One side of the ACC Championship Game was locked down on Saturday when Pittsburgh claimed the Coastal Division, beating Virginia, 48-38.
The Atlantic Division has Wake Forest still trying to slam the door on Clemson and NC State, who both continue to have a toe or so in the way.
As expected in the Steel City, a shootout materialized when Pitt’s Kenny Pickett and Virginia’s Brennan Armstrong met face-to-face. Both signal-callers lived up to their reputations, but in the end, Pickett possibly cemented himself as a Pittsburg legend, along with names like Dorsett, Marino, Ditka.
Pickett set the school’s record for passing yards in a season, touchdowns and completions, and currently stands as the ACC’s second all-time passing leader.
Armstrong, meanwhile, turned in another stellar performance, returning from a rib injury that forced him out of the Cavaliers, last outing against Notre Dame.
In the Atlantic, because of Clemson’s victory over Wake Forest, the division is still to be decided. If Wake beats Boston College next weekend, it will meet up with Pitt and Pickett in Charlotte on Dec.5.
However, a Wake loss leaves a possibility that either Clemson or NC State can wiggle into the game.
The Tigers have plainly had a down season, but still have a chance to win the Atlantic, though they would need both a Demon Deacon and Wolfpack loss. NC State hosts UNC Friday evening.
The last time a team other than Clemson won the conference title came in 2014 when Florida State won it, advancing to the College Football Playoff.
Atlantic Division
- Clemson (6-2, 8-3) The Tigers are No. 1 in the power rankings but need significant help in the final week of the season to win the division. How? Because they are Clemson. Because they manhandled Wake Forest, 48-27, in Death Valley. Because the Tiger defense stifled the high-powered Wake offense until allowing two touchdowns in the fourth quarter when the game was all but decided. And did I mention, they are Clemson?
- Wake Forest (6-1, 9-2) See above reasons.
- NC State (5-2, 8-3) The Wolfpack did what they had to do, were supposed to do, on Saturday, devouring Syracuse, 41-17. NC State still has a direct path to win the division, but needs a Boston College upset win over Wake Forest.
- Louisville (4-4, 6-5) As expected, the Cardinals destroyed hapless Duke, 62-22, Thursday night at Wallace Wade Stadium. The best takeaway for Louisville is the win gave them bowl eligibility.
- Florida State (4-4, 5-6) FSU moved to within one win of bowl eligibility, holding off BC, 26-23.
- Boston College (2-5, 6-5) The Eagles got down big and early against FSU and couldn’t quite overcome the deficit. The good news is with a healthy Phil Jurkovec, BC is already bowl-bound.
- Syracuse (2-5, 5-6) The Orange and an anemic offense fell to the Wolfpack, 41-17. Syracuse hosts Pitt in the season finale needing a win to see the postseason.
Coastal Division
- Pittsburgh (6-1, 9-2) The Panthers claimed the Coastal Division, beating Virginia, 48-38, in a matchup between two of the top quarterbacks in the nation.
- Virginia (4-3, 6-5) Despite a three-game losing streak, the Cavaliers still hold onto the second spot in the Coastal Division.
- Miami (4-3, 6-5) The Hurricanes, in a monsoon, turned back Virginia Tech, 38-26. The win makes Miami bowl-eligible.
- North Carolina (3-4, 6-5) Playing without quarterback Sam Howell, it really didn’t matter, as UNC dispatched Wofford, 34-14. The win made UNC bowl-eligible at 6-5, far short of the preseason aspirations in Chapel Hill.
- Virginia Tech (3-4, 5-6) In the post-Justin Fuente era in Blacksburg, the Hokies showed effort in Miami but fell to the Hurricanes, 38-26.
- Georgia Tech (2-6, 3-8) If not for Duke, the Yellow Jackets would occupy the basement of the Coastal. An uninspired effort in South Bend resulted in a 55-0 beatdown by the Irish. The game was not as close as the final score indicated.
- Duke (0-7, 3-8) The most encouraging thing about Duke’s 62-22 loss to Louisville? It left the Blue Devils with just one remaining game in a dismal season.
Story by Scott German
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