This blog will turn to mostly ACC and NCAA basketball matters (including recruiting!) over the next three months, with some diversions around national signing day (Feb. 7 this year) in college football, but we can never get too far away from gridiron news, even here in the middle of ACC basketball country.

With that in mind, here's a list of seniors from the ACC who have participated in — or are about to participate in — postseason football all-star games. Among the Big Four schools, N.C. State and Wake Forest are well-represented.

Believe it or not, there actually are five all-star games this year, and there could have been as many as seven. An expected sixth contest, the All-American Classic in Las Vegas, was canceled one week before its scheduled Jan. 15 game. (Georgia Tech defensive tackle Joe Anoai, Florida State wide receiver Chris Davis, N.C. State punter/kicker John Deraney, North Carolina wide receiver Jesse Holley and Miami punter Brian Monroe had agreed to play.) A possible seventh game, the Gridiron Classic in Orlando, has not returned since its 2004 edition.

Jan. 13 — North-South Classic, Houston

From the ACC: Florida State wide receiver Chris Davis, Virginia defensive back Tony Franklin, Maryland quarterback Sam Hollenbach, Wake Forest wide receiver Nate Morton, Florida State guard Cory Niblock, Virginia quarterback Christian Olsen, Miami center Anthony Wollschlager.

Jan. 14 — Hula Bowl, Honolulu

From the ACC: Maryland defensive tackle Conrad Bolston, Clemson cornerback Sergio Gilliam, Maryland offensive tackle Stephon Heyer, Maryland linebacker David Holloway, Boston College offensive tackle James Marten, Clemson tailback Reggie Merriweather, Clemson quarterback Will Proctor.

Jan. 20 — East-West Shrine Game, Houston, 7 p.m., ESPN2

From the ACC: Virginia Tech fullback Jesse Allen, Miami defensive end Baraka Atkins, Hampton cornerback Travarous Bain (formerly of Miami), Clemson guard Nathan Bennett, Waterloo offensive tackle Chris Best (formerly of Duke), Virginia Tech offensive tackle Brandon Frye, Georgia Tech linebacker KaMichael Hall, Florida State offensive tackle Mario Henderson, Miami tailback Tyrone Moss, Virginia Tech kicker Brandon Pace, Georgia Tech cornerback Kenny Scott, Virginia tailback Jason Snelling, Wake Forest offensive tackle Steve Vallos.

Jan. 27 — Senior Bowl, Mobile, Ala., 3 p.m., NFL Network

From the ACC: Boston College guard Josh Beekman, Florida State tailback Lorenzo Booker, Miami defensive tackle Kareem Brown, Kansas State tailback Thomas Clayton (formerly of Florida State), Virginia Tech wide receiver David Clowney, N.C. State cornerback A.J. Davis, Florida State linebacker Buster Davis, Clemson center Dustin Fry, Wake Forest safety Josh Gattis, N.C. State guard Leroy Harris, Virginia Tech deep snapper Nick Leeson, Boston College offensive tackle James Marten, Miami safety Brandon Meriweather, Delaware tight end Ben Patrick (formerly of Duke), Maryland punter Adam Podlesh, Virginia Tech safety Aaron Rouse, Clemson wide receiver Chansi Stuckey, N.C. State defensive tackle Tank Tyler, Maryland cornerback Josh Wilson, Georgia Tech offensive tackle Mansfield Wrotto.

Feb. 2 — Texas Vs. Nation, El Paso, Texas, 10 p.m., CSTV

From the ACC: Boston College cornerback Larry Anam, Wake Forest safety Patrick Ghee, Boston College safety Ryan Glasper, Virginia Tech linebacker Brenden Hill, Maryland quarterback Sam Hollenbach, Miami wide receiver Ryan Moore.

Further down the road, these players and many others, including a handful of ACC underclassmen who turned pro, will appear at the NFL Combine on Feb. 21-27 in Indianapolis. The NFL Draft is April 28-29 in New York City.