Clemson 38 - 10 Virginia Tech (Final)

The Tigers tack on one final touchdown, and they crush Virginia Tech to regain the UCFC.

Amazingly, in two games the Tigers outscored the Hokies 61-13. In every other game they played all year, the Tigers gave up at least 14 points -- but Tech could only score 13 points against them in only two games. It makes you wonder what Clemson saw on film -- or what Tech missed.

Clemson wins its 14th ACC championship, but its first since 1991 -- just before FSU joined the league.

The Tigers also run their record in UCFC games to 11-8, while Tech falls to 3-15 in UCFC play.

This page will return to the orange and purple pattern that it showed for so much of the season, and the Tigers will get ready for the Orange Bowl -- the last UCFC game of the season. They will probably play West Virginia in Miami -- and if they win that game, this page will be orange and purple for a long time to come.

Clemson 31 - 10 Virginia Tech (6:24 left in 3d Quarter)

And just like that, this game is pretty much over. Tech goes three-and-out again -- the Hokies have yet to make a first down in this half. Clemson takes the ball back, and sweeps down the field for yet another touchdown. The Hokies went 11-0 against everyone else on their schedule, but they will have gone 0-2 against the Tigers.

As for Clemson, the poverty of their efforts against North Carolina State and South Carolina must be attributed to the fact that those games did not involve the UCFC, because they play very well in UCFC games.

Clemson 24 - 10 Virginia Tech (8:30 left in 3d Quarter)

Once again, the combination of Tajh Boyd and Sammie Watkins has affected the UCFC. After holding Tech, Clemson took over at its own 47. They didn't stay there long, as Boyd immediately hoisted a 53-yard touchdown strike to Watkins. Clemson is now up 14, and for the Hokies, this game is feeling more and more like the last time they played Clemson.

Clemson 17 - 10 Virginia Tech (10:45 left in 3d Quarter)

Clemson has led for most of this game, and now they lead again. Tech took the opening kickoff, went three and out, and punted to the Clemson 17. Tajh Boyd, who loves playing for the UCFC, then led Clemson on a beautiful drive that terminated in an 8-yard touchdown pass.

Clemson really has been the better team so far. The Tigers have 277 total yards to only 159 for Tech.

Clemson 10 - 10 Virginia Tech (Halftime)

After Clemson's field goal, Tech went three-and-out.

Clemson got the ball, was forced to punt, but then got another chance when Tech was called for roughing the punter. Tech's defense held again, and the Hokies took over the ball on their own 17. They then put together a very nice drive -- helped in great part by a very silly roughing-the-passer penalty -- and ended the half by kicking a 41-yard field goal to end the half.

A very good first half -- one worthy of both the ACC championship and the UCFC. Clemson has plainly recovered from whatever had plagued them during their blowout losses to N.C. State and South Carolina, while Tech does not look as dominant as it did last week against UVA. These two teams have dominated the UCFC for most of the season, and it's only fitting that they are going at it hammer and tongs tonight.

Clemson 10 - 7 Virginia Tech (7:54 left in 2d Quarter)

So Clemson punted, and then Tech punted, and then Clemson put together a very nice drive from its own 29 down to the Tech 3. But the drive stalled, and Clemson was forced to settle for a field goal. Still, Clemson has looked very good so far.

I should also mention that this game is sold out, and we have a great atmosphere with two ACC fanbases who really love their football.

Clemson 7 - 7 Virginia Tech (44 seconds left in 1st Quarter)

For most of the quarter, the Tigers' defense was remarkably effective against the Hokies -- just as it was in the last meeting between the teams. But Tech finally got a drive going, and from the Clemson 45, Tech QB Logan Thomas threw a 45-yard touchdown pass to D.J. Coles. That looked more like the Clemson defense I remember.

Clemson 7 - 0 Virginia Tech (11:17 left in 1st Quarter)

Maybe Clemson just needed to get back to playing Virginia Tech -- or playing for the UCFC. The Hokies fumble the ball at their own 24, and a few plays later our old friend Tajh Boyd hits a touchdown pass to put Clemson in the lead.

Feels like old times.

Clemson v. Virginia Tech: The ACC Championship Game

In 1999, Florida State won the national championship in football. FSU went to the national title game in 2000. Miami of Florida won the title in 2001 and went to the title game in 2002. Soon thereafter, the folks at the ACC had what appeared to be a very clever idea -- and an easy way to make a lot of money. Under NCAA rules, a conference with 12 teams can play an extra game to decide the conference championship. Since 1992, the SEC has made a fortune off of this loophole. But the ACC only had nine teams. So here was the idea: add Miami (Florida) and two other teams from the Big East -- it didn't really matter which two -- so that the ACC would have twelve members. Then, so long as you put FSU and Miami (Fla.) in opposite divisions, they could meet for the ACC title -- somewhere in Florida, of course. The new ACC championship game would feature huge crowds and (most years), two top 10 teams.

And so it was set up. At first, the ACC was going to add Miami (Fla.), Boston College, and Syracuse -- but the Commonwealth of Virginia forced UVA to use its influence to get the ACC to take Virginia Tech instead of Syracuse. At the time, no one outside of Virginia paid much attention to this development, but it turned out to be very important, as Virginia Tech is now going for its fourth ACC title. In fact, the expected FSU-Miami (Fla.) match-up has never occurred, as both the Noles and the Canes have fallen on hard times. The games that the ACC has gotten instead have not been all that glamorous (AP top 20 rankings in parentheses):

2005 (Jacksonville, FL): Florida State 27, (5) Virginia Tech 22

2006 (Jacksonville, FL): (16) Wake Forest 9, Georgia Tech 6

2007 (Jacksonville, FL): (5) Virginia Tech 30, (12) Boston College 16

2008 (Tampa, FL): Virginia Tech 30, (16) Boston College 12

2009 (Tampa, FL): (10) Georgia Tech 39, Clemson 34

2010 (Charlotte, NC): (11) Virginia Tech 44, (20) Florida State 33

No Florida team made the game at all from 2006 to 2009, and as a result the attendance was disastrous. The 2008 game drew fewer than 28,000 people. So, like almost everything else in the ACC, the game has been moved to North Carolina. Last year's game in Charlotte drew 72,379 fans, and I would expect a big crowd for tonight's game -- as Charlotte is conveniently located to both the Shenendoah Valley and the uplands of South Carolina.

It should be noted that this is the first ACC title game to also serve as a UCFC game. I think this is probably also the only time in modern history that two teams have played each other for the UCFC twice during the same season. You will recall that back on October 1, Clemson went up to Blacksburg and stunned Virginia Tech 23-3. In retrospect, that was one of the most important games of the season, as it turned out to be Tech's only loss. If they had won that game, the Hokies would now be looking at a trip to the BCS game against LSU. Instead, they are hoping to win another trip to the Orange Bowl.

Clemson, who played so well for most of the season, has fallen on hard times since losing the UCFC. The Tigers bounced back from their loss to Georgia Tech with a 31-28 win over Wake Forest. But they have fallen apart since, losing 37-13 at North Carolina State and 34-13 at South Carolina. They have fallen to number 21 in the AP poll. But now they can redeem themselves by winning the ACC title, an Orange Bowl bid, and (of course) the UCFC. Their record in UCFC games is 10-9.

Virginia Tech is 11-1 on the year and 3-14 all-time in the UCFC. They are 12-18-1 all-time against Clemson, and 0-2 against Clemson in UCFC games, losing 40-7 on September 3, 1988 and 23-3 on October 1, 2011. The Hokies are number 5 in the nation. They are also, according to the gurus in Vegas, a seven-point favorite tonight. That sounds about right to me.

Virginia Tech 38 - 0 Virginia (Final)

Tech tacked on a final field goal, and they walk off with a remarkably easy win -- the first shutout in a UCFC game since Ohio State beat Minnesota 44-0 on October 28, 2006. The Hokies run their record in UCFC games to 3-14, and they will defend their title next week in the ACC Championship Game against Clemson -- who beat them in another UCFC game earlier this year.

The Cavaliers finish the season 8-4 overall, 5-3 in ACC play, but suffer their 8th straight loss to their in-state rivals. They fall to 3-11 in UCFC play. But Wahoo fans can take comfort in the fact that the Tech football players are the only Tech students who would rather be in Blacksburg than Charlottesville.

I also want to acknowledge that Matthew thought this game would be an easy win for Tech, and I thought it would be close. So he was totally right, and I was totally wrong.

UCFC Power Ratings

I would just like to point out, before I head off, that the UCFC Power Ratings had revealed this would not be a close game with Virginia Tech ranked 9th and Virginia not even in the top 50. 

Virginia Tech 35 - 0 Virginia (11:17 left in 4th Quarter)

Thanks to Matthew for the updates so far.

I thought this was going to be a very competitive game. UVA has looked really good for the last two months, they were at home, and they had every possible incentive to play well today. But they have just been totally dominated from beginning to end. Tech has 368 yards to only 240 for UVA. Tech has 186 rushing yards to only 31 for UVA. And Tech has gotten two interceptions, without making any turnovers of its own. On paper, this should have been one of the most competitive UCFC games of the year -- in fact, it has been the least competitive.

As I indicated in the preview, this game always means more to Tech than it does to UVA. I think, for all of their success in recent weeks, the Cavs definitely benefited from the fact that almost no one circles the calendar for the UVA game. But Tech does. Last week, on Senior Day against UNC, they looked unsettled and flat. Today, however, they have really brought the lunch pail, and they have simply manhandled the Wahoos -- as they usually do.

35 Virginia Tech - Virginia 0 (11:28 4th quarter)

I was playing with my two year old daughter and missed how Tech got the ball back though I suspect an interception.  They got the ball deep in Virginia territory and quickly scored. 

28 Virginia Tech - Virginia 0 (13:54 4th quarter)

After the missed Virginia field goal Tech caps off a touchdown drive with a 38yd run. 

21 Virginia Tech - Virginia 0 (1:30 3rd quarter)

Virginia has another failed drive that ends in a missed field goal. 

21 Virginia Tech - Virginia 0 (10:45 3rd quarter)

Tech opens the 3rd quarter with a solid drive right down the field to go up 21-0.  If Virginia doesn't get something going offensively on their opening possession this could turn into a complete rout. 

14 Virginia Tech - Virginia 0 (Halftime)

Virginia had a good drive going at the end of the half, but it ended when their quarterback fumbled it away on a 2nd and short inside the Virginia Tech 30. 

14 Virginia Tech - Virginia 0 (11:36 2nd quarter)

A 96yd drive is capped off with a nice 3rd down touchdown pass.  A long bomb setup the score.

7 Virginia Tech - Virginia 0 (4:00 1st quarter)

I tuned in to catch Virginia put together a solid drive which stalled out at the Tech 5yd line turning the ball over on downs.  A big stop for Tech in the UCFC defense.

No Live-Blog Until 6:30 or so

Due to prior commitments, I am out of pocket until around 6:30 or so, at which point I will catch up with the live blog.

Virginia v. Virginia Tech

It's always exciting when the UCFC is decided in a rivalry game, even if this is one of the nation's less compelling rivalries. For most of the 20th Century, UVA's biggest rival was probably North Carolina, while Virginia Tech usually ended their season with a Thanksgiving-day clash against their neighbors at the Virginia Military Institute. But by the 1980's, Virginia Tech and UVA were the last two major football programs in the Commonwealth -- as football at VMI, William and Mary, and Washington and Lee had fallen prey to the Commonwealth's general lack of interest in big-time college sports. And so they became rivals by default.

On paper, at least, it looks like other intrastate rivals -- UVA is the snooty liberal arts school, and Tech is the gritty engineering school. But UVA actually has its own engineering school, and to be honest, I have lived in Northern Virginia for almost 20 years, and I have never heard of anyone who was admitted to UVA but chose to attend Virginia Tech. So in a very real sense, this is a showdown between the A students and the B students. As a result of this dynamic, Tech really wants to beat UVA, while the Wahoos (as the Cavaliers are also known) can always console themselves for any football defeat by pulling out their acceptance letters.

As you might expect, such a dynamic is very much in Tech's favor. The Hokies lead the all-time series 50-37-5 -- but even these figures are misleading, because Tech was not in a major conference for most of their history. Once Frank Beamer built the Hokies into a powerhouse, and started taking all of the talent from Hampton Roads, Tech was in a dominant position. The Hokies have won 14 of the last 18 meetings, 11 of the last 12, and the last seven in a row.

But the times may be changing. UVA has hired an African-American coach from the Hampton Roads area, and the Wahoos are showing new signs of life. Unlike the usual UVA/Tech game -- where the Hokies are rolling toward a major bowl and the Wahoos are happy to be in any bowl -- this year the Wahoos are breathing down Tech's neck. Here are the standings in the Coastal Division of the ACC (conference games only):

Virginia Tech: 6-1

Virginia: 5-2

Georgia Tech: 5-3

Miami (Fla.): 3-4

N. Carolina: 2-5

Duke: 1-6

So whoever wins this game will capture the Coastal Division and a bid to the ACC title game against Clemson. They also get the Commonwealth Cup, a trophy that has been awarded to the winner of this game every year since 1996. And, of course, they get the UCFC.

According to the AP, Virginia Tech is number 6 and UVA is number 24. Vegas has made Tech a 5-point favorite, which sounds about right to me.

Virginia

The University of Virginia was founded by Thomas Jefferson in 1819, and the folks at UVA never let you forget it. It is one of the most beautiful places in the South, with a glorious collection of lovely old classical buildings and wide lawns. It is also one of the very best universities in the South, and is generally regarded as the best public university in America outside of the University of California. Every parent in Virginia -- especially in the hyper-competitive counties of Northern Virginia -- is intensely aware that if their child is accepted at UVA, he or she can get a high-quality education at a remarkably low price. For better or for worse, almost every child in Virginia is ultimately judged by whether they were worthy of admission to Mr. Jefferson's University -- a fact that gives UVA an extraordinary presence in the Old Dominion.

But UVA is usually not very good at football. In fact, until George Welsh took over as UVA's coach for the 1982 season, the Cavaliers were arguably the worst major college football program in America. Welsh did a great job of turning the program around, and he tapped into the large amount of African-American talent in the Commonwealth. (In no Southern state do white people spend less time and energy on football than they do in Virginia). In 19 seasons, Welsh had a record of 134-86-3, which may not that spectacular to an SEC fan, but which made Welsh the winningest coach in Virginia history. Welsh was replaced by Al Groh, a very mediocre coach who went 59-53 at UVA, but who kept the job for nine years because of the low expectations among Virginia fans.

The current Cavalier coach is Mike London, who represents a significant break with past history. London is an African-American who grew up in the Hampton Roads region, which is the home of virtually all D-I talent in the Commonwealth. London led the University of Richmond to the I-AA national title in 2008, and UVA was hopeful that he could start bringing some of the talent in Richmond and Hampton Roads up to Charlottesville. Last year, in his first season, the Cavaliers went 4-8, and they started off 2-2 this year. But since then, they've gotten really hot, losing only to North Carolina State:

10/01/11: Virginia 21 - 20 Idaho (OT)

10/15/11: Virginia 24 - 21 Georgia Tech

10/22/11: Virginia 14 - 28 N. Carolina State

10/27/11: Miami (Fla.) 21 - 28 Virginia

11/05/11: Maryland 31 - 13 Virginia

11/12/11: Virginia 31 - 21 Duke

11/19/11: Florida State 13 - 14 Virginia

The Cavaliers are now 8-3 overall, and 5-2 in the ACC -- their best record in years.

Now they have the chance to capture the UCFC. The Cavaliers' only UCFC wins came in 1989, when they took the title from N.C. State and held it for two more weeks. Their overall record in UCFC play is 3-10.

Virginia Tech 24 - 21 N. Carolina (Final)

Carolina's final pass is incomplete, the last game of the year at Lane Stadium is finished, and the Virginia Tech Hokies have retained the UCFC.

The Hokies are now 2-14 in UCFC play. The North Carolina Tar Heels lose their second UCFC game of the season, and their UCFC record is now 0-10.

The next UCFC matchup -- and the last one of the regular season -- will take place on November 26th in Mr. Jefferson's hometown of Charlottesville, Virginia, where the Hokies will defend the crown against their hated rivals from the school that everyone in the DC area refers to as Yoo-Vee-Ay. See you then!

Virginia Tech 24 - 21 N. Carolina (2 seconds left in 4th Quarter)

The Hokies cannot run out the clock, and Heels take over on their own 27 with 2 seconds left. One play left.

Virginia Tech 24 - 21 N. Carolina (2:29 left in 4th Quarter)

The Tar Heels' onside kick failed. It looked at first as though they had recovered the kick -- which sent a chill through the freezing crowd at Lane Stadium -- but the UNC player had touched the ball before it went 10 yards, so possession was awarded to the Hokies.

UNC only has one timeout left, so the Hokies will have a good chance to run out the clock.

Virginia Tech 24 - 21 N. Carolina (2:32 left in 4th Quarter)

Out of nowhere, the Heels suddenly have a chance. After they scored to make it 24-14, they tried an onside kick, which failed. The Hokies couldn't do much, but they punted down to the Tar Heel 9.
The Heels took over with 3:44 left in the game, and here's what they did:

1-10 @ UNC 9: Bryn Renner passed to Dwight Jones for 25 yards
1-10 @ UNC 34: Bryn Renner passed to Erik Highsmith for 64 yards
1-Goal @ Tech 2: Ryan Houston rushed for 1 yard
2-Goal @ Tech 1: Ryan Houston rushed for 1 yard. TOUCHDOWN

That's 91 yards in 4 plays. Now we'll get another onside kick.

It just goes to show: YOU'RE NEVER SAFE WHEN THE UCFC'S ON THE LINE!

Virginia Tech 24 - 14 N. Carolina (7:06 left in 4th Quarter)

Hold the phone, it's not over yet. After a terrible Hokie punt, the Tar Heels take over at the Tech 45 and are in the end zone seven plays later, thanks to a 5-yard pass on fourth and goal. UNC has missed two field goals tonight, and if they had made those this game would be really nerve-wracking.

Virginia 24 - 7 N. Carolina (25 seconds left in 3d Quarter)

For the most part, the UCFC games this season have been filled with drama -- but that has not been the case with the two games that involved North Carolina. The Tar Heels were blown out by Clemson a few weeks ago, and now they are being dominated by Virginia Tech. Logan Thomas leads a 74-yard drive and wraps it up with a 4-yard pass to D.J. Coles.

The folks in Charlottesvile better start getting ready, because it looks as though they will be hosting the UCFC on November 26.

Virginia Tech 17 - 7 N. Carolina (9:02 left in 3d Quarter)

OK, now the Hokies are getting this thing under control. The Hokies' giant quarterback, Logan Thomas, leads Tech on a 71-yard drive -- and concludes the drive with a 23-yard run of his own. Tech now has a 10-point lead, and they are enjoying the very cold mountain weather much more than the pale-blue Tar Heels.

Virginia Tech 10 - 7 N. Carolina (4:58 left in 2d Quarter)

A lost opportunity there for the Hokies. A poor punt by North Carolina, as well as a penalty on the Tar Heels, gave Virginia Tech the ball at the UNC 36. On first and 10, David Wilson zipped all the way down to the UNC 1. But the Tar Heels' defense held, and the Hokies were forced to settle for a 22-yard field goal. Still, Hokie Nation should feel that their team is starting to assert its superiority.

Virginia Tech 7 - 7 N. Carolina (9:18 left in 2d Quarter)

OK, just as they did last week against Georgia Tech, the Hokies' offense has started to move after a slow start. Virginia Tech finishes off a 94-yard drive with an 11-yard pass from Logan Thomas to Chris Drager, and now we are all tied up.

Virginia Tech 0 - 7 N. Carolina (13:42 left in 1st Quarter)

What a debacle for the Holders. On the first play of the game, Hokie QB Logan Thomas is sacked and fumbles the ball. The Tar Heels take over at the Virginia Tech 20, and put the ball in the end zone four plays later with a four-yard run.

Virginia Tech v. N. Carolina

Virginia Tech won the ACC football championship in 2004, 2007, 2008, and 2010, and the Hokies can take a big step toward another title if they win tonight's UCFC matchup with the North Carolina Tar Heels. Tech is 5-1 in ACC play, and they will clench the Coastal Division title this weekend if they win tonight and the second-place Virginia Cavaliers lose as expected to Florida State this weekend. Meanwhile, the Tar Heels are 2-4 in ACC play, and are trying to recover from a 13-0 loss to their rivals at N.C. State in a game UNC usually wins.

Virginia Tech and UNC played off and on in the years before Tech joined the ACC, and have played every year since. The Hokies lead the series 17-10-6. They are the only school in Virginia to have an all-time winning record against the Heels -- and if you're not used to thinking of UNC as an all-conquering powerhouse, then welcome to the Old Dominion.

Virginia Tech is also playing for the second-consecutive week on ESPN's Thursday night broadcast. The Hokies love playing in this broadcast, and do so often. They have a record of 18-5 in ESPN Thursday night games. They are also 51-11 in ACC games since joining the conference in 2004, and they are 25-2 in November since 2004. So I'm expecting them to keep the UCFC title.

Georgia Tech 26 - 37 Virginia Tech (Final)

The Hokies have done it! For the first time in their history, they capture the UCFC. The Hokies' record in UCFC play is now 1-14. And the Old Dominion -- which already has the richest history, the best schools, the most former Presidents, and the highest per capita income of any Southern state -- now has the UCFC as well.

Georgia Tech's reign lasted for only one game. The Jackets fall to 10-9 in UCFC play. Georgia Tech also becomes the first UCFC holder to lose the title at home since Florida lost to South Carolina last November.

Virginia Tech will defend the title next Thursday night at home against the North Carolina Tar Heels. Until then, enjoy the maroon and orange.

Georgia Tech 26 - 37 Virginia Tech (2:56 left in 4th Quarter)

Both halves of this game pretty much followed the same pattern. The Yellow Jackets -- fired up both by the home crowd and their excellent coach -- jumped out to the lead. But then, the athletically superior Hokies, who have a very good coach of their own, made the necessary adjustments and brought the game back under control.

This time, they stuffed the Jackets, took back the ball, and rolled down the field for a very easy field goal to put the game out of reach.

In retrospect, one of the strangest results of this whole season was Virginia Tech's 23-3 loss to Clemson in an earlier UCFC matchup. How in the world did Clemson's defense hold Virginia Tech to only three points?

Anyway, it is now just a matter of time before this page is bedecked in the worst school colors in America: the maroon and orange of Virginia Tech.

Georgia Tech 26 - 34 Virginia Tech (9:49 left in 4th Quarter)

And on third and long, Logan Thomas throws a 14-yard pass to Chris Drager for a touchdown!

The Jackets' gamble of going for a 4th in 1 in their own territory has backfired in spectacular fashion, and the Hokies have now jumped out to an 8-point lead. Could they finally win the UCFC for the first time in their history?

Georgia Tech 26 - 27 Virginia Tech (11:30 left in 4th Quarter)

The Hokies go for it -- and they make it, thanks to their giant quarterback, Logan Thomas.

Georgia Tech 26 - 27 Virginia Tech (12:11 left in 4th Quarter)

The Yellow Jackets went for a first down on 4th and 1 from their own 31, and were stuffed!

The Hokies took over, and now they have a 4th and 1 of their own at the Georgia Tech 22. They've called time out to decide whether to kick the field goal or go for the first.

Georgia Tech 26 - 27 Virginia Tech (32 seconds left in 3d Quarter)

But the Hokies come right back! Virginia Tech goes 74 yards in 8 plays -- the last of which was a 10-yard run by QB Logan Thomas. The Hokies went for two, but of course they didn't make it.

Georgia Tech 26 - 21 Virginia Tech (4:29 left in 3d Quarter)

Georgia Tech has come all the way back! The Jackets go 84 yards in seven plays, with Tevin Washington running in the touchdown from one yard out. The Jackets have now scored 16 points in a row.

Georgia Tech 19 - 21 Virginia Tech (11:17 left in 3d Quarter)

The Jackets take the opening kickoff, and drive down for a touchdown. Evidently, Paul Johnson -- one of the nation's most underrated coaches -- was able to make the necessary adjustments at the half.

The Jackets went for two, but of course did not make it.

Georgia Tech 13 - 21 Virginia Tech (Halftime)

With no time to run the triple option, Georgia Tech QB Tevin Washington came out throwing the ball all over the place -- and took the Jackets all the way down to the Hokie 9 with nine seconds left. A sack forced Georgia Tech to call its last time out, and the Jackets kicked another field goal to move back within eight.

This game is far from over, although so far Virginia Tech has appeared to be the better team.

Georgia Tech 10 - 21 Virginia Tech (44 seconds left in 2d Quarter)

And the roof falls in on Georgia Tech.

On first and 10 from his own 37, Hokie QB Logan Thomas throws a bullet down the middle that hits wide receiver Danny Coale in full stride. Coale caught the ball at about the Georgia Tech 25 and never stopped, racing to the end zone to give Virginia Tech an 11-point lead.

Georgia Tech 10 - 14 Virginia Tech (1 minute left in the 2d Quarter)

Georgia Tech switched things up somewhat and surprised the Hokies with a 41-yard pass that ended their offensive funk and moved them into Virginia Tech territory. After that, the Jackets fought their way down to the Virginia Tech 24, at which point they kicked a 41-yard field goal to draw within 4. But the Hokies will have one more chance before halftime.

Georgia Tech 7 - 14 Virginia Tech (4:21 left in 2d Quarter)

Georgia Tech's defense is not bad, but a big part of the Yellow Jackets' defensive scheme is for their triple option offense to hold the ball for long stretches of time, thus keeping the other team's offense off the field. But Virginia Tech has shut down the Yellow Jacket offense, and now the Georgia Tech defense is crumbling. The Hokies have a very easy time of it as they move briskly down the field on a 70-yard drive topped off by a 10-yard TD pass.

Georgia Tech 7 - 7 Virginia Tech (7:14 left in 2d Quarter)

The Hokies hold, and Georgia Tech is forced to punt. Virginia Tech will take over at their own 30. The Hokie defense has been very effective lately.

By the way, Virginia Tech's last two regular-season games are against North Carolina and Virginia. So if the Hokies win this game, the UCFC will stay with the ACC at least until the bowl season.

Georgia Tech 7 - 7 Virginia Tech (8:38 left in 2d Quarter)

These are two old-school coaching staffs, and they are playing an old-school game. Very different from the pinball games we saw with Clemson and Auburn earlier this year.

An exchange of punts gave Virginia Tech the ball at the Georgia Tech 36, and the Hokies slowly poked their way down the field, eventually scoring on a fourth and goal from the 1.

Georgia Tech 7 - 0 Virginia Tech (4:54 left in 1st Quarter)

After holding the Hokies to a three and out on their first series, the Jackets take over at their own 18, and drive 82 yards -- almost entirely on the ground -- to take the lead and chew up most of the first quarter.

Virginia Tech is generally proud of their defense, but the Hokies had no good answer for the Jackets' triple option on that drive.

Georgia Tech 0 - 0 Virginia Tech (15 minutes left in 1st Quarter)

And, from downtown Atlanta, another UCFC game is under way!

Georgia Tech v. Virginia Tech

When the ACC went to two divisions for the 2005 season, it was widely expected that the ACC Championship Game in football would be dominated by the two Florida schools: FSU (national champs in 1993 and 1999) and Miami of Florida (national champs in 1983, 1987, 1989, 1991, and 2001). In fact, the ACC's whole divisional format -- with FSU in the Atlantic Division and Miami (Fla.) in the Coastal Division -- was designed with this possibility in mind.

It hasn't worked out that way. Instead, here is a complete list of the Coastal Division champions up to this point (teams that won the ACC title are in bold):

2005: Virginia Tech
2006: Georgia Tech
2007: Virginia Tech
2008: Virginia Tech
2009: Georgia Tech
2010: Virginia Tech

In other words, in recent years the dominant teams in the ACC have not been FSU, Miami (Fla.), or even Clemson. Instead, the league has been dominated by the two teams playing for the UCFC tonight: the Jackets and the Hokies.

Once again, it appears that the Coastal Title will be decided in this game. Here are the current ACC standings (conference games only):

ATLANTIC DIVISION
Clemson: 5-1
Wake Forest: 4-2
Florida St: 4-2
N. Carolina St: 2-3
Boston Coll: 1-5
Maryland: 1-5

COASTAL DIVISION
Virginia Tech: 4-1
Georgia Tech: 4-2
Virginia: 3-2
Miami (Fla.): 3-3
N. Carolina: 2-4
Duke: 1-4

Virginia Tech is 8-1, and ranked number 10 by the AP. The Hokies' only loss all year came in their UCFC matchup with Clemson. Georgia Tech is 7-2, and ranked number 20 by AP. The Jackets have lost only to UVA and Miami (Fla.)

Remarkably, this is only the ninth time these two engineering schools have ever played each other. For most of their histories, Georgia Tech was a traditional power, while Virginia Tech was a backwater. But that has all changed now, and they have met every year since 2004. Virginia Tech leads the all-time series, 5-3.

Virginia Tech is a one-point favorite to win the game and take their first UCFC back to Blacksburg. We'll see if they can do better tonight than they did against Clemson.

Georgia Tech 31 - 17 Clemson (Final)

After six consecutive wins in UCFC play -- over Auburn, Florida State, Virginia Tech, Boston College, Maryland, and North Carolina -- the Clemson Tigers are finally beaten. Georgia Tech rushed for 383 yards, and their triple option kept Clemson's mighty offense off of the field for long stretches of time.

Tajh Boyd showed flashes of his usual brilliance. He was 23-40 for 295 yards and a touchdown. Sammie Watkins had his usual spectacular game. He had nine catches for 153 yards and a touchdown. But it is almost impossible for college kids to play a perfect season, and on the most important play of the game -- 1st and goal at the Tech 9, down 31-17 in the 4th quarter -- a mixup between Boyd and Watkins led to a ball floating softly into the arms of a Tech defender. And Tech made Clemson pay -- holding the ball for a nine-minute drive that consumed almost all of the time left on the clock. Clemson finally lost, but no one can deny that they were worthy holders of the UCFC.

So the UCFC goes to Atlanta for the first time since 1966. Clemson's record drops to 10-9 in UCFC games, and the Tigers will have to hope that they get another shot at the UCFC in the ACC Championship Game. Georgia Tech's UCFC record is now 10-8.

Meanwhile, this blog will take a week off, as Tech has a bye next Saturday. The next UCFC game will take place Thursday night, November 10, at Bobby Dodd Stadium in Atlanta, when the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets play the Virginia Tech Hokies. It should be another great game.

Georgia Tech 31 - 17 Clemson (1:06 left in 4th Quarter)

That's it. On third and 10 from his own 34, Tajh Boyd throws his second interception of the night. Tech will run out the clock, and take the UCFC!

Georgia Tech 31 - 17 Clemson (1:29 left in 4th Quarter)

Clemson holds. The Tigers take over at their own 21, but they have no timeouts left.

Georgia Tech 31 - 17 Clemson (1:36 left in 4th Quarter)

After getting the ball back on the interception, Tech burned up 9 minutes of clock with a long drive that consisted almost entirely of runs. They now have it 4th and 6 at the Clemson 27. They call timeout to decide what to do.

Georgia Tech 31 - 17 Clemson (10:33 left in 4th Quarter)

Unbelievable! On first and goal, Clemson goes for a pass to Watkins in the end zone, but either: (1) Watkins cut the route short, or (2) Boyd's pass was way too long. Whatever it was the ball sailed five yards over Watkins's head -- and right into the arms of a Georgia Tech Yellow Jacket!

Back-to-back interceptions! You've got to love the UCFC.

Georgia Tech 31 - 17 Clemson (10:39 left in 4th Quarter)

Disaster for Tech. Their defense held, and they took over at their own 15. On first down, they had a man wide open down the middle of the field, but the pass was under thrown and intercepted. Now Clemson has first and goal at the Tech 9.

Georgia Tech 31 - 17 Clemson (12:05 left in 4th Quarter)

Clemson's defense holds, and the Tigers will take over on their own 26.

This will be a tremendous challenge for the Jacket defense, as Clemson has looked unstoppable in this half.

Georgia Tech 31 - 17 Clemson (14:47 left in 4th Quarter)

Boyd will get credit for a 1-yard TD run, but it was an odd play -- he actually fumbled the snap and sort of pushed the ball into the end zone. But a Clemson guy ended up with it anyway, so in my opinion justice was done.

Clemson has clearly got its offense firing on all cylinders now, and Tech really needs to keep scoring if they want to bring the UCFC to Atlanta.

Georgia Tech 31 - 10 Clemson (end of 3d Quarter)

Well, all sorts of stuff has been happening.

Clemson drove into Georgia Tech territory, but fumbled with 9:33 left in the quarter.

Tech took the ball and drove all the way down to the Clemson 1, but a Clemson lineman wrestled the ball away from Tevin Washington on a spectacular defensive play and Clemson took over at its own 3.

Then Clemson shot down the field with their usual mix of runs and passes, and they currently have a 2d and goal at the Tech 1 yard line. Boyd is now 20-26 for 256 yards, one TD, and no interceptions.

Georgia Tech 31 - 10 Clemson (11:30 left in 3d Quarter)

Tech didn't keep the ball for very long, but they were extremely efficient. On third and six deep in his own territory, Tech quarterback Tevin Washington broke a 56-yard run. Washington already has 142 yards on 15 carries. A few plays later, David Sims blasted in from 11 yards out to restore Tech's 21-point lead.

Now the ball goes back to Clemson.

Georgia Tech 24 - 10 Clemson (13:34 left in 3d Quarter)

Well, here we go. Clemson gets off to a perfect start, going 70 yards in only four plays -- the last of which is a 48-yard pass from Tajh Boyd to Sammie Watkins, who caught the ball in full stride at about the Tech 25 and was gone.

Now the focus turns to Tech's offense. Has Clemson figured out a way to stop the triple option?

Georgia Tech 24 - 3 Clemson (Halftime)

We thought this would be a big challenge for Clemson, and so it has proved. Clemson has been involved in shootouts before, but those were high-scoring games with lots of quick touchdowns. Tech is using its triple option to keep the ball on the ground for long stretches, keeping Tajh Boyd and the Clemson offense off the field. The Jackets have 245 total yards, compared to only 132 yards for Clemson.

The Tigers will get the ball to start the second half, and they really need to get something going quickly if they want to retain the UCFC. But they can score a lot of points in a hurry, and they have come from behind before. Just ask Maryland.

Georgia Tech 24 - 3 Clemson (37 seconds left in 2d Quarter)

And now it looks even worse. The Jackets go 78 yards on 9 plays and score another touchdown. Clemson's defense simply cannot get off the field.

Georgia Tech 17 - 3 Clemson (4:27 left in 2d Quarter)

Sammie Watkins returned the kickoff to the 50, and Clemson drove down to the Tech 22. But again, their drive stalled -- and this time they missed a 39-yard field goal. It is not looking good for the Tigers.

Georgia Tech 17 - 3 Clemson (5:44 left in 2d Quarter)

Tech has got some sort of line on Clemson's high-powered offense. Once again, the Tigers go three-and-out. Once again, Tech grinds out a long drive. This time, the Jackets go 81 yards in 10 plays. They score on a 3-yard run and the UCFC holders are in trouble.

Georgia Tech 10 - 3 Clemson (12:06 left in 2d Quarter)

The Jackets hold Clemson, and then they drive from their own 24 to the Clemson 6. They settle for a field goal and a 7-point lead.

Georgia Tech 7 - 3 Clemson (2:59 left in 1st Quarter)

Clemson stopped Tech three and out again, but the next Tiger possession ended in a fumble that gave Tech the ball at the Clemson 19. Tech then pounded the ball in for a touchdown, eventually scoring on a 4th and goal from the 1.

Georgia Tech 0 - 3 Clemson (8:50 left in 1st Quarter)

Clemson holds Georgia Tech to three and out in the first possession of the game, and then the Tigers drive all the way down to the Jackets' 16-yard line before kicking a field goal to take an early lead.

By the way, one of the real joys of watching a Georgia Tech game is listening to the great Wes Durham -- son of the legendary Woody Durham -- call the game for the Jackets.

Georgia Tech 0 - 0 Clemson (15 minutes left in 1st Quarter)

The last time Clemson was 8-0 was on October 28, 2000. The Tigers were ranked number 5 in the country and they hosted Georgia Tech. The Jackets upset them 31-28, and the Tigers stumbled to a 9-3 finish that ended with a 41-20 defeat to Virginia Tech in the Gator Bowl. The Tigers will be hoping for better tonight.

Another UCFC game is underway!

Georgia Tech v. Clemson

OK, here's how things stand in the ACC (conference games only):

ATLANTIC DIVISION:
Clemson: 5-0
Wake Forest: 4-1
Florida State: 2-2
N. Carolina State: 1-2
Maryland: 1-3
Boston College: 0-4

COASTAL DIVISION:
Virginia Tech: 3-1
Georgia Tech: 3-2
Virginia: 2-2
Miami (Fla.): 2-3
Duke: 1-2
N. Carolina: 1-3

As you can see, this game will go a long way toward determining which teams make it to the ACC title game at the end of the year.

This is a very old series. In fact, it goes back to 1898, when Clemson beat Tech 23-0 in only the 11th game Clemson ever played. In 1903, Clemson coach John Heisman led the Tigers to a 73-0 win over Tech. But the next year, Heisman left Clemson for Tech, and the Jackets soon became a great power.

Tech leads the all-time series with a record of 49-25-2, but their lead since joining the ACC is only 15-14. In recent years the series has been extremely competitive. In a six-year stretch from 1996 to 2001, every game between the two schools was decided by exactly three points. And 12 of the last 16 matchups have been decided by five points or less. This is the first year in which the teams have played for the UCFC.

Clemson is ranked number 6 by AP, while Tech's back-to-back losses against UVA and Miami (Fla.) have dropped them out of the top 25. Vegas has installed Clemson as a 3 and 1/2 point favorite, and this should be a very competitive game.

Georgia Tech

Today's challenger for the UCFC is one of the all-time great college football programs: the Yellow Jackets of Georgia Tech. As one of the first major football powers in the South, the richness of Tech's tradition compares favorably to almost every other school. Their gold and white uniforms, with the interlocking GT on the helmet, are one of the glories of the sport. Tech's football stadium was originally built in 1913, making it the oldest continuously-used football stadium in Division I. Tech was coached by John Heisman -- the Heisman of the trophy -- who went 102-29-7 in Atlanta from 1904 to 1919. Tech was the second team from the South (after Alabama) to appear in a bowl game; the Jackets beat California 8-7 in the 1929 Rose Bowl. Tech was also one of the founding members of the Southeastern Conference, and was a great SEC power until the early 1960's.

But after the 1963 season, Tech withdrew from the SEC. Bobby Dodd, the legendary Tech coach, pushed for this move for a number of reasons. He had a personal feud with Bear Bryant, who he considered to be a dirty coach, and he didn't want to continue playing Alabama. He also thought SEC teams had become too aggressive in their recruiting. I also feel like a cultural gap had opened up between the aggressive Northernizers who run Atlanta, and the more traditional Southerners who dominate the other SEC fan bases.

Tech's program floundered after leaving the SEC, but I suspect that had more to do with Dodd's retirement in 1966 than with a change in conference status. In fact, Dodd's basic insight -- that any Southern team would find it almost impossible to compete with Bear Bryant -- was fundamentally sound. Most SEC schools spent the 1970s getting their heads handed to them by Bryant's almost-unbeatable squads, while two major Southern independents -- Florida State and Miami of Florida -- built themselves into powerhouses. So Dodd's strategy made sense, even though Tech couldn't pull it off.

Tech eventually found its way into the ACC, and I must admit that the ACC's snobbery and elitism is a much better fit for the Atlanta types who tend to support Tech. And Tech has thrived in the ACC, winning the UPI national title in 1990 and having winning records in most seasons.

These days, the Tech coach is Paul Johnson, a triple option wizard who won a national I-AA title at Georgia Southern and who built Navy into a great power. Johnson has gone 31-16 in Atlanta, and he took Tech to the ACC championship in 2009. The Jackets got off to a 6-0 start this year, but have struggled recently in losses to Virginia and Miami of Florida. But those games were on the road, I suspect Tech will put on a better effort at home tonight.

Tech's all-time record in UCFC play is 9-8. Tech's last and longest title run took place in 1966, when the Jackets took the title in a 6-3 victory over Tennessee on October 3d, and kept it for five more weeks, before finally losing the title to Georgia 23-14 on November 26, 1966. Since then Tech has had four more shots at the title, but they've lost each of them.

Clemson moves up to Number 6

Two undefeateds -- Wisconsin and Oklahoma -- both lost on Saturday, so the Clemson Tigers have moved up to number 6 in the AP Poll.

Here are the five teams ranked ahead of them: (1) LSU, (2) Alabama, (3) Oklahoma State, (4) Stanford, and (5) Boise State. Either LSU or Alabama will lose when those two teams play in a couple of weeks. I think Oklahoma State is counterfeit, and I'm pretty certain they will lose at some point between now and the end of the year. Stanford is not counterfeit, but they have tough games left against USC, Oregon, and Notre Dame. Boise, of course, will go undefeated. But if Clemson can finish the season 13-0 (which would require regular-season wins over Georgia Tech, Wake, N.C. State, and South Carolina, and another victory over Virginia Tech in the ACC Championship), they could get jumped over Boise and get a shot at the SEC champion (either LSU or Alabama) for the national title. Such a showdown would also, of course, unite the BCS title and the UCFC.

Of course, the Tigers will be taking it one week at a time. But there's no reason why the rest of us can't look ahead.

One major concern for Clemson: the Tigers only have one home game left on the schedule -- their November 12th date with Wake Forest. Their other three regular season games: Georgia Tech (Oct. 29), North Carolina State (Nov. 19), and South Carolina (Nov. 26), are all on the road.

Clemson 59 - 38 N. Carolina (Final)

The Tar Heels got two touchdowns against Clemson's substitutes in the fourth quarter, and that was the ball game. A very impressive win for Clemson -- their sixth UCFC victory in a row. They are now 8-0 for the year, 5-0 in the ACC, and 10-8 all-time in UCFC games. UNC falls to 5-3 overall, 1-3 in the ACC, and 0-9 in UCFC games.

Next week Clemson heads to Atlanta for a huge showdown with Georgia Tech. The UCFC will definitely be at serious risk in that game.

Clemson 59 - 24 N. Carolina (14 seconds left in 3d Quarter)

Wow! Kourtnei Brown, a defensive end for Carolina, scores his second touchdown of the game on a 30-something yard fumble recovery after the Tar Heel quarterback was sacked.

What a great day to be a Clemson fan. They are great fans, and they have waited a very long time for a team to play like this. Fittingly, they are celebrating the 30th anniversary of their 1981 National Championship team today, and they have been absolutely overwhelming in this third quarter -- 35 points in a quarter is just spectacular.

Clemson 52 - 24 N. Carolina (1:42 left in 3d Quarter)

And now the rout is on. Clemson holds Carolina, gets the ball back, and drives for yet another touchdown -- their fourth of the quarter. Boyd throws his fifth touchdown of the game -- he is now 27 of 46 for 367 yards, and the Clemson staff might want to let him rest in the fourth quarter.

Meanwhile, excitement is starting to percolate through Atlanta, because the UCFC will be heading there next week, as the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets will be hosting Clemson next Saturday night.

Clemson 45 - 24 N. Carolina (6 minutes left in 3d Quarter)

By the way, I just wanted to point out that while Carolina's helmet and jersey numbers reflect their usual sky blue coloring scheme, they are wearing navy pants with a small amount of sky blue trim. Presumably they think the navy blue makes them look tougher, but I think going with all-sky blue would look better.

Clemson, on the other hand, is going with the usual orange shirts and white pants -- this game doesn't qualify for the all-orange outfit they sometimes use for really big games.

Clemson 45 - 24 N. Carolina (7:11 left in 3d Quarter)

Naturally, Clemson took the kickoff and ran it back to the Carolina 45. Clemson made some progress, but their drive seemed to have stalled when a sack left them facing a third and 18 at the UNC 42. But not to worry: Tajh Boyd hurled a 42-yard touchdown pass to a wide open Sammie Watkins, who tied an ACC record with the 9th touchdown reception of his rookie season. (For the record, it was Boyd's 22d touchdown pass of the year). Boyd is now 22-40 for 315 yards, four touchdowns, and no interceptions. He has also run for a touchdown.

So Clemson fans are again breathing easier. But we'll see how long that lasts.

Clemson 38 - 24 N. Carolina (9:35 left in 3d Quarter)

Well, now the Tiger fans aren't as comfortable. Carolina takes the kickoff, and runs it back 100 yards for a touchdown to cut Clemson's lead to 14.

One thing is for sure. If you blog a Clemson game, they give you plenty to write about.

Clemson 38 - 17 N. Carolina (9:47 left in 3d Quarter)

Well, the Tiger faithful will be resting easier now. Carolina fumbled the Clemson kickoff -- their fourth turnover of the game -- and the Tigers took over at the Carolina 12. Two plays later, Boyd threw his third touchdown pass of the game. He is good.

Clemson 31 - 17 N. Carolina (10:02 left in 3d Quarter)

After an exchange of punts to open the second half, Clemson got its offense in gear again. Tajh Boyd -- who is now 20-36 for 261 yards, two touchdowns, and no interceptions -- led the Tigers on a 66-yard drive that ended with a one-yard quarterback sneak. Clemson once again has a 14-point lead.

Clemson 24 - 17 N. Carolina (3:27 left in 2d Quarter)

Well, that's what I get for saying something nice about the Clemson defense. Carolina goes 73 yards in only three plays -- the last of them a 58-yard touchdown pass.

In retrospect, the oddest result of Clemson's season so far was their 23-3 victory over Virginia Tech. The Hokies are one of the better teams Clemson has played, and they couldn't move the ball at all on the Tigers. Everyone else seems to score almost at will -- but they just can't score enough to keep up with Tajh Boyd and company.

Clemson 24 - 10 N. Carolina (4:45 left in 2d Quarter)

The Clemson defense hasn't gotten too much credit so far, for the simple reason that they haven't been very good. But the Tigers just got their second interception of the game, and defensive end Kourtnei Brown took the ball 20 yards for the score! Clemson jumps out to a 14-point lead.

Clemson 17 - 10 N. Carolina (7:46 left in 2d Quarter)

Tajh Boyd in the house! The remarkable Clemson quarterback, who is on a massive roll this season, quickly takes the Tigers down the field for a touchdown to regain the lead. So far today, Boyd is 13-20 for 171 yards, two touchdowns, and no interceptions. He is really good.

Clemson 10 - 10 N. Carolina (10:18 left in 2d Quarter)

Carolina's drive stalled, and the Heels were forced to settle for a 32-yard field goal. Still, it looks as though we are in for another high-scoring contest.

Clemson 10 - 7 N. Carolina (end of 1st Quarter)

Today's coverage is getting started late because: (1) I don't like noon kickoffs, and (2) the local library is having its semi-annual book sale. Anyway, you will not be surprised to know that Clemson finds itself in another high-scoring contest. Here's what has happened so far:

1. Clemson intercepted the ball on Carolina's first possession, drove down and kicked a field goal. Clemson 3 - 0 N. Carolina.

2. After an exchange of punts, Carolina put together a drive that resulted in a touchdown. Clemson 3 - 7 N. Carolina.

3. After another exchange of punts, Clemson drove down for a touchdown to retake the lead. Clemson 10 - 7 N. Carolina.

Now Carolina is on the march, and they are down the to Clemson 17.

Clemson v. N. Carolina

Clemson took the UCFC from Auburn in September, and since then the Tigers have defended their crown against Florida State, Virginia Tech, Boston College, and Maryland. This week the Tigers take on another traditional ACC rival, North Carolina. This series is no longer played every year, as the Tigers and the Tar Heels are in different divisions. Clemson leads the all-time series 34-19-1. The biggest Clemson/UNC game ever took place in 1981. That was the first game ever between top 10 teams in the ACC. Clemson was 8-0 and ranked number 2 in the country; the Heels were 7-1 and ranked 8. In a nail-biter in Chapel Hill, the Tigers came away with a 10-8 victory. They then went on to win the National Championship.

This is the first UCFC matchup between the two teams. Clemson is 7-0 and ranked number 8 in the country. UNC is 5-2 overall, but only 1-2 in the ACC. Vegas likes the Tigers by 10 1/2 points at home, and that sounds about right to me.

North Carolina

The University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill is, among other things, both the traditional academic home of Southern Liberalism and a mighty athletic power -- in almost every sport but football. Since 1990, UNC has won NCAA titles in men's basketball (three times), men's lacrosse, men's soccer, women's basketball, women's field hockey (five times), and women's soccer (13 times). UNC also reached the finals of the College World Series in 2006 and 2007. The Tar Heels truly have one of the nation's great athletic programs.

But not when it comes to football. They've done all right. They have an all-time record of 646-488-54. They have comfortable leads in their all-time series with Duke (55-35-4) and North Carolina State (63-31-6). And they've produced great players like Lawrence Taylor and Charlie ("Choo Choo") Justice. And the hero of Frank Deford's novel, Everybody's All American, was a Tar Heel -- although, for reasons I didn't understand, he was an LSU Tiger in the movie. Nevertheless, they aren't a national power in football like they are in so many other sports.

I've thought about this a lot over the years, and I have a few theories. One is that at least into the 1970's, the ACC had tougher academic standards for football players than SEC schools -- and my guess is that UNC still has more rigorous standards than, say, Clemson. Another is that the state of North Carolina has four different colleges that play in a conference with an automatic bid to the BCS. That's a lot. Florida, which is a much bigger state, has only three schools in automatic-bid conferences. Alabama has two. Michigan has two. Illinois has two. Ohio has only one. So I think it's possible that North Carolina's high school talent is diluted across multiple teams. Finally, UNC doesn't seem to devote the same resources to football as the Southern powers. Kenan Memorial Stadium in Chapel Hill is one of the most beautiful places in America to watch a game, but it seats only 62,980 -- which is small compared to the stadiums at places like Auburn, Knoxville, and Tuscaloosa. Also, even though Mack Brown built UNC up into a big winner in the 1990's -- the Heels won 10 games in 1993 and 1997 -- UNC lost him to the deeper pockets at Texas.

To their credit, the Heels appear to be trying harder in football these days. They hired the shady but talented Butch Davis to be their coach in 2006. Davis built a winner, but the program collapsed in scandal, and Davis was fired this summer. The scandal may set back UNC, but it may also signal a serious commitment to football. After all, as we say in the South, if you ain't cheating, you ain't trying.

One sign of the Tar Heels' mediocrity in football is that they have never won the UCFC. In fact, they've only appeared in eight UCFC games, and only two since 1956. On September 25, 1999, UNC lost to UCFC holder Florida State 42-10. On September 16, 2000, FSU crushed them in another UCFC game, 63-14.

Maryland 45 - 56 Clemson (Final)

In the highest-scoring UCFC game in almost three years, the Clemson Tigers came roaring from behind to keep the title despite a ferocious challenge from an unheralded Maryland team that actually had an 18-point lead in the second half. Clemson wins the UCFC for the fifth week in a row, and runs their all-time record in UCFC play to 9-8. Clemson is also 7-0 for the first time since 2000. They will defend the title again next Saturday at home against a 5-2 North Carolina team.

The Terps will be heartbroken by their failure to overcome Clemson, despite a tremendous effort and a big lead. They fall to 9-10 in UCFC games, and Jim Tatum's 1955 team remains the only Maryland team to hold the crown. But Maryland can know that they played in one of the most entertaining of all UCFC games.

Maryland 45 - 56 Clemson (3:55 left in 4th Quarter)

The Tigers took my advice, and Andre Ellington burst through for a 44-yard touchdown. Clemson has scored an amazing 39 points in the second half. Now it appears that they will not only win, but cover the 8-point spread. They will be celebrating in Carolina.

Maryland 45 - 49 Clemson (5:44 left in 4th Quarter)

It looked like Maryland's quarterback had a man open on 4th and 9, but at the last minute a Clemson defender knocked the ball away. The Tigers take over on downs at their own 41.

They may try to run time off the clock here, but I think they need another score to be safe.

Maryland 45 - 49 Clemson (5:52 left in 4th Quarter)

Maryland hits a six-yard pass, and they now face 4th and 9 at the Clemson 41. This could be the ball game.

Maryland 45 - 49 Clemson (6:23 left in the 4th Quarter)

The Terps are called for holding, and now they have a 3d and 15 at the Clemson 47.

Maryland 45 - 49 Clemson (6:30 left in the 4th Quarter)-

Maryland calls timeout. They face a 3d and 5 at the Clemson 37.

Maryland 45 - 49 Clemson (7:09 left in the 4th Quarter)-

And now here come the Terps. Davin Maggett immediately runs 22 yards to give Maryland a 1st and 10 at the Clemson 43.

What Maryland really needs to do is score a touchdown, but not leave any time on the clock for Clemson.

Maryland 45 - 49 Clemson (7:24 left in the 4th Quarter)

Actually, Maryland's defense will not be put to the test, because Sammie Watkins -- who already has 91 receiving yards and two receiving touchdowns for Clemson -- returns the kickoff 89 yards for a touchdown!

Clemson retakes the lead, and now the burden is right back on Maryland.

This game is looking more and more like an electric football game from the early 1970s.

By the way, this is the first time both teams have scored 40 points in a UCFC game since November 29, 2008, when Oklahoma beat Oklahoma State 61-41.

Maryland 45 - 42 Clemson (7:35 left in 4th Quarter)

On 3d and 10, Maryland comes out of a timeout and C.J. Brown dumps a short pass to Matt Furstenberg, who rumbles all the way down the field for a touchdown! The Terps have re-taken the lead, and now their defense will be put to the test.

Maryland 38 - 42 Clemson (7:44 left in 4th Quarter)

Huge play coming up. The Terps have been working the ball down the field, but they now face a 3d and 10 at the Clemson 33.

Maryland 38 - 42 Clemson (11:26 left in 4th Quarter)

Once Clemson realized it was in a fight, the Tigers went berserk. They go 80 yards for another score, as Tajh Boyd throws his fourth touchdown pass of the game. Since about the 10-minute mark of the third quarter, the Tigers have outscored Maryland 25-3, and have gone from being 18 points down to four points up.

The question now is whether Maryland has any energy left for a comeback.

Maryland 38 - 35 Clemson (1:40 left in 3d Quarter)

The Clemson defense holds, and the Tigers will take over on their own 20. What a game!

Maryland 38 - 35 Clemson (3:25 left in 3d Quarter)

Now this is the Clemson team we've seen the last few weeks. After their field goal, the Tigers' defense rose up and finally stopped Maryland. After Clemson took over on its own 30, Tajh Boyd immediately hit Sammy Watkins with a 51-yard pass. Soon thereafter, Boyd threw a 15-yard TD pass to Watkins, and followed that up with a pass for the two-point conversion.

Earlier in this quarter, the Terps were up 35-17. Now it's 38-35, and all the momentum is with Clemson. The key question remains, however, can their defense hold?

Maryland 38 - 27 Clemson (6:15 left in 3d Quarter)

Clemson got the ball, and immediately broke a huge run to set up first and goal at about the 9, but Maryland held, and Clemson was forced to kick their own short field goal.

So far these teams have combined for almost 700 total yards, and we still have more than a third of the game left to play.

Maryland 38 - 24 Clemson (7:27 left in 3d Quarter)

Clemson's defense did a little better there, but not by much. Maryland again swept down the field with remarkable ease, but they stalled at the Clemson 10, and were forced to settle for their first field goal of the game.

This next Clemson possession could be extremely important.

Maryland 35 - 24 Clemson (10:46 left in 3d Quarter)

Clemson really needed a break to get back into this game, and they got one. Maryland threw an interception, which Clemson ran back to the Maryland 15. Two plays later, Tajh Boyd threw a perfect 13-yard pass into the corner of the end zone for the score.

There's still plenty of time for Clemson to come back -- if they can keep playing defense.

Maryland 35 - 17 Clemson (13:06 left in 3d Quarter)

Clemson never should have given Maryland those two early touchdowns. The Terps are just running wild. They took the opening kickoff of the second half and quickly marched 84 yards to restore their 18-point lead.

It seems increasingly clear that for the first time since 1955, the UCFC is coming to College Park.

Maryland 28 - 17 Clemson (Halftime)

Maryland has played really well, but looking over the halftime stats it is clear that turnovers have actually been the difference so far.

Maryland has 181 total yards, while Clemson has 282. But Clemson fumbled a punt inside its own 10 -- and that led to Maryland's first touchdown. And Maryland's second touchdown came off of a 46-yard interception return. Without those 14 points, the Terps would be behind.

Still, the Tigers are down by 11 points on the road, and they will have to play much better to pull this game out. The Tigers are trying to get to 7-0, and that's not easy.

Maryland 28 - 17 Clemson (5:28 left in 2d Quarter)

Clemson appears to be trying a bit harder now. Tajh Boyd leads the Tigers on a 73-yard drive that cuts Maryland's lead to 11. I still think Clemson can win this game, but they have to find some answer for Maryland's offense.

Maryland 28 - 10 Clemson (8:38 left in 2d Quarter)

The roof has really caved in on Clemson. Maryland holds, takes the ball at the Clemson 45, and drives down for its fourth touchdown of the half.

Clemson looks nothing like the team that swept past Auburn, FSU, Virginia Tech, and B.C. The intensity we saw in those earlier games is totally absent so far tonight. They clearly assumed that Maryland wouldn't be much of a challenge. But they didn't take into account that Maryland would be playing for the UCFC!

Maryland 21 - 10 Clemson (13:54 left in 2d Quarter)

But the Terps respond by taking the kickoff and going 70 yards for their third touchdown of the game. Clemson's defense has been dreadful so far.

Maryland 14 - 10 Clemson (1 minute left in 1st Quarter)

Well, this has turned into another high-scoring UCFC game. Clemson took the Maryland kickoff and ran it back 70 yards to the Maryland 30, and the Tigers quickly drove down for a touchdown to cut Maryland's lead to 4 points.

Maryland 14 - 3 Clemson (2:23 left in 1st Quarter)

Boyd may be hurt after all. He has looked so great in each of the last four UCFC games, but he looks terrible right now. He just threw an interception to a Maryland player who was simply standing alone on the Maryland 46 -- and the ball was run all the way back for a touchdown. They're going crazy in Byrd Stadium!

Maryland 7 - 3 Clemson (4:58 left in 1st Quarter)

A huge turnover, as a Clemson punt returner drops the ball and Maryland takes over at about the Clemson 9. A few plays later, Maryland bursts in for the touchdown and the Terps take the lead!

This could be Upset Day for the D.C. region. UVA knocked off previously-undefeated Georgia Tech this afternoon, and now the Terps lead Clemson 7-3.

Maryland 0 - 3 Clemson (8 minutes left in 1st quarter)

It's time for another UCFC game!

Clemson's quarterback, Tajh Boyd, is playing in this game, and so far he appears to be just fine. He leads Clemson down the field and they kick a field goal to take the lead.

Maryland is wearing hideous new uniforms this season. Like the 1979 Pittsburgh Pirates, they have multiple combinations from which to choose. Today they are wearing red shirts, red pants, black helmets, and black socks. From a distance, they look like a Georgia team from the 1930s.

Maryland v. Clemson

After beating Florida State, Virginia Tech, and Boston College, Clemson finally plays a game against a team we middle-aged fans think of as a "true" member of the ACC. Clemson and Maryland met for the first time in 1952, and have met every year since. Clemson leads the series 31-26-2. These games are usually close, although Clemson hammered Maryland 31-7 last year in Clemson.

The Terps and the Tigers have only played once for the UCFC. In 1955, Maryland held the title for almost the whole season. As part of that run, they beat Clemson 25-12 on November 12, 1955.

This year, at least on paper, Clemson should be a solid favorite. The Tigers are 6-0, and ranked number 8 in the nation, while Maryland is 2-3. Vegas is picking Clemson by eight. If Clemson's quarterback is healthy, they should win the UCFC for the fifth week in a row.

Maryland

According the 2010 U.S. Census, Maryland has a population of almost 5.8 million people, while South Carolina's population is only 4.6 million. These facts would seem to indicate that the Maryland Terrapins would have a big advantage over the Clemson Tigers when it comes to recruiting. But that is not true -- and to understand why it is not true, you have to understand the complex history and demography of the Old Line State.

Maryland is dominated by two major population areas: Baltimore and its suburbs (2.6 million people) and Montgomery County (972,000 people). Baltimore generally has no interest in college sports -- or, for that matter, in the rest of Maryland. (Baltimore politicians -- who tend to dominate Maryland politics -- usually see their primary role as taking money from the DC suburbs and spending it in the Charm City.) Baltimore is a smaller version of Philadelphia -- a tough, hard-nosed, industrial town best known these days as the setting for two TV series about crime: Homicide: Life on the Streets and The Wire. These are NFL people -- I'm not sure that any town outside of Green Bay (including Pittsburgh) cares about their pro football team as much as Baltimore loves the Ravens. Meanwhile, Montgomery County has its own reasons for ignoring the Terps. A bedroom community for DC, Montgomery County (which has no nickname) is home to earnest bureaucrats and hard-driving lobbyists who care about politics, books, getting their kids into Ivy League schools, and remodeling their kitchens. These are people who will take a couple of hours each week on Sunday to check in on the Redskins, and who will take their kids to see the Nationals three or four times a year, but that's about all the time they have for sports. So the two most important jurisdictions in Maryland have virtually no interest in the Terps.

The University of Maryland is actually in the third-largest jurisdiction in Maryland -- Prince George's County. P.G. County (population 863,000) is the largest and wealthiest majority-African-American county in the United States, and many of its citizens are successful professionals who (like their compatriots in Montgomery County) moved here from somewhere else -- a fact that tends to limit interest in Terp sports.

That leaves the rest of the state -- and here we find the Maryland fan. Once you get outside of Baltimore, Montgomery County, and P.G. County, Maryland still looks very much like the Southern state that it was for much of its history. You have the rolling foothills of western Maryland, the exurbs of Frederick, Howard County, Anne Arundel County, and southern Maryland, and the farms and fishermen of the Eastern Shore. Here is where you will find the working-class folks who tend to be the backbone of college fanbases everywhere, and here is where people love the Terps. And they do love them. Maryland doesn't have very many fans, but the fans it has are extremely passionate -- no fanbase on earth (including Kentucky's) hates Duke's basketball team as much as Maryland fans.

Unfortunately, Maryland fans haven't had much to root for during football season since Bobby Ross left in 1986. Except for a surprising ACC championship in 2001, the Terps have generally been in the position of hoping to win six or seven games and go to a minor bowl. This year they have a new coach, Randy Edsell (formerly of UConn). But the season has been disappointing. Since opening with a 32-24 win over Miami of Florida, they have gone 1-3, with their only win coming against Towson State.

The glory years of Maryland football took place from 1947 to 1955, when the team was coached by Jim Tatum. Tatum won the national championship in 1953, and on September 24, 1955 he led Maryland to the UCFC with 7-0 win over UCLA. The Terps kept the title for the rest of the regular season, winning nine UCFC matchups before they were beaten by number 1 Oklahoma in the 1956 Orange Bowl. Since then, the Terps have appeared in seven other UCFC games, but have not won any of them. Their all-time record in UCFC play is 9-9.

Clemson 36 - 14 Boston College (Final)

As expected Clemson gets an easy win, but they will be anxious about their quarterback Tajh Boyd.  Next week they travel to Maryland for a night game against another bad team in what should be an easy win.  Problem is they will be on the road and they may be starting a true freshman quarterback.

With this win Clemson runs their UCFC record to 8-8 and moves them to 6-0 for the season.  Boston College falls to 0-6 in UCFC games with this loss and so that's two weeks in a row that Clemson has played a team who has never won a UCFC game. 

Cole Stoudt

With Clemson's starting quarterback Tajh Boyd hurt they have had to turn to their true freshman quarterback Cole Stoudt, Cliff Stoudt's son.

Clemson 36 - 14 Boston College (11:24 4th quarter)

And that's that.  After the last Clemson field goal, Boston College had a solid kick return called back by a stupid penalty.  They could do nothing with the ball and were forced to punt.  Clemson drove down and were sitting 4th and 1 a the Boston College 35.  They went for it with a straight run up the middle which broke for a touchdown.  That should do it. 

Clemson 29 - 14 Boston College 3rd quarter

Clemson bounces back and puts together a solid drive sparked by their freshman running back and freshman receiver, but again are held to a field goal, their 5th of the day. 

Clemson 26 - 14 Boston College (5:09 3rd quarter)

Since Boyd went down to injury Boston College has completely dominated.  They were picked off at the one, but held and then bounced back with a touchdown.  This game is suddenly looking quite interesting.  Clemson will need for their running game to pick up with their starting quarterback out, and so far today they have not been able to run against the Eagles. 

Clemson 26 - 7 Boston College 3rd quarter

Clemson takes the opening kickoff and walks down the field, but once again have to settle for another field goal.  Their starting quarterback, Tajh Boyd, also had to be helped off the field after taking a nasty looking fall twisting his knee.  Not sure yet if he'll return.

This Clemson team if very young.  Boyd is a sophomore and his primary receiver is a true freshman.  When Boyd went out his replacement was another true freshman.   

Clemson 23 - 7 Boston College Halftime

Clemson goes to their two minute offense and drive right down the field but had to settle for another field goal. 

The Tigers should have a much bigger lead, but unless something drastic happens I don't see Boston College being able to take advantage of the door that Clemson has left open. 

Clemson 20 - 7 Boston College 2nd quarter

Finally Boston College does something on offense, and it's a good steady drive that ends in a nice run for a touchdown.  There is still a long way to go for the Eagles, but at least they know now they can score on Clemson. 

Clemson 20 - 0 Boston College 2nd quarter

Well after some back and forth Clemson took over at around the 50 and settled with a field goal.  Boston College is playing better, but so far have shown no sign of being able to do anything against the Clemson defense. 

Clemson 17 - 0 Boston College 1st Quarter

After forcing a fumble the Tigers quickly score. So far they are completely dominating this game. 

Clemson 10 - 0 Boston College 1st Quarter

On their next possession Clemson settled for a field goal after starting at their own 16. 

Clemson 7 - 0 Boston College

On Clemson's first possession they easily went 80 yards to take a quick lead.  This looks like it could be a long day for Boston College fans.

No Live Blog of Clemson-B.C.

Because I will be traveling tomorrow, I will not be able to live-blog the Clemson-B.C. game.

Clemson v. Boston College

You wouldn't think that a land-grant college in South Carolina and a Jesuit school in Boston would have that many games against each other. But this series actually goes back to the 1940 Cotton Bowl, when the Clemson program first obtained national recognition by upsetting B.C. by the score of 6 to 3. Since then the teams have played off and on throughout the years -- and they have played every year since B.C. joined the ACC in 2005. The series is tied: each team has a record of 9-9-2 against the other.

In recent years, these games have been quite competitive -- five of the six meetings since 2005 were decided by a touchdown or less. But B.C. is 1-4 this year, with their only win coming over UMass, a I-AA school. Meanwhile, Clemson is up to number 8 in the country thanks to its 5-0 record and its three consecutive wins over Auburn, Florida State, and Virginia Tech -- all of which were ranked in the AP poll when they played Clemson. Under these circumstances, Vegas has installed Clemson as a 21-point favorite to beat the Eagles and retain the UCFC. Given how impressive Clemson has been in recent weeks, it's hard to disagree with that analysis.

Boston College

Prior to around 1950 or so, there were a lot of Catholic colleges with good football programs. Vince Lombardi played at Fordham. Georgetown played in the 1941 Orange Bowl. Holy Cross played in the 1946 Orange Bowl. But as the cost of playing big-time football increased, Catholic schools tended to drop big-time football. For decades now, only two such schools have remained in Division I-A: Notre Dame (of course) and Boston College.

B.C. has had its moments, the most famous of which was on November 23, 1984, when Doug Flutie threw a spectacular touchdown pass on the last play of the game to beat Miami of Florida on the day after Thanksgiving by a score of 47-45. I watched that game, and I can honestly say it was one of the greatest sports moments I ever saw.

For most of its history, B.C. was an independent team playing mostly schools in the East. In 1991, B.C. began playing in the Big East conference, where it stayed until 2004. Since then, it has been a member of the ACC, which is why it is playing Clemson this weekend. This has been an awkward marriage -- ACC fans have no interest in playing B.C., and folks up in Boston aren't particularly interested in watching UVA or Wake Forest when they come to town. B.C. is no doubt relieved that two other Yankee schools -- Syracuse and Pittsburgh -- will soon be joining them in the ACC.

B.C. has never won the UCFC, and has actually only appeared in five UCFC games. Two of those were in the 1920s, while the other three were B.C.'s games in 2000, 2001, and 2002 with Miami of Florida. Those three games all resulted in blowouts for the Canes.

Virginia Tech 3 - 23 Clemson (Final)

I've got to quit picking against Clemson. The Tigers have now won three consecutive games against ranked opposition, and they simply dominated Tech today. The Tigers run their record to 7-8 in UCFC games, while the Hokies fall to 0-14.

Next week, Clemson returns home to defend their title against the 1-4 Boston College Eagles.

Virginia Tech 3 - 17 Clemson (10:42 left in 3d Quarter)

I'm starting to think I have seriously underestimated Clemson. They open the second half by stopping Tech cold, and then marching down the field for their second touchdown. It is extremely rare to see Tech trail by 14 points on its home field during an ACC game. In fact, the Hokies have won 12 straight in ACC play. But so far tonight, they have been over-matched.

Virginia Tech 3 - 10 Clemson (Halftime)

I didn't think Clemson would find it as easy to score against Tech as it was against Auburn or FSU, and I was right about that. But Tech hasn't been able to score either, and the Tigers have to like their position at this point.

Virginia Tech 3 - 10 Clemson (1:49 left in 2d Quarter)

And now Hokie fans will be even more concerned. A good kickoff return, combined with a personal foul on Tech, gives Clemson the ball at the Tech 48. From there, the Tigers march quickly down the field for the first touchdown of the night.

Virginia Tech 3 - 3 Clemson (4:35 left in 2d Quarter)

Tech takes advantage of a turnover to kick a 24-yard field goal. But Hokie fans will be concerned that their offense is having so much trouble with the Clemson defense.

Viginia Tech 0 - 3 Clemson (2:12 left in 1st Quarter)

Compared to the high-scoring UCFC action we've seen most of the year, this game has gotten off to a more stately start. But Clemson has finally opened the scoring with a long drive that stalled around the Tech 20.

Virginia Tech v. Clemson

One would think that the engineering school from Virginia and the engineering school from South Carolina would have a long and storied rivalry, but this is not the case. For most of their history, Virginia Tech's biggest rival was actually VMI -- a somewhat more exclusive set of engineers -- and Tech just wasn't on the same level as Clemson. Even after Tech joined the ACC a few years ago, the Hokies were put in a different division from Clemson, so the two teams do not play every year.

As they do with most of their mid-Atlantic rivals, Clemson leads the series. The Tigers have gone 17-12-1 against the Hokies. But these figures are somewhat misleading, as Clemson won 13 of 14 match-ups between 1935 and 1985. In fact, the Hokies have won their first five meetings with Clemson, and have not lost to the Tigers since September 16, 1989.

Both teams are undefeated. Tech is ranked number 11 by the AP, while Clemson is number 13 in the same poll. Tech is favored by 7 points -- which seems like a lot to me, but I do think the Hokies will bring the title to Virginia.

Virginia Tech

Of all the states in the South, the Old Dominion has been the most resistant to the lure of big-time college football. Here, more than anywhere else below the Mason-Dixon Line, educators and elites drew a line in the sand to resist the trappings of major college sports. I have never fully understood why this was so. Maybe it's the fox hunting. Maybe it's respect for higher education. Maybe it's the notion that "gentlemen" shouldn't engage in physical competition with rabble. But, for whatever reason, Virginia has generally been a dead zone on the cell phone map of college football.

So in 1953, when eight schools broke away from the old Southern Conference to form a new Atlantic Coast Conference, the new league included four schools from North Carolina, two from South Carolina, and only one -- Mr. Jefferson's University -- from the Old Dominion. Over the next two decades, three other Virginia schools -- William and Mary, VMI, and Washington and Lee -- all downgraded their programs and stopped playing big-time football. UVA was in a major conference, but the Cavaliers have generally been content to bump along at the bottom of the league.

That left Virginia Tech. Now Tech was founded during Reconstruction, which means it lacks the historical cachet of the other Virginia schools. Also, Tech is in Blacksburg -- which is far off the beaten trail by Virginia standards. And finally, Tech is, after all, a technical school -- "Virginia Polytechnic Institute" -- and engineering is not usually thought of as a profession for gentlemen. These facts have all acted as a drag on Tech's academic rating -- although U.S. News still ranks it well above most schools in the SEC -- but they also freed Tech to develop its football program. Tech is very much the People's College in a state where traditionally the People didn't get a whole lot of attention. Going to Charlottesville and pounding the Cavaliers in football has always been a great way for Tech fans to get their revenge.

But for most of its history, Tech was a vagabond in the world of college football. The Hokies (the nickname derives from a 19th-century cheer developed by Tech students) belonged to no major conference, making it harder for them to obtain big-time recruits. On December 22, 1986, however, Tech hired Frank Beamer (a Tech grad from Fancy Gap, Virginia) away from Murray State (where he went 42-23-2), and Beamer made Tech into a major power. Much of the credit goes to Beamer's coaching; his teams always play hard, rarely beat themselves, and feature solid defense and outstanding special teams. But Beamer should also get credit for his recruiting. He has dominated the Hampton Roads region -- a sort of miniature Alabama that produces excellent football talent (just ask Bruce Smith (Norfolk) and Michael Vick (Newport News), both of whom went from the Hampton Roads area to star at Tech.

Nevertheless, while Tech has won and won and won over the last 25 years, and has leveraged those victories into a position in the snooty ACC. But for all their success, Tech has not been able to break through to the highest level of the game. While Hampton Roads produces a lot of talent on a per-capita basis, it doesn't have the population to allow Tech to consistently beat schools from places like Florida, Alabama, Ohio, and Texas.

In fact, Tech has never won the UCFC. Prior to 1988, the Hokies only played in five UCFC games -- all against East Coast powers -- and they lost every time. Since 1988, Tech has lost two UCFC games to Florida State (one of which was the 1999 National Championship game), three UCFC games to Miami of Florida (in 2000, 2001, and 2002), and they lost to Reggie Bush's USC team in 2004. None of those defeats are shameful. Tech also lost to UVA in a 1989 UCFC game, but that was an unusually strong Cavs team. So while it is true that Tech is 0-13 in UCFC competition, it is also true that today's game represents the Hokies' best chance to take the title.

Clemson 35 - 30 Florida State (Final)

FSU fought back with another touchdown -- and then actually stopped Clemson to give itself another chance. But on 4th and 4 in the middle of the field, FSU was hit with another penalty (the Noles, who are traditionally one of the most penalized of all teams, had 11 penalties for 124 yards on the day). On 4th and 9, with less than two minutes to go, the FSU quarterback was sacked -- and Clemson ran out the clock.

It was a huge victory for the Tigers -- it puts them in the driver's seat in their division, and means that they are 4-0 for the first time since 2007. It also runs their record in UCFC games to 6-8. FSU's record in such games falls to 25-6, and the Noles have now lost 5 UCFC matchups in a row.

Next week, Clemson travels up to Blacksburg, Virginia to take on another major ACC power -- the Virginia Tech Hokies.

Clemson 35 - 23 Florida State (8:41 left in 4th Quarter)

Well, sports fans, that's it for me -- at least for awhile. I have a number of errands to run, so I will wrap up this report later this evening. FSU's offense performed about as I had expected -- I am simply shocked that the same defense that played so well against Oklahoma last week has been pretty much useless today.

Clemson 35 - 23 Florida State (13:06 left in 4th Quarter)

Well, there's the inevitable Clemson response -- Tajh Boyd, who has thrown for 310 yards in this game, hits Sammy Watkins with a 62-yard pass to give Clemson a 12-point lead.

FSU's defense has been almost completely useless in this game. They just cannot stop Clemson when they really need to.

Clemson 28 - 23 Florida State (14:55 left in 4th Quarter)

FSU strikes back with a long drive of their own that concludes with a beautiful 30-yard touchdown pass -- that backup QB is looking better and better for the Noles. But then Jimbo Fisher, the Noles' coach, does something unbelievably stupid -- he goes for two. Of course, FSU doesn't make it -- which means that Clemson can now build an eight-point lead by kicking a field goal.

Clemson 28 - 17 Florida State (3:03 left in 3d Quarter)

But the Noles' defense fails them once again -- Clemson drives 55 yards in 10 plays to restore their 11-point lead. You just get the impression that having to get so jacked up for a big game against Oklahoma last week -- which they lost -- and then having to go up to Clemson for a game against a bunch of rabid Tigers has just been too much for FSU.

Clemson 21 - 17 Florida State (13:50 left in 3d Quarter)

This is exactly what FSU needed -- the Noles pick off a Clemson pass and run it back 25 yards for a touchdown. Despite their problems on offense, FSU is suddenly back in the game.

Clemson 21 - 10 Florida State (Halftime)

FSU is playing their back-up quarterback in this game, as their starter was injured in last week's game against Oklahoma. But the big problem for the Noles in the first half was that their defense had major problems stopping Clemson. Right now, unless things change dramatically, the UCFC is staying in Clemson.

Clemson 21 - 10 Florida State (9:52 left in 2d Quarter)

A potentially significant exchange there. After Clemson's touchdown, the Tigers intercepted an FSU pass, giving them the ball at the FSU 20. The Tigers had a great chance to put FSU in a big hole, but the Seminole defense held, and Clemson missed a 35-yard field goal.

Clemson 21 - 10 Florida State (11:31 left in 2d Quarter)

FSU was supposed to have a good defense, and their defense did look pretty good last week against Oklahoma, but Clemson is just going up and down the field at will. The Tigers respond to FSU's touchdown pass with a 9 play, 88-yard drive that takes only 3 minutes and 43 seconds.

This game is looking more and more like the games my brother and I would play in our back yard in about 1977.

Clemson 14 -10 Florida State (14 seconds left in 1st Quarter)

But wait! The Noles respond almost immediately, connecting on a 57-yard pass for their first touchdown of the game. For the fourth week in a row, we appear to be in a high-scoring UCFC game.

Clemson 14 - 3 Florida State (1:54 left in 1st Quarter)

After an exchange of punts, as Lindsey Nelson would say, Clemson puts together an 8-play, 72-yard drive to build an 11-point lead. So far, the oddsmakers are looking good.

Clemson 7 - 3 Florida State (7:47 left in 1st Quarter)

Well, here we go again. Clemson immediately responds to FSU's field goal by driving the length of the field and taking the lead on a 24-yard TD pass. We've been having high-scoring UCFC battles all year, and so far this game is no exception.

Clemson 0 - 3 Florida State (10:23 left in 1st Quarter)

So far, so good for the Noles; FSU takes the opening kickoff, marches quickly down the field, and kicks a 32-yard field goal.

Clemson v. Florida State

It's hard to remember now, but there was a time when Clemson was considered the big football power in the ACC. Until FSU came on board, Clemson was pretty much the only member of the ACC that took football very seriously, and they tended to be the dominant force in the conference.

Of course that all changed once FSU came to town. The Noles beat Clemson the first 11 times they met them in conference play, winning every game in the series from 1992 through 2002. Since then, Florida State has not been nearly such a force in the game, and Clemson has more than held its own. In fact, Clemson has won the last four times that the two teams met at Clemson -- FSU hasn't won there since 2001. Still, the Noles lead the all-time series 17-7.

These teams have met twice in UCFC play. On January 1, 1988, Clemson took the UCFC from Penn State, and kept it until FSU beat them (in what was then a non-conference game) 24-21. On October 23, 1999, FSU held the title -- and was on its way to the national championship -- when it beat Clemson 17-14.

Clemson (3-0) is ranked number 21 in the country by AP, while FSU (2-1) is ranked number 11. The Noles are coming off of a 23-13 loss at home to Number 1 Oklahoma. Clemson is favored today by 2 1/2 to 3 points, but personally I think the Noles are going to get it done today. Of course, I am rooting for Clemson -- if the Tigers win today, then the next UCFC game will be played in Blacksburg, Virginia, very close to the UCFC's East Coast Headquarters.

Florida State

Of all the great powers in college football, Florida State has the shortest history with the game -- a relic of the fact that for most of U.S. history, the state of Florida was a miserable place: hot, sweltering, and swampy. Until the rise of air conditioning, very few people bothered to live there. Thus, the college population of Florida at the turn of the 20th century -- when most schools started playing big-time football -- was not great. In fact, in 1905 Florida State College -- which had been going through various iterations since the 1820s -- was changed into the Florida Female College, and its enrollment was limited to white girls. It was not until 1947 (after returning G.I.'s had placed an enormous strain on the Florida college system) that FSU was given its current name and opened to male students.

The Seminoles started playing football in 1948, although they didn't beat the University of Florida until 1964. Meanwhile, Florida was benefiting from the enormous boom in population that continues to this day. Florida's growing population resulted in a tremendous surge of football talent that completely changed the geography of the game. Until the late 1970s, Florida teams were virtually never heard of at the national level. Since 1983, however, Florida schools have won 10 national championships, divided between Miami of Florida (1983, 1987, 1989, 1991, and 2001), the University of Florida (1996, 2006, and 2008), and FSU (1993 and 1999).

FSU's rise to prominence coincided not only with the boom in Florida's population, but with the arrival of Bobby Bowden, who took over as coach at the beginning of the 1976 season. I can remember when FSU was the Boise State of the nation -- a virtually unknown program that had seemingly come out of nowhere to challenge the big teams. By the late 1980's, however, FSU was recognized as a national power.

On September 19, 1988, FSU played its first UCFC game -- and won, beating Clemson 24-21. The Noles then held the title for the rest of the 1988 season, losing it to Southern Mississippi (and Brett Favre) in a stunning 30-26 upset in the first week of the 1989 season. A few years later, FSU was faced with the most important decision in its football history. The SEC had decided to expand to 12 teams in order to hold a college football conference championship, and the conference wanted to add the Noles, who had always been independent. But the ACC was also looking to expand, and FSU decided to go with that conference. I have always assumed that a big factor in the decision was that Bowden knew that by joining the ACC, he would have a great chance to go undefeated almost every year. And in fact, FSU finished in the top 4 of the AP poll in every season from 1987 to 1999 -- an unbelievable record, and one that was very frustrating to SEC fans.

FSU re-took the UCFC toward the end of its run, beating North Carolina State 42-11 on September 18, 1999. Again, the Noles kept the title throughout the season, which ended with a 46-29 victory over Virginia Tech (and Michael Vick) in the Sugar Bowl to win the national championship. In fact, FSU kept the title until October 7, 2000, when the Noles were finally beaten by Miami of Florida, 27-24. At that point, thanks to its two long runs with the title, FSU had an incredible record of 25-2 in UCFC competition.

But that was the end of the dynasty. Bobby Bowden had crossed some type of threshold that meant he could no longer continue to stockpile the incredible levels of talent that he had enjoyed throughout the 1990s. FSU began to falter, and the Noles have not been a power since the 2000 season. In fact, FSU has now lost its last four trips to the UCFC game -- the 2000 loss to Miami was followed by losses to Miami in 2001 and 2002, as well as a loss to Florida in 2009.

Bowden was finally pushed out the door after the 2009 season, and FSU appears to be returning to national prominence under Jimbo Fisher. If Fisher is able to recruit as well as Bowden once did, the college football landscape could once again be tilted toward Tallahassee.

Clemson 38 - 24 Auburn (Final)

There were no last-minute heroics for Auburn this week, as Clemson was able to dominate possession down the stretch. And so, for the first time since 1988, the UCFC has gone to the Clemson Tigers. Clemson's UCFC record is now 5-8.

Auburn falls to 17-9 in UCFC matchups, and the SEC loses the title for the first time since January 8, 2009, when Florida beat Oklahoma for the 2008 BCS championship. The SEC had held the title for 32 games in a row.

The ACC takes over the title for the first time since October 7, 2000, when Florida State lost the UCFC to Miami of Florida (who was a Big East school back then) by the score of 27-24.

Interestingly, Florida State will be rolling into Clemson next week -- so Clemson's first defense will be extremely difficult.

Clemson 38 - 24 Auburn (9:33 left in 4th Quarter)

Well, that's your ball game. Clemson scored a touchdown to go up 35-24, then drove down for a field goal to make it 38-24. Auburn, trying desperately to preserve the UCFC, launched a drive that took it to the Clemson 9 -- but then threw an interception. Clemson is now on its way back down the field.

Clemson fans will be happy with this win -- as they should be. Auburn had won 17 games in a row, had beaten Clemson 14 times in a row, and jumped out to a 14-0 lead. Since then, Clemson has simply run roughshod over Auburn, outscoring them 38-10.

Nevertheless, my own belief is that Auburn will turn out not to be all that good -- they just don't have any defense. On the other hand, I think Clemson's next opponent -- Florida State -- will turn out to be very good. So while they will be celebrating in Clemson this week, my guess is that this page will not stay orange and purple for very long.

Clemson 28 - 24 Auburn (5 minutes left in 3d Quarter)

Auburn stops the bleeding -- after giving up 21 consecutive points to Clemson, Auburn gets 3 points of its own back after their drive stalls at the Clemson 20.

But now Clemson can put the hammer down. Another touchdown here would put Auburn in a serious hole.

Clemson 28 - 21 Auburn (8:01 left in 3d Quarter)

This could turn out to be important. As Clemson was steaming down the field for yet another touchdown -- with Auburn apparently unable to stop them -- a Clemson running back fumbled the ball at the Auburn 18, and Auburn recovered.

Now, can Auburn restart its own offense, and get back into this game? This may be Auburn's last chance; Clemson will likely score again if they get the ball back quickly.

Clemson 28 - 21 Auburn (10:49 left in 3d Quarter)

Clemson comes out and almost immediately hits a 65-yard touchdown pass for its first lead of the game. Then they hold Auburn to a 3 and out. Now Clemson is driving again -- they have the ball on their own 46.

Florida State fans should start getting very excited about a potential UCFC matchup with Clemson next week.

Clemson 21 - 21 Auburn (Halftime)

Clemson's defense holds, and the clock runs out. The first half featured 82 plays and 520 yards of offense.

Years from now, Auburn's reign will be remembered as a golden age in the history of the UCFC. We have another classic today.

Clemson 21 - 21 Auburn (1:11 left in 2d Quarter)

It's all Clemson all the time right now. The South Carolina Tigers stop their Alabama counterparts, take back the ball, and reel off a very easy 75-yard drive for yet another touchdown.

Oh, well. At least Auburn should be used to this type of game.

Clemson 14 - 21 Auburn (5:06 left in 2d Quarter)

It is hard to overstate how good Auburn's offense is or how bad Auburn's defense is. Clemson comes straight back -- converting three separate third and long plays -- with a 12-play, 81-yard drive to pull back within seven points. This game is very much up for grabs. It will probably go to whichever team makes the fewest turnover.

So far Auburn has 254 yards of total offense, while Clemson has 175.

Clemson 7 - 21 Auburn (8:54 left in 2d Quarter)

But Auburn's offense is just amazing good at shaking off scores by the other team. They're used to seeing their defense give up dozens of points, and they just keep trying to score themselves. The Alabama Tigers march 89 yards in 16 plays to get back their 14-point lead.

Clemson 7 - 14 Auburn (14:56 left in 2d Quarter)

Well, Auburn appears to be in for another shootout for the third week in a row. After Auburn's touchdown, they held Clemson and took over at their own 4. Clemson held, and got the ball back at its 40. Then Clemson had a very easy drive down the field for their first touchdown of the game.

Clemson 0 - 14 Auburn (7:54 left in 1st Quarter)

Auburn's drive appeared to have stalled when the Tigers had 4th and 4 on the Clemson 36. But Auburn decided to go for it -- and when Clemson brought up their defense to prevent the first down, Auburn QB Barrett Trotter threw a perfect pass over the top for another touchdown.

So far, this game is not going as Clemson planned.

Clemson 0 - 7 Auburn (10:36 left in 1st Quarter)

Well, that didn't take long. Michael Dyer breaks a 52-yard touchdown run on Auburn's first possession, and the Alabama Tigers lead the South Carolina Tigers 7-0.

By the way, you can tell this is a big game for Clemson because they are wearing orange jerseys and orange pants.

Clemson v. Auburn

Up until 1971, these two teams played 44 games against each other. One of those games was a UCFC battle -- on November 28, 1942, Auburn defended its title at home with a 41-13 victory over Clemson. Since 1971, they have met only three times. On January 2, 1998, Auburn beat Clemson 21-17 in the Peach Bowl. On December 31, 2007, the two Tigers again met in the Peach Bowl (I refuse to call it the Chick-Fil-A Bowl), and Auburn won 23-20 in overtime.

Last year the two Tigers met in Auburn for a regular-season matchup. This game was a real cracker. Clemson jumped out to a 17-0 lead, which Auburn trimmed to 17-3 by the half. In the third quarter, Auburn roared back to pull ahead by 24-17 -- but in the fourth quarter, Clemson tied the score at 24. The game went to overtime, and Auburn won it 27-24. Auburn went on to win the national title. Clemson sputtered to a record of 6-7.

Auburn leads the all-time series 34-11-2, and they haven't lost to Clemson since 1951, but I expect this game to be very close. Auburn doesn't have much of a defense, this is their first road game of the year, and Clemson is usually tough at home. In fact, Clemson is favored by 3 1/2 points, making this the second straight week that Auburn has been an underdog.

By the way, this game is very important to the future of the UCFC. If Clemson wins, they will certainly lose the title to Florida State next week, and the Noles will keep the title at least until the end of the year when they play Florida. On the other hand, if Auburn wins, the title will probably stay in the SEC for the rest of the year.

Clemson

Another week, another game for Auburn against a land-grant college. First they beat Utah State. Then they beat Mississippi State. Now they travel to Clemson, South Carolina to take on the Clemson Tigers. Ever since Clemson won the 1981 national championship, the Tigers have been frustrated in their efforts to break through as a big-time power. You can usually count on Clemson to win 7-8 games a year, but you can also count on them to blow games against teams like North Carolina State or Maryland -- and they usually don't do well in major non-conference games.

Clemson is 4-8 in UCFC games. In October 1974 -- an odd time for the UCFC -- Clemson took the UCFC by beating Duke (Duke!) 17-13. But the very next week, they lost the title to Tennessee 29-28. On January 1, 1988, Clemson regained the title by beating Penn State 35-10 in the Citrus Bowl. The next season, they opened the year with wins over Virginia Tech and Furman, before losing the crown to Florida State 24-21. They've never gotten it back.

Auburn 41 - 34 Mississippi St. (Final)

MSU had 531 yards of total offense in this game, and a remarkable 333 rushing yards. With 10 seconds to go -- and with no timeouts left -- the Bulldogs only needed two yards. Rather trying a pass, which keeps alive the possibility of stopping the clock if the pass is incomplete, the MSU coach gave the ball to his quarterback, Chris Reif, who had already run for 113 yards in this game. Reif spotted a hole, and it certainly looked as though he was going in. But then -- at the last possible minute -- he was cold-cocked by the Auburn safety, and he fell at once. The ball hit the ground about six inches short of the goal line, the last few seconds of game ran out, and Auburn had AGAIN DEFENDED THE UCFC!

Auburn's UCFC record is now 17-8. MSU's UCFC record falls to 1-8.

What a game. What a start to the season.

We'll see you next week when Auburn defends the UCFC in Clemson, South Carolina.

Auburn 41 - 34 Mississippi St. (10 seconds left in 4th Quarter)

MSU gets stuffed at the goal line on 1st down, and the Bulldogs call their final time out with 10 seconds to go.

Auburn 41 - 34 Mississippi St. (18 seconds left in 4th Quarter)

Vick Ballard, who has rushed for 136 yards today, almost scored a spectacular touchdown for MSU, as he tried to leap into the end zone from the 4 yard line. But he was pushed out of bounds just short of the goal.

Auburn 41 - 34 Mississippi St. (38 seconds left in 4th Quarter)

MSU is going straight down the field once again. They now have a first down at the Auburn 13.

Auburn 41 - 34 Mississippi St. (3:01 left in 4th Quarter)

Auburn punts to the 11, and MSU runs it back to the 32. This will probably be the Bulldogs' last chance to tie the game.

Auburn 41 - 34 Mississippi St. (3:01 left in 4th Quarter)

MSU holds! Auburn goes three and out, and the Tigers will have to punt from their own 38-yard line.

Auburn 41 - 34 Mississippi St. (4:16 left in 4th Quarter)

MSU kicked off deep, and Auburn ran the ball out to their own 31.

Auburn 41 - 34 Mississippi St. (4:51 left in 4th Quarter)

But MSU isn't finished yet! They reel off an 84-yard drive that ends in a touchdown. The Bulldogs now have 465 total yards, to 375 for Auburn. Now it will be interesting to see if they try an onside kick, or if they think they can finally stop Auburn's offense.