Thursday, Nov. 12, 2009

Title game could be rematch

Georgia Tech and Clemson are on track for a rematch in the ACC title game.

If Georgia Tech (9-1, 6-1 ACC) wins at Duke on Saturday, the Jackets clinch the Coastal Division.

In the Atlantic, Clemson (6-3, 4-2) controls its own path to the title game and closes at N.C. State on Saturday, then hosts Virginia the following week.

Clemson lost at Georgia Tech, 30-27, in wild affair that included a Clemson comeback from a 24-7 halftime deficit to take a fourth-quarter lead.

If Georgia Tech loses to Duke, Miami would own the tiebreaker if both teams finish 6-2. Virginia Tech has a slim chance if it can create a three-team tie.

THUMBS UP

C.J. Spiller

Playing through turf toe, the senior star is third on Sports Illustrated's Heisman watch, and fourth on the ESPN list after recording back-to-back 300-yard all-purpose-yard performances on national television.

Paul Johnson

His triple offense is leading the ACC in yards (442.7) and points (34.7) per game. He's recorded back-to-back, nine-win seasons in Atlanta, and is a win away from a divisional title. He's won at Navy, Georgia Southern and in the FBS.

Baseball-playing quarterbacks

How long are Russell Wilson, a sophomore, and Kyle Parker, a freshman, going to stick around throwing passes in the ACC? Parker has led Clemson to at least 38 points in four consecutive games - a first in program history. And Wilson has a 24 to 9 touchdown-to-interception ratio.

THUMBS DOWN

Bowl eligibility

The voices calling for Bobby Bowden to step down will grow if the Seminoles fail to make a bowl trip. FSU needs to win two of their last three games to be eligible. The Seminoles' last game is at Florida, so they are in must-win scenarios at Wake and against Maryland.

Bowling in the ACC

The ACC added two new bowl destinations last week for its 2010-13 lineup -

El Paso, Texas and Shreveport, La. Maybe that's why so many teams seem uninterested in becoming bowl eligible.

Virginia

Speaking of bowl eligibility, remember when Virginia was in first place in the Coastal? The Wahoos have lost three in a row, and November is shaping up to be an anticipated hangover from their Octoberfest.

HE SAID IT

"That's who he is. But sometimes you can't be like you is," Florida State

coach Bobby Bowden on Christian Ponder's decision to try and tackle Clemson's DeAndre McDaniel during an interception return Saturday.

BY THE NUMBERS

1 - Georgia Tech leads the nation in time of possession, keeping the ball

34:56 minutes per game.

31 - Career interceptions by Clemson's starting defensive backfield of Crezdon Butler (11), DeAndre McDaniel (11) and Chris Chancellor (9).

1,113 - Kick return yards by Maryland's Torrey Smith, breaking his own ACC

single-season record (1,089).

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