ACC Notebook: Sexton says Tar Heels not worried

■ North Carolina has to overcome long odds to win the Coastal Division and reach the ACC title game, but quarterback Cameron Sexton said that the Tar Heels are still in contention.

Sexton said Saturday after a 17-15 loss to Maryland that North Carolina will finish strongly.

"This is what we do best," Sexton said of making a comeback. "We're not out of it by any means. We're not worried about that. We've never been worried about it. We won't be worried about it.

"This is when this team plays well. When we come out after something like this happens, we rebound better than anybody. I know we're going to be back (this) week, and I know we're going to play well."

Miami leads the Coastal Division at 4-2 heading into tonight's game against Georgia Tech, which is 4-3. North Carolina, Virginia and Virginia all have 3-3 ACC records.

■ Miami is nationally ranked for the first time since Sept. 16, 2006 -- at No. 23 in The Associated Press poll -- but Coach Randy Shannon said he isn't impressed, even though the Hurricanes ended a run of 41 weeks outside the polls.

"The only thing that matters to us is we have an opponent on the road that's playing very well, which is Georgia Tech," Shannon said. "That's the only thing that matters to us right now. We don't think about it, not at all."

Shannon has a sound reason for his approach. Georgia Tech has won three straight over Miami, by a combined total of 14 points.

■ Coach Bobby Bowden of Florida State advises his players to walk away from trouble. Some don't always get the message.

Bowden suspended five receivers last week before a home game against Boston College for their parts in a campus brawl.

FSU lost and Bowden wasn't happy.

"I've done this every year: man, you have to back away from trouble," Bowden said of what he tells players about combustible situations.

"You might look like a coward but you must back away. My phone number is listed. Call me."

Three of the players had been suspended before.

"I'm sure they got the message because these kids that were suspended came by and cried: ‘Why me? I was just trying to help my buddy,'" Bowden said.

"They couldn't believe they were going to be suspended. It could happen again, but buddy, they know what will happen if it does."

■ Maryland didn't face the Wrath of Ralph last week, and it responded with a victory over North Carolina.

After Virginia Tech thumped Maryland in a Thursday night game the week before, Coach Ralph Friedgen was tempted to call a 5 a.m. Friday practice.

He didn't, deciding to let his players stew about the loss.

"I think they thought they were going to have the Wrath of Ralph," Friedgen said. "I tried to do things like we've been doing them."

The players were thinking last week's practice was going to be long and hard.

"The way he came out and approached us kind of threw us off guard," linebacker Moise Fokou said. "We were pleasantly surprised, I'd say."

■ C.J. Spiller is making a late run at the ACC's player-of-the-year award and might be able to carry Clemson to the two wins it needs for bowl eligibility.

He has touched the ball 47 times in the last three games and has generated 460 yards. He has 31 rushes for 192 yards and 16 catches for 268 yards.

"It's incredible," tight end Michael Palmer said. "He's playing like a man on fire. It inspires you to keep playing hard for him and your teammates. It pumps up everybody."

■ FSU's Bowden doesn't make many recruiting mistakes, but ignoring Montel Harris during his high-school career in Jacksonville might qualify.

Harris, a freshman running back, rushed for 121 yards on 25 carries and scored what proved to be the winning touchdown Saturday in Boston College's 27-17 win. Harris wanted to play for the Seminoles, but they didn't recruit him. He hasn't forgotten.

"It was on my mind all week," Harris said. "It was my homecoming, and I wanted to prove to everyone I could play. This was my dad's favorite team, and I grew up watching them. I wanted to play here but they didn't have any interest."

■ Bill Cole can be reached at bcole@wsjournal.com.