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ACC Notebook: Clemson, UNC to meet in title game

The Sports Xchange

November 22, 2015 at 11:28 pm.

Nov 21, 2015; Blacksburg, VA, USA; Virginia Tech Hokies head coach Frank Beamer is carried off the field by his team after the game. The Tar Heels defeated the Hokies 30-27 in overtime at Lane Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports

Nov 21, 2015; Blacksburg, VA, USA; Virginia Tech Hokies head coach Frank Beamer is carried off the field by his team after the game. The Tar Heels defeated the Hokies 30-27 in overtime at Lane Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports

North Carolina has advanced to the ACC championship game for the first time, winning the Coastal Division and pushing its winning streak to 10 games.

So the matchup is set between Clemson and North Carolina. That will come Dec. 5 in Charlotte, N.C.

Clemson and North Carolina didn’t meet this season, so it won’t be a rematch when these teams gather to determine the conference crown.

North Carolina defeated Virginia Tech 30-27 in overtime to wrap up the divisional title. It came in the final home game for retiring Hokies coach Frank Beamer, who’s the winningest active Division I coach and in danger of ending his career with a losing season unless Virginia Tech wins at Virginia in the regular-season finale to extend its season in a bowl.

It was largely a week devoid of surprises in the ACC, though Virginia’s thumping of Duke goes down as an upset with a bowl-bound team defeated by a team that will finish with a losing record.

BOSTON COLLEGE (3-8, 0-7)

Game: Notre Dame 19, Boston College 16. The Irish won despite committing five turnovers as QB DeShone Kizer threw two touchdown passes in a game at Boston’s Fenway Park. The Eagles received a rushing touchdown and a touchdown pass from QB Jeff Smith in the fourth quarter after trailing 19-3.

Takeaway: The Eagles gave another solid defensive performance but it wasn’t enough to pull off an upset.

This has been a season-long trend because Boston College is good enough to keep opponents in check but not nearly efficient enough to score the points necessary to beat even mediocre teams. The Eagles eclipsed the 300-yard mark in total offense at 302.

The game against Notre Dame was considered a Notre Dame home game even though it was contested in Boston.

The Eagles will meet another team with significant struggles when it goes to Syracuse to face an old rival in the ACC finale. Boston College would pull into a tie for last place in the Atlantic Division by winning, or otherwise it will be the ACC’s lone winless team in conference play this season.

Next: at Syracuse, Nov. 28

CLEMSON (11-0, 8-0)

Game: Clemson 33, Wake Forest 13. QB Deshaun Watson threw three touchdown passes and ran for another as the top-ranked Tigers rolled in the home finale. Clemson held a 30-7 halftime lead, though Watson was dinged for a pair of interceptions in the game.

Takeaway: The Tigers have been on cruise control for two weeks against a couple of the Atlantic Division’s worst teams, defeating Syracuse and then Wake Forest.

Clemson’s strength of schedule won’t be enhanced with the game against South Carolina in the regular-season finale.

Still, another victory would mark the first unbeaten regular season since winning the 1981 national championship. There should be no shortage of motivation in a rivalry game against the Gamecocks.

Other than another convincing victory against Wake Forest, there was something else learned for the Tigers during the weekend. They now know they’ll face North Carolina on Dec. 5 in the ACC championship game.

Some of the defensive issues that surfaced in winning at Syracuse were largely solved against Wake Forest. The problem for Clemson is that neither of those opponents is well-equipped offensively, so the Tigers might to be keeping up to speed for when they face a high-powered offense in the conference title game.

Next: at South Carolina, Nov. 28

DUKE (6-5, 3-4)

Game: Virginia 42, Duke 34. QB Thomas Sirk returned after missing a game with an injury, but the Blue Devils fell into a 21-0 hole and never fully dug out. QB Parker Boehme threw for a touchdown and rushed for a touchdown in the fourth quarter for the Blue Devils, who held a 14-0 edge in the last quarter and even that wasn’t nearly enough.

Takeaway: A four-game losing streak is tough to stomach for a Duke team that entered the last day of October with a good chance to win the Coastal Division.

Now, the best the Blue Devils can hope for is a tie for third place in the division. That will require a road victory at Wake Forest along with some other results lining up.

Duke’s defense had looked so stout against many opponents in the first half of the season, but that was when it faced teams with limited offenses. Suddenly, the Blue Devils haven’t been able to stop many teams and some of the scores of gotten out of control or nearly gotten out of hand.

There have been personnel issues on offense, with the dismissals of WR Johnell Barnes and WR Terrence Alls shortening the options for downfield plays.

Duke used Sirk and Boehme against Virginia, something that was anticipated if Sirk was deemed healthy enough to play.

With a game against Wake Forest, at least there’s a chance the Blue Devils can cure some of their ills before an expected bowl game.

Next: at Wake Forest, Nov. 28

FLORIDA STATE (9-2, 6-2)

Game: Florida State 52, Chattanooga 13. QB Sean Maguire threw two touchdown passes and RB Dalvin Cook rushed for 106 yards in the home finale. The Seminoles scored on eight consecutive possessions, keeping Chattanooga out of the end zone until the fourth quarter.

Takeaway: The Seminoles didn’t encounter much resistance in blowing past Chattanooga, but at least it gave them a chance to iron out any wrinkles on offense.

Florida State is probably troubled even more by the loss to Georgia Tech given the possibilities that might exist if the Seminoles were only a one-loss team. Still, a victory against Florida could propel Florida State into one of the elite bowls.

Maguire seems to have established himself as the preferred quarterback, but the Seminoles are fortunate to have depth at that position with transfer QB Everett Golson with plenty of collegiate snaps to his credit.

While the Seminoles had an easy time with their tune-up for the regular-season finale, that wasn’t the case for Florida. The Gators needed overtime to defeat Florida Atlantic in the game before meeting the Seminoles.

Next: at Florida, Nov. 28

GEORGIA TECH (3-8, 1-7)

Game: Miami 38, Georgia Tech 21. The Yellow Jackets were outscored 24-0 across the second and third quarters in suffering a road loss and thus assured of a last-place finish in the ACC’s Coastal Division. Georgia Tech committed four turnovers and had only four completed passes.

Takeaway: The Yellow Jackets continue to flounder and this comes in a season when they were largely considered a contender for a league championship.

The rushing attack has been not up to standards for most of the season and yet there were some signs of that getting on track against Miami. Still, some of that wasn’t by design.

With a first-quarter injury to QB Justin Thomas, the Yellow Jackets turned to QB Matthew Jordan to take snaps. He gained 60 yards on the ground, yet it took 28 carries. He scored one touchdown.

But the defense wasn’t up the task again and that has just compounded the troubles.

It’s hard to imagine a victory against Georgia to end the season. Even that wouldn’t do much to soothe the frustrations from this season.

Next: Georgia, Nov. 28

LOUISVILLE (6-5, 5-3)

Game: Pittsburgh 45, Louisville 34. Pittsburgh QB Nate Peterman threw four touchdown passes, sending Louisville to a road loss. The Cardinals trailed 42-17 late in the first half, contributing to the end of a four-game winning streak.

Takeaway: The Cardinals let this one against Pittsburgh get away early, so they didn’t have a chance for some late-game good works. Four of their five ACC victories have come by seven points or less.

The Cardinals continue to have a revolving door with the quarterback position. There were three different quarterbacks who threw completions against Pittsburgh. The bright spot on offense was WR Jamari Staples, who caught nine passes for 194 yards.

The defense simply wasn’t up to the task. The Cardinals surrendered a season-high point total, though some of those came courtesy of an intercepted pass that was returned for a touchdown.

The Cardinals have a chance to get back on track before the bowl game. It’s also another opportunity for one of the quarterbacks to re-emerge and solve some of the questions for the offense.

Next: at Kentucky, Nov. 28

MIAMI (7-4, 4-3)

Game: Miami 38, Georgia Tech 21. Miami scored the only points in the second and third quarters to take control for the home victory. RB Mark Walton ran for two touchdowns and caught at touchdown pass.

Takeaway: The Hurricanes might be one of the most resilient teams out there.

They’ve suffered a couple of blowout losses within a month’s span. Each time, they’ve recovered to win their next game.

They received a smooth outing from QB Brad Kaaya against Georgia Tech. he threw for 300 yards and one touchdown without throwing an interception. He did this despite the Hurricanes failing to produce much of a rushing attack.

Ideally, they’ll take some of the pressure off Kaaya by moving the ball better on the ground. But Kaaya has shown the ability to take a load of responsibility on himself and he often handles that quite well.

If the Hurricanes can upset Pittsburgh, they’ll have an eight-win regular season. That would be quite an accomplishment for a team that has gone through a coaching change. Miami is 3-1 under interim coach Larry Scott since the firing of Al Golden.

Next: at Pittsburgh, Nov. 27

NORTH CAROLINA (10-1, 7-0)

Game: North Carolina 30, Virginia Tech 27, OT. QB Marquise Williams threw a 5-yard touchdown pass to WR Quinshad Davis on third down in overtime to lift the Tar Heels to the victory and clinch the Coastal Division title. It came after Williams gave the ball away three times on fumbles, in part helping the Hokies wipe out a 14-point lead in the final minutes of regulation.

Takeaway: The Tar Heels have reached one of their goals by winning the Coastal Division title.

The latest victory in the 10-game winning streak came against an emotionally charged opponent. It also unfolded on a day when many of the things that the Tar Heels normally excel at weren’t working.

But the rushing attack on offense has become extremely reliable, especially with RB Elijah Hood. He ran for two fourth-quarter touchdowns as the Tar Heels built a 24-10 lead.

Williams was rather ordinary for most of the game, completing 13 of 26 passes. But his work in overtime overshadowed some earlier glitches.

North Carolina’s defense continues to provide steady performances and that gave the Tar Heels enough to pull out the victory.

There’s a tricky part for the Tar Heels because they have a game at rival North Carolina State prior to facing unbeaten Clemson in the ACC championship game.

Next: at N.C. State, Nov. 28

N.C. STATE (7-4, 3-4)

Game: N.C. State 42, Syracuse 29. QB Jacoby Brissett threw for two touchdowns as the Wolfpack held the lead throughout in the home victory. DE Darian Roseboro returned an interception 20 yards for a touchdown, adding to the Orange’s eighth consecutive loss.

Takeaway: The Wolfpack is assured of a fourth-place finish in the ACC’s Atlantic Division and the team’s bowl stock was also bolstered.

N.C. State will have a chance to ruin rival North Carolina’s perfect ACC season when the teams in the regular-season finale.

That will be one of N.C. State’s primary goals because the Tar Heels still have a slim chance to reach the College Football Playoffs. So even though the Wolfpack can’t keep North Carolina out of the conference championship game, an upset would knock the Tar Heels out of some bigger things.

N.C. State is also without a victory against an ACC team with a winning record, so this will be the last chance to achieve that as well.

If there was a concern coming from the Syracuse game it was the Orange’s ability for a few quick-strike scores. That’s disturbing because North Carolina has a far more power offense than what the Wolfpack saw against Syracuse.

Next: vs. North Carolina, Nov. 28

PITTSBURGH (8-3, 6-1)

Game: Pittsburgh 45, Louisville 34. Four touchdown passes from QB Nate Peterman were enough to keep the Panthers in good shape in the home victory. The Panthers also received a touchdown run and 152 rushing yards from RB Qadree Ollison.

Takeaway: The Panthers keep rolling along with an impressive season. It’s the first time they’ve reached eight regular-season victories since 2009.

It wasn’t all great during the weekend because North Carolina’s overtime victory against Pittsburgh eliminated the Panthers from contending for a spot in the ACC championship game. They can still share first place in the Coastal Division by defeating Miami and then seeing North Carolina lose to North Carolina State.

With more than 244 yards on the ground and 232 yards in the air, the Panthers struck an ideal balance in the Louisville game.

Considering that all of Pittsburgh’s losses have come to teams (Iowa, Notre Dame, North Carolina) with a combined record of 31-2, it has been quite a season for the Panthers.

They’ve also defeated former Big East Conference members Virginia Tech, Syracuse and Louisville this year. They can make it a sweep of teams from former teams of their former conference if they can topple Miami as well.

Next: vs. Miami, Nov. 27

SYRACUSE (3-8, 1-6)

Game: N.C. State 42, Syracuse 29. The Orange fell in a big hole and couldn’t dig out despite a couple of touchdowns in a two-minute span bridging the two halves that helped dig out from a 21-3 deficit. QB Jacoby Brissett of N.C. State threw two touchdown passes and QB Zack Mahoney of Syracuse also threw two touchdown passes.

Takeaway: The Orange can’t seem to hang with some of the teams in the middle of the pack despite a couple of good outings against more elite teams.

So after giving Clemson a solid threat one week, the Orange wasn’t competitive for much of the game against N.C. State.

The offense seems to be overwhelmed even with changing schemes to try to best fit the changing situation at quarterback. QB Zack Mahoney has shown some abilities and the willingness to improvise, but the lack of experience tends to catch up with him.

The downward spiral has resulted in an eight-game losing streak and certainly more uncertainty regarding the future of the coaching staff.

The latest game also included some undisciplined penalties that’s bound to be coming, in part, because of the frustration of the season.

Next: vs. Boston College, Nov. 28

VIRGINIA (4-7, 3-4)

Game: Virginia 42, Duke 34. Virginia scored the game’s first 21 points and the Cavaliers held on for the home victory despite Duke’s 14 points accounting for the only fourth-quarter scoring. QB Michael Johns threw two touchdown passes for the Cavaliers.

Takeaway: The Cavaliers could finish in a three-way tie for third place in the Coastal Division and that would be quite an accomplishment considering the way the season has gone.

To do so, that would require defeating Virginia Tech in the season finale along with some other ACC results to go as expected on the last week of the regular season.

The Cavaliers squandered a lead two years ago in a home loss to Duke and that didn’t happen this time. Granted, Virginia’s defense gave up 495 yards of total offense, but the Cavaliers were in control for most of the game.

Virginia also collected three Duke turnovers so that was a key part of maintaining the lead.

The finale comes in what might be the last game for Virginia coach Mike London, who has been under extreme scrutiny. Already, it’s designated as the last regular-season game for retiring Virginia Tech coach Frank Beamer.

Next: vs. Virginia Tech, Nov. 28

VIRGINIA TECH (5-6, 3-4)

Game: North Carolina 30, Virginia Tech 27, OT. The Hokies gave up a touchdown on a third-down pass from 5 yards out in overtime after beginning the extra session with a field goal. Virginia Tech rallied from a 24-10 hole in the last three minutes of regulation but couldn’t produce a victory in the final home game under retiring coach Frank Beamer.

Takeaway: The Hokies have put themselves in a familiar situation because they must defeat Virginia to extend their season in a bowl game or else Beamer will go out from his stellar career with consecutive losses.

The home finale turned sour for Virginia Tech, though the late-game rally was commendable. There were simply too many offensive breakdowns to pull out a victory against a nationally ranked opponent.

North Carolina had lots riding on the game because it clinched a spot in the ACC championship game.

Much of the attention fell on Beamer and the history associated with the program’s rise under his guidance.

The Virginia Tech defense was largely up to the task against high-powered North Carolina, benefitting from three recovered fumbles. North Carolina scored two fourth-quarter touchdowns following turnovers by the Hokies.

There was pressure on Virginia Tech in the home finale and now it will be a matter of trying to re-ignite the emotional spark for the Virginia game.

Next: at Virginia, Nov. 28

WAKE FOREST (3-8, 1-6)

Game: Clemson 33, Wake Forest 13. Clemson built a 30-7 halftime lead and cruised as QB Deshaun Watson threw two first-quarter touchdown passes and ran for another. Watson finished with three TD throws, though he was picked off twice.

Takeaway: The Demon Deacons wrapped up a brutal two-week stretch with road losses to Notre Dame and Wake Forest.

The offense didn’t generate much, limited to 152 yards of total offense. QB Kendall Hinton rushed for one touchdown and threw for another, but that wasn’t nearly enough.

He replaced QB John Wolford, who was hounded repeatedly and ended up with minus-30 rushing yards.

The Wake Forest ground game has been much better than a year ago even though the numbers might not always support that because the lost yardage on sacks has reduced those totals.

Wake Forest holds a five-game losing streak going into the finale against visiting Duke. It will mark the sixth consecutive game against a bowl-bound team for Wake Forest.

Next: vs. Duke, Nov. 28

NOTES, QUOTES

–This is often the time of the season when the ACC has quite a bit at stake in terms of reputation. That’s because there are regular-season finales against non-conference rivals for several ACC teams.

That makes it a chance to enhance their portfolios.

That might not be such the case this season. Undefeated Clemson has its annual date with South Carolina, which has stumbled miserably this season since handing North Carolina its only loss at the start of the season.

Florida of the Southeastern Conference has shown some kinks as well, so the Gators won’t be overwhelming favorites when they face Florida State.

Georgia Tech will be a big underdog against Georgia, but it’s not like Georgia is some highly regarded team at this stage of the season. Louisville matches up with Kentucky, which has a share of warts as well.

So even if ACC teams Clemson, Florida State, Georgia Tech and Louisville make a clean sweep of SEC foes on the final weekend there’s no guarantee the stock will go soaring in this case.

–Frank Beamer’s final home game as Virginia Tech’s coach was full of fanfare. It included his remarks to the crowd afterward, thanking the fans for what they’ve done to enhance the program.

But North Carolina ruined part of the day, winning 30-27 in overtime.

Yet it was impossible to ignore the Beamer factor before, during and after the game.

“I’ve always said we’ve got the greatest fans and they showed it again today and I appreciate them,” Beamer said. “I saw a lot of signs that said something about appreciating me, but I appreciate them.”

He was carried off the field by his players, a moving moment.

“Virginia Tech has always been great to me,” Beamer said. “I’ve been a lucky guy.”

The impact for the home finale was felt around the stadium. That included on the North Carolina sideline.

“It’s kind of bittersweet because I have such great respect for Frank Beamer and what he has meant to college football and obviously what he has meant to Virginia Tech football,” Tar Heels coach Larry Fedora said. “College football is a better place when he’s in it. I was honored to be on the field with him.”

–So what’s at stake in the final week of the regular season in the ACC? Not much in terms of the standings in either division.

But at least either Syracuse’s eight-game losing streak or Boston College’s seven-game skid will come to an end when those teams meet.

Even though Syracuse hasn’t won since September, the Orange can finish fifth in the seven-team Atlantic Division with a victory against Boston College.

Meanwhile, a Boston College victory (combined with Wake Forest losing to Duke) would leave Boston College, Syracuse and Wake Forest in a last-place tie in the division.

Something also has to give in the Duke-Wake Forest game because Duke holds a four-game losing streak and Wake Forest has lost five in a row.

And just like a week ago, the only team with a chance to secure a sixth victory is Virginia Tech. The Hokies will have a second chance to do so in their game at Virginia.

QUOTE TO NOTE: “For those seniors, the No. 1 goal was to win the Coastal Division and they’ve done that. We expect that to turn into bigger things.” — Coach Larry Fedora, whose North Carolina team is headed to the ACC championship game Dec. 5 in Charlotte, N.C. That will be the Tar Heels’ second game this season in Charlotte and it will mark the 10th game at an in-state site this season.

STRATEGY AND PERSONNEL

FIVE BIGGEST TAKEAWAYS FROM WEEK 12 IN THE ACC:

1. North Carolina reserved a spot in the ACC championship game, needing overtime to spoil Virginia Tech’s home finale under retiring coach Frank Beamer.

2. Clemson keeps churning out victories and the romp past visiting Wake Forest was largely pedestrian.

3. Pittsburgh will be kicking itself for losing that game last month to North Carolina because it’s the only thing keeping the Panthers out of the ACC title game.

4. N.C. State clinched a fourth-place spot in the Atlantic Division, with each of its three ACC victories coming against teams that won’t be going to bowls.

5. Duke hasn’t recovered from that controversial last-play loss to Miami, dropping its fourth game in a row with a setback at Virginia.