Presbyterian might need a bigger miracle to win this game. Presbyterian went winless in 2009 without playing a single FBS team. Wake Forest begins a year where they simply need an identity post-Riley Skinner.

Player to watch: Ted Stachitas, the redshirt sophomore dubbed Skinner’s replacement at quarterback. Stachitas won a four-way battle in August for the job. He’s a dual-threat option who led Nease High School from Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla. to three straight state championship appearances as a starter. The Deacs figure to operate mostly out of the shotgun in a spread option look. Expect to see Skylar Jones line up in the Wild Deacon formation some, too. This game is a good introductory level course in replacing a legend for Stachitas.

Who has the edge?

To call this a scrimmage might be insulting. The Deacs starters could play a game against the backups and third-stringers and it might be more competitive. This is simply a chance to give Stachitas as many reps as they can in a live situation and try and work out the kinks across the board.

Prediction: Wake Forest 41, Presbyterian 0

Florida A&M at No. 13 Miami, Thursday 7:30 p.m. (ESPN3)

Why it matters: Once again, this won’t be much of a contest. Like many of these creampuff season openers, this is a great chance for Miami to unleash some of its younger, unproven talent and see if anyone emerges. The Hurricanes are very deep across the board, and they can get those young backups some important reps in this game.

Player to watch: Sean Spence and Graig Cooper are two prominent players from who are recovering from injuries. Cooper’s is of a more serious nature (torn ACL), while Spence dealt with nagging injuries last season before missing three entire games late in the year. Cooper figures to get some carries at running back, but it will be interesting to see how much action he gets in a backfield loaded with talented ballcarriers.  Spence needs to be healthy this season and return to his stellar 2008 form at linebacker.

Who has the edge?

Miami will name the score in this game. ‘Nuff said.

Prediction: Miami 45, Florida A&M 10

Samford at No. 20 Florida State, Saturday 12:00 (ESPNU)

Why it matters: This will be the first time in 35 years that somebody not named Bobby Bowden will coach the Florida State football team. The Jimbo Fisher Era begins, and he hopes to bring a new energy to Doak Campbell Stadium. I’m looking to see what the environment is like for Fisher’s first game. If the fans come out hard for the Samford game, it will speak volumes for the support Fisher has from the fan base.

Player to watch: This could be a great way to pad the stats early for FSU quarterback Christian Ponder in his trek for the Heisman Trophy. He figures to play the first half, and maybe some of the third quarter, but that’s still enough time for close to 300 yards and three or four scores.

Who has the edge?

This won’t remind people of last year, when Florida State escaped a scare Jacksonville State at home. The ‘Noles will cruise as they try and smooth the wrinkles before traveling to Norman next week to face the Sooners.

Prediction: Florida State 52, Samford 7

Weber State at Boston College, Saturday 1:00 p.m. (ESPN3)

Why it matters: See player to watch

Player to watch: Mark Herzlich will play, and that’s the story in and of itself this week. Herzlich, whose story as the 2008 ACC Defensive Player of the Year-turned-cancer survivor is well-read by now, was hobbled by a broken foot during August. Head coach Frank Spaziani said he wants to get Herzlich on the field this Saturday, and when he does trot between the white lines, I can’t wait to see what the reaction from the crowd is. A true miracle.

Who has the edge?

Boston College needs a crisp performance from David Shinskie, who battled inconsistency last year but managed to win the starting quarterback job again this past month. I expect to see him play most of this game no matter the score, unless he struggles. In that case, I’d be interested to see if Spaziani plugs in Marc Mascovetra to run the show.

Prediction: Boston College 35, Weber State 6

South Carolina State at No. 16 Georgia Tech, Saturday 1:00 p.m. (ESPN3)

Why it matters: The Yellow Jackets begin their defense of the ACC title with a cakewalk. However, they must do it without several key defensive stars from a year ago, most notably Derrick Morgan, now with the Tennessee Titans. I expect the offense to keep on chuggin’, despite the loss of former All-ACC performer Jonathan Dwyer.

Player to watch: Anthony Allen fills in for Dwyer at A-back, and I for one think Allen could have a big year. He’s a physical runner with breakaway speed (see: the first Clemson game last year). With Joshua Nesbitt under center, he will put the ball in the belly of the right runners, and I think Allen could have a sensational year because of that. He might touch 200 yards in this game.

Who has the edge?

Georgia Tech needs to sharpen its defense, which switched to a 3-4 this off-season under new coordinator Al Groh. The Jackets hit the road for the next two weeks after this Saturday to face Kansas and North Carolina. Both games will favor the Jackets, but they need the defense to be on top of its game heading into those contests. This is just a tune-up.

Prediction: Georgia Tech 49, South Carolina State 17

North Texas at Clemson, Saturday 3:30 p.m. (ESPNU)

Why it matters: Clemson fans get to see Kyle Parker in a football jersey again, which at one point this summer seemed unlikely. Parker will quarterback the Tigers for this season and likely no more, but his return at least gives Clemson hope it can make another run at a division title in 2010.

Player to watch: Andre Ellington replaces C.J. Spiller at running back. Spiller was a legend, perhaps the greatest player to ever wear the Tigers’ uniform. However, Ellington is not too shabby himself. In 68 carries last year, Ellington averaged more than seven yards every time he had the ball. He won’t produce like Spiller, but I think he’ll be better than people expect.

Who has the edge?

At one point earlier in the decade, North Texas was a strong mid-major program (Name-drop: Patrick Cobbs). Now, they are one of the worst FBS programs in the country. Clemson cruises in this one.

Prediction: Clemson 31, North Texas 6

Richmond at Virginia, Saturday 6:00 p.m. (ESPN3)

Why it matters: Virginia breaks in new coach Mike London, against the team they pillaged for him – and also the one he led to an FCS national title two years ago. London built the foundation strong program in two years at Richmond, and it’s feasible that the Spiders are more talented at several positions than the Cavaliers. Virginia can not afford a second consecutive season-opening loss to an FCS opponent.

Player to watch: All eyes are on Marc Verica, who must cut down on his interceptions this season. He has thrown twice as many interceptions (17) as he has touchdowns (eight) in his career. He has a strong grip on the starting quarterback job, but if he struggles against an FCS team in week one, nobody’s job is safe.

Who has the edge? Virginia, but not by much. I’d say the Wahoos are maybe a three-point favorite. Richmond has a former USC Trojan under center in Aaron Corp, and Virginia really has in my opinion the least talented roster in the ACC. This will be the most competitive game of the day in the ACC.

Prediction: Virginia 23, Richmond 20

Western Carolina at NC State, Saturday 6:00 p.m. (ESPN3)

Why it matters: Not much does. The ‘Pack figure to be a non-factor in the ACC chase, and this game should be a snoozer. We’ll probably get a chance to see Mike Glennon, the backup quarterback for State who could probably start for 80% of college football teams.

Player to watch: Nate Irving, like Herzlich, also makes a miraculous comeback after nearly losing his life in a car accident last summer. Irving missed all of 2009 but will be in the starting lineup at middle linebacker for the Wolfpack on Saturday. Another example of a heroic human being. His return should severely help a defense that was downright awful in 2009.

Who has the edge?

The Wolfpack will score at will in this game. Russell Wilson could throw for a career-high number of yards. No chance of an upset here.

Prediction: NC State 48, Western Carolina 14

Elon at Duke, Saturday 7:00 p.m. (ESPN3)

Why it matters: Duke needs to make sure it wins the easy ones as it tries to make its first bowl game in a decade in a half. The Blue Devils are repairing a defense that was terrible last season. Holding Elon under 10 points would be a promising start. They need a dominating performance to build confidence heading into a key week two matchup with Wake Forest.

Player to watch: Sean Renfree has to overcome a repaired ACL and the legend of Thaddeus Lewis. Lewis set every major passing record at Duke, and Renfree tore his left ACL last November, prompting him to miss all of spring practice. Duke has plenty of options on offense, particularly at wide receiver, where Donovan Varner was the leading receiver in the ACC last year as a sophomore. Renfree was a highly touted recruit who has the potential to flourish under head coach/quarterback guru David Cutcliffe.

Who has the edge?

Duke should win handily, but a suspect defense could let in some scores early and make it closer than it should be early.

Prediction: Duke 34, Elon 13

LSU vs. North Carolina (in Atlanta), 8:00 p.m. (ABC)

Why it matters: This was supposed to be the breakthrough game for Butch Davis’ program at UNC. Now, this might be a measuring stick of just how fall the Tar Heels have fallen thanks to the infamous NCAA investigation into improper agent contact and academic fraud. LSU is in a state of flux as well, with questions at quarterback and a coach in hot water. Still, it’s likely that several key players for UNC will sit out the game. If they do, the Heels have no shot.

Player to watch: T.J. Yates enters his senior season as the maligned starting quarterback trying fend off redshirt freshman Bryn Renner. Renner is the more dynamic player, while Yates is the calmer and obviously more experienced prospect. Don’t be surprised to see Renner get some snaps if Yates struggles and/or the game gets out of hand. The coaches are waiting to give Renner his chance.

Who has the edge?

LSU. Even if North Carolina is at full strength, the distractions from the past month and a half must have taken a toll on the team’s focus and preparation. LSU feels the pressure to win this game and contend in the SEC. Speaking of the SEC, it has dominated the ACC in recent years. It won’t stop Saturday.

Prediction: LSU 34, UNC 10

Five ACC players who could contend for Heisman

There is a lot of hope surrounding the ACC this season. Miami and Florida State are relevant again (we think), Virginia Tech has a chance to be a national title favorite with a win in week one, and there is a laundry list of players with a legitimate shot at the Heisman Trophy.

The last Heisman winner from the ACC was Florida State quarterback Chris Weinke in 2000. There is a breadth of talent at several positions that could produce the next winner from right here in the ACC.

Here is the list, in order.

1. Christian Ponder, Florida State QB

Ponder is not just the symbol of hope for the ACC. He’s carrying the pressure of resurrecting the Seminole program. If he’s able to return FSU to glory, there’s no doubt he’ll be on the short list for the award. If he stays healthy, there’s little doubt he’ll put up close to 4,000 passing yards and approach 40 touchdowns.

2. Ryan Williams, Virginia Tech RB

Williams would likely get more attention for this award if people weren’t skeptical that Darren Evans will steal too many of Williams’ carries. It’s not going to be an issue. Williams will touch the ball between 20-25 times per game at least, which is plenty to put up Heisman-worthy numbers. The coaching staff knows Williams is a game-breaker, while Evans is much more suited to be a supplemental back. If the Hokies make a run at the national title, Williams will be the biggest reason why.

3. Jacory Harris, Miami QB

Harris knows something that nobody else in the ACC does. He knows what it’s like to be the Heisman favorite, albeit very briefly. Harris was the center of attention last September thanks to two prime-time performances against Florida State and Georgia Tech. This year, he’ll need to string together more than just two great games if he wants to finish the year in the mix for the award. Wins over Ohio State and Pittsburgh would be a good start. He needs to cut down on his turnovers, improve his decision-making and hope his offensive line protects him better than it did at the end of last year.

4. Joshua Nesbitt, Georgia Tech QB

Nesbitt is the darkhorse of the national Heisman race. He’s been largely discounted for the award because of the option he operates in. Do people forget what Eric Crouch did nine years ago? If the Yellow Jackets are in the national title hunt, or at least in the top 10 when the season ends, and Nesbitt dominates like many expect him to, there’s no reason his name shouldn’t be mentioned for the Heisman. He’s one of the best college football players in the country.

5. Montel Harris, Boston College RB

Harris is the best running back nobody has ever heard about (apologies to Kansas State’s Daniel Thomas). Harrs carried the Eagles last season when no quarterback could. He might have to do the same this year, but he’s up to the task. He was handed the ball 308 times last year, and that might touch 350 this year. He has no backup, and the receiving corps is thin. Basically, Harris could put up unavoidably impressive numbers. The Eagles aren’t going to be a national contender, and Harris isn’t going to be a future NFL star, but he’s going to get so much action that he just might make some noise in the Heisman race (see: Larry Johnson).

ACC goes deep in 3 key places

One thing every team faces questions about in the pre-season is depth. There are always battles in fall camp to try and solidify the rotation at a variety of positions, whether it be in the starting group or fostering younger players in backup roles.

If you formed an All-ACC roster, the depth would be tremendous. It came to my attention after the All-ACC selections were made of just how many bona fide star players did not make the cut. There are several positions that are loaded with talent across the board in the league this year, here’s a few in reverse order:

3. Offensive Line

The ACC is tied with the SEC for the most players on the Outland Trophy watch list with 11 each. Eight of those are on the offensive line. Anthony Castonzo, a four-year starter at left tackle for Boston College, leads the way and figures to be a front-runner for the award. The 2009 first team all-conference selection allowed just one sack in 650 snaps last season, which came against Robert Quinn of North Carolina.

Florida State could have had their entire line named all-conference it seems. Highly praised coach Rick Trickett has built a spectacular core on the line as he enters his fourth year with the Seminoles. Senior guard Rodney Hudson is ready to become the first player in conference history to be earn first-team honors four times. He is a consensus preseason All-American and might be Castonzo’s toughest competition for the Outland Trophy.

The ‘Noles starting center is Ryan McMahon, a redshirt senior who’s started every game in his college career. He graded out as a blocker last season at 80.6 percent, second on the team only to Hudson.

Both Hudson and McMahon are four-year starters, but the experience drop-off is slim among the three other linemen. Andrew Datko (LT), David Spurlock (RG) and Zebrie Sanders (RT) are all entering their third year as starters. There are entire conferences that don’t have the combination of talent and experience on the line like Florida State.

Georgia Tech center Sean Bedford returns after earning first-team honors as a junior. He anchors a Georgia Tech line that must replace three starters. If the Yellow Jackets want to dominate the point of attack like they have the past two seasons, it starts with Redford leading the way.

Even Wake Forest, picked to finish near the bottom of the league, has a few studs up front. Despite serious question marks at both tackles, left guard Joe Looney and center Russell Nenon have All-ACC potential.

Best unit: Florida State

Best player: Anthony Castonzo, Boston College

2. Linebacker

There are more than a handful of teams with a premium duo of linebackers. North Carolina has Quan Sturdivant and Bruce Carter, two of the most athletic players you’ll find at that position in the country. Sturdivant was a Butkus Award semi-finalist last season, and has led the Tar Heels in tackles the past two years. Despite a late summer arrest on drug charges, coach Butch Davis said Sturdivant will not face any suspension from game action. Bruce Carter has 4.45 speed in the 40-yard dash, a number only the most elite outside linebackers in the NFL can even think of.

Up north in Boston, the Eagles hope that Mark Herzlich can regain some or all of the form that made him the most feared linebacker in all of college football two years ago. In his absence, all Luke Kuechly did was come out of nowhere as a freshman to lead the ACC in tackles by a mile. He’s added close to 20 pounds of bulk since the end of last season as well. If he can avoid the sophomore slump and Herzlich’s leg (and mind) holds up, they will be quite a force.

Miami’s Sean Spence and Colin McCarthy are another pair of slobber-knockers that have the experts picking Miami to do big things this year. McCarthy returned in 2009 from a season-ending shoulder injury the year before to make second-team all-conference with 95 tackles. Spence didn’t live up to lofty expectations in 2009 after being one of Randy Shannon’s most consistent defenders as a true freshman in 2008. He missed three games last in the season with injury, but his 36 tackles were fifth-most on the team. If he’s healthy, he’s another speedy outside ‘backer that is a big play machine.

As much grief as Maryland’s received over last season’s abysmal 2-10 season, the Terps sure have a solid group of linebackers. Alex Wujciak is a wild child in the middle. He is one of just two players nationally to have at least 130 tackles in each of the past two seasons. Adrian Moten lines up on the outside, and he led the team with nine tackles for a loss and six sacks last year. Demetrius Hartsfield might have gotten more recognition for an outstanding freshman campaign in 2009 if it weren’t for his team’s record or Kuechly’s huge year. Hartsfield missed two games, but still made 64 tackles. Also, the three top reserves for Maryland at linebacker return, making this the deepest unit of any team in the league.

One other notable player in the league include FSU’s Nigel Bradham, a former super blue-chip recruit who led the team with 93 tackles last season as a sophomore in 2009.

Best unit: North Carolina

Best player: Alex Wujciak, Maryland

1. Quarterback

The buzz during ACC Media Days was all about the volume of talented and experienced quarterbacks throughout the league. There were three players not named to the all-conference preseason team that would likely be among the first 20 players mentioned as Heisman Trophy candidates.

The man who did manage to earn all-conference was Florida State’s Christian Ponder, who is the best quarterback to come through that program since Chris Weinke a decade ago. Ponder suffered a season-ending shoulder injury in game ten last year versus Clemson, but still was the only ACC quarterback to average 300 yards passing per game.

His replacement after the injury was E.J. Manuel, a former five-star recruit who turned in the MVP performance in the Gator Bowl victory over West Virginia. If Ponder goes down, the Seminoles are more than comfortable with Manuel.

As the season draws nearer, however, Ponder is gaining more and more acclaim as a cream of the crop quarterback and elite NFL Draft prospect. If Florida State returns to glory this season, he’ll get as much attention as his rookie head coach, Jimbo Fisher.

Just down the road at Miami, Jacory Harris is oozing potential. After a red-hot start to the 2009 season put him in the immediate discussion for the Heisman, Harris struggled down the stretch and finished with 24 touchdowns to go with 17 interceptions.

“Most everybody thinks when a quarterback has turnovers, it’s him not reading his keys,” coach Randy Shannon said, “It could be the receiver running routes too short…it could be Jacory forcing the ball…or it could be pressure. We’ve just got to calm him down in the pocket.”

Whatever the problem was, Harris showed flashes of brilliance last season, including a gutsy fourth-quarter performance in the season opener against Florida State, which the Hurricanes won 38-34. His receivers are a year older, his line is expected to be tremendously improved, and according to Shannon, his poise and understanding of the offense is markedly improved.

At Virginia Tech, the Hokies believe they have what could be their best offense ever. A big reason for that is the return of Tyrod Taylor, who has been starting since his freshman season and has a 23-5 career record under center. Taylor led the ACC in passing efficiency last season in a breakout season. In his first two years, his career touchdowns-to-interceptions numbers were 7-10 and had just 1,963 career passing yards. In 2009 he eclipsed that mark with 2,311 yards and 14 touchdowns with just five picks. He has his entire receiving corps back for the third straight year, not to mention a pair of former 1,000-yard rushers behind him in Darren Evans and Ryan Williams.

If it’s not enough to have one of the most talented quarterbacks in the ACC, NC State has two. Russell Wilson is consistent, accurate and mobile. Wilson’s streak of 379 consecutive passes without an interception is an NCAA record. His 31 touchdown passes were the fourth most in the country last season. There aren’t many times a player posts numbers like that and still has to fight off competition in fall practice. After missing spring ball to play baseball, Wilson’s absence allowed Mike Glennon to shine. Glennon threw for nearly 500 yards in the spring game. He was recruited to be the quarterback of the future for Tom O’Brien, but Wilson’s emergence has kept Glennon on the sideline. There are 80 schools in America that would love to have Glennon under center.

The guy who has arguably been the most successful yet gets little attention is Joshua Nesbitt at Georgia Tech. The reigning first-team all-conference quarterback got rave reviews by teammates and coach Paul Johnson about his competitiveness and work ethic. Pound for pound, he may be the strongest player on the Yellow Jackets’ roster. He also enters his third year running the triple option offense for Johnson. Every offense relies heavily on execution, but the Tech offense requires a quarterback who is adept with the timing and execution of the option. He needs 703 yards to top Woodrow Dantzler’s mark for career rushing yards for an ACC quarterback. Odds are Nesbitt reaches that after gaining 1,037 yards on the ground in 2009.

Best unit: Florida State

Best player: Christian Ponder, Florida State

ESPN’s Bruce Feldman Talks ACC Football

The landscape of sports journalism is littered with, more or less, nerds and geeks who have a lifelong passion for whatever sport they cover.

Not so for one distinguished character in the college football sector. Bruce Feldman was an art major in college, before a part-time job covering high school sports at the Miami Herald turned him onto journalism.

Fast-forward to 2010, and Feldman is a senior college football writer for ESPN the magazine and also has a daily blog on ESPN.com Insider.

He’s the author of two books, Cane Mutiny and Meat Market: Inside the Smashmouth World of College Football Recruiting. Over the course a week earlier this summer, I read Meat Market, which Feldman wrote after spending one year with all-inclusive access to the Ole Miss coaching staff in 2006 under recruiting guru Ed Orgeron.

Feldman basically took the Hubble Telescope and pointed it at the Rebels’ program, specifically the aspect of recruiting. What it showed was a coach who gave up an addiction to alcohol for an addiction to recruiting (and Red Bull Energy Drink), while also depicting just how time-consuming, complicated, and out-of-this-world stressful recruiting in the Deep South can be.

Feldman was kind enough to speak with ACC Mania one evening last week, and he had plenty to opine about the current environment within the conference.

ACC Maniac: Between Jacory Harris, Ryan Williams, Christian Ponder and Joshua Nesbitt, who has the best shot at the Heisman Trophy?

Feldman: I’d say it’s probably Ponder over Harris. I think Ponder is more consistent. Quarterbacks always have the best shot, especially when they can put up good passing numbers. I think Nesbitt is as tough a guy as there is in college football, but I’m not a guy on that bandwagon.

I’ve seen Miami this spring, and I was really impressed by how they look. I think Ponder has been more consistent, but at this point I’d say him, but it wouldn’t shock me if Harris were in the Heisman hunt.

ACC: Do you place any value in Heisman campaigns at places like Florida State?

Feldman: Those programs are so big. I think it would help if you were the Maryland quarterback, or another school that feels like more of a mid-major level.

I’ll use Carson Palmer as an example. Palmer had been a pretty inconsistent quarterback for most of his career. People knew his name, but until his senior year, he really didn’t get cranked up. He really didn’t get mentioned as a Heisman guy until really about Halloween (in 2002). It helped that guys said he had NFL size and an NFL arm. Having the NFL Draft guru approval certainly doesn’t hurt.

I have a feeling if Boise State beats Virginia Tech and Oregon State, people may talk about Kellen Moore. But there is going to be another side that’s going to ask “how good can this guy be?” He’ll be a free agent in the NFL one day, and whatever. I don’t think that helps a Heisman candidacy, but you can spend all the money you want on posters and pins and whatever, but if your guy doesn’t win big games it’s not going to matter.

If Ponder’s team wins the ACC and plays for the BCS title, people are going to find out about his story; they’ll know. He’ll be in enough big games where he’ll be talked about on College Gameday all the time and featured in magazines. People will constantly be talking about him, and why FSU – a program that had dropped – all of a sudden is back up and look who is the reason why.

There is no elaborate Heisman campaign that got everyone fired up about Mark Ingram. It was just about playing well in big games on national TV that does it.

You don’t beat out a guy because your Heisman campaign was better orchestrated than his. It might help you win a Butkus…it’s too scrutinized

ACC: You wrote a book on recruiting; who do you think is the best recruiter in the ACC?

Feldman: I’m tempted to say Eddie Gran, The running back coach at Florida State. He pulled a lot of kids out of south Florida when he was at Auburn and Tennessee and definitely did the same when he got to FSU. I think he is a really, really good recruiter. He’s a fairly low-key guy.

(UNC defensive line coach) John Blake has a big reputation as a recruiter, too, but I just don’t know. I think Graham might be a bit of an upset, but I’ll say him.

ACC: Virginia Tech just lost two huge recruits to UNC in Landon Turner and Marquise Williams. Tech needed Williams a lot more than UNC. Also, with Mike London raising UVA’s profile in-state, Tech is losing some ground in the state quickly. Williams was from North Carolina, but Turner was from Harrisonburg. Butch Davis is doing a good job.

Feldman: He’s a good evaluator. Let’s see how this NCAA probe may impact them. One of the little side cushions of the USC hit is that I wonder how much recruits will be gunshy when they hear “NCAA probe” than they were a while back.

ACC: What is the best stadium you’ve been to in the conference?

Feldman: I’m going to sound like I’m pandering, but I’m going to say Lane Stadium. I‘ve been there for a lot of games. I don’t like heavy metal or anything like that, but even when you just start hearing Enter Sandman that whole place rocks.

Every year, ESPN has a preseason seminar where everyone that works with college football comes in. One year they were playing the open to Virginia Tech-Miami in 2005. I remember just sitting there getting goosebumps. I remember being at that game. There is something there that is great.

It’s a really scenic part of the country. I’m kind of partial to that place. I have not been to Clemson for a game and I’ve heard great things about there. Otherwise I’ve been to pretty much every place in the ACC.

There is just something at Virginia Tech that I am in to.

ACC: Are you surprised that Tom O’Brien has not had more success at NC State?

Feldman: A little, given his track record. For as much as people take shots at the league, it’s not that easy to all of a sudden (improve). He has a good quarterback. Chuck Amato recruited pretty well, and he didn’t really win either. I’m not saying NC State is as tough as Duke to win at.

In a way, at Boston College you’re little more on an island and it has its charms to it. NC State is a little trickier spot. I’m not saying you can’t win there. I didn’t go in thinking oh he’s going to turn that place into the next Virginia Tech seasons. I expected 7-5 and the occasional 8-4 season. But I thought he’d be more along the lines of what Al Groh was able to do at Virginia.

I think people underestimate BC a little bit. They always have good offensive linemen. They also recruit New Jersey very well. New Jersey football is actually very good, and that is the Eagles’ lifeblood. As long as you have a really good line and mix in some other good players, you’re going to be good. It’s always been a well-coached program. They’ve never been bad. I don’t think you all of a sudden go to a different league and just fall apart.

ACC: Who is the best coach in the ACC?

Feldman: I think a lot of people would say Jim Grobe (at Wake Forest). Paul Johnson has done a lot at Georgia Tech. Beamer has obviously elevated Virginia Tech to an unthinkable level. I’d say it’s one of those three. I feel like Grobe probably gets the most out of the least, and Beamer takes it to another level. He’s had guys on his staff for a long time, there’s a lot of loyalty there.

ACC: Not a lot of people expected Paul Johnson’s offense to succeed in the ACC. I think a lot of his success predicates on how unique it is and how different it is to prepare for. When facing it, you have to completely change everything. Do you think Tech can maintain this, and do you think the triple option could show up at more schools in the future?

Feldman: I think they can maintain it. I don’t think it’s going to show up at so many other places, because coaches coach what they know. That is such a radical departure from places like the Big 12 where there are all these variations of the spread, but are pass-happy offenses.

Johnson is a good coach. Whatever system you run, it’s about how well you execute it. I just don’t think you’re all of a sudden going to see Norm Chow say, “I’m going to become an option guy,” or Mark Whipple or Jimbo Fisher either.

I think watching what Navy has done over the few years, what they’ve done is good. I just don’t think it’s going to be widespread, it’s not a part of other coaches’ DNA right now, offensively.

ACC: Who wins the ACC this year?

Feldman: There are four schools in the mix: Virginia Tech, Miami, North Carolina and Florida State. The more this investigation talk starts to bubble up, it doesn’t help UNC. You worry about chemistry.

I think Virginia Tech is a proven commodity, which definitely helps them.

FSU and Miami are both similar to me. Both programs have been really good, and now are trying to get rebuilt under new leadership. They have a lot of firepower. I think Miami has more talent on defense.

I feel like it comes down to Virginia Tech having to go to Miami this year. I think that game is going to determine the best team in the league.

The five most important games for the ACC this year

In 2004, ACC Commissioner John Swofford offered up a half-century of basketball dominance as a sacrificial lamb in favor of the more financially rewarding football supreme conference. He never could have imagined that the very conference he pillaged for expansion (The Big East) would be viewed by some as a better football conference (and basketball, for that matter) today.

Whether or not you concur with opines like Brian Bennett’s (go figure, ESPN’s Big East blogger) or not, the fact that there is even a debate over whether or not the ACC is the worst of the BCS conferences is certifiably depressing.

In a league that boasts longtime powers Miami, Florida State as well as Virginia Tech, a newcomer to elite program status, the ACC should be at the forefront of college football.

Since expansion, the Hokies’ 2009 Orange Bowl win over Cincinnati (from the Big East, for what it’s worth) is the league’s only BCS bowl win since expanding – and only its second since the BCS’ inception in 1998.

Last year saw the ACC suffer embarrassing losses in the non-conference slate, as well as another group of good-but-not-great teams knock each other off week after week.

If you don’t include the Hokies, no ACC team has finished in the Associated Press’ Top 25 rankings since 2004 (the Hokies have four times). There have been 10 double-digit win totals between the teams since expansion. Compare that to the rest of the BCS conferences in that same time span:

CONFERENCE	DOUBLE-DIGIT WIN TEAMS SINCE 2004
SEC	18
BIG 12	15
BIG 10	14
PAC 10	13
ACC	10
BIG EAST*	9

*(It should be noted that in 2004 the Big East had Boston College, but had yet to add Louisville, Cincinnati, and South Florida – Louisville went 11-1 in 2004).

2010 is put up-or-shut up time for the ACC.

The Hokies have their best offense in a decade or more, Miami has its best combination of talent, experience and discipline under Randy Shannon, Florida State has a Heisman Trophy candidate at quarterback, and Butch Davis has more future Pro Bowlers on its defense than the Carolina Panthers.

ACC backers are cautiously optimistic about the upcoming season. There are some heeeeeeyuge games throughout the year, and the conference needs to make a name for itself this year or risk earning the uncontested label as biggest underachieving conference in the nation.

Here’s a look at the five most important games for the ACC this year, where the very reputation of the league will hang most treacherously in the balance.

1. Florida at Florida State, November 27

Seminole fans need not be reminded that it has been seven years since they beat the mighty Gators (that even includes once in the Ron Zook era…yikes). In the past three seasons, the ‘Noles have been outscored by a combined 90 points.

This game used to be THE one to watch on the season’s final weekend. There was Michigan-Ohio State the week before in a top-10 clash, followed by the battle for supremacy in the Sunshine state. Quite frankly, this game hasn’t been a match of true titans in a decade.

Jimbo Fisher has a lot of pressure on him to return the program to greatness, and that consists of two not-so-simple tasks: winning the ACC and beating the Gators.

Make no mistake about it, Florida still has plenty of separation in terms of overall depth and talent, but the Seminoles are closing that gap.

It’s very likely this will be Florida State’s last tune-up before the ACC Championship Game. It will also definitely be Christian Ponder’s final game in Doak Campbell Stadium, and perhaps his best chance to cement his legacy in Tallahassee and his chances at the Heisman.

If Florida State is in fact still in the hunt for a BCS bowl heading into this game, a win over Urban Meyer and one of the giants of college football would be a huge step for a conference that has no marquee wins in November or later in years.

2. Miami at Ohio State, September 11

There are a few reasons why this game is more important for the ACC than the Virginia Tech-Boise State matchup five days earlier. For one, this is a road game for Miami, not to mention beating Ohio State has more cache than beating the Broncos. Also, despite its hot start last season, a win over the Buckeyes would be the biggest in the Randy Shannon era.

There is a lot of hype surrounding Ohio State, mainly because people believe it is finally quarterback Terrelle Pryor’s time to shine. The Hurricanes have the fastest defense Pryor will see all season.

This will also be the biggest road test of any team in the ACC this season (with a slight edge over Florida State at Oklahoma the same day). The league has not fared particularly well in that department recently, and this is a golden opportunity for Miami to stamp itself as a national contender. If Florida State also knocks off the Sooners, it will be a banner day for the ACC.

3. UNC vs. LSU (in Atlanta), September 4

This game became a lot less attractive once the news of the NCAA probe in Chapel Hill broke late last week. If the Tar Heels lose a couple starters and key back-ups for the year, especially on defense, the Tigers should take this game.

However, the SEC is the league against which all others are measured, and LSU should be a top-15 team this year. The Tigers have their fair share of concerns, primarily at quarterback, where Jordan Jefferson has been wildly inconsistent the past two years.

North Carolina has come out of nowhere to become the trendy pick to win the ACC (those dreams may fade depending on the NCAA findings), and Butch Davis’ program would explode if they knocked off LSU in Atlanta. The SEC has yet to lose in this Chick-fil-A kickoff game.

If the Tar Heels lose this game, it would take quite a bit of wind out of their sails very quickly. They follow that game up with a date with Georgia Tech two weeks later, and would be staring a 0-2 start right down the nose. The league could use another 10-win-caliber team.

Right now, the ACC’s calling card is depth, but the lack of a dominant team. The Heels may not be far from becoming one.

4. Florida State at Miami, October 9

This is without a doubt the best intraconference rivalry in the ACC. Even during the pair of once-dominant programs dark ages of late, the game has provided some memorable moments. Last year’s season opener on Labor Day came down to a Christian Ponder incompletion in the end zone on the final play giving Miami the win.

There is a very good chance both teams will be hovering around the top 10 when they meet, which would give the league its first marquee conference game with national implications in who knows how long.

If by god’s grace both teams are unbeaten when this game come around, make no mistake about it – Chris, Kirk, Lee, (sigh) Desmond and (YES!) Erin will be in South Beach for College GameDay. The eyes of America will be on a prime-time ACC showdown that will all but eliminate at least one team from the national title race. As far as the winner? They just might find themselves partying like it’s 2000, in the Top 5.

5. Georgia Tech at Virginia Tech, November 4 (Thursday night)

This is one of the best-kept secretly budding rivalries in college football. Hokie fans were afraid when Jeff Jagodzinski left Boston College that they no longer had an ACC coach to despise. Paul Johnson made the transition into that role seamlessly.

Johnson drew the ire of Hokie fans when, after Virginia Tech complained to ACC officials over what they believed were illegal chop blocks in the Jackets’ win over the Hokies last year, went public saying “they didn’t complain about this last year when they won”. There was more where that came from, too.

This game will take center stage on Thursday night in Blacksburg, which is an all-too-familiar stage to college football this decade. This begins a treacherous month for the Hokies, who should enter this game with at most one loss, therefore very highly ranked.

Georgia Tech will likely be a top 25 team as well at the very least, and it’s hard to believe this won’t be a tight game.

This will be a chance for the nation to see one of the league’s fiercest rivalries, not to mention some hard-hittin, slobber-knockin’ football under the lights at Lane Stadium. As long as this game doesn’t get away from either team, and fans are still tuned in during the fourth quarter, it will be a victory for the ACC.

So what do you think? There’s plenty of room for argument; this is just one man’s list. Keep in mind, these are the game I think will have the biggest impact on the ACC – not the best games, or most important for the teams, per se. Feel free to nit-pick away in the comments.