We have a real finicky one in the ACC Coastal. Miami gets stunned in Charlottesville by the Virginia Cavaliers. Duke jumps back on track with a win to Georgia Tech, after a undermining loss to Virginia Tech. And, the Hokies get it done in a close one in Chapel Hill.
We really have one front runner in the ACC Coastal, but the history of this division has shown us that the front runner can change in a second. For now it is Virginia Tech (3-0 in conference play), who is followed by: Miami, Duke, and Virginia (all 2-1 in conference play). These teams will be the true deciders for each other on who will go down to Charlotte to take on the Atlantic Division winner.
Virginia Tech got it done, but it sure was ugly. Virginia Tech looked like they were collapsing from the inside-out as UNC marched down to the VT goal line with around 7 minutes left. But alas, the Hokies forced a fumble and flew 98 yards down the field to secure a win against North Carolina. Virginia Tech has looked great and horrible all in the first half of the season. Virginia Tech has dominated teams like Duke and Florida State, but have struggled with Old Dominion (which they lost). However, this Virginia Tech team seems to get things done under Justin Fuente. The Hokies control their own destiny at this point for ACC play. If the Hokies want it, they can have it.
Duke was a dark-horse going into ACC conference play. They soon showed up to everyone’s amazement when they went 4-0, taking out good opponents. The Blue Devils, suddenly, had their momentum derailed by Virginia Tech at home with a score of 31-14. This, however, did not steer the Blue Devils totally off track. They bounced back with a two-touchdown win over Georgia Tech. I am well over sure that Duke will not go silently into the night without a fight. The Blue Devils not only need a Virginia Tech loss, but two of them to get back in the race for the ACC Coastal because the Hokies would take a tie breaker. Let’s see what the Blue Devils can pull off.
Virginia is a team no one wanted to talk about or felt the need to take the time to talk about. With a driving force, Virginia has silenced the preseason analyst and has shown that they are a ACC Coastal contender as well. The Cavaliers most recently upset Miami at home with a 3-point win over the Hurricanes. The only problem with this UVA team that has their fans worried is the inconsistency associated with the team’s ability to preform. Yes, they did beat Miami, but then what led them to fall to Indiana? The Cavaliers have a chance to prove the CFB world wrong with a potential win out scenario. If the Cavaliers can win out the regular season, they win the Coastal.
Miami, what are you doing? The Hurricanes looked to be a dominant force in not only the ACC Coastal, but the country. This looked to be the case after very dominant wins over teams such as North Carolina and Toledo. But, we all know what happened this weekend with Virginia. Miami’s offense looked like it had no business playing in that game. The defense preformed as usual with 3 turnovers, but the Hurricane offense also gave 3 turnovers back to Virginia. The inability to stay consistent has been a long term problem for the Hurricanes since joining the ACC in 2004. Miami looks to keep on their track to Charlotte, but they must fight like dogs to keep in the race.
Key Games: Virginia at Duke 10/20, Duke at Miami 11/2, Duke at Clemson 11/17, Miami at Virginia Tech 11/17, Virginia at Virginia Tech 11/23
Photo Credits: https://www.roanoke.com/townnews/sport/virginia-tech-football-big-moments-for-hokies-the-tackle-the/article_bfb95419-d4f1-5d75-b7d3-2d7cbd706372.html
