Here are things to see at the Atlantic Coast Conference in Week 12:
game of the week
Number 13 Wake Forest in Clemson. The Demon Deacons (9-1, 6-0) took a major step toward winning the league’s Atlantic Division race by defeating No. 25 North Carolina State. last weekend. Now they have to win either of their last two matches to travel to the ACC Championship game.
The first comes to six-time division and league champion Clemson. Damon Deacon hasn’t beaten the Tigers (7-3, 5-2) since 2008 and hasn’t won at Death Valley since 1998.
“They are a team we respect and they have been the best team in the ACC,” said Wake Forest coach Dave Clausen. “So it will obviously be a big win for our program if we can find a way. But then again, they definitely have our number.”
best Match
Syracuse RB Shaun Tucker vs NC State’s run defense. Tucker is ranked No. 2 nationally, rushing an average of 136.2 yards per game and has 11 rushing scores. Tucker faces the Wolfpack defense that enters the Bowl subdivision at week 11 and ranks against runs allowing only 102.1 yards per game. NC State is surrendering only 3.22 yards per carry.
long shot
Georgia Tech is flirting with posting the same record in Year 3 under Geoff Collins as it did in Year 1. The Yellow Jackets (3-7, 2-6) have a chance to show a clear sign of progress with Saturday’s visit to No. 6 Notre Dame. Georgia Tech has lost five in a row since late scoring to Duke, and entered the game as a 17 1/2-point underdog, according to FanDuel Sportsbook.,
inside numbers
The tiebreakers of the division are becoming clear.
Wake Forest gets two shots to claim an Atlantic-cleaning victory, either at Clemson or next week at Boston College. Clemson will need to win on Saturday to keep his outside chances alive, although the Tigers will also need Wake Forest to lose their finals and out of their last two games for North Carolina State (7-3, 4-2). One has to lose.
If all three teams draw 6-2, the tiebreaker will go to the Wolfpack.
20 Pittsburgh could beat Virginia on Saturday to finish the Coastal Division race, while the Cavaliers could win their last two games to win their trip to the ACC championship game. Virginia Tech, which had just announced the departure of head coach Justin Fuente, is still in the mix.
impact player
Miami freshman quarterback Tyler Van Dyke is making a big entry from the Hokies in Saturday’s trip. Van Dyke threw at least 300 yards and three touchdowns in four consecutive games.
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