ACC matchups big

The ACC continues to present big matchups, as this weekend it sees another major battle for a division in Florida State at Boston College and an intriguing dark horse match as the Hurricanes roll into Death Valley to face Clemson.

One could be the heavyweight match to decide a division title and one representative in the ACC championship game. The other could define a season.

Imagine if the Hurricanes fall to 0-2? Will they against Clemson on the road? It would be the first time since 1977 that the Hurricanes did so. And Clemson is not to be ignored - they defeated UM last season in the Orange Bowl in front of a shocked crowd. Overtime, the scoreboard read 24-17 in favor of the Tigers, and all of a sudden the ACC was not as easy as the famously brash Hurricane faithful thought. A team lead by another Bowden, too.

As for the Noles facing the Golden Eagles, this game was being eyeballed since last year for BC. The new kids in the ACC, this has shaped up as a chance for them to steal a shot at a division title and possibly, a shot to take the ACC crown. FSU, coming off a big 62-10 win against Citadel, struggled early on and was behind 10-3 in the second quarter. Bobby Bowden was not pleased, but expressed that with this young team being what it is, if they can just go on winning while getting their QB's feet wet that would be a successful mission.

A big matchup for the Atlantic division for the ACC and another big matchup that could define a year.

Weatherford will start - but will he finish?

So it is Drew Weatherford that leads the Noles in Tallahassee against the Canes for the first game of the year. Could there be any bigger event to start off your college career?

That isn't necessarily a rhetorical question, either.

A freshman QB is going to cut his teeth in one of the fiercest rivalries in college football. At least he will do it at home and get a somewhat good-night's rest in his own bed prior to kickoff. The question that remains to be answered is, will Weatherford finish the game?

Sure, Drew has looked the best in practice. But like Allen Iverson would stress, in practice. 401 passing yards in that last scrimmage you say? Well, it still isn't the real deal, yet. So, dont get too hyped up.

Weatherford has the skills - all of which you'd expect to find in a drop back passer. He stands tall in the pocket and has a strong arm. He is young, so don't expect him to be efficient just yet, he is going to make mistakes. But yes, he earned his start by his play and that is really the only way to evaluate a player. Especially when practice performance is all you have to go on.

But I cant help but wonder what it would be like if Lee wasn't out with a sore shoulder. Lee wasn't exactly blazing eyeballs out there, to be sure. But there is something very raw and endearing about this kid. He seems mentally tough and the kind of guy that can rally a team and lead them down the field in the clutch. He may not show it in practice, but then again, it is just practice. Some players are not as good at practice as others. Michael Vick, for example, is not a guy you want going all out in practice because you don't want him injured. And sometimes, the way a practice is conducted favors a certain player's abilities more than others - especially if you are trying to create a real game feel without the threat of injury. After all, there is a season to consider.

I just get the feeling that even though Weatherford will start, we are going to get a look at Xavier Lee against UM. Such a scenario may not be good for the Noles; short of a blowout. If we do see Lee though, something about him tells me we are going to like what we see.

A lot.