The ACC Coastal isn’t one of College Football’s most formidable divisions, but the race to win it is a pretty exciting one. Three teams: Miami, Georgia Tech and Duke (!!!) still have a chance to win it and face the winner of the ACC Atlantic, which will probably end up to be Florida State.
Yes, one team out of the Hurricanes (5-5), the Yellow Jackets (5-5) or the Blue Devils (6-4) have a chance of being in the ACC championship game and maybe even somehow reach the Orange Bowl. Both Duke and Miami have never been to the conference championship game since the new system began in 2005. Georgia Tech reached it twice; in 2009, beating Clemson 39-34 and making it to the Orange Bowl, losing to Iowa; and in 2006, when they lost to Wake Forest in an ugly 9-6 final.
Miami have been in the ACC since 2004, but they have yet to win the division and obviously the conference. They’re 4-3 in conference play this season, and still have to play South Florida and away at Duke before the season is over. Georgia Tech need to beat Duke this coming weekend (in Atlanta) to seal the deal and keep the Blue Devils out of the race, with their rivalry game vs Georgia waiting the week after.
In short: Duke can win the division if they win both games, already clinching their first bowl berth since 1994. Georgia Tech will claim at least a share of the title if they win their next game, but their overtime loss to Miami will keep them out of the title game. All Miami need to do is win their next two games.
Whoever it may be, on the other end are two much better teams: Florida State, 9-1, with their only loss against North Carolina State, and only a game against Maryland left on their conference schedule before they play Florida; and Clemson, also 9-1, with their only loss coming against Florida State. Clemson play the Wolfpack at home before their clash with South Carolina. They’re hoping for a Florida loss in Maryland, highly unlikely to happen, to get into their second ACC Championship game in three years.