Georgia Tech and Virginia Tech take center stage this week on Thursday night in primetime, while the rest of the conference piddles about aimlessly. Clemson stands on the precipice of the ultimate "Clemsoning," while Florida State and MIami get together to play a small local club, just for the music and memories, man. Okay, it's a bowling alley, and it's because they really need the $35.
Wake Forest at Clemson (12 p.m. ET, ESPNU) If you listen to the Solid Verbal podcast, you know there's a raging debate as the specific definition of a "Clemsoning." We're of the mindset that the Tigers didn't actually "Clemson" themselves against Georgia Tech, as the term only applies to absolute sure-thing wins (like this weekend's home game against the Deacons, 16 point dogs coming into Death Valley). A one-loss campaign gets you the Orange Bowl and deserved kudos, Clemson. Then again, under our guidelines, you haven't "Clemsoned" yet, and we know it's coming.
NC State at Boston College (12:30 p.m. ET, ACCN) See this, Chestnut Hill? This is the kind of tepid mediocrity you've been missing since that hot piece Tom O'Brien up and left your asses. Drink it all in - the schizoid offense that disappears on the road, the wanton defying of expectations, and one punched ticket to the Meinke Car Care Bowl, provided BC is as terrible as they've been all year.
Duke at Virginia (Saturday, 3 p.m. ET, RSN) Hello, 6-3 Virginia! Clearly one university has been bold enough to defy the collective agreement among the ACC's basketball/lacrosse lot to share perfect .500 malaise. This is how communism crumbled! The Wahoos are dangerously close to achieving "making noise" cliche status if they can string together an 8-win campaign (highly likely now). Duke likes its moral wins close but not too strong, so expect a round, satisfying 9 point win by UVA to satisfy both parties.
Miami at Florida State (Saturday, 3:30 p.m. ET, ABC/ESPN) The 90s alt rock reunion tour everyone thought would be a smash has turned out to suck as much as the last three Live records and the weird new Alice in Chains lineup. Neither of these teams will contend for the ACC title, an especially stunning stat for the 0-since-joining Hurricanes. Between E.J. Manuel and Jacory Harris, the loser of the QB race to out-mistake each other will lead their team to a win.
Maryland at Notre Dame (Saturday, 7:30 p.m. ET, NBC) Notre Dame's garish helmets for Saturday's night whipping of Maryland is the J. Lo Fiat commercial of the game - an already overexposed, paranoid celebrity trying to appropriate any and every fad, no matter how laughable, for an extra five minutes of exposure. They're 20 point favorites against one of the most fantastically hapless BCS teams around, that should be enough. And get off the ACC's couch already, Irish. Shouldn't you be losing to Standford by now?