ACC Has it’s Day over the SEC?
Thanksgiving weekend every year is a nightmare for the ACC. They have four games against the SEC, three of them in-state rivalry games. Since the seven year domination of the SEC winning the BCS National Championships, no other conference has felt the brunt of the SEC’s dominance than the the ACC. Oh sure, the Big Ten has been clocked in bowl games fairly regularly during that span as well, but the ACC is in the same recruiting grounds as the SEC, so they feel the losses long after the game is over.
The four ACC vs SEC games to end the regular season are typically Florida State vs Florida, Georgia Tech vs Georgia, Clemson vs South Carolina and Wake Forest vs Vanderbilt. Last season, the ACC was 0-4 in those four games. In 2011, the ACC was 1-3 with Florida State’s win over Florida the only win. In 2010, the ACC did get a split with FSU and Wake winning.
Clemson last beat South Carolina in 2008. Georgia Tech’s last win over Georgia was 2008 and before that you have to go back to 2000. Florida won every game vs FSU between 2004 and 2009.
But this year, the ACC has a great shot at winning all four games. Florida State brings in a juggernaut to face the Gators who cannot even beat a team from the FCS these days. Florida has lost six in a row and is the worst they have been since 1979 when they had their last losing season. This one is a no-brainer. FSU comes in a 27.5 point favorite. As of this writing they are up 27-0 at the end of the third quarter.
Also, Wake Forest is taking on Vanderbilt and are hanging right with them. Wake is leading that one 21-17 in the third quarter.
That leaves us with Georgia and Georgia Tech and South Carolina hosting Clemson.
Georgia limps into the game without Aaron Murray as their starting quarterback for the first time in four years. Murray re-wrote the SEC passing record books before he went down with a leg injury last week in the game against Kentucky. Even with him, the Dawgs lost four times this year and narrowly escaped in several others including an overtime win over a 4-7 Tennessee team and a three point win over the 4-7 Gators. So Tech who is 7-4 also would have had a chance even with Murray. Now you have to like them a lot to win.
Clemson at South Carolina should be a good one and is no sure thing either way. This might be the only one that the SEC has a good chance unless Vandy can pull out their game. At worst, the ACC should go 2-2 today. There is a very good chance they could wind up with a sweep.
Bovada has the odds on tonight’s ACC vs SEC games:
Georgia at Georgia Tech– Georgia is -3 -115 and Tech is +3 -105. Moneyline is UGA is -150 and Tech +130. Over/Under is 58 with over and under -110. We like Tech +130 with Murray not playing and the under -110.
Clemson at South Carolina– Clemson is +3 -120 and South Carolina is -3 Even ATS. Moneyline was taken off. Over/Under is 61 with over and under -110. We like Clemson to finally beat USC in Tajh Boy’s senior year. We also like the under-110 in this game.
