By Brandon Rink
SouthernPigskin.com

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Only Virginia Tech can clinch this weekend, but the jumbled mess that is ACC football could get a little clearer this weekend.

In the Atlantic, four teams are still in it.

NC State takes on the 2-7 Deacs to get themselves two wins away from an ACC Atlantic title.

The Terps hit the road to play Virginia and with a win will be in the same spot as the Wolfpack (I mean, it’s Wake Forest), but with two games at home.

FSU and Clemson battle in the Tallahassee night as teams that are very much alive, but not in control of their destiny.

We will be down to three teams at least by the end of the weekend in the Atlantic.

As for the Hokies, they take on Tar Heels in a game that could either seal the deal or break the division wide-open depending on the result in Chapel Hill and the Jackets/’Canes matchup in Atlanta.

And then there’s BC-Duke.

Let’s count it down…

6) Boston College at Duke, 12:00 ET

For those of you that are actually reading this paragraph – I salute you—your college football sickness knows no bounds. Actually, these teams are coming in on a bit of roll. Duke went up to Navy grabbed a 34-31 win, and came home last week to give up 600+ yards of offense and still won 55-48. For the Eagles, they shocked the Tigers at home 16-10 and took the defensive muscle down to Winston-Salem for another 23-13 slugfest. Is Duke’s D bad enough for BC to put up a lot of points? Will Duke keep it rolling offensively even on the Eagles? This is really a mildly intriguing game – a must-win for BC if they want to slip into a bowl.

5) Wake Forest at NC State, 2:00 ET

First off, this is the ACC – so anything can happen, but really, if NC State loses here…heads should roll. The Wolfpack offense took a detour in Clemson last Saturday with only 13 points after mistake after mistake by the Tigers. The Deacs have been a common prescription for such issues with a defense ranked in triple digits and offense that’s almost there (95th). Wake has won 4 of 5 in the series of late, but Jim Grobe has no Riley Skinner or any of the defensive stars over the years that helped in those wins. When it comes down to it, this is the perfect get back on track game for NC State after the debacle in Clemson.

4) Maryland at Virginia, 3:30 ET

Well, of course, a mid-November matchup between Maryland and Virginia has significance. For the Terps, Maryland wins and they have home-field advantage in a playoff for the Atlantic. For the ‘Hoos, they can spoil their neighbor’s breakout season and work towards a .500 or maybe even a bowl-berth if they win out. Virginia is 14-4 in their last 18 matchups with Maryland and won in College Park last year. They come with the nation’s 33rd ranked offense, but as one of the worst in turnover margin (which killed them at Duke last week). On the other hand, Maryland has one of the worst offenses statistically, but rank 5th in the nation in turnover margin. If the ‘Hoos can cut down on the errors, their offense could spoil Maryland’s path to Charlotte.

3) Miami at Georgia Tech, noon ET

I had to check it again. Evidently, Miami held Georgia Tech to 95 yards rushing last season. Think about that. They averaged 295 yards per game. Sure, it was week 3 and on a Thursday night road game, but that’s incredible.

With an even better defense in ’10 for the ‘Canes and a first-start QB for Georgia Tech, could we see a repeat performance at Bobby Dodd? But Miami has a second-start QB in true freshman Stephen Morris in his first road game. Past the QBs, watch another true freshman in Miami’s Lamar Miller, who dropped 125 rushing yards on the Terps in his first career start. If this game comes down to defense, Miami could grab the road win, but GT’s Tevin Washington will get his shot to capture some of the magic he used for one scoring drive and another that almost forced OT up in Blacksburg last week.

2) Clemson at Florida State, 8:00 ET

For Clemson, it was a fumble and a 4-yard punt. For FSU, it was another wide-right. They are both in position where they can’t control their way into the ACC Championship Game, but win out and you have a chance, a good chance to take the division.

At 0-3 in road games thus far, losing by an average of 4.7 points to Auburn, North Carolina, and Boston College – the Tigers are a just a little gun-shy coming into Tallahassee as they had shots to win all three games and just didn’t get it done. In week two without Andre Ellington, Parker will have to ride his young WRs to open up the running game for Jamie Harper.

The Seminoles have their own QB injury issues as all eyes have been on practice and one Christian Ponder. He’s listed as questionable and it might be up to that first series as to whether Ponder is in Saturday night. Either way, FSU is in capable hands with E.J. Manuel, who was 3-1 as a starter down the stretch last year and was the Gator Bowl MVP in Bobby Bowden’s sendoff. The key matchup will be FSU’s running game vs. Clemson’s defense that’s coming on strong of late. Clemson has given up 63 (NC State), 168 (BC), 242 (GT, which is good – not ’09 Miami good, but good), and 44 (Maryland) on the ground in their last four.

1) Virginia Tech at North Carolina, 3:30 ET

The game is bigger than it, but you know it has to be on Frank Beamer and his Hokies’ minds. Thursday night, 2009, still in thick of Coastal race, Lane Stadium, and UNC – 20-17 loss.

A year later, the Hokies can basically wrap up the Coastal on UNC’s home field against a depleted Tar Heels team, and it’s not just the infamous tutor and agent-related suspensions – the Heels have injuries across the board.

Down David Wilson this week, the Hokies have one less bullet in one of the better offenses in the country with the usually 3-headed backfield and Tyrod Taylor – still, Darren Evans and Ryan Williams aren’t too shabby. Rush defense is a bit of weakness for UNC that the Hokies will have to exploit for a win Saturday afternoon.

UNC QB T.J. Yates is quietly having an outstanding season with the second best passing average and efficiency ranking among ACC QBs with 256.9 yards a game and 15 to TDs to 4 interceptions. He will have to get the Heels into the endzone more than a couple times to keep their hopes alive in the Coastal with three weeks left.