Since the ACC expanded and added Boston College, Miami, and Virginia Tech to the conference, it has been rare for an ACC matchup to be one of the most hyped games of the week, especially in a week when there are 6 other games between two teams that are both ranked inside of the top 20. Last year, there was not one ACC game where both teams were ranked inside of the top 15. In fact, the ACC champion Virginia Tech Hokies played just 3 ranked teams in the ACC all of last year and two of those teams were ranked outside of the top 20. Virginia Tech was the only team in the Coastal Division to finish the season in the top 25. However, the ACC has had a stronger start to this season and will be the center of attention this week when the 13th ranked Clemson Tigers travel to Lane Stadium to take on the 11th ranked Virginia Tech Hokies in Blacksburg in a battle of undefeated teams.
For Clemson, all of the hype surrounding a gigantic conference game is uncharted territory. Clemson has failed to do much of anything in the ACC since 1991 when they won their last ACC conference championship. From 1999 to 2008 under Tommy Bowden, Clemson never won a division or conference title and they only had one really good shot to win the Atlantic Division when in 2007 they were tied in the standings with Boston College but lost to the Eagles 20 to 17 in their final ACC Game. Although Clemson did win the Atlantic Division in 2009, they were the only ranked team in the division and their defense was destroyed by Georgia Tech, who racked up 39 points in their ACC Championship Game victory over the Tigers. After huge wins over #19 Auburn and #11 Florida St, Clemson comes into their showdown with Virginia Tech with their first 4-0 start since 2007. To put Clemson's two early season victories in perspective, from 2006 to 2008 Tommy Bowden knocked off just 2 top 20 opponents. Lastly, Clemson desperately wants to make their first BCS bowl game and this victory would put them in a great position to achieve that goal. The Tigers need to win the Atlantic, so they can play in the ACC Championship game and have a shot at getting an automatic berth into the BCS. Clemson's biggest challenger this to win the Atlantic is Florida St. If the Tigers can pull out a victory on the road, they will be the leading the Seminoles by a game and essentially two games because the Tigers own the head-to-head tiebreaker over the Noles since they beat them last week 35 to 30 in Death Valley. This will allow the Tigers a little breathing room at the top of the standings just in case they slip up in another conference game.
Virginia Tech has been wildly successful in the ACC since they joined the conference in 2004 from the Big East. The Hokies have won the conference in 4 of their 7 years as they took the ACC title in 2004, 2007, 2008, and 2010. Despite all of the success that Virginia Tech has had in the ACC, they have lost so many games early in the season in recent years. In 2007 #9 Virginia Tech was plummeted by #2 LSU on the road 48 to 7. In 2008 Virginia Tech opened up their season ranked #15 but lost to East Carolina 27 to 22. In 2009 the #7 Hokies lost to Alabama at the Georgia Dome 34 to 24 in week 1. Last year #6 Virginia Tech suffered an opening week lost for the third straight year as they lost to Boise St. and then they fell to James Madison in the following week. However, this year the Hokies have started 4-0 for the first time since 2006 and are looking to run the table in the ACC. Since the Hokies lost a non-conference game every year from 2007 to 2010, they haven't had a conference game with National Championship implications like this game with Clemson since 2005 when they were ranked #3 and lost to #5 Miami at home. While Clemson desperately wants to make a BCS Bowl game, Virginia Tech has a bigger goal in mind. The Hokies were picked by many to be a dark horse to win the National Champion at the beginning of the season. If the Hokies can knock off Clemson at home, they likely will not play any more ranked teams until the ACC Championship Game and will be in a prime position to make a run at playing in the title game.
The matchup to watch in this ACC battle will be the Clemson offense against the Virginia Tech defense. In four games this year, Clemson has scored an average of 37.75 points and has not been held under 35 points in any of those games. The Clemson offense scored 35 points on a very tough Florida St. defense last week, which was the most points that the Noles had allowed since Virginia Tech scored 44 points on them last season. The Virginia Tech defense will have to keep a constant eye on Clemson's dynamic quarterback Tajh Boyd. Boyd has thrown for 1,255 yards and 13 touchdowns, while tossing just 1 pick in 4 games. Boyd threw for 386 yards and 4 touchdowns against Auburn and 344 yards and 3 touchdowns against Florida St and most of those yards have been to his favorite receiver Sammy Watkins, who had 155 yards and 2 touchdowns against Auburn and 141 yards and 2 touchdowns against Florida St. However, the Virginia Tech defense is definitely nothing to sleep on, as they are one of the best defensives in the entire country. The Hokies defense has allowed an average of just 10 points a game, which is the 6th fewest in the nation. While South Carolina allowed 37 points and just under 350 yards of total offense to East Carolina, the Pirates scored 10 points and had a total of just 112 yards on Virginia Tech's stout defense. The Hokies defensive ends, J.R. Collins and James Gayle, have combined for 8 sacks, which is the most for a combination of defensive ends in the country. It will be key that Collins and Gayle can get to Boyd in the backfield and force him to make throws under pressure.
