Hats off to ACC Football

Congrats to ACC Football

Not many folks would say this, but maybe it needs to be said. We know how the season started for the Atlantic Coast Conference, with Clemson ranked in the top 10 and possibly making a serious stab at the National Championship. But in the course of the year, many things happened, causing many people around the country to think that this conference was bad.

It drew criticism from teams in mid-major conferences that their best team (Ball State, Boise State) could mop up the teams of the ACC. Some folks on television swear that the BCS ought not include the ACC or Big East this year because they don’t have anyone in the top 10.

Much was said about these “lesser” conferences in sharp criticism. But today I won’t say that, in fact I will give big congrats to the ACC. Now don’t get suckered here, I am not saying they are the best conference, I am saying that from top to bottom, they are THE most competitive.

How can I say that? Well, a competitive conference will be such from top to bottom, not just the top 2 or three teams and everybody else being a door mat.

Tell me, how many teams in the ACC are bowl eligible at this moment?

Out of 12 teams, there are TEN that are bowl eligible. Who else can say that?

The great Big 12? Of course not, 5 teams will not see post season.

The Mighty SEC? Nope, four teams are out and done for the year.

The Pac-10? Nope, four teams are out, and Arizona State has to win to qualify.

The Big-10? Four teams won’t see post season.

The Big East? Now they have one team out, and Louisville has to win to get in, but consider that this conference only has 8 teams, not 12 or 11 like the other major conferences.

Well what about Ball State’s mighty conference, the Mac? Looks like SEVEN teams won’t see post season from that conference.

Mountain West? Four teams out, even with good teams like Utah, TCU and BYU.

How about Boise State’s conference, the WAC? Three teams out, even in a 9-team conference.

And SIX teams out of Conference USA won’t be going bowling.

So how can we ignore the competitiveness of this BCS Conference when out of 12 teams, 10 of them are bowl eligible. And Virginia was ALMOST bowl eligible and it came down to the last game to decide it. This is a very competitive conference, and it also showed in that many of these teams have been ranked throughout the course of the season.

At least NINE teams have been ranked throughout the course of the season out of this conference. And who is laughing at NC State, who won their last 3 games to qualify for a bowl? I don’t know if Virginia’s run late in the season got them to a top 25 ranking, but numerous other teams in the ACC made some serious noise.

We were so caught up in what Texas, Oklahoma, Texas Tech and Florida was doing that we completely ignored the other conferences. (No disrespect to Alabama or USC, I just can’t name all the team that have done well).

I tip my hat to the ACC this year for giving their fans a very competitive season, better than any other conference this year. Again, I don’t say that they are the best, I am saying that when these teams met on the field of battle, you just didn’t know who was gonna win. Some people see that as a weak conference, but that is foolish thinking.

Boston College lost 3 games, none to non conference foes.

Florida State lost 4 games, only Florida was outside the ACC

Maryland lost to Middle Tennessee State, the only non ACC foe they lost to.

Wake Forest lost to Navy.

Clemson to Alabama, and NC State to South Florida and South Carolina. So out of one half of the conference you have losses to two teams that will fight for the National Title, and four of 5 that will be in bowls. Not bad for a conference.

On the other side, Virginia Tech lost to ECU first game of the year.

Georgia Tech…no non ACC losses.

UNC, none to non ACC teams.

Miami’s only such loss was to Florida.

Of Virginia’s 7 losses, only two came to non ACC foes, Southern Cal and UCONN.

And Duke…even with EIGHT losses, only one came from a non ACC foe, that being Northwestern.

All the teams here will be playing in the post season. Eleven losses to non ACC teams, all but one will be in a bowl… that sounds like a conference that held it’s own from top to bottom. Florida and Alabama might be fighting for a National Title spot, but the argument of the SEC being the best conference is only based on a couple of teams… not the whole conference.

The same goes for the Big 12. Very competitive, and I think the best conference in the nation, but from top to bottom, the ACC is more challenging. Now for the third time, do NOT mistake this as me saying the ACC is better, I am saying from top to bottom, this was the MOST COMPETITIVE conference in the nation…and deserves a BCS spot. I know they have contractual obligations to the Orange Bowl, but some people are whining that Boise State or Ball State ought to take that spot…yeah right.

Play a BCS schedule before you start begging for a BCS spot.

Anyway, my hat is off to the ACC. From Boston College and Florida State down to even Duke…ugh, this conference has proven itself this year.