Enjoy the weekend, gang.
Scott C. in Savannah writes: Since Duke got blasted by UNC, are the planets still in a position that if Georgia Tech loses both games to Georgia and FSU in the ACC Championship game AND Clemson wins out that they could leap back into the Orange Bowl? The way I understand this issue is assuming FSU wins out and goes to the playoff that the highest rank ACC team in the Committee Poll would fill in. With Clemson on 4 places below GT that would seem to me a real chance for Clemson to catch GT.... What are you observations?
Matt Fortuna: Scott, Clemson still remains very much alive for a spot in the Orange Bowl, given the scenarios you mentioned. Georgia and FSU are two tough opponents for Georgia Tech to beat, and if the Yellow Jackets drop both -- and if FSU wins its three remaining games to clinch a playoff spot -- then yes, the next-highest ranked ACC team goes to the Orange Bowl. If Clemson wins out, then the Tigers have a shot to leap a Georgia Tech team that will have lost two more games. You know who else might, though? No. 24 Louisville, which still has games against Notre Dame and Kentucky.
Nathan Ford in Louisville, Ky., writes: I'm curious as to why Gerod Holliman isn't getting any Heisman attention. I understand he is a defensive player and the award is geared more towards QB's and RB's, but he is close to tying and may even break a long-standing NCAA interception record. Seems like someone should at least throw him a shout-out in the Heisman discussions!!
Matt Fortuna: Nathan, I do not disagree. And I would even take running backs out of the equation you just mentioned, since the Heisman seems to be primarily a quarterback award at this point. I'm not saying Gerod Holliman is the best player in the country, but yes, a guy on the verge of breaking an NCAA interception record deserves more national recognition. That rarely happens for a defensive player unless he is on a team in position to win a championship, as Manti Te'o was for the 2012 Notre Dame team or Charles Woodson on the 1997 Michigan team.
Mark Goodman in Chicago: Love your coverage of ND football. Not to be picky, but Lombard and Utupo are no red-shirt seniors; each is a grad student, having already received their Notre Dame undergraduate degree. I know you were probably using the red-shirt senior label to not confuse readers who are not used to college football players getting degrees, let along getting them on time in 4 years.
Matt Fortuna: Thanks, Mark. And as a wise writer once said: "A rose by any other name ..." Neither player played in his freshman year. Therefore, each redshirted.
@Matt_Fortuna Matt, who do you think the ACC Coach of the year will be?
— Bob Kramlich (@Kramis4GT) November 21, 2014.
Matt Fortuna: Bob, I'd say right now that there are only two men in the discussion: Jimbo Fisher and Paul Johnson. The coach of the best team rarely gets as much credit as he deserves, because it is assumed that he has the most to work with and is therefore just taking care of business. (Just look at Jim Tressel, who never won Big Ten coach of the year despite dominating that league.) The fact remains, though, that Fisher has led the Seminoles to 26 straight wins. Johnson entered the season seemingly on the hot seat, had a rash of offseason departures and now has his team in the ACC title game with a chance to knock off Fisher and the Noles. I cannot think of a single soul who saw this coming.