With its win over NC State, Tech has clenched a finish of no worse than 5th in the ACC. Virginia Tech, Clemson, and Florida State will all play one final game to determine our exact finish.   Winning on the road at Georgia Tech would assure us of the all-important first round bye; if we lose, then we would need for WFU to beat Clemson.

Different people are of different opinions about whether or not we are better off, if we lose to GT, with playing the opening round game.  I’m of the opinion we are not – we are going to get little, if any credit from the NCAA for beating the last place team and a loss would absolutely ensure we make a third straight NIT trip.

My personal opinion is that with a win over GT, we’re in and with a loss, we would need to make it to the finals in the ACC tournament.

Below, for anyone who really cares, are all of the scenarios:

Scenario #1: VT over GT and Miami over FSU

If Virginia Tech wins @Georgia Tech this weekend, and Florida State LOSES @Miami, we will finish third.  After our first round bye, we will play the winner of the 6-11 game.  In this scenario, North Carolina would most likely finish #11 and Wake Forest would finish #6.  So we would get the winner of that game.

Scenario #2: VT over GT and FSU over Miami

In this scenario, we would finish fourth and would play the winner of the 5-12 game.  The 12-seed is going to be Miami in this scenario and the 5-seed would be the winner of Saturday night’s game between Clemson and Wake Forest.

Scenario #3: GT over VT, Miami over FSU, and WFU over Clemson

In a four-way tie among VT, GT, FSU, and Clemson, Tech would finish fourth in the conference and again, play the winner of the 5-12 game.  Florida State, who beat Virginia Tech in the only meeting of the two teams this year, would be our opponent.  Either North Carolina State or Miami would be the 12-seed.

Scenario #4: GT over VT, Clemson over WFU

Regardless of the outcome of FSU’s game with Miami we would finish fifth.  Our opening round game would be against either by the NCSU or Miami and if we win this opening round game, we would get a rematch with FSU.

Scenario #5: GT over VT, FSU over Miami, WFU over Clemson

Tech would finish in a three-way tie for fourth with Clemson and Wake, having beaten both teams earlier in the season.  Tech would get the 4-seed and would face the winner of #5 Wake Forest or #12 NCSU or Miami.