ACC Championship Game – Clemson vs Virginia Tech
As the season began to wear on, this was the game fans were hoping to see in Charlotte. These two were the most impressive schools to watch in the ACC all season. Clemson was near the top of the conference in most offensive categories. It’s the same with Virginia Tech on defense. Both have stars in quarterback Tajh Boyd for Clemson and running back David Wilson for Virginia Tech. This is also enticing because Clemson is the only team to beat Virginia Tech all season – and that was in Blacksburg. The rematch factor always adds an interesting element.
Back on October 1, Clemson got the better of the Hokies. At the time, both teams were undefeated. If there is a defense for how Virginia Tech played that day, it’s that Clemson was their first ACC opponent of the season. That’s a tough out for any team entering conference play. The Tigers really ripped Frank Beamer’s team apart though. The most surprising performance came out of Clemson’s defense. On that day, they totally outplayed the Virginia Tech football team. They had four sacks to Virginia Tech’s one. They held the Hokies to 25 percent on third down conversions. An offense that usually racks up over 400 yards of offense was held to just 258. Clemson’s passing attack was in full force, outgaining the Hokies by 80 yards. In most other categories, you would never think Clemson was up big. David Wilson had a great day on the ground (123 yards), and the Hokies only had two turnovers to Clemson’s one. But the scoreboard said it all. The Tigers won 23-3. Virginia Tech was held without a touchdown at home for the first time since the mid-Nineties. It really looked these teams were going to go in different directions.
As it turns out, Virginia Tech had the stronger finish to the regular season. They ran off seven straight wins, including a 38-0 drubbing of Virginia to lock up the Coastal Division. They ended up with the 7th ranked defense nationally, giving up on 15.5 points per game. They averaged 31 points per game over those seven games after they had struggled scoring early in the season. Clemson on the other hand, has finished with a whimper. The Tigers have lost three of their last four, including a poor effort against North Carolina State two weeks ago. The conference’s second leading offense wasn’t able to muster more than 17 points in any of those losses. Luckily, they had clinched the Atlantic Division against Wake Forest on November 12.
This is going to be an interesting, unpredictable game. Bettors might want to stay away from this one. Logically, it would seem there is no way the Hokies will let Clemson get the best of them twice in one season. The Tigers have had the ultimate connection all season with Tajh Boyd and Sammy Watkins. Watkins has caught 10 touchdowns from Boyd, and he is probably a shoe-in for ACC freshman of the year. Momentum is on the Hokies side, and since their loss to the Tigers they have really clamped down defensively. Quarterback Logan Thomas has really settled in as well. He has been the leader the Hokies have needed. The key here might be championship culture as Virginia Tech has it and Clemson doesn’t. Clemson haven’t won the ACC since the 1991. Tech has won three out of the last four conference titles and has only lost five conference games since joining in 2004.
The Tigers need this one. They need to make good on all the promise they have each season. They will have to play a complete game. Beamer will have his Hokies ready. It should be fun.
