ACC Breakdown: After top two squads, conference jumbled with middling teams

With No. 2 Florida State and No. 7 Clemson all but locked into the top two spots in the ACC for the rest of the year, there isn’t much to discuss at the top.

The fight for the third spot, however, is much tighter, and the winner of that battle most likely will represent the Coastal Division against the Atlantic Division champion Seminoles.

Duke topped Miami easily for its sixth consecutive win and Miami’s third consecutive loss, but there are four teams with three losses in the Coastal Division right behind the Blue Devils.

Given Duke’s (8-2) relatively easy schedule, no one thinks the team could give Florida State a run for its money in the title game. That said, someone has to play the Seminoles in Raleigh, and Duke might just make it the best game.

Here’s this week’s ACC Breakdown:

1. Florida State  

After the bizarre sexual assault story surrounding freshman quarterback Jameis Winston surfaced, some thought the Florida State quarterback would struggle against Syracuse. Winston went on to throw for 277 yards and two touchdowns en route to a 59-3 victory.

2. Clemson

After suffering from embarrassment at the hands of the Seminoles, Clemson seemingly disappeared from national consciousness. The Tigers’ offense has continued to roll in three games since the loss to Florida State, averaging more than 51 points per game, including 55 in the Tigers’ 55-31 victory against Georgia Tech.

3. Duke

Their schedule is far from daunting, but what the Blue Devils have accomplished all year is impressive. With its 48-30 victory against then-No. 23 Miami, Duke is the favorite to win the Coastal Division. Although they still haven’t entered the BCS rankings, there’s something special about the Blue Devils.

4. Georgia Tech

With their loss to Clemson, the Yellow Jackets also lost control of the Coastal Division. Although they didn’t know it in their game Thursday, a win would have guaranteed the Jackets the division crown. Georgia Tech wraps up its season with two non-conference games and now must hope for Duke to lose one of its remaining games.

5. North Carolina

After leading 27-3 against Pitt at the end of the first half last week, the Tar Heels reverted to being the team that started the year 1-5 and surrendered their lead. But thanks to its special teams’ play — especially punt returner Ryan Switzer — North Carolina escaped Pittsburgh with a win. Now the winner of four games in a row, North Carolina will likely become bowl-eligible this weekend against Old Dominion.

6. Miami

Not many teams will win allowing 40-plus points. That’s the problem Miami faces. The Hurricanes started the season 7-0 and allowed a maximum of 30 points in a game. But in the past three games, Miami has allowed more than 40 points each game, though it should easily right the ship this weekend against hapless Virginia.

 7. Virginia Tech  

Virginia Tech lost 27-24 in overtime Saturday to a struggling Maryland team and has now lost three of its past four games. The Hokies are still in the running for the Coastal Division with a Duke loss.

8. Boston College

Taking care of North Carolina State, 38-21, the Eagles became bowl-eligible in head coach Steve Addazio’s first season in Chestnut Hill. Boston College kept the ball on the ground and rushed for 420 yards and all four of its touchdowns.

9. Pitt

After looking dominant early in the game Saturday against the Tar Heels, the Panthers began their downward spiral following a Tom Savage fumble in the first quarter. Then the luck returned to Pitt with two fumbles by North Carolina, and the Panthers tied the score in the fourth quarter. But just as quickly as luck found Pitt, it left. North Carolina’s Ryan Switzer took his second punt to the end zone and ruined the Panthers’ comeback.

10. Maryland

It took the Terrapins one month and four days to go from five wins to six and become bowl-eligible. With the losing streak over, Maryland has winnable games against Boston College and North Carolina State to round out the season.

 11. Syracuse

Syracuse did its part in helping the ACC by becoming the victim of Florida State’s latest walloping. The 56-point loss doesn’t tell us much about the Orange other than that they are vastly inferior to the Seminoles. Don’t feel badly, Syracuse fans: so is every other team in the ACC.

12. Wake Forest 

With two weeks to prepare, the Demon Deacons will be the next to take on the ACC’s second-hottest team, Duke. Wake Forest needs to win out to earn a bowl-game bid.

13. North Carolina State

After establishing itself as the worst North Carolina team in the ACC, NC State will likely prove this weekend that it’s also worse than East Carolina, which, at 8-2, might actually be the second-best team in the state.

14. Virginia

The Cavaliers had last weekend off and now play Miami and Virginia Tech to round out the season. Although the Hurricanes and Hokies are in slumps, don’t expect Virginia to knock either of them off.