ACC Thoughts After Week 12: Pack Your Bags, Clemson Fans!

Streeter Lecka/Getty Images

Another good week of football is wrapped up, but it is saddened by the realization that just two weeks remain in the regular season.

It was also a good week picking games again going 8-1 Straight Up and 6-3 Against The Spread.

My thoughts on the week that was in the ACC and around the nation.

Dabo Swinney went against the coaching grain by telling his team they were Atlantic Division champions before his team took the field. I don't have a problem with that because they would have heard when the score was announced during the game.

But admit it Clemson fans, you had to be worried at half time this team might blow this game and you wouldn't have been shocked.

CJ Spiller got a nice senior send off with the crowd chanting his name before a punt return. Spiller said one of referees came over and told him he got chills when that happened.

But what is a ref doing basically telling a player he admires him during the game? I am not saying this ref was going to give favorable calls to Clemson but his comments brings the conversation up.

Clemson and Georgia Tech are going to play in the ACC Championship Game, but would anyone want to play North Carolina right now?

The Heels defense was dominating forcing five interceptions and returning two plays for defensive touchdowns against Boston College.

Dave Shinskie's up and down season continued with four interceptions. Still, I think Frank Spaziani did a great job getting this team to the brink of a third straight ACC Championship Game.

The fact that Florida State needed a last second touchdown set up by a 48 yard punt return in longtime defensive coordinator Mickey Andrews final home game to beat a two win Maryland team shows just how far FSU has fallen.

But the Seminoles are bowl eligible for a 28th straight year, the longest streak in FBS.

Duke saw their bowl chances go down the drain by allowing Miami to score 24 straight points and win going away 34-16.

Tom O'Brien is not on the hot seat in Raleigh, but his seat is warm after another blowout loss. And up next is a hot, revenge minded Tar Heel team whom State bludgeoned last year in Chapel Hill.

And now some national thoughts...

Texas' Colt McCoy set the NCAA record for all time wins at 43 and did it with an extremely accurate arm within 10 yards of the line of scrimmage. Texas has exploded after the Oklahoma win, but who is hotter right now—a Colt McCoy led Texas offense or Colt McCoy's girlfriend ?

Somewhere Sammy Baugh is smiling with TCU's best start in 71 years. And somewhere an AD is looking up Gary Patterson's phone number.

Michigan's Tate Forcier threw four interceptions and added a fumble in the Wolverines sixth straight loss to Ohio State.

After the game Forcier texted the AP—"I lost that game". What is a college QB doing texting the AP, much less a true freshman? Rich Rod said the starting job is open in the off season. Maybe this will bring Forcier back to Earth.

I was rooting for Arizona against Oregon. I wanted to see the Wildcats in their first Rose Bowl ever. I like teams who have a chance to do something they have never done before.

But I didn't like the Arizona students crowding on the sideline as regulation wound down. You have been waiting for 100 years and you can't wait five more minutes until your team actually wins?

Stanford lost following their win over USC making the Cardinal the third team this season to lose the week following a win over the Trojans. What's your deal Stanford?

You're currently logged into Facebook

Do you want to share your Bleacher Report activity on Facebook?