There is still hope for FSU to win the ACC Atlantic Division. Ok, so it's a slim hope. Especially given our offensive defensive performance over the last couple weeks. However, during these dark times, Nole fans need a glimpse of something positive.

Here are the current ACC standings:

Boy that looks bad. However, we still have NC, NC State, WF, Clemson and Maryland left on our schedule. BC currently leads the Atlantic, but has away games at Virginia (who is inexplicably atop the Coastal division) and Maryland and one home game against NC. If FSU wins out and BC loses 2 of 3, FSU goes to the ACCCG. If FSU wins out and BC goes 2-1, then BC goes to the ACCCG because of the head-to-head. If FSU wins out, BC goes 2-1 and one or more teams end up with 3 ACC losses, then a tie-breaker will ensue based on the following obnoxious policy:

ACC Football Tiebreaker Policy

The Atlantic Coast Conference Championship will be decided by a game between the Atlantic and Coastal Division Champions. The team in each division with the highest percentage of wins during all regular-season Conference competition shall be declared the division champion. If two or more teams are tied with the highest percentage of wins, they shall be declared division co-champions. Division standings will be calculated on a percentage basis, using only those Conference games which are a part of the regular rotating schedule. In the event of division co-champions, the following tie-breaker procedure will be used to determine that divisions’ representative to the championship game.

A. Two-Team Tie

1. Head-to-head competition between the two tied teams.
2. Records of the tied teams within the division.
3. Head-to-head competition versus the team within the division with the best overall record (divisional). Conference record and proceeding though the division. Multiple ties within the division broken from first to last.
4. Overall record versus all common non-divisional opponents.
5. Combined record versus all non-divisional teams.
6. Record versus common non-divisional teams based on their order of finish (divisional and non-divisional) and proceeding through other common non-divisional teams based on their order of finish within their division.
7. The tied team with the highest ranking in the Bowl Championship Series Standings following the end of regular season games shall be the divisional representative in the ACC Championship Game.
8. The representative shall be chosen by a draw.

B. Three (or More) Team Tie
(Once tie has been reduced to two teams, the two-team tiebreaker format is used)

1. Combined head-to-head record among the tied teams.
2. Records of the tied teams within the division.
3. Head-to-head competition versus the team within the division with the best overall (divisional or conference) record, and proceeding through the division. Multiple ties within the division will be broken first to last.
4. Overall record for non-divisional teams.
5. Combined record versus all common non-divisional teams.
6. Record versus common non-divisional with the best overall Conference (divisional and non-divisional record) and proceeding through the other common non-divisional teams based on their order of finish within the division.
7. The tied team with the highest ranking in the Bowl Championship Series Standings following the conclusion of regular season games shall be the divisional representative in the ACC Championship Game, unless the second of the tied teams is ranked within five-or-fewer places of the highest ranked tied team. In this case, the head-to-head results of the top two ranked tied teams shall determine the representative in the ACC Championship Game.
8. The representative shall be chosen by a draw.

Seriously, could they have made the tie-breaker policy any more confusing? I think they just threw in every possible tie-breaker they could think of to cover all the bases.

Basically, FSU still has a slim chance of making the ACCCG - I just wouldn't buy those ACCCG tickets just yet.  However, the Noles will need to win out and root for BC to lose 2 of 3. I think, at best, we'll probably lose at least 1 ACC game the rest of the way. But, hey, stranger things have happened... this is the ACC we're talking about.