ACC Football Week 13 Breakdown
As luck would have it, the ACC does need the final weekend of the regular season to decide who will be playing for all the conference marbles on December 3. One side of the bracket has the challenger (Clemson). Can perennial champion Virginia Tech repeat? Saturday will tell us.
GAME OF THE WEEK
Virginia Tech versus Virginia
This could very well read Game of the Year, if for no other reason than the implications this will have on the future of the ACC. This game is everything for Virginia. A victory could mean Virginia becomes a mainstay at the top of the standings for a few years running. Not even Mike London could have predicted they would be in this position at the beginning of the season. Alas, here they are and they face a mighty uphill battle. The biggest obstacle might be a history of winning. Virginia Tech has it and Virginia doesn’t.
On paper and by record, Virginia Tech is the better team. They are ranked ahead of Virginia in every major statistical category except for tackles for loss. However, Virginia is nipping at the Hokies’ heels in stats like total offense and total defense (Tech: 2, UVA: 3). These are arguably the most important stat groupings when scouting a team. What it means is that Virginia has a chance to move the ball and make stops against Tech. Of course, that is easier said than done. This is a Virginia Tech team that is ranked 10th nationally in points allowed. Their rushing attack averages 201 yards per game. Running back David Wilson is a legitimate star and could compete for conference player of the year. Mike London might try and counterattack the Hokies with their own game plan. Wilson’s counterparts Perry Jones and Kevin Parks are steady runners for the Virginia offense and have split carries all season. Both can catch out of the backfield and provide a security blanket for quarterback Michael Rocco.
We know this is going to come down to defense and the running game. But the X-factors have to be the quarterbacks. Thus far, both have been doing a good job. Their teams are winning and that is the most important thing. The legs of Logan Thomas for Virginia Tech will give him an edge in this matchup. He is a great athlete that can get out of a jam. He has nine rushing touchdowns of his own on the season. Virginia’s Michael Rocco has really stepped up and played like the coaches were hoping he would. He has thrown for over 2,000 yards and been a supreme game manager. The issue is that he has thrown nine interceptions to only 11 touchdowns and he is also not as good a runner as Thomas. Virginia needs Rocco to play extremely well on Saturday. He needs to get rid of the ball and make quick decisions. If the running game gets going, it will be easier for him. These two quarterbacks have a lot riding on them and the pressure will mount. Will the culture of success at Tech help them pull through? This is the ultimate rivalry game. Buckle up.
OTHER GAMES
Maryland versus NC State
This is a game for NC State that doesn’t mean much other than to be two games over .500 – and to finish out the season with two straight wins. Last week’s game against Clemson was much bigger for the Wolfpack overall so they could gauge their performance against a good team. Although Clemson didn’t really have anything to play for, NC State took it to the Tigers. Quarterback Mike Glennon threw for three TD’s in the 37-13 victory. Defensively, the Wolfpack stole the ball four times and didn’t give up any possessions to the Clemson offense. NC State has 22 interceptions on the year and is 4th nationally in turnover margin. It finally paid off for them last Saturday. They now face a Maryland team that is just trying to avoid two 10-loss seasons in three years. The Terps give up nearly 32 points per game and are only scoring 21. That is not a recipe for success. A win here would at least end their season on a high note.
Boston College versus Miami
Overall, this game is not very exciting. Both teams are near the bottom of their respective divisions. Miami is playing for its seventh win, while Boston College is trying to build on a solid final stretch of their season. The Eagles earned a good conference victory over NC State a few Saturdays ago, and they really played Notre Dame tough on the road last week. Quarterback Chase Rettig has gotten progressively better as the season has worn on. His stats don’t blow you out of the water, but he is keeping his team in the game. Miami is coming off a barnburner in southern Florida. They beat the Bulls of South Florida, 6-3. In football. Wow. It was a sloppy game in which Miami only had to be marginally better than B.J. Daniels of South Florida, who played awful. The Hurricanes have been inconsistent all year. They’ve won two games in a row only once and have been alternating wins and losses every week since October 27. A win against BC would give them a little momentum heading into next season as they have a self-imposed bowl ban for this year. Considering all that’s come down on this program since before the season began, that is not something to be overly disappointed about.
QUICK HITTERS
Duke versus North Carolina
It has been a disappointing season for both teams. The Butch Davis scandal was something the Tar Heels could never fully overcome. Despite solid play from quarterback Sean Renfree, the Blue Devils just aren’t talented enough to compete yet and have played themselves into a 3-8 record (1-6 in the ACC). Carolina is playing for its seventh win, which, under the circumstances, they should be proud of.
RIVALRY WEEK – OUT-OF-CONFERENCE GAMES
Georgia Tech versus Georgia
This game does nothing for Georgia Tech in terms of its position in the conference. But they would love to knock off the Bulldogs. They haven’t beaten their rivals since 2008. It will be a tough test for the Yellow Jackets. Since losing back-to-back games to open the year, Georgia has won nine straight games. Quarterback Aaron Murray is on fire (2,446 yards, 28 touchdowns) and freshman running back Isaiah Crowell had been sensational until being sidelined by a sprained ankle. Georgia is third in the SEC in total defense and second in the nation in rush defense at just 81 yards per game. Considering Tech’s whole game plan is to run, this could be a problem for Paul Johnson’s crew. On defense, the Jackets will have trouble with the physical Georgia front. Can Tech break the two-year win streak by the Dawgs?
Florida State versus Florida
Florida State started the season ranked in the top-5. Perhaps they were over-ranked, but they have since fallen back to Earth. Should they win this game against nemesis Florida, they will finish the season 8-4 with a good core for next year. For a team with bigger aspirations, that doesn’t mean much right now. A win over Florida would though. That defense is still stout and leading the ACC in total defense and sacks. Florida is 6-5 this year and has nothing more than a so-so offense. They give the ball up a lot and they rank bottom-15 in the country in turnover margin. The FSU defense should be licking its chops.
EJ Manuel is the Seminoles oft-maligned quarterback who has been blamed for some losses because of some lackluster performances. He has a great skill set, but he hasn’t quite put it all together yet. This might not be the game to get it turned around. Florida is 11th in the nation in pass defense.
Clemson versus South Carolina
Clemson does not have much to play for in this game outside of pride. Either way, they better be ready to play. South Carolina is 9-2 and in the hunt for a bid in the SEC Championship game. In fact, South Carolina will have its eyes on the Georgia-Georgia Tech game. If Tech beats Georgia and the Gamecocks win, then the bid belongs to South Carolina in the SEC East. Clemson should be wary of a team that will be fired up with a lot to play for. Since quarterback Connor Shaw replaced Stephen Garcia, the Gamecocks have found a rhythm. The steady-handed Shaw has thrown for a thousand yards and nine touchdowns since his start in the Kentucky game. The loss of Marcus Lattimore hurts the Gamecocks significantly, but they have been winning without him.
The question for Clemson is, which team will show up? In games against Florida State and Virginia Tech, the Tigers looked unbeatable. In games against Georgia Tech, Wake Forest, and NC State, they didn’t look like a division winning club. Unfortunately, those three opponents have been their last three. It wouldn’t be good for Dabo Swinney’s club to limp into the championship game having lost three out of four. They need to get the air attack going with Tajh Boyd and Sammy Watkins. It will be tough to find the end zone against the stingy South Carolina D. It would be a great way to cap a wonderful season for the Tigers.
Wake Forest versus Vanderbilt
These two are not rivals in any traditional sense. Perhaps the schools are trying to make one though. It has proven tough for Vanderbilt. Since 2007, these schools have squared off three times, and Wake Forest has won all three (even in bad years for the Demon Deacons). It has been a decent year for Vanderbilt this year under James Franklin, as he is molding the program as best he can. If they beat Wake Forest on Saturday, they will be eligible to return to a bowl game for the second time in four years and only the third time since the early ‘80s. Wake Forest has been up and down all year, at 6-5, they need a win to secure a bowl bid. They started out hot at 4-1 with a huge victory over Florida State. Of late, they have lost three out of four games to stronger, more talented teams. Quarterback Tanner Price has been great for Jim Grobe’s team and he has a bright future at quarterback. Can he pull out a win when he needs one? This is a good test.
Week 13 Breakdown Page
