College Football Corner- Division delineation?

When the ACC expanded to 12 teams a few years ago, the league split its membership into two divisions--Maryland is in the Atlantic while Virginia Tech and Virginia reside in the Coastal.

With two weeks remaining in the regular season, how are things shaping up? The Atlantic schools are a cumulative 38-21 with a 21-18 league record while the Coastal Division is 32-29 (18-21 in the ACC). While 1-9 Duke does bring the Coastal down, all six Atlantic teams remain in bowl contention and four have shots at winning league records (Virginia and Virginia Tech are the only Coastal schools with fewer than four ACC losses)-- and the two winners of the ACC Championship game have come from the Atlantic (Florida State in 2005, Wake Forest last year). Add the rebuilding track Miami and North Carolina are both on and it may be advantage-Atlantic for some time.


#11 VIRGINIA TECH exorcised ghosts of years past as coach Frank Beamer finally notches a victory over Bobby Bowden in the Hokies 40-21 triumph over Florida State.
This sets up a November 24th battle with Virginia for the ACC Coastal Division championship regardless of what happens this week against Miami.


UPSIDE—Tyrod Taylor tallies 296 total yards and three touchdowns after Sean Glennon stumbled off the field after taking a shot to the helmet. Taylor stretched the Seminole defense with his arm as well as his feet, averaging over 20 yards per completion. The Hokie defense stepped up in the fourth quarter with an interception return for a TD (one of three takeaways on the day) and a safety.

DOWNSIDE— Branden Ore reverted to his early season-form, gaining just 40 yards on 16 carries. The Hokies were fortunate to avoid losing any of their three fumbles but had an interception returned for a score during the Seminoles rally. Penalties persist as a problem, with the team earning 7 flags for 60 yards.



MARYLAND kept its dimming postseason hopes alive with a 42-35 win over Boston College in final home game for the senior class. What would could have been a disastrous November now has possibilities; if they had lost the all minds in College Park would have been fully fixed on basketball.

UPSIDE— Start with a ground game behind Lance Ball (109 yards and a touchdown) and a patchwork offensive line that battled one of the nations best in stopping the run. Add in a very well-called game by Coach Friedgen (the reverse to Darrius Heyward-Bey was pure genius) that challenged the Eagle secondary deep (4 pass plays of more than 40 yards)…but you need a triggerman like Chris Turner to execute it all and the sophomore did (21-27, 337 yards and 3 touchdowns). Defensively the much-maligned pass rush (last in the ACC entering the game) made life very uncomfortable for BC QB Matt Ryan, notching four sacks while intercepting a pair of passes.

DOWNSIDE— the injuries continue to mount as Keon Lattimore misses his final game at Byrd with a bad hamstring. The Terrapin defense could never find an answer for Eagles tight end Ryan Purvis (10 catches for 102 yards and two touchdowns), although there’s no shame in allowing 421 yards passing to Heisman candidate Matt Ryan. Can’t wait to see this week’s injury report.


VIRGINIA closed the Orange Bowl in classic fashion, shutting out the Hurricanes 48-0 after taking a 14-0 first quarter and 31-0 halftime leads. What’s more a shell of its former self- the decrepit stadium or the underachieving program?

UPSIDE—Mikkell Simpson tallied 93 yards rushing and 54 yards receiving with a pair of touchdowns, continuing to fill in adequately for the injured Cedric Peerman. By the way, what is the deal with Cavalier tight ends? Tom Phillips leads UVa in receiving with 4 catches for 77 yards. Defensively, the Cavs hold the Canes to 95 yards rushing while putting plenty of pressure on the pocket; sacking Kyle Wright four times and notching three interceptions.

DOWNSIDE—when a missed 33 yard field goal and 3 penalties is all you can scour from a 48 point win, what is there to do?...Virginia entertains Virginia Tech in less than two weeks.