Inside the ACC: THREE THINGS WE THINK …

1. Half the ACC is off and there’s only one conference game, but it’s huge.

Clemson visits No. 21 Wake Forest at 7:30 tonight on ESPN. The Tigers (3-2, 1-1), preseason ACC favorites, must beat the Demon Deacons (3-1, 1-0) to have a realistic chance of winning the Atlantic Division.

In the ACC’s ongoing battle for national respect, No. 22 North Carolina hosts Notre Dame at 3:30 p.m. Saturday.

The ACC has three ranked teams, none higher than No. 18 Virginia Tech.

2. The booing has died down in Charlottesville … for now.

Virginia’s 31-0 shocker over Maryland quieted calls for coach Al Groh’s firing.

The Cavaliers (2-3, 1-1), who host East Carolina on Saturday, are playing the second of three consecutive home games. Sophomore Marc Verica is feeling confident after throwing for 226 yards and two touchdowns and running for another last week.

Fans were so down after Virginia’s humiliating loss to Duke the week before that only about 50,000 showed up for the Maryland game.

“I think we gave the fans no choice but to cheer,” senior linebacker Clint Sintim told Yahoo Sports. “I don’t think there were too many opportunities where they could say, ‘Boo’ or ‘You [stink]’ or whatever.”

3. QB Crane looks ready to lead Boston College into a bowl game.

Boston College quarterback Chris Crane has bounced back in a big way, throwing for almost as many yards last Saturday (428) as he had in his previous four games (471).

Now the Eagles (4-1, 1-1) look like a good bet to make their 10th straight bowl game.

Since being discombobulated by Georgia Tech in Week 2, Crane has improved. He is the ACC offensive player of the week for his five-touchdown performance (two passing, three running) in the 38-31 win at N.C. State. Offensive coordinator Steve Logan called it a big step for Crane, the fifth-year senior who replaced Matt Ryan.