Canes can take command of Coastal

CLEMSON -- If No. 9 Miami can go into Blacksburg at 3:30 p.m. Saturday and defeat No. 11 Virginia Tech, a game televised on WCIV, the Hurricanes will hold a commanding 3-0 lead in the Coastal Division.

Raise your hand if you had the Canes as Coastal champs in your preseason picks.

Miami has already logged two impressive wins at Florida State and at home against Georgia Tech. Saturday's game will arguably be the toughest yet, and if the Canes win, the road to Tampa will run through Miami in the ACC's toughest division.

There are other intriguing games in the ACC.

North Carolina can really put Georgia Tech in a hole, South Florida could add further in-state legitimacy with a win at Florida State, and Clemson could get back in the national conversation with a win against No. 15 TCU.

Three up

Coastal Division

The Coastal features three top 25 teams in the AP poll: Miami (9), Virginia Tech (11) and North Carolina (22). Florida State (18) is the only team ranked in the Atlantic.

Florida State

So much for the early death spiral. After the opening loss at Miami and near meltdown to Jacksonville State, FSU tied the ACC record for points against a top-10 foe with a 54-28 win at No. 7 BYU. It matched Florida State's 54-point output in a win over 10th-ranked Clemson in 2000.

Florida State RB Ty Jones

The sophomore displaced Jermaine Thomas as the Seminoles No. 1 running back with his first 100-yard game (108).

Three down

Georgia Tech defense

The Yellow Jackets had no answers for Miami's Jacory Harris or Mark Whipple last Thursday, a week after allowing freshman QB Kyle Parker to nearly lift Clemson from a 24-0 first-half deficit. Georgia Tech is allowing 420 yards a game to ACC foes.

Boston College offense

Clemson's defense might be as good or better than advertised, but still, 54 total yards?

Virginia

Duke finally has someone to look down upon. The Cavs are the only winless team in the ACC (0-3).

By the numbers

6 -- The number of field goals by Clemson kicker Richard Jackson against Boston College, tying the ACC single-game record set by Duke's Vince Fusco against Clemson in 1976 and since matched by Clemson's Jad Dean (2005) and North Carolina's Josh McGee (1999).

6 -- Number of completions by Georgia Tech at Miami, and the number of receptions by Jackets WR Demaryius Thomas (133 yards) in the game. It is the second time in his career that Thomas has caught every Yellow Jackets pass completion in a game.

329 -- Consecutive passes by N.C. State's Russell Wilson without an interception, the longest streak in NCAA history. Wilson surpassed former Kentucky quarterback Andre Woodson (325) last week.

Quote of the week

"The big problem with our offense is we never had the ball," -- Georgia Tech's Paul Johnson of the loss at Miami.

Trav's take

--Funny how two weeks, especially early in the season, can change perception. No one is talking about the job security of Miami's Randy Shannon now as the Hurricanes have a chance to own a commanding 3-0 lead in the Coastal with a road with at Virginia Tech.

--Outside of Iggy Pop, is there a more popular guy in south Florida than offensive coordinator Mark Whipple? Miami QB Jacory Harris would answer no, as he is third in the country in passer rating (184.1).

--The loss of three defensive linemen to the NFL is having a major impact upon the Jackets. Gazing into The Post and Courier's crystal ball, I see a fourth-place finish for Tech in the Coastal.

HIGH FIVE

Ranking the ACC's top five toughest venues to play in.

1. Lane Stadium, Blacksburg, Va. - While not as large as some other stadiums in the conference (66,000), per capita Tech fans might be the most fervent.

2. Doak Campbell Stadium, Tallahasse, Fla. - The largest stadium in the conference (82,300) and one of three venues (Va. Tech, Clemson) that are SEC-like.

3. Memorial Stadium, Clemson - The second-largest stadium (81,500) in the conference and perhaps the most rich in tradition with The Hill and Howard's Rock.

4. Bobby Dodd Stadium, Atlanta - The oldest stadium in Division I-A. The facility has great sightlines, placing 55,000 seemingly right on top of the field.

5. Carter-Finley Stadium, Raleigh - If Wolfpack fans had something to cheer about, I'm betting this place would be among the conference's least hospitable.