3 games to watch in the ACC: Rivalry week edition

In the ACC, so much has already been decided. We already know North Carolina will play Clemson in the ACC championship game, and most of the conference already knows whether or not it's heading to a bowl game. For a lot of teams, this week shouldn't make or break the season, but it's rivalry week: Bragging rights for the next year are up for grabs, and everyone wants to come away a winner.

No. 1 Clemson at South Carolina
Williams-Brice Stadium, Columbia, 12:00 p.m. ET, ESPN

This will be the 113th meeting between the Tigers and the Gamecocks since 1896. Clemson leads the series 66-42-4, but South Carolina has had the advantage in recent years. While Clemson won last year’s meeting 35-17, Steve Spurrier had beaten Dabo Swinney five times in a row up to that point.

Clemson has a 71 percent chance of making the College Football Playoff, according to FiveThirtyEight, and the Tigers are obviously still playing for something more than a rivalry win. They should be able to win by doing what they've been doing the whole season. The Gamecocks are one of the worst teams in the nation offensively - 86th in passing yards per game and 92nd in rushing yards per game in the country - and we won't get into how they lost to The Citadel last week.

While South Carolina has lost four in a row going into this week, there's still reason for hope. It's a home game, and might be the first big game Clemson has played on the road all season (the Tigers played both Florida State and Notre Dame in Death Valley). This is also the same South Carolina team which gave North Carolina its only loss in Week 1, and lost to Florida by only 10 points just two weeks ago. The fact the Gamecocks have nothing to lose could play to their advantage as well.

No. 14 North Carolina at NC State
Carter-Finley Stadium, Raleigh, 3:30 p.m. ET, ABC

North Carolina leads the all-time series against NC State 65-33-3, but the Wolfpack have won six of the last eight meetings, including last year's 35-7 domination. The Tar Heels and Wolfpack have been playing since 1894, making it the oldest rivalry among this week's games to watch.

North Carolina still has a shot at the playoff, but it's a long one - FiveThirtyEight pegs its chance at 10 percent - but the Tar Heels' chances go up to 39 percent if they can win out. That would involve beating Clemson in the ACC championship in a few weeks, but NC State is no pushover either. The Wolfpack will go bowling this year, and a victory would give them their most wins since 2010. NC State gets North Carolina at home, too. Will Jacoby Brissett be enough to snap North Carolina's 10-game winning streak? We'll find out Saturday.

No. 13 Florida State at No. 12 Florida
Ben Hill Griffin Stadium, Gainesville, 7:30 p.m. ET, ESPN

The Florida State-Florida rivalry has only existed since 1958, but that doesn't mean there's any lack of hate between these teams. Both schools are top 10 in the country in total first-round draft picks, Heisman winners, and weeks at No. 1 in the AP poll. Florida leads the series 34-23-2, but the Seminoles have won four of their last five games against the Gators.

Florida still has a shot at the College Football Playoff, too (13 percent according to FiveThirtyEight), and Florida State would love to make that evaporate. The Gators haven't looked great in recent weeks, beating Florida Atlantic in overtime last week and only beating Vanderbilt 9-7 three weeks ago. Florida State is already out of national and ACC title contention, so this will be the Seminoles' last contest until their bowl game. With no conference championship game fto worry about for the first time since 2010, the Seminoles can focus - and take out some frustrations - on this week.

It'll be a battle of elite defenses in The Swamp. Florida State's 17 points allowed per game are 11th in the country, while Florida's 14.5 points allowed rank third. Florida's offense hasn't been as efficient as the Seminoles', and Florida State's offensive playmakers might be the difference in pulling off what's technically an upset.