Remember the lawsuits filed by various parties with Big East interests when Miami, Virginia Tech and Boston College joined the ACC? We should wonder now what all the fuss was about. New Big East member Louisville will do more for its league in football this year than Miami, VT and BC combined will do for the ACC. To be sure, expansion has improved ACC football. But this year, the league is not the superpower everyone (especially the Big East) envisioned. The Big East, on the other hand, began this week with three of the nation's six undefeated teams. And #5 Louisville's 44-34 win over #3 West Virginia will only add to that conference's reputation for explosive offense -- 78 points and more than 1,000 yards!
The ACC has no super teams or super offenses. Clemson seemed to have the potential to be at least a Top 10 team after its thrashing of Georgia Tech. But the Tigers' one-sided loss at Virginia Tech revealed a squad lacking the passing game to join the nation's elite. Clemson, made one-dimensional on offense, was not dominant enough in the other phases of the game to defeat the Hokies.
Expansion has left the Atlantic Coast Conference with a number of good teams -- just no great ones. While Georgia Tech has all but wrapped up the Coastal Division championship (unless it loses to N.C. State, North Carolina and Duke), the Atlantic Division crown will be contested by Boston College, Wake Forest, Maryland, Clemson and N.C. State. Only Florida State is out (seems strange to say that), having already lost to four teams in its division.
This is a huge weekend for the Atlantic Division, with BC playing Wake and Maryland meeting Clemson. N.C. State plays Coastal Division king Georgia Tech, but can significantly improve its season with a win.
A few thoughts about the front-runners:
Boston College has overcome tremendous losses on defense and special teams. The Eagles have one of the ACC's top passers in Matt Ryan. Boston College runs the football quite well, with two experienced backs and the ever-present blocks of granite in the offensive line.
Wake Forest is winning in large part because it has an older, veteran team and a very stable coaching staff. Jim Grobe and several of his coaches have been together since they were at the Air Force Academy -- two jobs and 15 years ago. A cohesive coaching staff and a veteran team can overcome a lot of injuries and other setbacks. Wake has had several of each this season.
Maryland has reinvented itself over the past month. The Terps are throwing the ball downfield less and enjoying it more, using their running game, defense and conservative play-action schemes to win games.
Clemson probably owns the league's best defense and definitely its best running attack. But the Tigers must restore Will Proctor and the formerly injured Chansi Stuckey to pre-October levels if they are to win a spot in the ACC Championship game.
N.C. State's post-season options are limited. To have a mathematical chance at the ACC Championship, or even a bowl game, State must run the table. The Wolfpack, defensively, has played well enough of late to upset this week's opponent, Georgia Tech. But State desperately needs to get its running game going again. The Pack also needs a receiver other than John Dunlap to put the Red and White in the end zone.
After this weekend, we'll have a much better idea who will meet Georgia Tech in Jacksonville. Fortunately for the ACC, it won't be Louisville or West Virginia.
