Spiller the best in ACC

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Tigers' Spiller tops ACC

Senior running back C.J. Spiller is the first Clemson player in 22 years to win ACC player of the year honors, conference officials announced Wednesday.

Spiller received 29 of the 40 votes in the Atlantic Coast Sports Media Association balloting, easily outdistancing Georgia Tech quarterback Josh Nesbit (eight votes), Virginia Tech back Ryan Williams (two votes).

Georgia Tech defensive end Derrick Morgan, who was named the ACC's defensive player of the year Wednesday, also received one vote for league Player of the Year honors.

Clemson, Spiller run past N.C. State

While waiting for the game to start at the team hotel, some of N.C. State's players saw highlights of Clemson running back C.J. Spiller on ESPN.

They hardly needed to be reminded how good Spiller is. He is the ACC's career all-purpose yardage leader, and he has crept into contention in a wide open Heisman Trophy race.

So how did he get so wide open for a 34-yard touchdown catch in the fourth quarter of N.C. State's 43-23 loss to the 24th-ranked Tigers on Saturday at Carter-Finley Stadium?

Pack no match for tough Tigers

While waiting for the game, some of N.C. State's players saw highlights of Clemson running back C.J. Spiller on ESPN at the team hotel.

They hardly needed to be reminded of Spiller's ability. He is the ACC career all-purpose yardage leader and has crept into contention in a wide-open Heisman Trophy race.

So how did he get so wide open for a 34-yard touchdown catch in the fourth quarter of N.C. State's 43-23 loss to the 24th-ranked Tigers on Saturday at Carter-Finley Stadium?

ACC so-so, so far

Halfway through the 2009 college football season, some ACC teams are better than expected -- take a step forward, Miami and Wake Forest -- and others are not as good -- not so fast, Florida State, N.C. State and North Carolina.

Virginia Tech has lived up to its preseason billing as the ACC favorite, ranked No. 4 in the AP poll and in control of the Coastal Division race as the conference's only 3-0 team.

Unpredictability is the only predictable part of the Atlantic Division where Florida State, the media's choice to meet the Hokies in the title game in Tampa, Fla., on Dec. 5, is the ACC's only 0-3 team.

(24) Clemson (6-3) at NC State (4-5)

GAME NOTES: The 24th-ranked Clemson Tigers will try to keep their hold on the Atlantic Division title this weekend, as they take on the NC State Wolfpack in an ACC affair at Carter-Finley Stadium.

The Tigers continued their run in ACC play last weekend, as they rallied for a 40-24 triumph over Florida State to move into first place in the Atlantic Division.

"Championship teams find a way to win games, and that's what we've been teaching these guys," said head coach Dabo Swinney. "And they found a way to win, despite many obstacles. This team rose up in the fourth quarter and refused to lose. "