Previewing the First Weekend of ACC Conference Games

After a long non-conference season it's finally here: ACC conference play. There's nothing better. First a quick look back to the week: not a lot of note. The only mild surprise was Georgia Tech losing on the road at Georgia, a place they have a hard time winning. I tend to forgive the Jackets a bit since it was a rivalry game but their margin for error is declining.

So now to the weekend: 6 big conference games. Here's what you can expect:

Saturday:

Virginia at NC State (12:00 pm, Raycom) - Whoever wins this game will have a leg up in the race for the cellar. Conference wins will be hard to come by for both. NC State needs to win at home.
Duke at Georgia Tech (2:00 pm, ESPN) - Duke has really been rolling, and appears likely to win this one on the road in Atlanta. Georgia Tech is staring at an 0-2 conference hole, with both of those losses at home, unless they can pull the upset.
BC at Clemson (4:00 pm, Raycom) - BC has had a rough stretch, and it will be tough to win a road game against a Clemson team who will be pissed off after being blown out at Duke. If BC can keep it close, they have a chance.
Wake Forest at Miami (6:00 pm, ESPNU) - This is a very interesting matchup. I like the way Wake has been playing, and Miami has been off to a great start. I have a feeling the more experienced Deacs pull out a road win.

Sunday:

Florida State at Maryland (5:30 pm, FSN) - The Terps have been disappointing so far, but have a chance to put together a good win over a Seminole team that has been playing great. Should be a low scoring affair.
Virginia Tech at UNC (7:45 pm, FSN) - The story in this one is injuries. No Marcus Ginyard, maybe no Will Graves for UNC. Maybe no Malcolm Delaney for VT. If Tech's young players can keep their composure they have a shot.