Local Wrestling in the USA
This coming Friday I will be taking a break from my regular sports fixes and indulging in something slightly off the road…wrestling.
Now I know a lot of people are not into that, and some say it is not a sport, but I have been a fan of wrestling ever since I was a kid. I watched a lot of the old school wrestling greats like Dusty Rhodes, Black Jack Mulligan, Masked Superstar, Ricky Steamboat and Ric Flair…and many, many others.
I’ll admit, I am not a big WWE fan and I rarely watch that, seeking my entertainment from NWA-TNA and ROH Wrestling. But every once and a while we get some local wrestling here in my town, and I try my best to go see it.
You’re not gonna know the names of most of these cats because let’s face it, they are not the ones you see on the television wrestling shows, but I will say this, they put on a great show. You see, most folks only associate wrestling with WWE, or NWA-TNA because that’s all they see. But in numerous states all across our country, there are smaller federations of wrestling that provide local entertainment for people like me, who just want a night to enjoy myself and watch some entertainment.
For us around here, we get it through the UWC, or Universal Wrestling Council. These are guys (and women) who provide a small town like ours a night of fun and the chance for us to get up close and personal with wrestling. Heck, we can’t fork out a gold brick to watch WWE in person, only to get half a program of jaw jacking and some decent matches.
For $6.00 we get to watch about 2 hours of some pretty good wrestling by guys that apparently love the sport. These guys are good and they put on a great show. I think I have gone to 6 of their last 7 events here in town, which is usually once every 2 or 3 months.
So what’s so fun about going to see these guys?
Well, I get to yell at the “bad guys”, and I say that with respect. Sometimes people forget that these guys are actors, and have to play the part while they are in the ring, so my friends and I NEVER use profanity at them. This is common sense because sometimes those wrestlers might have their family…and kids in that audience. You have a right to boo, but do it in respect to that person who is working.
These guys give you good action too, and you might get about 10 fights in an evening. It’s worth every penny of that $6, believe me. One other thing they do is about half way through the evening, they will have intermission and the wrestlers will come out and you can talk with them, take pictures and stuff like that. It’s where you can really see that these guys are just like us…maybe much more athletic, but still like us. I have seen before the show starts some of the wrestlers with their kids, and it is a reminder that if one of those guys is playing the part of a “villain” or “heel”, you have to keep that in mind while you are booing them that their 5 year old son is out there, so have a heart.
Every time I have gone to a UWC event, I have always come out satisfied. They give the audience everything they have, and even wrestling in a building on the county fairgrounds, with about 100 people, they treat it like they’re in Madison Square Garden. I really appreciate that, and I always leave with my throat sore for yelling for two straight hours…but enjoying every minute of it.
So Friday about 6:30pm, if nothing comes up to change the plan, we are going to watch some wrestling. I expect it to be as much fun as the previous 6 times I have went, and I want to be able to get a good seat near the ring so I can yell my head off again.
And come Saturday, sore throat and all, I’ll be watching college football!
Wednesday, October 15, 2008
BCS Busters
BCS Buster Teams
Every year the media scrambles to find the flies in the ointment, and then create stories to force them into the BCS National Championship. Even some of my favorite sports commentators on some of the shows seem to whine like babies when it comes to whether the BCS Championship should invite teams outside the power conferences to the National Championship.
To me, the National Championship should represent the two BEST teams in the country, not the teams with the best records. This is where the spirit of competition is often misplaced, because although I have nothing against teams from outside the power conferences, I just am not convinced that a team with an 11-0 or 12-0 record is better than a team like Oklahoma, Ohio State, USC or Florida with 1, or even 2 losses.
Now don’t get me wrong, there are exceptions, but let’s talk about that.
As of this date October 15th 2008, there are 6 teams of note that are not in the power conferences…
(For the novice, the “Power Conferences” are the ACC, Big East, Big 10, Big 12, Pac-10 and SEC…)
So the question becomes, who, if any, has a chance to play in the National Championship. This also begs the question as whether any of these teams can sincerely be seen as the BEST in the country.
Let’s chew on this. I mentioned 6 teams, let’s start with one that currently is not ranked on the polls: Tulsa University.
This team is currently 6-0 in Conference USA, a team that does not have an automatic invitation to the BCS bowls. Usually the champs of this conference get a trip to the Liberty Bowl. Funny, a few weeks ago we had placed ECU in that game, if not in the BCS, but now it looks like neither is gonna happen.
The record might look great, but there is a ZERO chance of Tulsa playing in the National Championship, and a 1% chance of playing in a BCS bowl. Why? The strength of schedule is very soft. Of their 6 wins, the current record of their opponents is 13-26. And if you take out Central Arkansas State, which isn’t a Division I school, that record changes to 8-25. Tulsa has three interesting games on their schedule, including Central Florida, Arkansas and Marshall. IF they win the division, they may well have to play Marshall again in the Conference USA Championship, or possibly UCF or even, dare we say…ECU?
But even undefeated, the strength of schedule keeps Tulsa from any National Championship, and unless everybody in the top 25 loses again, they can’t make it to the BCS bowls.
Ball State is the new darling of the NCAA, currently 7-0. Impressive, but coming out of the Mid-American Conference where currently 3 teams have a better than .500 record is a big problem. The strength of schedule will hurt them tremendously, but add on to this they have key division games vs. Western Michigan and Central Michigan just to fight to the division title. It seems whoever comes out of this division will win the MAC Championship, but even if Ball State goes undefeated, there is just no way they could be considered one of the two best teams in the nation. I can’t even see an invite to a BCS bowl if they go undefeated.
Understand what I am saying folks, I am not putting down these teams, I am looking at the theory that the National Championship is about the two best teams in the nation. Having a perfect record is great but it does not make you the best. If the BCS started awarding National Title games to undefeated teams, then schools like Notre Dame will water down their schedules even further to beg for a title that is not earned. Florida State played two Southern Conference teams this year and beat them with a combined 115 points…but that does not make them great. Heck, they are not a lock for even a bowl yet.
So although it seems like I am picking on Ball State and Tulsa, I am not.
Whereas Ball State is ranked #24 and #25 on two different polls, Boise State is ranked #16 and #17. This is a team that has shocked the nation, and although you can always question the strength of the Western Athletic Conference, you cannot question these guys.
A quality win over Oregon makes these guys legit, and you have to consider if this team deserves a national title shot IF they go undefeated. They still have some tough games in their conference with Fresno State and San Jose State and Hawaii, but overall nobody is going to compare the WAC to the SEC or Big 12, or even the ACC.
Strength of schedule is going to hurt them but they have a legit case of at least a BCS bowl if they go undefeated. But if so, you’d be saying they are one of the top 10 teams in the nation…I don’t have a problem with that at all if they go undefeated.
National Championship? I don’t think so. It goes back to whether Boise State with no losses is better than an Oklahoma with one loss, or Florida, Ohio State, LSU or other top ranked teams in stronger conferences with one loss. Yeah, I know they got that huge win awhile back, but could they do it again for a national title? I’m just not convinced that even if they go undefeated that they could be one of the two best teams in the nation. But if they DO go undefeated, they should be invited to a BCS bowl.
TCU is actually in one poll, and out of another. At 6-1, we know their only loss was to Oklahoma, and nobody is gonna fault them for that. The Mountain West Conference should be “popping their collars” because they have made some noise this year, with TCU being one of them. But because they already have one loss, they have no chance for a BCS Championship. Like the WAC, there is no championship game so there is no extra shot to move up the ranks. TCU will not be considered for a BCS title, even if they run the tables, but they CAN possibly get an invite to a BCS bowl if they clean out the MWC. If you consider who is on that schedule, that would really be saying something, even moreso that if Boise State goes undefeated. But one loss from an non-power conference school means elimination from the National Championship…
Unless everybody else loses 2 games….
Utah is currently #14 on one poll, and #13 in another. With 5 games left, and 2 very key games left, this is a team that can easily slip into the top 10 if other teams are caught napping. We know the SEC and Big 12 will knock each other around, so any teams like Utah, Boise State or even TCU can have a chance to slip in the elite circle if they go undefeated the rest of the season.
With wins over Michigan (ugh), Air Force and Oregon State, you have to give the Utes credit for being a good team. And their positioning is perfect right now, much better than TCU since the Horned Frogs are very low in the top 25. But Utah has to play TCU in a few weeks, and just like the SEC and Big 12, it is quite possible that the MWC can knock each other out of the national title.
But let’s say the don’t and Utah goes undefeated. Do they deserve a trip to the Orange bowl? I think IF they go undefeated, you have to seriously consider it because they have quality wins and the still have to play two teams that are ranked in one or more polls. This is a quality team. But are they better than a 1-loss team from a power conference?
Good question. I honestly don’t know the answer to that yet.
Then there’s BYU at 6-0.
Right now they are virtually guaranteed at LEAST a BCS bowl because they are in the top 10 in two polls. As I said, the MWC must be mighty happy with Utah, TCU and BYU making noise in the polls, and Air Force not being a shabby team either. This conference is very good, and I might say the best non-power conference in the nation. So if the power conferences are guaranteed a BCS bowl for their champions, then I think the Mountain West deserves at least that too.
But here’s the knocks on BYU. Yes they beat Washington and UCLA, and at the time it looked like very quality wins. But the Washington win was a controversial one, and barely beating an 0-6 team is not that impressive. Crushing the UCLA Bruins was nice, but we’re finding out that this team wasn’t all it was cracked up to be either.
In fact, only one team has a winning record of the 6 wins BYU has…hardly qualifying for a national championship. But they’ll get to prove themselves with some major games. Of their 6 remaining games, only one team at this point has a losing record in San Diego State (Marshall Faulk??).
With games vs. TCU, Utah and Air Force, the second half of the season will surely prove if BYU is worth of the hype. Go undefeated and I believe they deserve a BCS bowl. But a National Championship? Maybe, but to do that, 7 of the top 8 teams in the nation must lose, because BYU will not be jumping over anybody any other way.
Four teams from the Big 12 are still in the mix; if any of those win out, they are in, and BYU could be out. Alabama and Florida are still in, but I just can’t see Alabama going undefeated, so we may be talking about Florida, but the SEC is a tough conference. USC is still in the mix, even though they don’t have a conference championship game, and then there is Penn State. If they get through the Big 10, they are in.
This means the favor is against BYU, it’s not enough for them to win out, they need a LOT of help. They’ll get it from the Big 12 and maybe the SEC, but the Pac-10 and Big 10 are risky allies to depend on.
The next few weeks will reveal all. BCS busters, for the bowls sure, but for the National Championship…well, lots of stuff need to happen…and they just might…
Every year the media scrambles to find the flies in the ointment, and then create stories to force them into the BCS National Championship. Even some of my favorite sports commentators on some of the shows seem to whine like babies when it comes to whether the BCS Championship should invite teams outside the power conferences to the National Championship.
To me, the National Championship should represent the two BEST teams in the country, not the teams with the best records. This is where the spirit of competition is often misplaced, because although I have nothing against teams from outside the power conferences, I just am not convinced that a team with an 11-0 or 12-0 record is better than a team like Oklahoma, Ohio State, USC or Florida with 1, or even 2 losses.
Now don’t get me wrong, there are exceptions, but let’s talk about that.
As of this date October 15th 2008, there are 6 teams of note that are not in the power conferences…
(For the novice, the “Power Conferences” are the ACC, Big East, Big 10, Big 12, Pac-10 and SEC…)
So the question becomes, who, if any, has a chance to play in the National Championship. This also begs the question as whether any of these teams can sincerely be seen as the BEST in the country.
Let’s chew on this. I mentioned 6 teams, let’s start with one that currently is not ranked on the polls: Tulsa University.
This team is currently 6-0 in Conference USA, a team that does not have an automatic invitation to the BCS bowls. Usually the champs of this conference get a trip to the Liberty Bowl. Funny, a few weeks ago we had placed ECU in that game, if not in the BCS, but now it looks like neither is gonna happen.
The record might look great, but there is a ZERO chance of Tulsa playing in the National Championship, and a 1% chance of playing in a BCS bowl. Why? The strength of schedule is very soft. Of their 6 wins, the current record of their opponents is 13-26. And if you take out Central Arkansas State, which isn’t a Division I school, that record changes to 8-25. Tulsa has three interesting games on their schedule, including Central Florida, Arkansas and Marshall. IF they win the division, they may well have to play Marshall again in the Conference USA Championship, or possibly UCF or even, dare we say…ECU?
But even undefeated, the strength of schedule keeps Tulsa from any National Championship, and unless everybody in the top 25 loses again, they can’t make it to the BCS bowls.
Ball State is the new darling of the NCAA, currently 7-0. Impressive, but coming out of the Mid-American Conference where currently 3 teams have a better than .500 record is a big problem. The strength of schedule will hurt them tremendously, but add on to this they have key division games vs. Western Michigan and Central Michigan just to fight to the division title. It seems whoever comes out of this division will win the MAC Championship, but even if Ball State goes undefeated, there is just no way they could be considered one of the two best teams in the nation. I can’t even see an invite to a BCS bowl if they go undefeated.
Understand what I am saying folks, I am not putting down these teams, I am looking at the theory that the National Championship is about the two best teams in the nation. Having a perfect record is great but it does not make you the best. If the BCS started awarding National Title games to undefeated teams, then schools like Notre Dame will water down their schedules even further to beg for a title that is not earned. Florida State played two Southern Conference teams this year and beat them with a combined 115 points…but that does not make them great. Heck, they are not a lock for even a bowl yet.
So although it seems like I am picking on Ball State and Tulsa, I am not.
Whereas Ball State is ranked #24 and #25 on two different polls, Boise State is ranked #16 and #17. This is a team that has shocked the nation, and although you can always question the strength of the Western Athletic Conference, you cannot question these guys.
A quality win over Oregon makes these guys legit, and you have to consider if this team deserves a national title shot IF they go undefeated. They still have some tough games in their conference with Fresno State and San Jose State and Hawaii, but overall nobody is going to compare the WAC to the SEC or Big 12, or even the ACC.
Strength of schedule is going to hurt them but they have a legit case of at least a BCS bowl if they go undefeated. But if so, you’d be saying they are one of the top 10 teams in the nation…I don’t have a problem with that at all if they go undefeated.
National Championship? I don’t think so. It goes back to whether Boise State with no losses is better than an Oklahoma with one loss, or Florida, Ohio State, LSU or other top ranked teams in stronger conferences with one loss. Yeah, I know they got that huge win awhile back, but could they do it again for a national title? I’m just not convinced that even if they go undefeated that they could be one of the two best teams in the nation. But if they DO go undefeated, they should be invited to a BCS bowl.
TCU is actually in one poll, and out of another. At 6-1, we know their only loss was to Oklahoma, and nobody is gonna fault them for that. The Mountain West Conference should be “popping their collars” because they have made some noise this year, with TCU being one of them. But because they already have one loss, they have no chance for a BCS Championship. Like the WAC, there is no championship game so there is no extra shot to move up the ranks. TCU will not be considered for a BCS title, even if they run the tables, but they CAN possibly get an invite to a BCS bowl if they clean out the MWC. If you consider who is on that schedule, that would really be saying something, even moreso that if Boise State goes undefeated. But one loss from an non-power conference school means elimination from the National Championship…
Unless everybody else loses 2 games….
Utah is currently #14 on one poll, and #13 in another. With 5 games left, and 2 very key games left, this is a team that can easily slip into the top 10 if other teams are caught napping. We know the SEC and Big 12 will knock each other around, so any teams like Utah, Boise State or even TCU can have a chance to slip in the elite circle if they go undefeated the rest of the season.
With wins over Michigan (ugh), Air Force and Oregon State, you have to give the Utes credit for being a good team. And their positioning is perfect right now, much better than TCU since the Horned Frogs are very low in the top 25. But Utah has to play TCU in a few weeks, and just like the SEC and Big 12, it is quite possible that the MWC can knock each other out of the national title.
But let’s say the don’t and Utah goes undefeated. Do they deserve a trip to the Orange bowl? I think IF they go undefeated, you have to seriously consider it because they have quality wins and the still have to play two teams that are ranked in one or more polls. This is a quality team. But are they better than a 1-loss team from a power conference?
Good question. I honestly don’t know the answer to that yet.
Then there’s BYU at 6-0.
Right now they are virtually guaranteed at LEAST a BCS bowl because they are in the top 10 in two polls. As I said, the MWC must be mighty happy with Utah, TCU and BYU making noise in the polls, and Air Force not being a shabby team either. This conference is very good, and I might say the best non-power conference in the nation. So if the power conferences are guaranteed a BCS bowl for their champions, then I think the Mountain West deserves at least that too.
But here’s the knocks on BYU. Yes they beat Washington and UCLA, and at the time it looked like very quality wins. But the Washington win was a controversial one, and barely beating an 0-6 team is not that impressive. Crushing the UCLA Bruins was nice, but we’re finding out that this team wasn’t all it was cracked up to be either.
In fact, only one team has a winning record of the 6 wins BYU has…hardly qualifying for a national championship. But they’ll get to prove themselves with some major games. Of their 6 remaining games, only one team at this point has a losing record in San Diego State (Marshall Faulk??).
With games vs. TCU, Utah and Air Force, the second half of the season will surely prove if BYU is worth of the hype. Go undefeated and I believe they deserve a BCS bowl. But a National Championship? Maybe, but to do that, 7 of the top 8 teams in the nation must lose, because BYU will not be jumping over anybody any other way.
Four teams from the Big 12 are still in the mix; if any of those win out, they are in, and BYU could be out. Alabama and Florida are still in, but I just can’t see Alabama going undefeated, so we may be talking about Florida, but the SEC is a tough conference. USC is still in the mix, even though they don’t have a conference championship game, and then there is Penn State. If they get through the Big 10, they are in.
This means the favor is against BYU, it’s not enough for them to win out, they need a LOT of help. They’ll get it from the Big 12 and maybe the SEC, but the Pac-10 and Big 10 are risky allies to depend on.
The next few weeks will reveal all. BCS busters, for the bowls sure, but for the National Championship…well, lots of stuff need to happen…and they just might…
Florida State Football:Bowl or Bust?
Florida State Football: Bowl or Bust?
Things have not been to great for Florida State Football lately. It seems like it was 42 years ago when the Seminoles went to the National Championship against Virginia Tech…oh, the good times back then.
But now, in 2008 this same team (with different players of course) are now in the crossroads of the season. You would not know it simply by looking at the numbers, but if you dig a bit deeper, you might see the true situation.
From first look, we see that in the ACC (which is playing pretty sub-par this year), every team has at LEAST a even record, or better…except NC State…
Oh, did I mention FSU plays NC State this Thursday?
6 of those ACC teams has only 1 loss, Florida State being one of those. And right now they are in a 3-way tie for second place in the Atlantic Division, with their loss coming to Wake Forest. So they look like they are in decent position to still challenge for the ACC title, and get to a bowl, right?
Maybe.
We were tricked the first couple of weeks when FSU demolished a couple of Southern Conference schools (one being MINE) and figured this was a team to reckon with in the ACC…until Wake Forest showed them the door, winning 12-3. How can you score 115 points and allow 7 in the first two games, but fail to get one touchdown against a conference rival?
This brought a lot of questions about FSU, but a quality win vs. Colorado and an escape vs. Miami seemed to put them back on track. As it stands now, Florida State is 4-1.
Now I’ll be honest, I don’t know if those first two games count because they were not Division I (or FBS) wins. I do know some of those games can count, but let’s just assume they don’t. this means Florida State needs 4 more wins to qualify for a bowl. With 7 games left, this seems to be a pretty good shot…but let’s take a look anyway.
We mentioned the game this Thursday against NC State, the current cellar-team. I think NC State is in as desperate a situation as a team can get, and with a home game this is a critical game…and isn’t the former head coach of the Wolfpack back with the Seminoles….hmmm, makes for an emotional game….
I’d like to say FSU should be favored, but emotional games go either way. Let’s just play devil’s advocate and say FSU loses, whether by 1 point or 20 it does not matter. Can this team rebound and win enough games to make it to a bowl?
This game is critical because it is also a division game. We know any tie breakers with FSU and Wake Forest will lean to the Demon Deacons because in head to head, they beat FSU, so it is vital that Florida State get this win and stay in reach of Wake Forest. They MUST have this game.
But if they don’t, then their next game is against #17 Virginia Tech. Yes this team lost to ECU earlier, but that was then. I think VA Tech is the best team in the ACC this year, and whether home or away, FSU might have their hands full. I’d like to see FSU win, but somehow I am just not convinced.
If you’re scoring, it is possible that FSU could be 4-3 before they see Georgia Tech AT their house. The good thing about this game and the Virginia Tech game is that even though they are ACC opponents, they are not division foes. Theoretically FSU could lose both these games and still contend for the ACC crown if they win the division.
Oh, by the way, what’s up with that 10-7 win over Gardner-Webb?
This might be a pretty good game to watch, and it is not a “gimme game” for FSU. I really see this going either way, and you have to wonder if home field will be the deciding factor. I just can’t call this one yet.
The next two games are home games, against Clemson and Boston College. We know Clemson is going through some very tough times, and you wonder if this team is in a mental state to play quality ball away from home. I think this should be one of the better games for FSU unless they get cocky and think that this game is already over. But the Boston College game will be harder. I personally think Boston College will win the division, but the game they will have vs. Wake Forest may decide that. But if I am picking Boston College to win the division, I then imply that they will beat FSU.
Their final ACC game is at Maryland, which has really been a question the entire season. But by this time, we might have a very important game here. It is quite possible that Maryland may have only 5 wins, needing one more to qualify for a bowl. This game becomes absolutely important to the Terapins, a game the MUST have. Can FSU beat a starving team or will they fall to Maryland’s bowl dreams?
By the time Florida State faces Florida, we could be looking at possibly a Florida team just steps away from a possible National Title game, and will not be interested in FSU being a thorn in their side. But it is also possible that FSU could be sitting at 6-5 and needing to win a signature game and hope for a bowl. I know when it comes to state rivals you throw out the records, but Florida is not likely to lose this game.
Florida State could end up 6-6, meaning I am only giving them 2 wins of the remaining 7 games: Clemson and NC State. I am not saying they can’t beat the other teams, but they will certainly have to earn them. But here’s the question, if those first two games don’t count, then FSU can’t go bowling with a 6-6 record. They MUST win 7 or 8 games, again depending on whether the Western Carolina and UTC games count. I can’t give them Florida, I can’t give them Virginia Tech and I believe Boston College is better than people think. So for FSU to go bowling this year, they’ve likely got to beat Georgia Tech and Maryland. Can they do that?
We’ll see depending on this Thursday’s game. If they lose to NC State, we may have our answers for the rest of they year.
Things have not been to great for Florida State Football lately. It seems like it was 42 years ago when the Seminoles went to the National Championship against Virginia Tech…oh, the good times back then.
But now, in 2008 this same team (with different players of course) are now in the crossroads of the season. You would not know it simply by looking at the numbers, but if you dig a bit deeper, you might see the true situation.
From first look, we see that in the ACC (which is playing pretty sub-par this year), every team has at LEAST a even record, or better…except NC State…
Oh, did I mention FSU plays NC State this Thursday?
6 of those ACC teams has only 1 loss, Florida State being one of those. And right now they are in a 3-way tie for second place in the Atlantic Division, with their loss coming to Wake Forest. So they look like they are in decent position to still challenge for the ACC title, and get to a bowl, right?
Maybe.
We were tricked the first couple of weeks when FSU demolished a couple of Southern Conference schools (one being MINE) and figured this was a team to reckon with in the ACC…until Wake Forest showed them the door, winning 12-3. How can you score 115 points and allow 7 in the first two games, but fail to get one touchdown against a conference rival?
This brought a lot of questions about FSU, but a quality win vs. Colorado and an escape vs. Miami seemed to put them back on track. As it stands now, Florida State is 4-1.
Now I’ll be honest, I don’t know if those first two games count because they were not Division I (or FBS) wins. I do know some of those games can count, but let’s just assume they don’t. this means Florida State needs 4 more wins to qualify for a bowl. With 7 games left, this seems to be a pretty good shot…but let’s take a look anyway.
We mentioned the game this Thursday against NC State, the current cellar-team. I think NC State is in as desperate a situation as a team can get, and with a home game this is a critical game…and isn’t the former head coach of the Wolfpack back with the Seminoles….hmmm, makes for an emotional game….
I’d like to say FSU should be favored, but emotional games go either way. Let’s just play devil’s advocate and say FSU loses, whether by 1 point or 20 it does not matter. Can this team rebound and win enough games to make it to a bowl?
This game is critical because it is also a division game. We know any tie breakers with FSU and Wake Forest will lean to the Demon Deacons because in head to head, they beat FSU, so it is vital that Florida State get this win and stay in reach of Wake Forest. They MUST have this game.
But if they don’t, then their next game is against #17 Virginia Tech. Yes this team lost to ECU earlier, but that was then. I think VA Tech is the best team in the ACC this year, and whether home or away, FSU might have their hands full. I’d like to see FSU win, but somehow I am just not convinced.
If you’re scoring, it is possible that FSU could be 4-3 before they see Georgia Tech AT their house. The good thing about this game and the Virginia Tech game is that even though they are ACC opponents, they are not division foes. Theoretically FSU could lose both these games and still contend for the ACC crown if they win the division.
Oh, by the way, what’s up with that 10-7 win over Gardner-Webb?
This might be a pretty good game to watch, and it is not a “gimme game” for FSU. I really see this going either way, and you have to wonder if home field will be the deciding factor. I just can’t call this one yet.
The next two games are home games, against Clemson and Boston College. We know Clemson is going through some very tough times, and you wonder if this team is in a mental state to play quality ball away from home. I think this should be one of the better games for FSU unless they get cocky and think that this game is already over. But the Boston College game will be harder. I personally think Boston College will win the division, but the game they will have vs. Wake Forest may decide that. But if I am picking Boston College to win the division, I then imply that they will beat FSU.
Their final ACC game is at Maryland, which has really been a question the entire season. But by this time, we might have a very important game here. It is quite possible that Maryland may have only 5 wins, needing one more to qualify for a bowl. This game becomes absolutely important to the Terapins, a game the MUST have. Can FSU beat a starving team or will they fall to Maryland’s bowl dreams?
By the time Florida State faces Florida, we could be looking at possibly a Florida team just steps away from a possible National Title game, and will not be interested in FSU being a thorn in their side. But it is also possible that FSU could be sitting at 6-5 and needing to win a signature game and hope for a bowl. I know when it comes to state rivals you throw out the records, but Florida is not likely to lose this game.
Florida State could end up 6-6, meaning I am only giving them 2 wins of the remaining 7 games: Clemson and NC State. I am not saying they can’t beat the other teams, but they will certainly have to earn them. But here’s the question, if those first two games don’t count, then FSU can’t go bowling with a 6-6 record. They MUST win 7 or 8 games, again depending on whether the Western Carolina and UTC games count. I can’t give them Florida, I can’t give them Virginia Tech and I believe Boston College is better than people think. So for FSU to go bowling this year, they’ve likely got to beat Georgia Tech and Maryland. Can they do that?
We’ll see depending on this Thursday’s game. If they lose to NC State, we may have our answers for the rest of they year.
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