With four weeks left to play in the ACC season, it may seem the Coastal Division race has turned into a snoozer as Virginia Tech is the only remaining team unbeaten in league play and enjoys a two-game cushion in the loss column over Miami, Georgia Tech, and North Carolina.
Not so fast, my friend.
Even though the most compelling divisional race is in the Atlantic, where three teams each have only one loss, the Coastal will start heating up this week as the big four in that division still have a lot of football to play and the standings may quickly change. Plus, there is still a way that UNC can win the division and play in the ACC title game in Charlotte in December.
Here’s a quick look at how the four Coastal challengers stack up down the stretch:
Virginia Tech (6-2, 4-0 ACC)
ACC games remaining: 4
Home: GT, Virginia
Away: UNC, Miami
In a strange scheduling quirk, the Hokies have to play the entire Coastal Division (minus Duke) in the last four weeks. VT may have the most daunting schedule of all the Coastal contenders as they have to hit the road at Chapel Hill and Miami and face a possibly resurgent UVa team in a rivalry game to end the season. VT needs to win any 3 of 4 to guarantee a trip to Charlotte.
Georgia Tech (5-3, 3-2 ACC)
ACC games remaining: 3
Home: Miami, Duke
Away: Virginia Tech
If GT can go 3-0 against its remaining ACC slate, the Jackets will need just one of Virginia Tech’s other opponents to knock them off for a repeat appearance in the conference title game.
Miami (5-3, 3-2 ACC)
ACC games remaining: 3
Home: Maryland, Virginia Tech
Away: Georgia Tech
Miami is in exactly the same situation as Georgia Tech, needing to go 3-0 and have someone else beat VT. It may be a little harder for Miami, who went through three QBs before burning Stephen Morris’ redshirt in a loss to UVa. Starter Jacory Harris looks doubtful for a Maryland team that seems to have found its stride.
North Carolina (5-3, 2-2 ACC)
ACC games remaining: 4
Home: Virginia Tech, NC State
Away: Florida State, Duke
Probably the longest shot of all. First, UNC has to go 4-0 against three first-place caliber teams and win on the road at a huge rival. Then UNC needs the remaining group of Virginia Tech, Miami, and Georgia Tech to all go 1-1 against each other. This would put UNC in a tie with the Hokies but the nod would go to the Heels by virtue of the head-to-head win.
In any case, we will know whether or not this is even within the realm based on UNC’s performance at Tallahassee this weekend. Still it’s nice to know that the division race is up for grabs, even if it is only mathematically.
