ACC GAMES OF THE WEEK
Virginia (5-6, 3-4) at Virginia Tech (7-4, 4-3)  
Maryland at (7-4, 4-3) at No. 21 Boston College (8-3, 4-3)
By David Droschak (Posted 11-28-08)

After all the parity, all the jockeying that has occurred this season in the Atlantic and Coastal divisions of the ACC, please don’t tell me we’re looking at a rematch of last year’s ACC Championship game between Boston College and Virginia Tech – and a watered down version at that. Well, I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but I’m afraid so.

There will be no Matt Ryan to try to rally the Eagles to their first ACC crown in 2008 at Raymond James Stadium, just a backup subbing for the injured Chris Crane. There will be no powerhouse Hokies, just a good defense with a team who still can’t decide which quarterback to play after 11 games.

Listen, there could have been some really intriguing stories coming out of the ACC, even within the last few weeks. But Miami and North Carolina each had the Coastal slip through their hands, while Maryland and Florida State produced an instant replay of sorts in the Atlantic. And by the way, has anybody seen Clemson lately? You remember the Tigers, the team that was going to be the runaway ACC champ with national title aspirations. While Clemson has closed strong after the firing of Tommy Bowden, what was supposed to be one of the nation’s best offenses can’t hold a candle to any of the top teams in the Big 12 or SEC.

Back to this weekend.

The Virginia-Virginia Tech game appears a simple read on the surface. But then again, we’re talking about the ACC here, where virtually no prediction has been a Hansbrough slam dunk. Sure, the Hokies have been nothing short of anemic on offense for the better part of a month, edging Duke last weekend at home 14-3 despite five turnovers in what was the ugliest game of the season to watch. But one team in the ACC has been worse on that side of the ball – Virginia.

After beating East Carolina 35-20 on Oct. 11 for the high-water offensive mark for Al Groh’s team, the Cavaliers have scored 16, 24, 17, 17 and 3 points and are riding a three-game losing streak. Virginia has exactly 129 yards on the ground over the last three games.

That leaves ACC interception leader Marc Verica front and center in an attempt to spoil Virginia Tech’s third ACC title appearance in the game’s first four seasons. With the Hokies ranked among the top 20 teams nationally in five defensive categories, things could get ugly for Virginia in Lane Stadium, where Beamer Ball often morphs into overdrive in late November.

The Hokies have won four in a row and 8-of-10 in the series. Tech also has won four in a row at Lane Stadium by an average score of 26-10. The last UVA win in Blacksburg, 36-32, came 10 years ago.

Up North, it should be cold in Chestnut Hill, which shouldn’t bother the ACC’s most adjusted cold weather team other than the Eagles – the Terps.

This game is a little more difficult to pin down, considering Maryland’s prowess this season in knocking off ranked opponents and B.C.’s surprising march to the top of the division after it appeared the Eagles were fried after consecutive losses to North Carolina and Clemson. All Jeff Jagodzinski (the most underrated coach in the ACC) did after those two losses was shut out Notre Dame at home and head on the road and beat Florida State and Wake Forest, two teams that were playing well at the time.

And while most around the ACC like to crow about the Hokies’ defense, B.C.’s is better, allowing less than 300 yards in 9-of-11 games this season. And only five opponents have cracked 100 yards on the ground against the Eagles, bad news for a Maryland team that likes to grind it out and then rely on big plays.

Boston College has taken two-of-three in the series since joining the ACC. The Terps upset the Eagles in College Park last season, 42-35, and Ralph Friedgen's squad hasn't lost two games in a row since last November. However, Maryland is just 4-6 in its last 10 road games.

Is Maryland’s confidence shot after losing 37-3 at home last weekend to FSU, who will find its way to Tampa if the Terps can pull off the upset in Chestnut Hill? On the flip side, if the Cavs somehow beat the Hokies, Georgia Tech will be title-game bound.

SU Predictions
Virginia Tech 34, Virginia 6
Boston College 24, Maryland 13

Photos by Tim Wirt