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Gunning for Championships
by Chris Coleman, TechSideline.com

With the Virginia Tech victory over Boston College on Thursday night, the Hokies have virtually guaranteed that the ACC Championship will be won by Florida State, Miami or VT.

Boston College was the only team with a realistic chance to defeat Florida State in the Atlantic Division. With their loss last night, the Eagles are now one game behind the Seminoles, with FSU possessing the head-to-head victory. Unless Florida State loses two more ACC games (they have Maryland and NC State at home, then Clemson on the road), they are going to the ACC Championship Game on December 3.

The ACC Coastal Division is a two horse race between Miami and Virginia Tech. The Hurricanes have one ACC loss on the season as a result of their loss to Florida State in their first game of the season. If they defeat the Hokies on November 5, both teams will have one ACC loss, with the Hurricanes holding the head-to-head advantage.

If Virginia Tech defeats Miami next weekend, the Hokies will clinch a trip to Jacksonville to take on the winner of the Atlantic Division for the ACC Championship. A win over the ‘Canes would put VT at 6-0 in the conference, and Miami would suffer their second ACC loss. In that scenario, the Hokies could then lose to UVA and UNC and still go to the ACC Championship game because they beat Miami in their head-to-head matchup.

Like Miami, North Carolina also stands at 2-1 in ACC play. However, that is not expected to last. UNC travels to Miami this weekend, and must play at Virginia Tech in the Hokies’ last game of the season.

ACC web site football home page

With the Hokies still trailing Texas and USC in the BCS Standings, let’s take a look at the remaining schedule for the Longhorns and the Trojans. Let’s start with Texas, who is currently ranked first in the BCS.

As you can see, the only realistic possibility for a Texas loss in the regular season comes on November 25 when the Longhorns visit College Station to take on Texas A&M. The Aggies have a good record, but after being blown out by Colorado recently, you wonder if they will be able to hang with Texas. But it is a rivalry game and Texas is going on the road, so you never know what could happen.

Oklahoma State has fallen off the face of the earth since Les Miles left for LSU, going winless in Big 12 play this year. Baylor is much improved and took Oklahoma to double overtime on the road, but they still do not have the talent to run with the Longhorns. There is no way in the world that Kansas will knock off Texas in Austin on Senior Day, so we are looking at November 25 as the only game the ‘Horns might lose.

In the Big 12 Championship Game, the Longhorns will play against either Colorado (5-2, 3-1 Big 12), Missouri (5-2, 3-1 Big 12), or Nebraska (5-2, 2-2 Big 12). The Longhorns have already defeated Colorado 42-17 and Missouri 52-21.

USC has a tougher road to the Rose Bowl than Texas. While they do play four of their last five games at home, they face four teams with winning records. Here is how their schedule sets up:

The Trojans should easily blow out Washington State on Homecoming Saturday, but they must then face four teams with winning records. Stanford, with former Pittsburgh coach Walt Harris as the head man, has wins against Arizona and Arizona State, but they also lost at home to UC-Davis. When Harris was at Pittsburgh, they always seemed to lose to teams they shouldn’t (USF) and then beat highly ranked teams (VT). Perhaps he can pull off the same feat as head coach of Stanford, but it isn’t likely this year.

USC’s best chance to lose will come in their final three games against Cal, Fresno State and UCLA, all in-state rivals to the Trojans. Fresno State isn’t a BCS Conference team, but they are very good. The Trojans must play them in between two big rivalry games against Cal and UCLA.

The Hokies have only three games remaining.

That’s not bad, especially Miami, and the Hokies would then likely follow up with FSU in the ACC Championship game. But it still looks as if someone else is going to have to lose if the Hokies want to go to Pasadena.

This week's Kroger "Pro Challenge" winner is...

Bill Beach. Bill won a $50 gift certificate to Kroger, just for playing the Kroger "Pro Challenge" football game on our web site.

You can play Kroger's "Pro Challenge" football game for a chance to win $1,000.

Each skill level lasts two minutes. Score 21 points at the HIGH SCHOOL level to move on to COLLEGE LEVEL. Score 14 points there to move on to the PRO LEVEL.

Once you're at the Pro level, you can play and enter a sweepstakes drawing. First prize is $1,000 cash! Second prize is $250 cash! All Pro contestants have the same chance to win the cash prizes.

For playing at ANY level, you can enter a random drawing for a $50 gift card, with one card given away each week.

Get one of the ten highest scores, and you'll be given the chance to enter your initials, which are displayed at the beginning of every game.

How to play:

• O's are offense, X's are defense. You control the offense.
• Choose your offense with the arrow buttons.
• Click the round button to run the play.
• Click with the target crosshairs to aim your pass.
• Use the timeout button to take one of your two timeouts per game.
• The clock starts again when the next play is run.

• Kroger's "Pro Challenge" football game

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For more info on TechSideline Pass, and to subscribe, click here.

-- Will Stewart