ACC Football Soap Opera

ACC Football Soap Opera

The fates of four teams will be seriously forged today as there are two big matchups in the ACC… and I ain’t talking about Duke vs. NC State!

Boston College, a team snubbed my many, plays Virginia Tech, a strong team in the top 10 trying to solidify itself for a major bowl bid. Georgia Tech, barely clinging on the top 25 list, travels to play Florida State, who has inherited a whirlwind of criticism from jokers who know nothing about football.

Three of these teams are currently 4-1, and one of these teams ran out BYU out of their own house. Collectively these teams last year were 37-17, which averages out to about a strong 9-4 record. This year their records combined are 14-6. Yet after you get through those numbers, you see there is some SERIOUS stories that these teams must address.

The cover over this is that the ACC has been criticized for being weak, second only to the Big East. Some idiots believe a team like Boise State can join the ACC and mop them all up…

Yeah, you TRY that and see how fast your fame goes out the window….

But the truth is that the ACC has not been in the top 10 at the end of the year, and it is imperative that somebody from the conference takes that step. Last year we thought Clemson would be that team until they went belly up. This year the thought was that Virginia Tech would be that team, until they lost to Alabama. Then comes Miami, with the promise of bringing the “U” back, but lost to Virginia Tech. And then Florida State whips up on BYU, only to have a crushing defeat afterwards and to fall 2-3.

Each of these four teams playing today has much to prove, at the expense of another team.

Boston College is 4-1, but losing big to Clemson hurt them. Beating Northeastern and Kent State means nothing, so their only credible wins are against Wake Forest and Florida State. But they sit at the top of the division and thus needs this win on the road at Virginia Tech to get on the top 25 poll and make some noise for a possible BCS game.

But Virginia Tech is still stinging from the early season loss to Alabama. Still, with wins over Nebraska and Miami, they are clearly a strong team, perhaps THE team, to beat. It is quite possible that the ACC is hinging their reputation on this team to run the tables and take a stab at the National Title…it would bring great honor to the conference.

Meanwhile Georgia Tech sits on the top 25 but some are wondering how long this triple option thing is gonna work. Are teams getting hip to it? Sure they are 4-1 but those wins come against Jacksonville State, which was simplicity in the making. They beat Clemson but I saw that game and they very nearly lost that because the triple option gave out of gas. And beating UNC is beating a mid-card team. And Mississippi State…well, they are like the Duke of the SEC. In short, these are not that impressive. Is Georgia Tech a good team, sure, but how long before the rest of the conference understands the option and begins to counter? Some think that time is now.

And one of those teams that has to think in the now is Florida State, who has come across very heavy criticism from the trustees. To me this is foolish for some jerk who thinks Bobby Bowden ought to step down…some gratitude for ya. A few years ago the media on ESPN and everywhere else was trying to kick Joe Paterno out of Penn State…idiots. Let the man coach as long as he wants…he BUILT that team. Same as Bowden. But it is imperative that they start winning, the problem is they don’t seem to play so well in their home state. Three of their 4 losses last year was in the state of Florida. Two of their 3 losses this year was in the state of Florida…and they got a home game today. If there is any chance of salvaging a decent season, it has to be now. Mind you, they lost 4 games last year, which most teams will take in a heartbeat. If they can get past Georgia Tech, I can still see FSU winning at least 8 games, and if they get on a good roll, that final game vs. Florida will be a classic.

These four ACC teams have much to prove, and they can’t wait for another loss to begin the road upward…it begins now, and a loss will be devastating to any of these teams. A loss to Boston College closes them out of the top 25 for the next few weeks, a loss to Virginia Tech cuts the ACC down as a real contender. A loss to Georgia Tech might spell the mysteries defined of the triple option, and a loss for Florida State could speed up the growing poison of forcing a great legend from his team.

We shall learn more today as these games are played out…