Associated Press
The college football notebook …
COLUMBIA, S.C. ó The Atlantic Coast Conference isn’t a one-horse race after all.
The end of No. 11 Clemson’s undefeated season tightened things up in both the Atlantic and Coastal Divisions ó and left the door open for several teams to make a run at the title during season’s final month.
Wake Forest coach Jim Grobe was getting off the bus back at campus after a loss at North Carolina that he was certain crushed his team’s hopes to move on when someone said the Tigers were down big. Deacons nose guard Nikita Whitlock was watching the game on his phone, Grobe said.
“So our kids know what’s going on,” he said. “They’re looking at it.”
The Tigers (8-1, 5-1 ACC) are still in the Atlantic Division driver’s seat despite their 31-17 loss at No. 22 Georgia Tech last Saturday. Clemson can clinch their second trip to the title game in three years with a victory over Wake Forest at Death Valley on Nov. 11. Should the Demon Deacons pull off their first win at Clemson since 1998, then things get interesting since Wake would hold the edge in a tie with Clemson.
COASTALíS 100th
Coastal Carolina is celebrating the 100th game in program history when it takes on Presbyterian. David Bennett, the only coach in Chanticleers history, hopes he and his players still have something to celebrate when the contest is over.
The Chants are looking to break a three-game losing streak, which included last week’s 42-0 loss to Stony Brook that was played in the middle of last weekend’s rain and snow storm that hit the Northeast.
“Sure didn’t do a good enough job on our end of having the parkas and the heaters, we didn’t have any of that,” Bennett said. “We didn’t have much of a chance in that ball game once conditions worsened.”
“Our kids looked like dadgum penguins huddled up over there,” Bennett continued. “That’s just something we’ve got to be a little prepared for.”
ARMY-AIR FORCE
The Air Force Falcons could secure another trip to the White House with a win over Army.
By beating the Black Knights on Saturday, the Falcons would wrap up their second straight Commander-in-Chief’s Trophy, which represents superiority among the three service academies and carries along with it a chance to meet the President.
The Falcons (4-4) are far more concerned with holding Army’s vaunted ground game in check than hoisting the prized trophy.
The Black Knights (3-5) boast the top rushing attack in the country, averaging 369 yards