Clemson could rescue once-mighty ACC
Tigers team to beat, but anyone paying attention to conference these days?
Mary Ann Chastain / ASSOCIATED PRESSClemson defensive end Ricky Sapp, right, and Virginia Tech quarterback John Walters should meet again in the ACC conference title game, writes NBCSports.com columnist John Walters.
Ore gone
Branden Ore led Virginia Tech in rushing as both a junior and a sophomore, while as a freshman he averaged an impressive 5.9 yards per carry. But in March, Ore, a senior-to-be from Chesapeake, Va., was dismissed from the Hokies. In January he testified at the federal crack cocaine trial of his friend. While he was not charged in the case, Ore's act had long grown tiresome for a coaching staff that had dealt with Marcus Vick.
It's no secret that the Hokie offense is Beamer's third-best unit. In the last two years Va. Tech has failed to average 200 yards per game either rushing or passing. Also, the Hokies allowed 54 sacks last season, third-worst in I-A. Ore's consistency, at least on Saturday's, will be missed.
Streak in Peril: FSU's 26 consecutive bowl-game run
Bobby Bowden has taken the Seminoles to a postseason game every year since Ronald Reagan was inaugurated in 1981. That streak is in peril, however (Dutch was younger than Bowden is now, by the way, when he left the Oval Office).
Some 20 or so players have been suspended from Florida State's first three games for having cheated on an on-line music history exam. The team's bona fide stud on offense, tight end Preston Parker, will miss two games following his April arrest for unlawful gun possession.
The O-line, thanks to suspensions and academic underachieving, has zero upperclassmen on its two-deep chart. And starting linebacker Marcus Ball, younger brother of former Georgia Tech QB Reggie, asked to be released from his scholarship in May.
Bowden, 78, still has one more career victory (373) than Penn State's Joe Paterno. It's accordion neck-and-neck with these two. And it ain't pretty.
Taking over
Paul Johnson is the new coach at Georgia Tech, replacing Chan Gailey, while David Cutcliffe takes over at Duke, where Ted Roof was razed. Johnson returns to Georgia (he won two I-AA titles at Georgia Southern) after six outstanding years at Navy. The Middies were 6-0 versus Army under Johnson and also ended Notre Dame's historic streak last November in South Bend. Speaking of the Irish, Cutcliffe was Charlie Weis' original hire as offensive coordinator in 2005, but left the position shortly after accepting it for health reasons.
Carlos Huerta Award
(Given annually to the player whom you could have sworn exhausted his eligibility, like, two years ago)
Brian Toal, LB/FB, Boston College
Offensive player of the year
Cullen Harper, QB, Clemson
Defensive player of the year
Victor Harris, DB, Virginia Tech
ACC Championship game
Clemson vs. Virginia Tech
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
ATLANTIC DIVISION
Boston College
Eagles' eight consecutive bowl wins is longest such streak in the nation.
Clemson
104 years since the Tigers opened season with a neutral game, and that too was against Alabama (Tigers won 18-0).
Florida State
Seminole O-line has no player older than a sophomore on its two-deep chart.
Maryland
Tight end Dan Gronkowski, a senior, is older brother of Arizona TE Rob Gronkowski, a budding All-American candidate.
North Carolina State
Wolfpack have not been ranked in the Top 25 since losing in triple overtime at Ohio State in 2003.
Wake Forest
QB Riley Skinner completed a nation's best 72.4 percent of his passes last season as a sophomore.
COASTAL DIVISION
Duke
Blue Devils have worst winning percentage (.150) in I-A over the last 10 seasons
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Georgia Tech
With no returning starters in the offensive backfield, the Yellow Jackets will miss 2007 Ray Guy Award winner Durant Brooks even more.
Miami
6-foot-7, 345-pound Canadian ex-pat sophomore offensive guard Orlando Franklin is so huge they should dub him Sir Cumference.
North Carolina
Tar Heels move leading rusher Johnny White to DB as former blue-chip wide receiver Greg Little, a sophomore, becomes primary ballcarrier.
Virginia
Cavs have lost their quarterback, top cornerback and top returning defensive end for the season due to academic issues.
Virginia Tech
Only 4 starters return from what was last year's third-best scoring defense in the nation. The best of them is corner Victor "Macho" Harris.
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