GREENSBORO, N.C. - The Atlantic Coast Conference’s football championship game is moving back to prime-time television. The ACC said yesterday this year’s game will kick off at 8 p.m. on Dec. 5 at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Fla. ESPN will broadcast the game. It’s the first prime-time kickoff for the ACC title game since the inaugural contest in 2005. The game has started at 1 p.m. in each of the past three seasons. ABC televised the first four title games.

COLUMBIA, S.C. - Clemson coach Oliver Purnell has agreed to a two-year contract extension that will keep him with the Tigers through 2016 - and keep him the school’s highest-paid coach. While the deal hasn’t been signed, Purnell, a former Old Dominion coach, and Athletic Director Terry Don Phillips have signed a memoradum of understanding dated June 1 that outlines the improved package.

Expectations greet Shaka Smart as he takes over as Virginia Commonwealth University’s new basketball coach. His predecessors, Anthony Grant and Jeff Capel, won four Colonial Athletic Association regular-season titles in seven years and took the Rams to three NCAA tournaments and two National Invitation Tournaments. Smart will be introduced as VCU’s 10th coach today at an 11 a.m. press conference at the Siegel Center that is open to the public. Contract details haven’t been finalized, but Rams Athletic Director Norwood Teague said the five-year deal will pay Smart about $325,000 annually plus incentives.

He’s Smart, young and considered a fast riser in the world of college basketball assistant coaches. Soon, Shaka Smart will get the chance to prove the prediction of those who know and have worked with him—that he will become a successful head coach.