News & Observer | newsobserver.com | 2008 NCAA Men's Bracket

There are three games left in the regular season and at least three teams in each division with a legitimate shot at getting to Tampa for the ACC Championship Game on Dec. 6.

As Tudor and I talked about in the Podcast, it could still be an all-Tar Heel State final with Wake Forest winning the Atlantic and UNC representing the Coastal. Of course, it could still be Virignia vs. Boston College.

Remember, the tie-breaker starts with head-to-head record, or group record if more than one team is tied, and then goes to division record.

Keep that division record in mind, it will likely determine the champion.

The third tie-breaker is "best" win — like basketball, start at the top of the standings (in the division) and work down. The team with the "best" win breaks the tie.

These are the simplest paths to Tampa. There are more, but for the sake of clarity, here are the most direct:

Atlantic Division

Maryland

Conference record: 3-2
Division record: 3-0
Tie-breaker: Wake Forest
Remaining schedule: UNC (Saturday), Florida State (Nov. 22), @ BC (Nov. 29)

Win the division if: Win out. The Terps control the Atlantic because of their head-to-head win over Wake Forest, and their 3-0 division record helps, too, but they also have a difficult remaining schedule.

No. 17 UNC visits Saturday and Florida State the following Saturday. The good news is Maryland's 5-0 at home.

Wake Forest

Conference record: 4-2
Division record: 2-1
Tie-breaker: Florida State
Remaining schedule: @ N.C. State (Saturday), Boston College (Nov. 22)

Win the division if: Beat State and BC to finish 6-2 AND a Maryland loss.

Despite losing three of four overall and consecutive ACC games in October, the Deacs have to feel good about their chances of winning the Atlantic for the second time in three years.

Maryland's schedule is tougher and Wake only has two remaining ACC games.

Florida State

Conference record: 4-2
Division record: 2-1
Tie-breaker: none
Remaining schedule: Boston College (Saturday), @ Maryland

Win the division if: Beat BC and Maryland AND a Wake Forest loss.

Marcus Sims' fumble in the end zone against Georgia Tech could cost the Noles more than one game.

Without a tie-breaker over Wake, FSU needs to win at Maryland, where they lost in both 2004 and 2006, and for Wake to lose.

By beating Maryland, the Noles would have the head-to-head tie-breaker with the Terps.

Boston College

Conference record: 2-3
Division record: 1-1
Tie-breaker: none
Remaining schedule: @ FSU (Saturday), @ Wake (Nov. 22), Maryland (Nov. 29)

Win the division if: Win out. Since All of BC's remaining games are division games, if the Eagles win out they would be 5-3 with a 4-1 division record.

The head-to-head wins send BC to the ACC championship in any two- or three-way tie.

Coastal Division

Virginia Tech

Conference record: 3-2
Division record: 3-0
Tie-breaker: UNC
Remaining schedule: @ Miami (Thursday), Duke (Nov. 22), Virginia (Nov. 29)

Win the division if: Win out. At 6-2, the Hokies would be 5-0 in the division and hold a head-to-head tie-breaker over UNC.

The Hokies could still lose to Miami and win the division at 5-3 with a three-way tie with UNC and Miami because it would hold the best division record.

If they lose to Miami, the Canes would have to lose another game.

UNC

Conference record: 3-2
Division record: 2-2
Tie-breaker: Miami
Remaining schedule: @ Maryland (Saturday), N.C. State (Nov. 22), @ Duke (Nov. 29)

Win the division if: Beat Maryland, N.C. State and Duke AND one Virginia Tech loss.

UNC holds the tie-breaker over Miami but not Virginia Tech.

And the Heels have to win out because even if Miami, Virginia Tech and UNC all finished 5-3 — which would mean the three would have the same group record — Virginia Tech's division record would be better than UNC's.

Miami

Conference record: 3-2
Division record: 2-1
Tie-breaker:  none
Remaining schedule: Virginia Tech (Thursday), @ Georgia Tech, @ N.C. State

Win the division if: Win out or beat Virginia Tech and both schools finish one game in front of UNC.

A win over the Hokies would give Miami the head-to-head tie-breaker but they don't have the tie-breaker with UNC.

And, as stated above, Virginia Tech would win the group tie-breaker — based on division record — if Miami, VT and UNC all finish 5-3.

Virginia

Conference record: 3-3
Division record: 2-2
Tie-breaker: UNC
Remaining schedule: Clemson (Nov. 22), Virginia Tech (Nov. 29)

Win the division if: Win out, UNC loses once and Miami loses twice.

At 5-3 and in a head-to-head tie with UNC, the Hoos would win the Coastal.

Georgia Tech

Conference record: 4-3
Division record: 1-3
Tie-breaker: none
Remaining schedule: Miami (Nov. 22)

Win the division if: Defeat Miami and have a bunch of other teams lose. UNC and Virginia Tech would have to lose twice and Virginia would have to lose once to get the Yellow Jackets to Tampa.