An underdog coming into the ACC Championship Game, the Clemson Tigers stunned Virginia Tech, topping the Hokies 38-10 to secure the ACC’s automatic bid to the BCS and the conference crown.

With the victory, Clemson is assured of a spot in the Orange Bowl, as the bowl holds a contract with the ACC to host the conference’s champion if they are not headed to the BCS national title game.

Clemson is likely to be faced with the Big East’s conference champion, projected to be West Virginia, in the Miami-based BCS bowl that has seen plenty of exciting matchups throughout its storied history.

Clemson is led by quarterback Tahj Boyd, who helped bring the Tigers back into national prominence, and for a time, had the Tigers angling for a shot at a BCS title game berth. Faltering midway through the season prevented the Tigers from continuing to be contenders in that conversation, but a victory in Saturday’s ACC championship game certainly helped to emphasize the program’s revitalization.

Welcome to the 2011 college football season! BCS Know How will be taking you through the six automatic-qualifying BCS conferences and five non-AQ conferences with profiles of each conference. We begin with the ACC. Scroll down to see our profiles of the other 10 conferences.

Conference: Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC)

Active Since: 1953

Current Member Schools:

Atlantic Division: Boston College Eagles, Clemson Tigers, Florida State Seminoles, Maryland Terrapins, North Carolina State Wolfpack, Wake Forest Demon Deacons.
Coastal Division: Duke Blue Devils, Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets, Miami (Fl.) Hurricanes, North Carolina Tar Heels, Virginia Cavaliers, Virginia Tech Hokies. (12)

Bowl Affiliations: Orange Bowl (BCS), Independence Bowl, Belk Bowl, Military Bowl, Champs Sports Bowl, Music City Bowl, Sun Bowl, Chick-fil-A Bowl (8)

2010 Results:
Conference Champion – Virginia Tech Hokies (11-3, 8-0, Coastal Division Champion)
Conference Runner-up – Florida State Seminoles (10-4, 6-2, Atlantic Division Champion)
BCS Bowl Result: 2011 Orange Bowl: Stanford 40 vs. Virginia Tech 12
Overall Bowl Record: 4-5

2011 Outlook: A consistently strong conference, the ACC delivers each year with talent from top to bottom.

2011 seems to be no different, as resurgent Miami, NC State, North Carolina and Boston College join the ranks of recent powers Virginia Tech, Florida State and Georgia Tech as legitimate contender’s for the conference’s BCS bid.

Can Virginia Tech make it two conference championships in a row, or will Florida State take that next step? Or could it be any of the handful of other teams seemingly on their way up?

Heisman Hopefuls: Virginia Tech RB David Wilson, Maryland QB Danny O’Brien, Florida State QB E.J. Manuel

BCS Know How’s 2011 Predictions:
Conference Champion – Florida State Seminoles
Conference Runner-up – Virginia Tech Hokies
BCS Bids – Florida State – Orange Bowl
Heisman Finalists: None

Virginia Tech used a masterful performance from quarterback Tyrod Taylor and a well-rounded attack to take down Florida State in the ACC Championship Game and claim an ACC title and Orange Bowl bid.

By winning the ACC Championship Game but not making their way to the national title game, the Hokies will fulfill the ACC’s contractual agreement with the ACC and act as the host of the Orange Bowl, which will be held January 3 in Miami, Fl.

The Hokies had an inauspicious start to their 2010 season, losing two straight to Oregon State and FCS James Madison, however since that embarrassing loss to a FCS team, the Hokies have reeled off 11 straight victories.

The Hokies’ opponent is yet to be decided in the Orange Bowl, but will likely either be the Big East champions or the Stanford Cardinal.

This will be Virginia Tech’s fifth appearance in a BCS bowl and third Orange Bowl appearance in four years.

With the season entering its final two weeks, conference races in all six conferences are coming down to the wire.

And although some are clear cut and easy to understand, others are a little bit more messy and may even require some tiebreakers.

Each of the six BCS conferences are listed here, with the teams still vying for a spot, and how each team will need the next two weekends to play out in order to either make their conference title game or win their conference crown.

Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC)

Coastal Division

Virginia Tech has clinched the Coastal Division and will play in the ACC Championship Game.

Atlantic Division

Florida State has clinched the Atlantic Division and will play in the ACC Championship Game.

Big 12

North Division

Nebraska has clinched the North Division and will play in the Big 12 Championship Game.

South Division

Oklahoma has clinched the South Division by the nature of the three-way tiebreaking BCS standings, and will play in the Big 12 Championship Game.

Big East

Connecticut (4-2) will win the conference if they beat South Florida.

West Virginia (5-2) IF Connecticut loses to South Florida.

Big Ten

Wisconsin, Ohio State and Michigan State all finish 7-1 in conference, and the Big Ten’s automatic BCS bid will go to the team ranked highest in the final BCS standings.

Pac-10 Conference

Oregon has clinched the Pac-10 conference championship and will receive a BCS bowl bid.

Southeastern Conference (SEC)

East Division

South Carolina has clinched the East Division and will play in the SEC Championship Game.

West Division

Auburn has clinched the West Division and will play in the SEC Championship Game.

Atlantic Coast Conference

Conference Leaders: Florida State (8-3, 6-2; Atlantic Division) and Virginia Tech (9-2, 7-0; Clinched Coastal Division)

Lurking: North Carolina State (8-3, 5-2; Atlantic Division)

Game of Last Week: North Carolina State 29 vs. North Carolina 25. Down nine points late, NC State used a couple of exciting plays to stay alive in the Atlantic Division race until its final weekend.

Game of Next Week: NC State vs. Maryland. A victory for the Wolfpack would give them the Atlantic Division crown, while a Maryland victory would hand the title to Florida State.

Bowl Eligible Teams: Florida State Seminoles, Virginia Tech Hokies, Maryland Terrapins, North Carolina State Wolfpack, North Carolina Tar Heels, Miami Hurricanes, Boston College Eagles, Clemson Tigers, Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets.

Pac-10

Conference Leader: Oregon (10-0, 7-0)

Lurking: Stanford (10-1, 7-1)

Game of Last Week: Oregon State 36 vs. USC 7. USC continued its historic struggles in the state of Oregon, falling to Oregon State yet again, this time barely putting up a fight while Matt Barkley had to leave the game after injuring his ankle.

Game of Next Week: Oregon vs. Arizona. What will likely be Oregon’s final matchup against a ranked team until bowl season may be the final time Oregon could be in danger of falling victim to an upset.

Bowl Eligible Teams: Oregon Ducks, Arizona Wildcats, Stanford Cardinal.

SEC

Conference Leaders: South Carolina (8-3, 5-3; East Division) and Auburn (11-0, 7-0; West Division) have clinched their respective conference titles and will play in the SEC Championship Game on December 4th.

Game of Last Week: Arkansas 38 vs. Mississippi State 31. The Bulldogs and Razorbacks went back and forth on Saturday, neither team ever taking control until Arkansas finally was able to contain the Bulldog offense in the second overtime.

Game of Next Week: Auburn vs. Alabama. The Iron Bowl. Two top-12 teams. A chance for the No. 2 team in the country to fall victim to its instate rival looking for a season-defining win. What could be better?

Bowl Eligible Teams: LSU Tigers, Auburn Tigers, Alabama Crimson Tide, Mississippi State Bulldogs, Arkansas Razorbacks, South Carolina Gamecocks, Florida Gators, Kentucky Wildcats.

Atlantic Coast Conference

Conference Leaders: Florida State (7-3, 5-2; Atlantic Division) and Virginia Tech (8-2, 6-0; Coastal Division)

Lurking: Maryland (7-3, 4-2; Atlantic Division) and Miami (7-3, 5-2; Coastal Division)

Game of Last Week: Florida State 16 vs. Clemson 13. Kicker Dustin Hopkins blasted a 55-yard game-winning kick to give the Seminoles a win after two crushing losses in previous weeks.

Game of Next Week: Virginia Tech vs. Miami. A victory here will give Virginia Tech the Coastal Division crown, while a Miami victory leaves the conference race up for grabs on the final weekend.

Bowl Eligible Teams: Florida State Seminoles, Virginia Tech Hokies, Maryland Terrapins, North Carolina State Wolfpack, North Carolina Tar Heels, Miami Hurricanes.

Pac-10

Conference Leader: Oregon (10-0, 7-0)

Lurking: Stanford (9-1, 6-1)

Game of Last Week: Oregon 15 vs. California 13. The Bears were able to do what many had tried and failed to do — stop Oregon’s explosive offense. But even a valiant effort on defense just wasn’t enough as a missed field goal doomed the Bears and allowed Oregon to remain undefeated and at No. 1 in the BCS.

Game of Next Week: Stanford vs. California. Just a week after giving Oregon all kinds of trouble, the Bears will welcome Stanford to Berkeley for the revival of the rivalry game, hoping to knock the Cardinal out of the BCS at-large race.

Bowl Eligible Teams: Oregon Ducks, Arizona Wildcats, Stanford Cardinal.

SEC

Conference Leaders: South Carolina (7-3, 5-3; East Division) and Auburn (11-0, 7-0; West Division) have clinched their respective conference titles and will play in the SEC Championship Game on December 4th.

Game of Last Week: Auburn 49 vs. Georgia 31. A recently revitalized Georgia team gave the Tigers all they could handle for about three quarters until Cam Newton and Auburn pulled away and clinched the SEC West crown.

Game of Next Week: Arkansas vs. Mississippi State. A very important game in terms of bowl positioning and for Arkansas, a slim chance of keeping a BCS at-large bid hope alive.

Bowl Eligible Teams: LSU Tigers, Auburn Tigers, Alabama Crimson Tide, Mississippi State Bulldogs, Arkansas Razorbacks, South Carolina Gamecocks, Florida Gators, Kentucky Wildcats.

Atlantic Coast Conference

Conference Leaders: Florida State (6-3, 4-2; Atlantic Division) and Virginia Tech (7-2, 5-0; Coastal Division)

Lurking: North Carolina State (6-2, 3-2; Atlantic Division) and Miami (6-3, 4-2; Coastal Division)

Game of Last Week: North Carolina 37 vs. Florida State 35. With a chance to extend their lead on the Atlantic Division, the Seminoles botched two opportunities to put the game away and kept the race open for another week.

Game of Next Week: Virginia Tech vs. North Carolina. The Hokies are undefeated in ACC conference play, but will be tested on the road in against the Tar Heels.

Bowl Eligible Teams: Florida State Seminoles, Virginia Tech Hokies, Maryland Terrapins, North Carolina State Wolfpack, North Carolina Tar Heels, Miami Hurricanes.

Pac-10

Conference Leader: Oregon (8-0, 5-0)

Lurking: Stanford (8-1, 5-1)

Game of Last Week: USC 34 vs. Arizona State 33. For the first time this season, the Trojans were not the victims of a last-second field goal attempt and hung on for this thrilling victory.

Game of Next Week: Oregon vs. California. The chances for an upset of the Ducks are certainly dwindling, but the Bears could prove to be a tough road test for the Ducks this late in the season.

Bowl Eligible Teams: Oregon Ducks, Arizona Wildcats, Stanford Cardinal.

SEC

Conference Leaders: South Carolina (6-3, 4-3; East Division) and Auburn (10-0, 6-0; West Division)

Lurking: Florida (6-3, 4-3; East Division) and LSU (8-1, 5-1; West Division)

Game of Last Week: LSU 24 vs. Alabama 21. The Crimson Tide still had a sliver of hope to take the 2010 season all the way to a repeat national title, but those hopes came crashing down on Saturday as LSU beat the Tide with fourth-down gambles and gritty play.

Game of Next Week: South Carolina vs. Florida. This one is for the East Division crown and a berth in the SEC title game.

Bowl Eligible Teams: LSU Tigers, Auburn Tigers, Alabama Crimson Tide, Mississippi State Bulldogs, Arkansas Razorbacks, South Carolina Gamecocks, Florida Gators.

Atlantic Coast Conference

Conference Leaders: Florida State (6-2, 4-1; Atlantic Division) and Virginia Tech (6-2, 4-0; Coastal Division)

Lurking: North Carolina State (6-2, 3-1; Atlantic Division) and Georgia Tech (5-3, 3-2; Coastal Division)

Game of Last Week: NC State 28 vs. Florida State 24. A last-minute fumble on the goal line during the snap allowed the Wolfpack to grab a slight upset victory over the Seminoles.

Game of Next Week: Georgia Tech vs. Virginia Tech. Almost every ACC game next weekend has conference race implications, although this matchup could all but clinch the Atlantic Division for the Hokies.

Bowl Eligible Teams: Florida State Seminoles, Virginia Tech Hokies, Maryland Terrapins, North Carolina State Wolfpack.

Pac-10

Conference Leader: Oregon (8-0, 5-0)

Lurking: Arizona (7-1, 4-1)

Game of Last Week: Oregon 53 vs. USC 32. Oregon needed a strong showing in Los Angeles against the Trojans to prove their worth after cruising through their early season schedule. They did more than that, dominating the Trojans on both sides, and giving them enough to get the top spot in this week’s BCS standings.

Game of Next Week: Arizona vs. Stanford. The two teams most directly chasing the Ducks will face off in Palo Alto in this primetime showdown.

Bowl Eligible Teams: Oregon Ducks, Arizona Wildcats, Stanford Cardinal.

SEC

Conference Leaders: South Carolina (6-2, 4-2; East Division) and Auburn (9-0, 6-0; West Division)

Lurking: Florida (5-3, 3-3; East Division) and Alabama (7-1, 4-1; West Division)

Game of Last Week: Florida 34 vs. Georgia 31. Despite the unranked nature of the matchup — a first in many years for the “World’s Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party” — the game may go down as one of the rivalry’s greatest as the Gators pulled out the OT victory.

Game of Next Week: Alabama vs. LSU. Two teams who still hope to have a shot at BCS bowls and maybe even at the BCS title game face off in Baton Rouge in a matchup between two top-ten teams.

Bowl Eligible Teams: LSU Tigers, Auburn Tigers, Alabama Crimson Tide, Mississippi State Bulldogs, Arkansas Razorbacks, South Carolina Gamecocks.

Atlantic Coast Conference

Conference Leaders: Florida State (6-1, 4-0; Atlantic Division) and Virginia Tech (6-2, 3-0; Coastal Division)

Lurking: North Carolina State (5-2, 2-1; Atlantic Division) and Miami (FL) (5-2, 3-1; Coastal Division)

Game of Last Week: Maryland 24 vs. Boston College 21. Surprise ACC contender Maryland continued its good run on the road, holding off an injury-riddled Golden Eagle team.

Game of Next Week: North Carolina State vs. Florida State. This Thursday night matchup of the top two teams in the Atlantic Division could spell either an almost assured Seminole division win or a wide open race down the stretch.

Bowl Eligible Teams: Florida State Seminoles, Virginia Tech Hokies.

Pac-10

Conference Leader: Oregon (7-0, 4-0)

Lurking: Arizona (6-1, 3-1)

Game of Last Week: Oregon 60 vs. UCLA 13. A Thursday night proved to be the perfect showcase for the nation’s most explosive offense as the Ducks spent four quarters showing off their best against the Bruins.

Game of Next Week: Oregon vs. USC. The top team in all of the human polls takes to the Coliseum looking to avoid falling victim to the recent run of No. 1s being upset away from home.

Bowl Eligible Teams: Oregon Ducks, Arizona Wildcats, Stanford Cardinal.

SEC

Conference Leaders: South Carolina (5-2, 3-2; East Division) and Auburn (8-0, 5-0; West Division)

Lurking: Georgia (4-4, 4-3; East Division) and Alabama (7-1, 4-1; West Division)

Game of Last Week: Auburn 24 vs. LSU 17. A matchup of two top-ten teams turned into the Cam Newton show as the Auburn quarterback led his Tigers past LSU and to the top spot in the BCS standings.

Game of Next Week: Florida vs. Georgia. The “World’s Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party” may have a little less shine this season as both teams have three SEC losses, however both are still alive in the SEC East race, and need wins to keep pace.

Bowl Eligible Teams: LSU Tigers, Auburn Tigers, Alabama Crimson Tide, Mississippi State Bulldogs.

Atlantic Coast Conference

Conference Leaders: Florida State (6-1, 4-0; Atlantic Division) and Virginia Tech (5-2, 3-0; Coastal Division)

Lurking: North Carolina State (5-2, 2-1; Atlantic Division) and Georgia Tech (5-2, 3-1; Coastal Division)

Game of Last Week: Florida State 24 vs. Boston College 19. The Seminoles struggled at times against BC, but were able to overcome mistakes and some pretty poor play to continue their undefeated run through their ACC schedule.

Game of Next Week: North Carolina vs. Miami. Each team has a loss in conference play, and will need a victory here to stay in the thick of things in the ACC race towards an ACC Championship Game berth.

Bowl Eligible Teams: Florida State Seminoles.

Pac-10

Conference Leader: Oregon (6-0, 3-0)

Lurking: Arizona (5-1, 2-1)

Game of Last Week: Washington 35 vs. Oregon State 34. Oregon State failed a two-point conversion in the second overtime on the road to lose their first Pac-10 game of 2010 on the road to the Huskies.

Game of Next Week: Arizona vs. Washington. Both teams have one loss in a very crowded section of the Pac-10 standings. Arizona’s lone loss came at the hands of Oregon State, who Washington just beat in double overtime.

Bowl Eligible Teams: Oregon Ducks.

SEC

Conference Leaders: South Carolina (4-2, 2-2; East Division) and LSU (7-0, 4-0; West Division)

Lurking: Florida (4-3, 2-3; East Division) and Auburn (7-0, 4-0; West Division)

Game of Last Week: Auburn 65 vs. Arkansas 43. With Ryan Mallett sidelined by an apparent concussion, Cam Newton and Auburn put up huge offensive numbers and stayed perfect with a big victory over Arkansas.

Game of Next Week: LSU vs. Auburn. No question, this game will decide the early-season favorite for the SEC title, and will leave the SEC with just one undefeated team.

Bowl Eligible Teams: LSU Tigers, Auburn Tigers, Alabama Crimson Tide.