"THERE ARE TWO ways of looking at the situation the ACC faces entering Saturday's championship game in which Duke, a 7-5 team with multiple losses outside the Power 4, could win the conference and, in doing so, keep the league out of the College Football Playoff altogether. The first is that it's simply a quirk of modern college football -- sprawling conferences with limited crossover between teams inevitably leading to a scenario where esoteric tiebreakers come into play."
"The other perspective, however, is that the ACC -- for reasons rational, coincidental and, perhaps, metaphysical -- attracts the unusual. The latter philosophy might be a charming quirk of the conference if the stakes weren't so high. The ACC's Wheel of Destiny, "Coastal Chaos" and the social media stalwart #goacc have been fundamental to the league's identity for nearly two decades."
Duke can win the ACC championship despite a 7-5 record and multiple losses outside Power 4 opponents. Conference tiebreakers and Duke's 6-2 league record enable that outcome. One perspective treats the situation as a quirk of modern, sprawling conferences where limited crossover creates esoteric tiebreaker scenarios. Another perspective views the ACC as prone to unusual outcomes and prolonged unpredictability. The ACC's Wheel of Destiny, "Coastal Chaos" and #goacc have shaped league identity for nearly two decades. Growing business stakes, richer rewards and intense competition have made that unpredictability harmful to coaches' careers and program competitiveness. Several current and former ACC coaches and administrators view the situation as symptomatic of longstanding problems.
Read at ESPN.com
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