ACC Football: Week Nine

[Olympic Fan]

For the second week in a row, we have a vital Thursday night game in the Coastal Division race. But the nationally important game is Saturday night in the Atlantic.

Thursday night
Virginia Tech at Pitt (7 pm, ESPN)

Saturday
Duke at Georgia Tech (noon, RSN)
Louisville at Virginia (Noon, ABC/ESPN depending on region)
Boston College at NC State (12:30 pm, ACC Network)
Miami at Notre Dane (3:30 pm, NBC)
Army at Wake Forest (3:30 pm, RSN)
Clemson at Florida State (8 pm, ABC)

Virginia Tech has the tiebreaker edge on idle UNC, but obviously a game at Pitt is a test. If the Hokies win, they have a clear path t the Coastal title. If they lose tonight, then UNC regains the upper hand. Pitt is also in the race, but even if they win tonight, they still need help against UNC. If they lose tonight, they are all but out of it.

The Army at Wake game is meaningful because the win would clinch bowl eligibility for the 5-2 Deacs. They'll have other chances, but none as good as this one.

Obviously, the headliner is Clemson at FSU. The Seminoles are not the same threat to Clemson that they were a year ago, but they are still dangerous, especially at home. Clemson has the Atlantic all but wrapped up (they would have to lose twice to lose the division title), but they are eying bigger game. It's pretty simple -- if they remain unbeaten, they almost certainly qualify for the playoffs. Lose one along the way and the are an extreme longshot to make the Final Four.

[Wander]

I don't agree Clemson is an "extreme longshot" to make the playoffs if they have a loss. Fans have a tendency to overrate the chances of every other team winning out. For example, as gurufrisbee and I talked about in the other thread, Ohio State is extremely likely to make the playoffs if they win out, even though they have a loss.

If Clemson loses to FSU, they can still finish 12-1 as the ACC champion. That would probably (although not definitely) put them behind the SEC and Big 10 Champions, and possibly in the mix with another SEC team, another Big 10 team, the Pac 12 champion, and Big 12 champion for the last two spots. I'd give a 12-1 ACC Champion Clemson team about a 50/50 shot to make the playoffs.

[arnie]

Big win for VPI last night. They should win Coastal over Cheats unless we spoil it by beating Hokies.

[TruBlu]

Big win for VPI last night. They should win Coastal over Cheats unless we spoil it by beating Hokies.

Of course, we could un-spoil it by beating VPI and the unc Cheats!!!!

[OldPhiKap]

Of course, we could un-spoil it by beating VPI and the unc Cheats!!!!

I'm OPK, and I endorse this plan of action.

[Olympic Fan]

Big win for VPI last night. They should win Coastal over Cheats unless we spoil it by beating Hokies.

Agree ... VPI has beaten the three best Coastal teams (UNC, Miami and Pitt) ... if it wasn't for a terrible loss to Syracuse they would be home free.

They still have to beat Duke next week, then Georgia Tech and Virginia (they also play at Notre Dame just before the UVa showdown).

UNC can still tie them for the Coastal title, but VPI has the tiebreaker, so they'll get to play in the championship game if both are 7-1.

I also endorse TruBlue's plan -- Duke beats VPI and UNC and the Hokies still get the title game.

The injury to Tech QB's Jerod Evans is worth watching. They are not the same team with Motley at QB.

[ipatent]

Pride game at home for FSU tonight, very dangerous for Clemson, which isn't clicking on offense yet quite as well as it did last year.

[Bob Green]

Louisville avoids a big upset at Virginia winning 32-25 by scoring a TD with 13 seconds left in the game.

[Newton_14]

Louisville avoids a big upset at Virginia winning 32-25 by scoring a TD with 13 seconds left in the game. That was a great throw on the winning TD. Amazing. The DB was right there.

[Bob Green]

Final: Boston College 21, N.C. State 14. BC breaks its long, conference losing streak.

[Newton_14]

Final: Boston College 21, N.C. State 14. BC breaks its long, conference losing streak.
Wow. Doren is toast.

They have now lost to Clemson 3 times if you get my drift.

[Olympic Fan]

Louisville avoids a big upset at Virginia winning 32-25 by scoring a TD with 13 seconds left in the game.

Louisville pulled it out, but they demonstrated TERRIBLE clock management, both at the end of the half and in the final seconds.

Really shocking loss for NC State ...m maybe Les Miles will be coaching the Pack next season.

[Bob Green]

Final: Army 21, Wake Forest 13. The home loss to WF in Week 2 really hurt us.

[Olympic Fan]

Miami rallies from a 20-0 deficit to take a 27-20 lead at Notre Dame, then the Irish score the last 10 points to win, 30-27.

Wild finish -- with a minute left and the score 27-all, Notre Dame has the ball at the Miami 5, trying to set up a game-winning field goal. They throw a middle screen and as the TE reaches for the end zone, the ball is knocked from his hand. Miami has every chance to recover, but Notre Dame comes up with the ball in the scrum and gets to kick the chip shot field goal to win.

Miami has now lost four straight after opening with four straight wins. They get to try and end their slide next week against Pitt.

[Newton_14]

Miami rallies from a 20-0 deficit to take a 27-20 lead at Notre Dame, then the Irish score the last 10 points to win, 30-27.

Wild finish -- with a minute left and the score 27-all, Notre Dame has the ball at the Miami 5, trying to set up a game-winning field goal. They throw a middle screen and as the TE reaches for the end zone, the ball is knocked from his hand. Miami has every chance to recover, but Notre Dame comes up with the ball in the scrum and gets to kick the chip shot field goal to win.

Miami has now lost four straight after opening with four straight wins. They get to try and end their slide next week against Pitt.

I watched the entire second half. Both teams tried real hard to not win that game! The ND Punt Returner deciding for the late attempt at the bouncing punt on the 3 yard line, and instead muffing it into the endzone for Miami to jump on and get the easiest TD there is! Incredibly stupid. Then after the fumble you mention, ND has first and goal at the one, and goes shot gun, but gets the false start to lose 5 yards. Then they get it back to the 1 yd line for the FG attempt, but take a delay of game penalty on purpose even with a straight on angle? Finally, earlier in the half, ND has 4th and inches, line up in shot gun (why Lord why do Coaches do this?) and throw the freaking sideline screen with two receivers against one defender and lose two yards! I mean if you decide to forego the QB sneak and almost certain 1st Down cause you see 2 on 1, please send 1 guy 10 yards or more downfield and let the 2nd guy just stand there. One of them will have to be open before the pressure gets to the QB.... Just bonehead stupid decisions.

[Newton_14]

Clemson jumps on FSU early taking 14-0 lead into second quarter.

Meanwhile... I love technology!

52 In HD TV- Over Air Antenna- Watching World Series! (Come on Cubbies!! Dang man! 3-1 Indians Bottom of 3rd 2 outs)
IPAD- Watch ESPN- Clemson vs FSU
IPhone 6- Texting
Laptop- Web Browsing and talking sports with you fine folks!

All from the friendly confines of my Living Room Lazyboy Recliner

Go Duke!!

[duke4ever19]

Dalvin Cook with two touchdowns and suddenly the Noles are on a roll.

[Newton_14]

I generally like most everybody... but man I loathe Jimbo Fisher. Gosh I can't stand that guy. They should have tossed him there.

[duke4ever19]

I generally like most everybody... but man I loathe Jimbo Fisher. Gosh I can't stand that guy. They should have tossed him there.

That was both a horrible call by the ref and Jimbo should have been tossed.

[Newton_14]

That was both a horrible call by the ref and Jimbo should have been tossed.

I'm just glad Clemson pulled it out so ol Jimbo can keep crying.....

Very entertaining game. The two marquee ACC games this season: Clemson/Louisville, Clemson/LSU gave us all we could ask for I think.

[duke4ever19]

I'm just glad Clemson pulled it out so ol Jimbo can keep crying....

Very entertaining game. The two marquee ACC games this season: Clemson/Louisville, Clemson/LSU gave us all we could ask for I think.

Should be a good postgame interview :)

I feel like Clemson's best shot at the title (with Watson at the helm) was last year. This year's Clemson team has earned a reputation of escaping tight games with a win, but it's eerily reminiscent Jameis Winston's last year at FSU when they had similar heroics, only to be exposed by Oregon in the playoff.

[Olympic Fan]

Clemson guts it out and wins 37-34. They couldn't cover worth a darn, but the Tigers' pass rush was ferocious and that saved them.

As long as Clemson beats two out of Syracuse and Pitt at home and at Wake Forest, then win the Atlantic. Of course, they need to win out to be sure of being a national championship contender.

PS Nothing makes me more angry than when the announcers don't know the rules. Herbstreit's rant about the terrible clip call (the one that sent Jimbo over the edge) was evidence that he doesn't know the game. The rule was changed before the 2013 to make blocking from the side below the waist illegal if the defender is seven yards outside the place the ball was snapped. Here's Rogers Redding, the national director of officials on the rule.

Here is the new rule. Imagine a zone that extends seven yards from the snapper toward each sideline, goes five yards into the defensive secondary and in the other direction goes all the way back to the offensive team’s end line. Before a change of possession a back who is stationary inside the tackle box and a lineman inside the seven-yard zone may legally block below the waist inside this zone until the ball has left it. Everyone else on the offensive team may legally block below the waist only if the block is clearly to the front of the opponent. This only-from-the-front rule also holds true for everyone on the offensive team once the ball has left the zone. In addition no one on the offense is allowed to block below the waist if the block is directed toward his own end line.

http://www.footballfoundation.org/News/Blog/tabid/521/entryid/53/

The block that made Herbstreit and Jimbo so mad was clearly outside the zone (it was well beyond 7 yards from where it was snapped). The runner (Cook) had also left the zone.

It was an illegal block.

I wish these guys would learn the rules before they go off like that. It happens even more often in basketball.

[duke4ever19]

Clemson guts it out and wins 37-34. They couldn't cover worth a darn, but the Tigers' pass rush was ferocious and that saved them.

As long as Clemson beats two out of Syracuse and Pitt at home and at Wake Forest, then win the Atlantic. Of course, they need to win out to be sure of being a national championship contender.

PS Nothing makes me more angry than when the announcers don't know the rules. Herbstreit's rant about the terrible clip call (the one that sent Jimbo over the edge) was evidence that he doesn't know the game. The rule was changed before the 2013 to make blocking from the side below the waist illegal if the defender is seven yards outside the place the ball was snapped. Here's Rogers Redding, the national director of officials on the rule.

Here is the new rule. Imagine a zone that extends seven yards from the snapper toward each sideline, goes five yards into the defensive secondary and in the other direction goes all the way back to the offensive team’s end line. Before a change of possession a back who is stationary inside the tackle box and a lineman inside the seven-yard zone may legally block below the waist inside this zone until the ball has left it. Everyone else on the offensive team may legally block below the waist only if the block is clearly to the front of the opponent. This only-from-the-front rule also holds true for everyone on the offensive team once the ball has left the zone. In addition no one on the offense is allowed to block below the waist if the block is directed toward his own end line.

http://www.footballfoundation.org/News/Blog/tabid/521/entryid/53/

The block that made Herbstreit and Jimbo so mad was clearly outside the zone (it was well beyond 7 yards from where it was snapped). The runner (Cook) had also left the zone.

It was an illegal block.

I wish these guys would learn the rules before they go off like that. It happens even more often in basketball.

Thank you for the research and clarification. I was of Herbsreit's opinion before this.

Jimbo also seems to not know the rule (or didn't get a good look at it on replay), as he cost his team 15 yards by his immature behavior afterword.

[sagegrouse]

Clemson guts it out and wins 37-34. They couldn't cover worth a darn, but the Tigers' pass rush was ferocious and that saved them.

As long as Clemson beats two out of Syracuse and Pitt at home and at Wake Forest, then win the Atlantic. Of course, they need to win out to be sure of being a national championship contender.

PS Nothing makes me more angry than when the announcers don't know the rules. Herbstreit's rant about the terrible clip call (the one that sent Jimbo over the edge) was evidence that he doesn't know the game. The rule was changed before the 2013 to make blocking from the side below the waist illegal if the defender is seven yards outside the place the ball was snapped. Here's Rogers Redding, the national director of officials on the rule.

Here is the new rule. Imagine a zone that extends seven yards from the snapper toward each sideline, goes five yards into the defensive secondary and in the other direction goes all the way back to the offensive team’s end line. Before a change of possession a back who is stationary inside the tackle box and a lineman inside the seven-yard zone may legally block below the waist inside this zone until the ball has left it. Everyone else on the offensive team may legally block below the waist only if the block is clearly to the front of the opponent. This only-from-the-front rule also holds true for everyone on the offensive team once the ball has left the zone. In addition no one on the offense is allowed to block below the waist if the block is directed toward his own end line.

http://www.footballfoundation.org/News/Blog/tabid/521/entryid/53/

The block that made Herbstreit and Jimbo so mad was clearly outside the zone (it was well beyond 7 yards from where it was snapped). The runner (Cook) had also left the zone.

It was an illegal block.

I wish these guys would learn the rules before they go off like that. It happens even more often in basketball.

OF, the other thing that went unmentioned is "the trip" at the end of the illegal block. The blocker's arm caught the Clemson player's foot, causing him to fall.

[Olympic Fan]

Just to follow up, the ACC announced Sunday that both FSU and Pitt were fined as the result of their coaches' violation of the ACC's sportsmanship policy (i.e., you can't publically criticisze the refs).

FSU was fined $20,000 for Jimbo Fisher's actions ... Pitt got a $5,000 fine for Pat Narduzzi.

[Newton_14]

Just to follow up, the ACC announced Sunday that both FSU and Pitt were fined as the result of their coaches' violation of the ACC's sportsmanship policy (i.e., you can't publically criticisze the refs).

FSU was fined $20,000 for Jimbo Fisher's actions ... Pitt got a $5,000 fine for Pat Narduzzi.

That's great to hear Oly. Thanks for sharing that! Jimbo was plain ridiculous and should have gotten tossed. His team had every chance to win that game and could not get it done.

[OldPhiKap]

FSU was fined $20,000 for Jimbo Fisher's actions ....

Does that come out of the "recruiting" budget?

I keed, I keed.

[Newton_14]

Does that come out of the "recruiting" budget?

I keed, I keed.

Or does FSU follow the uncCheat model and pay lawyers $2mil to get them out of paying the $20K fine? I mean, I heard lots of FSU regular students complained about the refs last night too, so how can the ACC fine FSU in that scenario??

[Pghdukie]

Or does FSU follow the uncCheat model and pay lawyers $2mil to get them out of paying the $20K fine? I mean, I heard lots of FSU regular students complained about the refs last night too, so how can the ACC fine FSU in that scenario??

A Notice of Allegations will be served to FSU, followed by a Wainstein Report.Interviews of witnesses, procedural objections then a 2yr wait. Then finally, UNC steps in as a mediator.UNC states you should have just paid your dues.

[Merlindevildog91]

Or does FSU follow the uncCheat model and pay lawyers $2mil to get them out of paying the $20K fine? I mean, I heard lots of FSU regular students complained about the refs last night too, so how can the ACC fine FSU in that scenario??

Florida Tech better break out the checkbook....

[OldPhiKap]

Florida Tech better break out the checkbook...

Pffffft. They spent more than that per semester keeping Famous Jameis Winston on the field.