Week 5 in the ACC: Recap

Why am I so damn bad at picking games?  Still, I won't lose any sleep over it if you don't. 

Maryland defeats Clemson 24-21

Where the HELL did this come from?  It took the Terps five games, but they finally woke up.  Clemson has now lost two straight and clearly look nothing like the team that held Boston College to 54 yards a few weeks ago.  I still don't think the Terps are that great of a team, but they got the job done, so kudos.


#6 Virginia Tech defeats Duke 34-26

Looks like we had a little bit of a trap game in Durham.  The Dookies gave the Hokies some trouble following their big win against Miami.  They got through it; it wasn't pretty, but they got through it.



Virginia defeats North Carolina 16-3

Where the HELL did THIS come from?  The Cavaliers, the worst team in the ACC, went into Chapel Hill and held the Tar Heels to only three points.  UNC managed only 39 yards on the ground in their abysmal performance.  For Virginia, again, kudos to them, even though they're still probably at the bottom of the rankings.


Boston College defeats Florida State 28-21

Just as my coin flip predicted, the bad FSU showed up (at least in the first half).  The Eagles slowed down in the second half and let Florida State close a big gap, but they weren't going to lose on a day honoring Mark Herzlich.  Boston College is 4-1 while the Seminoles are 2-3, and I have to think there is frustration on the part of the FSU faithful surrounding both the aging Bobby Bowden and the 'Noles wildly inconsistent play this year.


Wake Forest defeats North Carolina State 30-24

I went with NC State in my pick, but the favored Wake had a little more in the tank.  The Demon Deacons controlled the time of possession and got back on track after their tough loss at Boston College.  It figures that when I pick Tom O'Brien, he loses, but when I don't pick him, he wins.


#25 Georgia Tech beats Mississippi State 42-31

The Yellow Jackets were firmly in control of this one, beating the Bulldogs on the road in an SEC out-of-conference game.  Both teams had close to 500 yards of offense, but the Bulldogs' five turnovers doomed them.  This was a good win for Georgia Tech, who will surely rise a bit in the polls.


#17 Miami beats #8 Oklahoma 21-20

This was a thrilling game in Miami, and the Hurricanes had just enough to get past the high-powered Sooners.  The Hurricanes closed an early ten-point gap and held on following a late Sooner charge.  You can see the Mark Whipple difference with some aggressive playcalling (and I'm sure Miami fans see it as well).  At two losses, Oklahoma's national championship hopes are all but gone now.