Sans-BC Week 12 ACC Football Picks

The Week 12 ACC football picks do not include the idle Boston College Eagles, but they do feature ten other teams in this conference. Does Florida State hang on to its ranking, which is slowly falling despite being undefeated? Is Georgia Tech ready to take a step towards being second-best in the ACC?

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Every game in the conference this week has some meaning, even if only bowl-eligibility is at stake.

As always in the ACC, picks are against-the-spread and straight-up, so as to give us a better chance of being correct. We could do over-under as well, but who has the time for that? Maybe during bowl season.

Week 12 ACC Football Picks:
Clemson (-3) at Georgia Tech

Saturday, 12pm ET (ESPN)

This is a fight for second place in the ACC. Clemson is red-hot with six wins in a row, but Georgia Tech is both 8-2 and the home team, and therefore cannot be discounted.

In a game that the Yellow Jackets almost have to win to keep up in the ACC Coastal, Clemson is getting Deshaun Watson back at quarterback. Not that Cole Stoudt had been bad, but Watson can do things that Stoudt can’t, and it’s a good break for the Tigers. Clemson | Clemson -3

Week 12 ACC Football Picks:
Virginia Tech at Duke (-5)

Saturday, 12pm ET (ESPNU)

While Georgia Tech has their hands full with Clemson, Duke can put a stranglehold on the division by beating Virginia Tech at home. Further, a loss would move the Hokies to the brink of their first losing season since 1992. The Hokies could surprise, but it is difficult to pick against a very focused Duke team. Duke | Duke -5

Week 12 ACC Football Picks:
Pittsburgh at North Carolina (-2)

Saturday, 12:30pm ET (ESPN3)

This game looks like a “bowl-off.” In other words, with both at 4-5 and one more winnable and difficult game each on their schedules, the winner will most likely go 6-6 and get bowl-eligible, and the loser will probably end up 5-7.

Neither team is an appealing option. Pitt has lost five of six, including a heartbreaker against Duke, while UNC has been a little better than that lately but their defense remains scary. On paper, this would be a fairly high-scoring game, but one probably has to defer to the better defensive team. Pittsburgh | Pitt +2

Week 12 ACC Football Picks:
Wake Forest at NC State (-14.5)

Saturday, 3pm ET (ESPN3)

This game was made for ESPN3; the only surprise is that it is not at noon. Well, there is another surprise: that NC State is more than a two-touchdown favorite over anybody in the ACC, including Wake Forest.

Give the Deacs credit: they actually made Clemson work for their victory, and a lot of that was because of their defense. What helps them further: since Florida State, NC State has not scored more than 24 points in a game. If NC State wins in the low 20s, that spread can be covered. NC State | WF +14.5

Week 12 ACC Football Picks:
Florida State (-1.5) at Miami

Saturday, 8pm ET (ABC)

As for the ACC’s unofficial game of the week, the Seminoles continue to win games and drop in the rankings. Eventually, their big win streak is going to come to an end, and it could very well be in Coral Gables. Miami is getting hot and one can imagine this game has been circled for a long time.

The last time I picked an upset over the Seminoles, I got burnt. Not brave enough to do it again. Florida State | FSU -1.5