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…
Showing posts with label ACC Football. Show all posts
Showing posts with label ACC Football. Show all posts
Saturday, October 10, 2009
Duke vs NC State college football
Duke vs. NC State
How DARE you make me watch Duke play football!
Oh well, football is football….might as well take a look at this one.
Being in the middle of ACC country, this game will be on I think ESPNU, because it certainly isn’t a top level game. But even in games like this, there is a lot at stake. Without a whole lot of fanfare, let’s take a quick look at this game and see who had the advantage:
Both teams sit next to last in the standings of their division, but that could be misleading since conference games are really just getting started. NC State actually has a winning record at 3-2 after having a very rough 6-7 season last year. This year they start off paying tribute to baseball by losing to South Carolina 7-3 in a low scoring evening.
Cheap home wins over Murray State and Gardner-Webb bumped them to 2-1 and made it look like they are a rocket in scoring, having outscored their opponents 110-21. And to beat Pittsburgh the next week, at home, was a strong indicator of how good this team could be, but winning 38-31 might have shown some weakness….is there any defense?
But the first road game of the Wolfpack proved to be fatal, losing to Wake Forest in a road game that actually was more like an hour drive or so. Outside of Raleigh, the Wolfpack seem to be powerless…so far. And today they stay home as the Blue Devils come to visit.
For Duke, their 2-3 record has been mentioned by a few people to be pretty good, that this team is a quality team….
Ok…wait a minute…Duke…Football…GOOD? Hulk not understand.
This was a team that lost to Richmond at the beginning of the year 24-16...this is a GOOD team? They did manage to rebound by beating Army 35-19, then got drilled by #22 Kansas 44-16 in a game more people would have watched if it was basketball than football.
And then there’s that “Gridiron Classic” that they shoved down our throats, when they played NC Central…come on folks, there was nothing classic in that game! But Duke wins, beating a historic black college football team 49-14.
But they did come close to beating #6 Virginia Tech, 34-26, so maybe there is hope. But I can’t buy into a 4-8 team from last year being “good” this year. You have to prove it with wins, not promises.
Duke had two valid wins last year, at home vs. Navy and on the road vs. Vanderbilt. Now neither of those two were top 15 caliber, but it is far better than beating some Division IAA school.
So who has the advantage? It is incredibly important for NC State to win their home games, because they have Boston College, Florida State and Virginia Tech on the road…could easily be 3 losses, especially since 4 of their 7 losses last year was on the road. Beating Duke would propel them in their standings for a minute.
Duke needs this win like I need a cold glass of Coca-Cola and a bag of hot chips while I watch today’s football games (yeah I know Pepsi is more of a southern drink, but screw that, I like Coca-Cola!)
But all the talk about winning means nothing if you can’t do it. Is Duke as good as they say? My only evidence to it is that they beat Army and NC Central…hardly a recommendation for a good team. But because State isn’t scaring anybody, this could possibly be a decent game. I might watch, depending on the other 4pm games, but I expect the home town to win…even though Durham and Raleigh are like 3 feet from one another.
NC State wins by 12.
How DARE you make me watch Duke play football!
Oh well, football is football….might as well take a look at this one.
Being in the middle of ACC country, this game will be on I think ESPNU, because it certainly isn’t a top level game. But even in games like this, there is a lot at stake. Without a whole lot of fanfare, let’s take a quick look at this game and see who had the advantage:
Both teams sit next to last in the standings of their division, but that could be misleading since conference games are really just getting started. NC State actually has a winning record at 3-2 after having a very rough 6-7 season last year. This year they start off paying tribute to baseball by losing to South Carolina 7-3 in a low scoring evening.
Cheap home wins over Murray State and Gardner-Webb bumped them to 2-1 and made it look like they are a rocket in scoring, having outscored their opponents 110-21. And to beat Pittsburgh the next week, at home, was a strong indicator of how good this team could be, but winning 38-31 might have shown some weakness….is there any defense?
But the first road game of the Wolfpack proved to be fatal, losing to Wake Forest in a road game that actually was more like an hour drive or so. Outside of Raleigh, the Wolfpack seem to be powerless…so far. And today they stay home as the Blue Devils come to visit.
For Duke, their 2-3 record has been mentioned by a few people to be pretty good, that this team is a quality team….
Ok…wait a minute…Duke…Football…GOOD? Hulk not understand.
This was a team that lost to Richmond at the beginning of the year 24-16...this is a GOOD team? They did manage to rebound by beating Army 35-19, then got drilled by #22 Kansas 44-16 in a game more people would have watched if it was basketball than football.
And then there’s that “Gridiron Classic” that they shoved down our throats, when they played NC Central…come on folks, there was nothing classic in that game! But Duke wins, beating a historic black college football team 49-14.
But they did come close to beating #6 Virginia Tech, 34-26, so maybe there is hope. But I can’t buy into a 4-8 team from last year being “good” this year. You have to prove it with wins, not promises.
Duke had two valid wins last year, at home vs. Navy and on the road vs. Vanderbilt. Now neither of those two were top 15 caliber, but it is far better than beating some Division IAA school.
So who has the advantage? It is incredibly important for NC State to win their home games, because they have Boston College, Florida State and Virginia Tech on the road…could easily be 3 losses, especially since 4 of their 7 losses last year was on the road. Beating Duke would propel them in their standings for a minute.
Duke needs this win like I need a cold glass of Coca-Cola and a bag of hot chips while I watch today’s football games (yeah I know Pepsi is more of a southern drink, but screw that, I like Coca-Cola!)
But all the talk about winning means nothing if you can’t do it. Is Duke as good as they say? My only evidence to it is that they beat Army and NC Central…hardly a recommendation for a good team. But because State isn’t scaring anybody, this could possibly be a decent game. I might watch, depending on the other 4pm games, but I expect the home town to win…even though Durham and Raleigh are like 3 feet from one another.
NC State wins by 12.
Friday, September 25, 2009
ACC Football: Coastal Division
ACC Football: Coastal Division Warzone
Of the two divisions of the ACC, the most interesting seems to be the Coastal Division. We talked before about how the ACC had lost a lot of respect last year because none of the 12 teams finished in the top 10. It even sparked some to say that maybe the ACC does not deserve a BCS bid, and should rather give it to Boise State…
Huh? Boise State beat how many quality teams last year?
But this year things look a little different. With early surprises and a handful of teams in the top 25, the ACC looks as competitive as it did last year, but with even more punch.
If you missed the blog I wrote on the Atlantic Division of the ACC, and their rank, check that out. We wanted to take a look at this football conference and see their current rank and file, as of three weeks into the 2009 season. The actual rankings look this way:
General: Miami Hurricanes
Captain: Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets
Lieutenant: North Carolina Tarheels
Sergeant: Virginia Tech Hokies
Corporal: Duke Blue Devils
Buck Private: Virginia Cavaliers
Remember that these are only based after 3 weeks, since 4 of the 6 teams have yet to play a conference or division game. Of course Miami leads the division because not only have they won 2 games, they won two CONFERENCE games. Georgia Tech is second because they won and lost a conference game, one against Miami. The remaining four teams are listed with the Tarheels third because they are 3-0, and Virginia Tech is 2-1 overall. Duke is 1-2 and at dead last is Virginia, at 0-3.
But is this the TRUE rank and file? Let’s take a closer look and see:
Miami: Good times are a plenty in Miami, not only as the state (and the eastern coast) survived hurricane season with no threats in the least, the sports-type Hurricanes are enjoying a very good start. A team that was 7-6 last year has surprised everybody with a 2-0 start, including wins over a ranked Florida State and a ranked Georgia Tech. There is no question that as of this moment, they are doing very well. A HUGE game against Virginia Tech will determine if this will be a solid top 10 squad, or one just passing by. Some question if this is a really for real top ten team, and this weekend will prove many things. Mind you, last year Miami beat VA Tech by 2 points… it could be just as close.
Georgia Tech: This 9-4 team bothers me, in that the style of play that worked last year could quickly be as outdated at bell-bottomed pants and fly-collars. This option style almost cost them the game against Clemson, and surely cost them against Miami. If people figure out this style, it may well be easy to counter, forcing the Yellow Jackets to do what they could not do…pass. We’re just not too confident that the option will work in the BCS conference.
North Carolina: The only 3-0 team in the ACC and one more win from making a solid impact on the top 25. Beating Citadel means nothing, beating Big East foe Connecticut on the road is worthy, and beating ECU is even a little better. Lots of people see the Tarheels as a mid-card team, and not much is going to change it this year, but if UNC can beat Georgia Tech, then they could possibly be the third best team in the division…maybe
Virginia Tech: Hmmm, this team is ranked and plays top ten foe Miami this weekend. Losing to Alabama is their only blemish, but much is expected from this team that was 10-4 last year. An embarrassing loss to ECU, back to back road losses to Boston College and Florida State, and a road loss to Miami means they don’t like leaving home, but a home game vs. Miami might fix all that ails them. IF Virginia Tech beats Miami, it is not out of the realms of possibility for them to run the table…you were warned…
Duke: Ugh…do we have to? Oh well. Four wins last year had some people thinking they can win 8 this year…not sure on who does the math at Duke. However, a good win over Navy at home and a narrow win at Vanderbilt is worth something. If they don’t beat NC Central by at least 30 points, then shame on them…it may well be the best win of the year for them. Live it up now Blue Devils, the post season comes not for thee.
Virginia: This is an embarrassing spot for a once proud football team. Currently the ONLY winless team in the ACC, there may still be hope for Virginia. I mean, they did win one game more than Duke. Mind you, they did beat ECU, UNC and Georgia Tech, so there is still some talent there, but they better manifest it soon, or they will be mopping the halls long after chowtime is done. Such is the fate for Buck Privates.
So having looked at these teams, we think the true order, the true rank and file of the Coastal Division goes like this:
General: Virginia Tech Hokies
Captain: Miami Hurricanes
Lieutenant: North Carolina Tarheels
Sergeant: Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets
Corporal: Virginia Cavaliers
Buck Private: Duke Blue Devils
With several key games this weekend in the ACC, it will be interesting to see top ranked foes Miami and Virginia Tech will fare. With a week off, Virginia needs to find someway to play this game they call football. UNC will see if they can figure out the code to cracking the played out style called Triple Option and Duke plays a so called Gridiron Classic, with nothing classic about it.
We shall see who really runs the ACC…time will tell…..
Of the two divisions of the ACC, the most interesting seems to be the Coastal Division. We talked before about how the ACC had lost a lot of respect last year because none of the 12 teams finished in the top 10. It even sparked some to say that maybe the ACC does not deserve a BCS bid, and should rather give it to Boise State…
Huh? Boise State beat how many quality teams last year?
But this year things look a little different. With early surprises and a handful of teams in the top 25, the ACC looks as competitive as it did last year, but with even more punch.
If you missed the blog I wrote on the Atlantic Division of the ACC, and their rank, check that out. We wanted to take a look at this football conference and see their current rank and file, as of three weeks into the 2009 season. The actual rankings look this way:
General: Miami Hurricanes
Captain: Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets
Lieutenant: North Carolina Tarheels
Sergeant: Virginia Tech Hokies
Corporal: Duke Blue Devils
Buck Private: Virginia Cavaliers
Remember that these are only based after 3 weeks, since 4 of the 6 teams have yet to play a conference or division game. Of course Miami leads the division because not only have they won 2 games, they won two CONFERENCE games. Georgia Tech is second because they won and lost a conference game, one against Miami. The remaining four teams are listed with the Tarheels third because they are 3-0, and Virginia Tech is 2-1 overall. Duke is 1-2 and at dead last is Virginia, at 0-3.
But is this the TRUE rank and file? Let’s take a closer look and see:
Miami: Good times are a plenty in Miami, not only as the state (and the eastern coast) survived hurricane season with no threats in the least, the sports-type Hurricanes are enjoying a very good start. A team that was 7-6 last year has surprised everybody with a 2-0 start, including wins over a ranked Florida State and a ranked Georgia Tech. There is no question that as of this moment, they are doing very well. A HUGE game against Virginia Tech will determine if this will be a solid top 10 squad, or one just passing by. Some question if this is a really for real top ten team, and this weekend will prove many things. Mind you, last year Miami beat VA Tech by 2 points… it could be just as close.
Georgia Tech: This 9-4 team bothers me, in that the style of play that worked last year could quickly be as outdated at bell-bottomed pants and fly-collars. This option style almost cost them the game against Clemson, and surely cost them against Miami. If people figure out this style, it may well be easy to counter, forcing the Yellow Jackets to do what they could not do…pass. We’re just not too confident that the option will work in the BCS conference.
North Carolina: The only 3-0 team in the ACC and one more win from making a solid impact on the top 25. Beating Citadel means nothing, beating Big East foe Connecticut on the road is worthy, and beating ECU is even a little better. Lots of people see the Tarheels as a mid-card team, and not much is going to change it this year, but if UNC can beat Georgia Tech, then they could possibly be the third best team in the division…maybe
Virginia Tech: Hmmm, this team is ranked and plays top ten foe Miami this weekend. Losing to Alabama is their only blemish, but much is expected from this team that was 10-4 last year. An embarrassing loss to ECU, back to back road losses to Boston College and Florida State, and a road loss to Miami means they don’t like leaving home, but a home game vs. Miami might fix all that ails them. IF Virginia Tech beats Miami, it is not out of the realms of possibility for them to run the table…you were warned…
Duke: Ugh…do we have to? Oh well. Four wins last year had some people thinking they can win 8 this year…not sure on who does the math at Duke. However, a good win over Navy at home and a narrow win at Vanderbilt is worth something. If they don’t beat NC Central by at least 30 points, then shame on them…it may well be the best win of the year for them. Live it up now Blue Devils, the post season comes not for thee.
Virginia: This is an embarrassing spot for a once proud football team. Currently the ONLY winless team in the ACC, there may still be hope for Virginia. I mean, they did win one game more than Duke. Mind you, they did beat ECU, UNC and Georgia Tech, so there is still some talent there, but they better manifest it soon, or they will be mopping the halls long after chowtime is done. Such is the fate for Buck Privates.
So having looked at these teams, we think the true order, the true rank and file of the Coastal Division goes like this:
General: Virginia Tech Hokies
Captain: Miami Hurricanes
Lieutenant: North Carolina Tarheels
Sergeant: Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets
Corporal: Virginia Cavaliers
Buck Private: Duke Blue Devils
With several key games this weekend in the ACC, it will be interesting to see top ranked foes Miami and Virginia Tech will fare. With a week off, Virginia needs to find someway to play this game they call football. UNC will see if they can figure out the code to cracking the played out style called Triple Option and Duke plays a so called Gridiron Classic, with nothing classic about it.
We shall see who really runs the ACC…time will tell…..
ACC Football: Atlantic Division Warzone
ACC Football: Atlantic Warzone
(just trying to have a little fun here folks)
Last year the ACC was heavily criticized as being a weak conference, some felt that teams like Boise State were better than any team in either the ACC or Big East…I strongly disagree. While the ACC has had better years, every year has been a war from start to finish…
And before I continue, I don’t wanna hear no self-righteous yap about being sensitive to war terms…I am greatly proud of all our troops, but almost every term used in the sport of football comes from the aggressive terms used in the military…so don’t take it so personal…it’s just a game!
Anyway…..
With the ACC being as competitive as it was last year, we see that all 12 teams dive into the season with hopes of making it to that ACC Championship game, and also that next step to a BCS bowl. But who stands the best chances of getting there? Let’s look at the Atlantic Division of the ACC and see the rank and file of these ACC members:
In alphabetical order, you have Boston College, Clemson, Florida State, Maryland, North Carolina State and Wake Forest. But three games into the college football season, the order is a little different.
According to the standings, Clemson actually sits on top because as of this moment, they are the ONLY team in the Atlantic Division with a division win, that being over Boston College, although it is matched with a loss from Georgia Tech. You technically have a three way tie for second because NC State, Wake Forest and Maryland are all 0-0. At the bottom you have a tie because both Boston College and Florida State have a conference loss. So one could put the actual rank and file as such:
General: Clemson Tigers
Captain: North Carolina State Wolfpack
Lieutenant: Wake Forest Demon Deacons
Sergeant: Maryland Terrapins
Corporal: Boston College Eagles
Buck Private: Florida State Seminoles
But appearances can be deceiving, can’t they?
Each team will all face one another to truly determine who is the leader, and who will be mopping the floors at the end of the day. Let’s take a closer look at each team and see where they might TRULY end up:
Clemson: A win over Boston College makes them the (temporary) undisputed leader with a division win, which means more than a conference win. Putting Boston College in their place gives the Tigers a leg up on everybody else, but as we noted, this is only temporary. This 7-6 team last year wasn’t much on leading, as they were a highly ranked team at the beginning of last year, only to lose rank in record fashion. They beat 2 of the 5 division foes last year, and it seems that they might be a little better this year. Could Florida State be the only thing standing in their way for Atlantic Division domination?
NC State: The reason why they are listed above Wake Forest and Maryland is because alphabetically they come before Wake Forest, and Maryland is currently 1-2. With cheap wins against less than stellar foes, the jury is still out on this team that went 6-7 last year. Wake Forest was the only divisional foe they beat least year, and it was a home game, winning only by 4. With away games at Wake Forest, Boston College and Florida State, we can’t see the Wolfpack commanding too many troops here.
Wake Forest: This 8-5 team has only lost one game so far this year, but there are still many questions about the lack of scoring that they had last year. Yes they got the ball in the end zone, but averaging about 21 a game makes it too close for comfort. Beating Florida State AND Clemson was great, losing in a shutout to Maryland, then losing to NC State and Boston College makes them average. They need this win over Boston College to validate some authority, else it will be a long season.
Maryland: How many stripes are really on the arm of this team. Lose to Middle Tennessee, beat California. Get shut out by Virginia, then shuts out Wake Forest. If we don’t know what this team is about, it is best to keep them right in the middle of the pack, but at 1-2 they are already behind the ball, and it does not look like they will show us anything to change our mind. Average at best, possibly lower.
Boston College: The loss to Clemson was an odd one, with the weather playing such a significant factor, but a loss is still a loss. Few wonder how legit the team really is, after all, there is no quality wins at the moment. A lot of work to be done for a team that was 9-5 last year. Only Clemson bested them last year out of the division, but BC had 7 games that were within a possession of winning…or losing. It might appear that the glory days of the Eagles might be slipping… and the rank possibly justified.
Florida State: Odd how the tail is actually the head, how a Buck Private is actually the leader of a division. Florida State lost to Miami, but crushed a top 25 foe in BYU on the road to solidify (for now) a top 25 ranking. With 3 division games on the road, this might be a sign. A respectable 9-4 last year, it is still underachieving for the former Commander-In-Chief of the ACC. Those days of absolute rule are long gone, but remember that two of their losses last year came from this very division…and we are still scratching our heads about that Jacksonville State game…
So having looked at the facts, we might change up the rank and file of the ACC to read this way, as it may well look at the end of the year:
General: Florida State Seminoles
Captain: Clemson Tigers
Lieutenant: North Carolina State Wolfpack
Sergeant: Boston College Eagles
Corporal: Wake Forest Demon Deacons
Buck Private: Maryland
We shall learn much more after this weekend, with Boston College hosting Wake Forest… time will tell all….
(just trying to have a little fun here folks)
Last year the ACC was heavily criticized as being a weak conference, some felt that teams like Boise State were better than any team in either the ACC or Big East…I strongly disagree. While the ACC has had better years, every year has been a war from start to finish…
And before I continue, I don’t wanna hear no self-righteous yap about being sensitive to war terms…I am greatly proud of all our troops, but almost every term used in the sport of football comes from the aggressive terms used in the military…so don’t take it so personal…it’s just a game!
Anyway…..
With the ACC being as competitive as it was last year, we see that all 12 teams dive into the season with hopes of making it to that ACC Championship game, and also that next step to a BCS bowl. But who stands the best chances of getting there? Let’s look at the Atlantic Division of the ACC and see the rank and file of these ACC members:
In alphabetical order, you have Boston College, Clemson, Florida State, Maryland, North Carolina State and Wake Forest. But three games into the college football season, the order is a little different.
According to the standings, Clemson actually sits on top because as of this moment, they are the ONLY team in the Atlantic Division with a division win, that being over Boston College, although it is matched with a loss from Georgia Tech. You technically have a three way tie for second because NC State, Wake Forest and Maryland are all 0-0. At the bottom you have a tie because both Boston College and Florida State have a conference loss. So one could put the actual rank and file as such:
General: Clemson Tigers
Captain: North Carolina State Wolfpack
Lieutenant: Wake Forest Demon Deacons
Sergeant: Maryland Terrapins
Corporal: Boston College Eagles
Buck Private: Florida State Seminoles
But appearances can be deceiving, can’t they?
Each team will all face one another to truly determine who is the leader, and who will be mopping the floors at the end of the day. Let’s take a closer look at each team and see where they might TRULY end up:
Clemson: A win over Boston College makes them the (temporary) undisputed leader with a division win, which means more than a conference win. Putting Boston College in their place gives the Tigers a leg up on everybody else, but as we noted, this is only temporary. This 7-6 team last year wasn’t much on leading, as they were a highly ranked team at the beginning of last year, only to lose rank in record fashion. They beat 2 of the 5 division foes last year, and it seems that they might be a little better this year. Could Florida State be the only thing standing in their way for Atlantic Division domination?
NC State: The reason why they are listed above Wake Forest and Maryland is because alphabetically they come before Wake Forest, and Maryland is currently 1-2. With cheap wins against less than stellar foes, the jury is still out on this team that went 6-7 last year. Wake Forest was the only divisional foe they beat least year, and it was a home game, winning only by 4. With away games at Wake Forest, Boston College and Florida State, we can’t see the Wolfpack commanding too many troops here.
Wake Forest: This 8-5 team has only lost one game so far this year, but there are still many questions about the lack of scoring that they had last year. Yes they got the ball in the end zone, but averaging about 21 a game makes it too close for comfort. Beating Florida State AND Clemson was great, losing in a shutout to Maryland, then losing to NC State and Boston College makes them average. They need this win over Boston College to validate some authority, else it will be a long season.
Maryland: How many stripes are really on the arm of this team. Lose to Middle Tennessee, beat California. Get shut out by Virginia, then shuts out Wake Forest. If we don’t know what this team is about, it is best to keep them right in the middle of the pack, but at 1-2 they are already behind the ball, and it does not look like they will show us anything to change our mind. Average at best, possibly lower.
Boston College: The loss to Clemson was an odd one, with the weather playing such a significant factor, but a loss is still a loss. Few wonder how legit the team really is, after all, there is no quality wins at the moment. A lot of work to be done for a team that was 9-5 last year. Only Clemson bested them last year out of the division, but BC had 7 games that were within a possession of winning…or losing. It might appear that the glory days of the Eagles might be slipping… and the rank possibly justified.
Florida State: Odd how the tail is actually the head, how a Buck Private is actually the leader of a division. Florida State lost to Miami, but crushed a top 25 foe in BYU on the road to solidify (for now) a top 25 ranking. With 3 division games on the road, this might be a sign. A respectable 9-4 last year, it is still underachieving for the former Commander-In-Chief of the ACC. Those days of absolute rule are long gone, but remember that two of their losses last year came from this very division…and we are still scratching our heads about that Jacksonville State game…
So having looked at the facts, we might change up the rank and file of the ACC to read this way, as it may well look at the end of the year:
General: Florida State Seminoles
Captain: Clemson Tigers
Lieutenant: North Carolina State Wolfpack
Sergeant: Boston College Eagles
Corporal: Wake Forest Demon Deacons
Buck Private: Maryland
We shall learn much more after this weekend, with Boston College hosting Wake Forest… time will tell all….
South Florida vs Florida State 2009
South Florida vs. Florida State
Florida State is currently ranked #18 in the polls, after a thrashing they put on BYU (which surprised me as well as many others). It is possible that the ACC made a statement that they are as competitive as the other conferences by beating a top 25 team handily in their own house?
Now they have to do it again, under much more local confines. The ACC’s Florida State will host South Florida in a big time game for both sides. This is a game that Florida State simply cannot lose, if they are to retain credibility for their top 25 ranking. With teams slipping and sliding every week, the opportunistic team can easily find themselves in the top 10 in a few weeks…case in point, Mississippi.
But to stay there, they must win and not lose to an unranked opponent…case in point, Mississippi.
But the Big East has a point to prove too, and they need South Florida to make that for them. About 27 undefeated teams remain in the FBS, three of them come from this very conference. South Florida has shown signs of brilliance the last few years, only to buckle under the pressure once they were ranked high in the standings.
There is a LOT of credibility on the line here, for the ACC and the Big East…who wins this matchup in the Sunshine State? Let’s look at it:
South Florida is currently 3-0, and not ranked at the moment. Sure, the Bulls have scored about 134 points in three games, which averages to over 40 a game, but who have they beaten? Wofford? Western Kentucky? Charleston Southern?
Again, only 27 teams remain undefeated, and you’re not on the top 25? Very soft schedule folks.
Mind you, this team started out 5-0 last year and was the apple of many eyes, beating teams like Kansas and NC State. But it preceded a 1-4 record once they hit the Big East schedule before beating UCONN, losing to West Virginia and winning the bowl game against Memphis.
I think with a returning good quarterback and an excellent defensive power, this is still a good team, they can win decent games so these are not your mother’s cupcakes, but the last couple of years just seem to show that they are mid-card teams, destined to hover around greatness, but never obtaining it.
But if there is a chance for an upset, it can happen against Florida State.
The Seminoles were 9-4 last year, losing to Wake Forest by 9, Georgia Tech by 3, Boston College by 10 and to Florida by…well that doesn’t matter. Granted they destroyed my beloved Catamounts 69-0, but what did it gain them?
Losing to rival Miami hurt them, but not as bad as the near loss to Jacksonville State. That embarrassing win must have prompted Florida State to re focus, which is what they did against BYU, in a big time win that vaulted them back in the top 25 spotlight.
The Seminoles try to make a living with the passing, which has also burnt them more than once. Last year quarterback Ponder threw for 14 touchdowns…great….but also threw for 13 interceptions…ugh.
The question here is going to be which mindset is Florida State on: the swagger that produced players like Charlie Ward and Deon Sanders, or the team that was so high on itself that it almost lost to Jacksonville State… as they say, half of football is mental.
With Grothe for the Bulls being injured, there may be a feast of blitzes for Florida State, and I think that kinda pressure could get to South Florida. But sometimes playing home makes a team kinda…cocky. I don’t think South Florida can beat Florida State, but I also don’t think they are as intimidated. This could be interesting…
If I had to pick, I might think Florida State will win, but not as big a margin as the BYU game. I give it to the Seminoles by 8 points.
Florida State is currently ranked #18 in the polls, after a thrashing they put on BYU (which surprised me as well as many others). It is possible that the ACC made a statement that they are as competitive as the other conferences by beating a top 25 team handily in their own house?
Now they have to do it again, under much more local confines. The ACC’s Florida State will host South Florida in a big time game for both sides. This is a game that Florida State simply cannot lose, if they are to retain credibility for their top 25 ranking. With teams slipping and sliding every week, the opportunistic team can easily find themselves in the top 10 in a few weeks…case in point, Mississippi.
But to stay there, they must win and not lose to an unranked opponent…case in point, Mississippi.
But the Big East has a point to prove too, and they need South Florida to make that for them. About 27 undefeated teams remain in the FBS, three of them come from this very conference. South Florida has shown signs of brilliance the last few years, only to buckle under the pressure once they were ranked high in the standings.
There is a LOT of credibility on the line here, for the ACC and the Big East…who wins this matchup in the Sunshine State? Let’s look at it:
South Florida is currently 3-0, and not ranked at the moment. Sure, the Bulls have scored about 134 points in three games, which averages to over 40 a game, but who have they beaten? Wofford? Western Kentucky? Charleston Southern?
Again, only 27 teams remain undefeated, and you’re not on the top 25? Very soft schedule folks.
Mind you, this team started out 5-0 last year and was the apple of many eyes, beating teams like Kansas and NC State. But it preceded a 1-4 record once they hit the Big East schedule before beating UCONN, losing to West Virginia and winning the bowl game against Memphis.
I think with a returning good quarterback and an excellent defensive power, this is still a good team, they can win decent games so these are not your mother’s cupcakes, but the last couple of years just seem to show that they are mid-card teams, destined to hover around greatness, but never obtaining it.
But if there is a chance for an upset, it can happen against Florida State.
The Seminoles were 9-4 last year, losing to Wake Forest by 9, Georgia Tech by 3, Boston College by 10 and to Florida by…well that doesn’t matter. Granted they destroyed my beloved Catamounts 69-0, but what did it gain them?
Losing to rival Miami hurt them, but not as bad as the near loss to Jacksonville State. That embarrassing win must have prompted Florida State to re focus, which is what they did against BYU, in a big time win that vaulted them back in the top 25 spotlight.
The Seminoles try to make a living with the passing, which has also burnt them more than once. Last year quarterback Ponder threw for 14 touchdowns…great….but also threw for 13 interceptions…ugh.
The question here is going to be which mindset is Florida State on: the swagger that produced players like Charlie Ward and Deon Sanders, or the team that was so high on itself that it almost lost to Jacksonville State… as they say, half of football is mental.
With Grothe for the Bulls being injured, there may be a feast of blitzes for Florida State, and I think that kinda pressure could get to South Florida. But sometimes playing home makes a team kinda…cocky. I don’t think South Florida can beat Florida State, but I also don’t think they are as intimidated. This could be interesting…
If I had to pick, I might think Florida State will win, but not as big a margin as the BYU game. I give it to the Seminoles by 8 points.
Friday, September 18, 2009
Georgia Tech vs Miami: Aftermath
Georgia Tech vs. Miami: Aftermath
Georgia Tech 17, Miami 33 Final
This was a pretty nice game to watch, one where there seemed to be more pressure on Miami to win than on Georgia Tech. I watched this game with the idea that maybe the winner here could be the favorite to win the ACC. While that is still possible, I am still not quite sure on that.
But what I am sure of is that the option that Georgia Tech runs may be quickly outdated. Remember that the coach came from Navy, and the option was common there. When he used it last year, it had marginal success, but is it possible that now the competition has adjusted to them?
To me, if you are going to run a triple option, then the quarterback has to have some legit threat to pass. We know from last year that this was not the case at all, as Josh Nesbitt had only two passing touchdowns, and five interceptions. We even saw this last week vs. Clemson, when the glaring problem of the triple option came evident. This does not seem to work against more quality teams and actually hurts when you’re down by more than 8 points.
But last night the game certainly looked like they were going to do a repeat of getting over 400 yards rushing against Miami. This was a revenge game for Miami, and also a very key game for several reasons. One, being embarrassed by Georgia Tech last year, two, in the midst of four very tough games, and three, the real possibility of their head coach’s job on the line.
Beating Florida State was crucial, but it was only the first of four big time games for the Hurricanes. They needed to win this game to make a solid statement for the ACC crown.
It was most important for Miami to stop the run… it’s what Georgia Tech lived by, and if they could stop that, it would force them to do what they are not good at…throwing the ball.
The first drive seemed to start out just like last year, with the Yellow Jackets moving the ball at will, but the Hurricanes managed to stop them from getting into the end zone, settling for a field goal. To Miami, this was a moral victory, even though they were down 3-0.
But the offence of Miami seemed to come alive with this new quarterback, Jacory Harris. I gotta tell ya, he looked like he knew the system every which way but loose. The Hurricanes moved the ball down the field and scored with a 40 yard pass, taking the lead at 7-3 by the end of the first quarter.
The plan for Miami seemed to be simple, if you contain Nesbitt and Dwyer, you contain the option. It seemed that the Hurricanes were willing to gamble that Georgia Tech could not throw the ball, because that was not their strength. However, the passing attack of Miami seemed to have the Yellow Jackets winded as they took a halftime lead of 17-3.
At this point, I believed Georgia Tech was half beaten, because to come back, they would either have to hope that Miami got lazy with the option, or would have to throw the ball. But Miami seemed dead set to stop the option at all costs, even if it meant being burnt on a few passing plays. Although there was some glimpses of the option working, it took some rare long passes for Georgia Tech to get back in. Still, near the end of the 3rd, quarter, the score was 31-14.
Then there was that odd safety penalty thing….
I am not quite sure what Coach Paul Johnson of Georgia Tech was so upset about here, and why it was directed at his kicker. GA Tech snaps the ball, it goes sailing over the kicker’s head into the end zone. The kid has only a couple of options; get rid of the ball or try to make something out of it. He decides to purposely kick it out the end zone, which is an automatic safety, rather than giving Miami superior field position or a touchdown should something crazy happens. Yet he is flagged for intentionally kicking the ball out, which still results in a safety.
Ok, fine. But why then was coach Johnson all hot at the kicker? Didn’t he do only what he had to do? It was quite likely it was going to be a safety anyway, if he had tried to be a hero and save the ball and try to kick it, it could have easily ended up inside the 10 or 5 yard line, almost guaranteeing Miami a touchdown or field goal. I just didn’t see what the kicker did wrong except save GA Tech some points.
So we go into the 4th quarter, and I see something else…early in the 4th, Miami inside the GA Tech 10 yard line, and Coach Randy Shannon opts to go for a field goal…
WHY?
With the score being 33-10 early in the 4th, I would not think it would be running up the score to try for one more touchdown. Yet I think Shannon, to his credit, was concerned about that, and even with his team inside the 10, he takes a penalty to back up and try for a field goal…and misses.
The problem here that Miami might need to fix is when you are beating a team, make sure you have the BEAT before you show mercy. The problem with this is that once you take your foot off the pedal, sometimes it is hard to find it again. And by missing that field goal, you offer the ball back to Georgia Tech with better field position, and you give them the slightest gleam of hope.
This is something Georgia Tech learned last week against Clemson, and it almost cost them the game. But now with a little light, the Yellow Jackets do the rare thing and get the passing game going, and nets a touchdown. Now the score is 33-17 with 10 minutes left…and Georgia Tech has some hope.
The onside kick does not work, but they would not have tried it unless they thought there was a chance they could come back. But the defense holds and Miami gets the ball back, but misses a second field goal…this gives Georgia Tech every thought that they just might make a game of it.
But Georgia Tech was contained by the Hurricanes, as Nesbitt could not get anything going, passing or running, and it choked any hope of them coming back. End the end, Miami wins…but we see that they have two problems. One, the kicking game, and two, the lack of a “killer instinct”.
This might come back to haunt them, especially with games vs. Virginia Tech and Oklahoma back to back. Is the “U” back…I am not completely convinced, but I like what I see.
As for Georgia Tech, I think they have been exposed and I think average teams will be able to set up a counter for that option, forcing Nesbitt to lean on his weakness, that of throwing. A bad team can’t stop Georgia Tech, but a decent team can seriously challenge them. Some people might think this option stuff is awesome, but without a good quarterback who can throw the ball, it makes them too one dimensional. At this rate, I can’t see 9 wins for them…maybe 7.
But we shall see as the season goes on…
Georgia Tech 17, Miami 33 Final
This was a pretty nice game to watch, one where there seemed to be more pressure on Miami to win than on Georgia Tech. I watched this game with the idea that maybe the winner here could be the favorite to win the ACC. While that is still possible, I am still not quite sure on that.
But what I am sure of is that the option that Georgia Tech runs may be quickly outdated. Remember that the coach came from Navy, and the option was common there. When he used it last year, it had marginal success, but is it possible that now the competition has adjusted to them?
To me, if you are going to run a triple option, then the quarterback has to have some legit threat to pass. We know from last year that this was not the case at all, as Josh Nesbitt had only two passing touchdowns, and five interceptions. We even saw this last week vs. Clemson, when the glaring problem of the triple option came evident. This does not seem to work against more quality teams and actually hurts when you’re down by more than 8 points.
But last night the game certainly looked like they were going to do a repeat of getting over 400 yards rushing against Miami. This was a revenge game for Miami, and also a very key game for several reasons. One, being embarrassed by Georgia Tech last year, two, in the midst of four very tough games, and three, the real possibility of their head coach’s job on the line.
Beating Florida State was crucial, but it was only the first of four big time games for the Hurricanes. They needed to win this game to make a solid statement for the ACC crown.
It was most important for Miami to stop the run… it’s what Georgia Tech lived by, and if they could stop that, it would force them to do what they are not good at…throwing the ball.
The first drive seemed to start out just like last year, with the Yellow Jackets moving the ball at will, but the Hurricanes managed to stop them from getting into the end zone, settling for a field goal. To Miami, this was a moral victory, even though they were down 3-0.
But the offence of Miami seemed to come alive with this new quarterback, Jacory Harris. I gotta tell ya, he looked like he knew the system every which way but loose. The Hurricanes moved the ball down the field and scored with a 40 yard pass, taking the lead at 7-3 by the end of the first quarter.
The plan for Miami seemed to be simple, if you contain Nesbitt and Dwyer, you contain the option. It seemed that the Hurricanes were willing to gamble that Georgia Tech could not throw the ball, because that was not their strength. However, the passing attack of Miami seemed to have the Yellow Jackets winded as they took a halftime lead of 17-3.
At this point, I believed Georgia Tech was half beaten, because to come back, they would either have to hope that Miami got lazy with the option, or would have to throw the ball. But Miami seemed dead set to stop the option at all costs, even if it meant being burnt on a few passing plays. Although there was some glimpses of the option working, it took some rare long passes for Georgia Tech to get back in. Still, near the end of the 3rd, quarter, the score was 31-14.
Then there was that odd safety penalty thing….
I am not quite sure what Coach Paul Johnson of Georgia Tech was so upset about here, and why it was directed at his kicker. GA Tech snaps the ball, it goes sailing over the kicker’s head into the end zone. The kid has only a couple of options; get rid of the ball or try to make something out of it. He decides to purposely kick it out the end zone, which is an automatic safety, rather than giving Miami superior field position or a touchdown should something crazy happens. Yet he is flagged for intentionally kicking the ball out, which still results in a safety.
Ok, fine. But why then was coach Johnson all hot at the kicker? Didn’t he do only what he had to do? It was quite likely it was going to be a safety anyway, if he had tried to be a hero and save the ball and try to kick it, it could have easily ended up inside the 10 or 5 yard line, almost guaranteeing Miami a touchdown or field goal. I just didn’t see what the kicker did wrong except save GA Tech some points.
So we go into the 4th quarter, and I see something else…early in the 4th, Miami inside the GA Tech 10 yard line, and Coach Randy Shannon opts to go for a field goal…
WHY?
With the score being 33-10 early in the 4th, I would not think it would be running up the score to try for one more touchdown. Yet I think Shannon, to his credit, was concerned about that, and even with his team inside the 10, he takes a penalty to back up and try for a field goal…and misses.
The problem here that Miami might need to fix is when you are beating a team, make sure you have the BEAT before you show mercy. The problem with this is that once you take your foot off the pedal, sometimes it is hard to find it again. And by missing that field goal, you offer the ball back to Georgia Tech with better field position, and you give them the slightest gleam of hope.
This is something Georgia Tech learned last week against Clemson, and it almost cost them the game. But now with a little light, the Yellow Jackets do the rare thing and get the passing game going, and nets a touchdown. Now the score is 33-17 with 10 minutes left…and Georgia Tech has some hope.
The onside kick does not work, but they would not have tried it unless they thought there was a chance they could come back. But the defense holds and Miami gets the ball back, but misses a second field goal…this gives Georgia Tech every thought that they just might make a game of it.
But Georgia Tech was contained by the Hurricanes, as Nesbitt could not get anything going, passing or running, and it choked any hope of them coming back. End the end, Miami wins…but we see that they have two problems. One, the kicking game, and two, the lack of a “killer instinct”.
This might come back to haunt them, especially with games vs. Virginia Tech and Oklahoma back to back. Is the “U” back…I am not completely convinced, but I like what I see.
As for Georgia Tech, I think they have been exposed and I think average teams will be able to set up a counter for that option, forcing Nesbitt to lean on his weakness, that of throwing. A bad team can’t stop Georgia Tech, but a decent team can seriously challenge them. Some people might think this option stuff is awesome, but without a good quarterback who can throw the ball, it makes them too one dimensional. At this rate, I can’t see 9 wins for them…maybe 7.
But we shall see as the season goes on…
Thursday, September 17, 2009
Top Football Conferences
The top Football Conferences
After the first couple of weeks of the college football season, I’d like to argue which conferences are the best, and why. I wanted to make the argument because no matter what people think, the strength of the conference has a major impact on whether their champion makes a BCS Championship or not. You can’t go undefeated out of a weaker conference and expect to play in the title game.
I love “Pardon the Interruption” it is one of my favorite shows, but I don’t agree with Michael Wilbon’s opinion that if a team goes undefeated, they ought to get a shot at a National Title. He believes that a team like Boise State ought to have a shot if they go undefeated…I don’t quite agree.
If you reward a team out of a weak conference a BCS Championship, then what stops independent teams like Notre Dame from taking out USC on the schedule and substituting Duke, or removing Boston College for Miami (OH)? The quality of opponents must play a factor because it substantiates greatness of a team.
So what I want to do is rank the conferences in order, from best to… well, not so great. Let’s start:
#1 Conference in College Football: SEC A+
If you have the defending National Champs still ranked at #1, AND a team like Alabama at #4, and Mississippi in the top ten, you have a strong conference. Toss in teams like LSU and Georgia and you have a pretty tough conference. Last year there was a great argument of who was the best conference; the SEC or Big 12, and personally I thought that from top to bottom, the Big 12 was ever so slightly better, but you could not go wrong either way. This year, I put SEC on top, but not by such a large margin.
#2 Conference in College Football: Big 12 A
Personally, if Oklahoma had beaten BYU, I would have made the Big 12 the top conference by a slight margin. But with the injury, I had to put them here, by a close margin. You still have Texas as the #2 team in the nation, Oklahoma is still in the mix, and you have teams like Oklahoma State and Kansas still in the mix. What happened to Texas Tech? Missouri is still on the radar, so you have half the conference making noise, and oh by the way Nebraska is in the top 20 too.
#3 Conference in College Football: Pac-10 B-
I had to think long on this one, because I wonder how strong this conference really is. I mean, one of their teams loses to Boise State at the beginning of the season, and eyes start to roll around when it comes to the true strength of the Pac-10. Sure, USC is good, but with a freshman quarterback, how soon before they lose a game…or even two? But they are the #3 team in the nation, with California in the top 10...but after that, what is there? Oregon State is on one poll, and UCLA got a few votes, but many wonder if this conference can give USC a run. If USC wasn’t in the top 3, I would not have put this conference here.
#4 Conference in College Football: Big 10: B-
It didn’t help that Ohio State lost to USC…it didn’t help that Michigan State lost to Central Michigan, and Michigan beating Notre Dame didn’t really count for so much. But Penn State is in the top 5 and Ohio State is still in the top 25. Iowa just might be able to make some noise in the conference, but we have to wait and see on that. The Big 10 has been getting pushed around lately, and need some key wins to validate their strength, they may have to rely on Penn State to get it done, since Ohio State seems to slip whenever the chips are on the table.
#5 Conference in College Football: Mountain West Conference C+
When you have a “lesser” conference with not one, not two but THREE teams in the top 25, you have to pay attention. This is one of those examples where if any team out of the Mountain West goes undefeated, they ought to have a legit shot at the BCS Championship. When you consider that BYU is in the top 10, TCU is in the top 15 and Utah is just outside the top 15, this is a strong conference. And with decent teams like Air Force and Colorado State, this is a very competitive conference. I say again, if either Utah, BYU or TCU goes undefeated, somebody ought to put them in the BCS Championship. Add on that BYU beat Oklahoma and has Florida State on the schedule, TCU beat Virginia (so what) and plays Clemson, and Utah having Oregon and Louisville, these are hard schedules for a team not considered to be with the “big boys”. This is a good conference, one that could produce an undefeated team.
#6 Conference in College Football: ACC C-
Last year I can argue that top to bottom this conference was one of the most competitive. Only two teams failed to win 6 games, that being Virginia and Duke, and the Cavaliers missed it by one game. But this year I questioned why Virginia Tech was so high in the rankings. They are good, but not THAT good. Florida State could not hold on to it’s ranking after the first game, and there were some VERY poorly played games by Florida State and Maryland.
Lots of people felt that the ACC ought not be considered in the BCS, and rather let teams like Boise State or…ugh…Notre Dame, take their spot in the BCS bowls. I can see their point, but this is still a very tough conference, and I doubt a team like Boise State can run through it like they do their conference. Team for team, this is a very tough conference, but in comparison to the others, they do look kinda…bland. Georgia Tech, Miami, Virginia Tech and UNC are on the top 25...but for how long?
#7 Conference in College Football: Big East C-
At the beginning of the year, NOBODY from the Big East was on the list. How insulting is that when 6 out of the 8 teams won at least EIGHT games? Cincinnati went 11-3 and got no love at the beginning of the year…how insulting is that?
Right now Cincinnati is on the bottom half of the top 25, but no other team is on the list. If Pittsburgh wins another game, they can likely climb into the list, but the entire conference looks very weak, in comparison to the other BCS conferences, and even the Mountain West Conference. I gotta tell ya, if the Big East can’t start pulling somebody out as a power team, they will continued to be laughed at as one of the weakest conferences in college football.
With other conferences like the WAC, Sun Belt, Mid-American and Conference USA, there can be arguments made for a few of those as well. We all like the underdog, and Boise State is certainly one of those, but their conference just isn’t strong enough to be in the top 7. That does not take away from the Broncos wins, but when you look at the body of work in conference match ups, it does count against you.
So as of the second week, these are my top 7 conferences in college football… which are clearly subject to change week by week.
After the first couple of weeks of the college football season, I’d like to argue which conferences are the best, and why. I wanted to make the argument because no matter what people think, the strength of the conference has a major impact on whether their champion makes a BCS Championship or not. You can’t go undefeated out of a weaker conference and expect to play in the title game.
I love “Pardon the Interruption” it is one of my favorite shows, but I don’t agree with Michael Wilbon’s opinion that if a team goes undefeated, they ought to get a shot at a National Title. He believes that a team like Boise State ought to have a shot if they go undefeated…I don’t quite agree.
If you reward a team out of a weak conference a BCS Championship, then what stops independent teams like Notre Dame from taking out USC on the schedule and substituting Duke, or removing Boston College for Miami (OH)? The quality of opponents must play a factor because it substantiates greatness of a team.
So what I want to do is rank the conferences in order, from best to… well, not so great. Let’s start:
#1 Conference in College Football: SEC A+
If you have the defending National Champs still ranked at #1, AND a team like Alabama at #4, and Mississippi in the top ten, you have a strong conference. Toss in teams like LSU and Georgia and you have a pretty tough conference. Last year there was a great argument of who was the best conference; the SEC or Big 12, and personally I thought that from top to bottom, the Big 12 was ever so slightly better, but you could not go wrong either way. This year, I put SEC on top, but not by such a large margin.
#2 Conference in College Football: Big 12 A
Personally, if Oklahoma had beaten BYU, I would have made the Big 12 the top conference by a slight margin. But with the injury, I had to put them here, by a close margin. You still have Texas as the #2 team in the nation, Oklahoma is still in the mix, and you have teams like Oklahoma State and Kansas still in the mix. What happened to Texas Tech? Missouri is still on the radar, so you have half the conference making noise, and oh by the way Nebraska is in the top 20 too.
#3 Conference in College Football: Pac-10 B-
I had to think long on this one, because I wonder how strong this conference really is. I mean, one of their teams loses to Boise State at the beginning of the season, and eyes start to roll around when it comes to the true strength of the Pac-10. Sure, USC is good, but with a freshman quarterback, how soon before they lose a game…or even two? But they are the #3 team in the nation, with California in the top 10...but after that, what is there? Oregon State is on one poll, and UCLA got a few votes, but many wonder if this conference can give USC a run. If USC wasn’t in the top 3, I would not have put this conference here.
#4 Conference in College Football: Big 10: B-
It didn’t help that Ohio State lost to USC…it didn’t help that Michigan State lost to Central Michigan, and Michigan beating Notre Dame didn’t really count for so much. But Penn State is in the top 5 and Ohio State is still in the top 25. Iowa just might be able to make some noise in the conference, but we have to wait and see on that. The Big 10 has been getting pushed around lately, and need some key wins to validate their strength, they may have to rely on Penn State to get it done, since Ohio State seems to slip whenever the chips are on the table.
#5 Conference in College Football: Mountain West Conference C+
When you have a “lesser” conference with not one, not two but THREE teams in the top 25, you have to pay attention. This is one of those examples where if any team out of the Mountain West goes undefeated, they ought to have a legit shot at the BCS Championship. When you consider that BYU is in the top 10, TCU is in the top 15 and Utah is just outside the top 15, this is a strong conference. And with decent teams like Air Force and Colorado State, this is a very competitive conference. I say again, if either Utah, BYU or TCU goes undefeated, somebody ought to put them in the BCS Championship. Add on that BYU beat Oklahoma and has Florida State on the schedule, TCU beat Virginia (so what) and plays Clemson, and Utah having Oregon and Louisville, these are hard schedules for a team not considered to be with the “big boys”. This is a good conference, one that could produce an undefeated team.
#6 Conference in College Football: ACC C-
Last year I can argue that top to bottom this conference was one of the most competitive. Only two teams failed to win 6 games, that being Virginia and Duke, and the Cavaliers missed it by one game. But this year I questioned why Virginia Tech was so high in the rankings. They are good, but not THAT good. Florida State could not hold on to it’s ranking after the first game, and there were some VERY poorly played games by Florida State and Maryland.
Lots of people felt that the ACC ought not be considered in the BCS, and rather let teams like Boise State or…ugh…Notre Dame, take their spot in the BCS bowls. I can see their point, but this is still a very tough conference, and I doubt a team like Boise State can run through it like they do their conference. Team for team, this is a very tough conference, but in comparison to the others, they do look kinda…bland. Georgia Tech, Miami, Virginia Tech and UNC are on the top 25...but for how long?
#7 Conference in College Football: Big East C-
At the beginning of the year, NOBODY from the Big East was on the list. How insulting is that when 6 out of the 8 teams won at least EIGHT games? Cincinnati went 11-3 and got no love at the beginning of the year…how insulting is that?
Right now Cincinnati is on the bottom half of the top 25, but no other team is on the list. If Pittsburgh wins another game, they can likely climb into the list, but the entire conference looks very weak, in comparison to the other BCS conferences, and even the Mountain West Conference. I gotta tell ya, if the Big East can’t start pulling somebody out as a power team, they will continued to be laughed at as one of the weakest conferences in college football.
With other conferences like the WAC, Sun Belt, Mid-American and Conference USA, there can be arguments made for a few of those as well. We all like the underdog, and Boise State is certainly one of those, but their conference just isn’t strong enough to be in the top 7. That does not take away from the Broncos wins, but when you look at the body of work in conference match ups, it does count against you.
So as of the second week, these are my top 7 conferences in college football… which are clearly subject to change week by week.
Friday, September 11, 2009
Clemson vs Georgia Tech: Aftermath
Clemson vs. Georgia Tech: Aftermath
What an interesting game.
I watched that game with a few schools of thought before the kickoff, one, that Clemson with a new head coach, and having a disappointing season last year, could be looking at a loss. I also thought Georgia Tech, as a nationally ranked team, at home, should win, but was not convinced because their quarterback is not REALLY a quarterback. I mean, looking at his stats, you really had to wonder about that.
And so the game begins and it just looks like this triple option thing that Georgia Tech has is really going to work…I mean, it did well for the last year. But I have my doubts about it working for a great team, against great opponents. It just seemed that the Yellow Jackets were kinda out of date by using it, even though their coach came from Navy, where it is still being used.
I watched that game and saw Georgia Tech jump to a 21-0 in the first quarter, then 24-7 by halftime…but I wondered something about Georgia Tech, something they best not repeat.
With the score 21-7, and the Yellow Jackets driving, they had a third down and maybe 3 or 4 yards for a first down, inside the 10 yard line. I remember asking my brother if GA Tech ought to try to punch it for the first down or touchdown. He said they should try to at least get a field goal out of it. The play they ran seemed to imply that Georgia Tech was only trying to get in the center of the field, to guarantee at least a field goal.
I can understand that, but what it also seems to imply was that they were not going for the “killer blow” when they were inside the 10 yard line. I know it’s hindsight, but if you played aggressive for at least the first down, you might have 4 more downs to score a touchdown, and possibly break Clemson’s heart. Instead, they went for 3 and got it.
But in doing so, I really wonder if they gave Clemson hope. It certainly seemed so, as Clemson came in the second half to tie the game at 27-27, and it took a great effort by Georgia Tech to win.
I will say that I am impressed by Clemson, but I wonder if Georgia Tech will be able to win 8 games. When you take the field to play an opponent, you can’t fool yourself to think that 21 points will guarantee you a victory. The Yellow Jackets almost learned the hard way that jumping off to a 21-0 start does NOT guarantee a victory.
And what’s up with the passing? I mean, it was an adventure just short of “Lord of the Rings” whenever Nessbitt dropped back to pass. At one point Nessbitt had more interceptions than completions. What this tells me is if Georgia Tech’s triple options for any reason fails or slumps, they can’t win because they don’t have a quarterback to pass the ball. His stats last year were 2 touchdowns, FIVE interceptions the whole year!
Georgia Tech survived that game, and to be fair, sometimes you need that scary game to shake you into playing better. To be sure, Georgia Tech’s style of play is different from anybody else in the ACC, so there is some idea that they can rise through the ranks. And with the ACC falling apart with ranked members VA Tech and Florida State falling, and basement teams like Duke and Virginia losing to foes they ought never lose to, maybe Georgia Tech is in position to make some real noise.
And I’ll say the same for Clemson, they played a LOT better than I thought they would, hats off to those guys for not giving up when things got hard. Playing like that, and eliminating just a few mistakes can have them making serious contention for the ACC crown.
Overall, a VERY good game, I enjoyed every bit of it. Great job Yellow Jackets and Tigers.
What an interesting game.
I watched that game with a few schools of thought before the kickoff, one, that Clemson with a new head coach, and having a disappointing season last year, could be looking at a loss. I also thought Georgia Tech, as a nationally ranked team, at home, should win, but was not convinced because their quarterback is not REALLY a quarterback. I mean, looking at his stats, you really had to wonder about that.
And so the game begins and it just looks like this triple option thing that Georgia Tech has is really going to work…I mean, it did well for the last year. But I have my doubts about it working for a great team, against great opponents. It just seemed that the Yellow Jackets were kinda out of date by using it, even though their coach came from Navy, where it is still being used.
I watched that game and saw Georgia Tech jump to a 21-0 in the first quarter, then 24-7 by halftime…but I wondered something about Georgia Tech, something they best not repeat.
With the score 21-7, and the Yellow Jackets driving, they had a third down and maybe 3 or 4 yards for a first down, inside the 10 yard line. I remember asking my brother if GA Tech ought to try to punch it for the first down or touchdown. He said they should try to at least get a field goal out of it. The play they ran seemed to imply that Georgia Tech was only trying to get in the center of the field, to guarantee at least a field goal.
I can understand that, but what it also seems to imply was that they were not going for the “killer blow” when they were inside the 10 yard line. I know it’s hindsight, but if you played aggressive for at least the first down, you might have 4 more downs to score a touchdown, and possibly break Clemson’s heart. Instead, they went for 3 and got it.
But in doing so, I really wonder if they gave Clemson hope. It certainly seemed so, as Clemson came in the second half to tie the game at 27-27, and it took a great effort by Georgia Tech to win.
I will say that I am impressed by Clemson, but I wonder if Georgia Tech will be able to win 8 games. When you take the field to play an opponent, you can’t fool yourself to think that 21 points will guarantee you a victory. The Yellow Jackets almost learned the hard way that jumping off to a 21-0 start does NOT guarantee a victory.
And what’s up with the passing? I mean, it was an adventure just short of “Lord of the Rings” whenever Nessbitt dropped back to pass. At one point Nessbitt had more interceptions than completions. What this tells me is if Georgia Tech’s triple options for any reason fails or slumps, they can’t win because they don’t have a quarterback to pass the ball. His stats last year were 2 touchdowns, FIVE interceptions the whole year!
Georgia Tech survived that game, and to be fair, sometimes you need that scary game to shake you into playing better. To be sure, Georgia Tech’s style of play is different from anybody else in the ACC, so there is some idea that they can rise through the ranks. And with the ACC falling apart with ranked members VA Tech and Florida State falling, and basement teams like Duke and Virginia losing to foes they ought never lose to, maybe Georgia Tech is in position to make some real noise.
And I’ll say the same for Clemson, they played a LOT better than I thought they would, hats off to those guys for not giving up when things got hard. Playing like that, and eliminating just a few mistakes can have them making serious contention for the ACC crown.
Overall, a VERY good game, I enjoyed every bit of it. Great job Yellow Jackets and Tigers.
Thursday, September 10, 2009
Clemson vs Georgia Tech
Clemson vs. Georgia Tech
Tonight we have three different games on television, and I am not sure which one I will be watching. I want to watch all three, but may end up bouncing back and forth through the night. There the NFL game of the Titans/Steelers, which promises to be good, but there are two college games that are on tonight.
Florida A&M plays Winston-Salem State on ESPNU, so I want to look at that game but Clemson plays Georgia Tech, which is a big key game to watch, especially for the ACC.
Let’s look at this matchup and see who may have the edge.
One could almost give the game to Georgia Tech, since they are home tonight and are currently ranked #15. Everything seems to be in their favor, right? Hmm, one might have said similar things about the Miami/Florida State game too. We know how that turned out.
So let’s look at these teams and see where they are coming from, and where they may be headed.
Clemson comes off a very disappointing season, one that had them in the top 10 and a shot for a National Championship. A loss to Alabama in the first game 34-10 quickly dispelled any hopes for such a championship, but many felt that Clemson was the favorite to win the ACC crown. Beating Citadel and South Carolina State didn’t prove anything, but winning their first ACC game of the year over NC State kept hope alive.
The Tigers took their 3-1 record and quick as you please, lost the next three conference games. Losing to Maryland at home, to Wake Forest away and to Georgia Tech at home was crushing, and Clemson went from a possible contender to just trying to stay afloat in the conference.
Clemson would however snatch an impressive win over Boston College, but would lose big to Florida State. At 4-5, there wasn’t much hope for celebration, and the embarrassment of it all had rumors of the coach’s job on the line. I remember that because it seemed that the team tried it’s best to rally behind him, trying to at least qualify for a bowl and salvage the season. Wins over Duke, Virginia and South Carolina did bring their record to 7-5, but they lost to Nebraska in the post season bowl. It wasn’t enough to save the coach’s job.
So this year, a new coach, but their starter QB is gone and a few other offensive weapons. This might be one of those “rebuilding years” and Clemson’s schedule is pretty tough by ACC standards. And without Duke on the schedule…it might be hard to see 7 wins.
Georgia Tech fared much better, yet still leaving much to be desired. The entire conference took a shot in the face by the nation, even though the ACC put a ton of teams in post season play. Georgia Tech’s 9-4 record leaves some question marks. To be sure, 9 wins for any FBS school is admirable, but some wonder if the Yellow Jackets are as tough as they seem.
GA Tech started out easy, beating Jacksonville State, before taking their first ACC win over Boston College. But any hopes of dominating the year were ended quickly by Virginia Tech. They would recover by beating SEC foe Mississippi State 38-7 before marching over Duke, Gardner-Webb, and Clemson. But a loss to crumbling Virginia team had people wondering if Georgia Tech was really that good, or just easing through a soft schedule and conference.
A win over Florida State, and a loss to UNC left a lot of eyebrows raised, people not really knowing what kind of team they were looking at, but a win vs. Miami and an impressive win against Georgia seemed to make the point that this was one of the best teams in the ACC. The season would however, end in a loss to LSU in the post season bowl.
What was questionable for Georgia Tech was that they seemed to struggle on the road. Yes they beat BC but by 3. They lost to Virginia Tech by the same margin. They beat Clemson only by 4 points and lost to UNC by 21. They did beat Georgia but only by 3 points. Is there some problem with the Y Js on the road? With a schedule that includes Miami, Mississippi State, Florida State, Virginia and Vanderbilt, ALL on the road, somebody better get these guys prepared for life outside of Atlanta.
So who is favored? To me, one of the first things I look for is stability in the quarterback position. We have already seen how quickly the fates of a season change with a quarterback. Georgia Tech has the same quarterback from last year (Nessbitt), while Clemson has a new one. Georgia Tech is home. Georgia Tech is nationally ranked. Georgia Tech beat Clemson last year in their own house. Everything seems to point to the Yellow Jackets. If there is a question, it would be that Nessbitt is now the leading scorer in rushing…and for a quarterback that could spell trouble. If Clemson neutralizes that, then the game is in the air….
In the air…a strange thing to say for Georgia Tech, since they don’t like throwing, and Nessbitt has ONLY 2 touchdowns and 5 interceptions…ugh!
If Clemson figures that out, they have every chance to win, but with a brand new coach, I am not sure if he can set it in motion. The way I described this, I would originally think Georgia Tech wins by 14 points…but looking deeper, this could be much closer. I’ll put it this way, if Clemson can’t stop Nessbitt, I expect the Yellow Jackets to win by 10. If they CAN contain him…Clemson just might steal an early victory…we shall see…
Tonight we have three different games on television, and I am not sure which one I will be watching. I want to watch all three, but may end up bouncing back and forth through the night. There the NFL game of the Titans/Steelers, which promises to be good, but there are two college games that are on tonight.
Florida A&M plays Winston-Salem State on ESPNU, so I want to look at that game but Clemson plays Georgia Tech, which is a big key game to watch, especially for the ACC.
Let’s look at this matchup and see who may have the edge.
One could almost give the game to Georgia Tech, since they are home tonight and are currently ranked #15. Everything seems to be in their favor, right? Hmm, one might have said similar things about the Miami/Florida State game too. We know how that turned out.
So let’s look at these teams and see where they are coming from, and where they may be headed.
Clemson comes off a very disappointing season, one that had them in the top 10 and a shot for a National Championship. A loss to Alabama in the first game 34-10 quickly dispelled any hopes for such a championship, but many felt that Clemson was the favorite to win the ACC crown. Beating Citadel and South Carolina State didn’t prove anything, but winning their first ACC game of the year over NC State kept hope alive.
The Tigers took their 3-1 record and quick as you please, lost the next three conference games. Losing to Maryland at home, to Wake Forest away and to Georgia Tech at home was crushing, and Clemson went from a possible contender to just trying to stay afloat in the conference.
Clemson would however snatch an impressive win over Boston College, but would lose big to Florida State. At 4-5, there wasn’t much hope for celebration, and the embarrassment of it all had rumors of the coach’s job on the line. I remember that because it seemed that the team tried it’s best to rally behind him, trying to at least qualify for a bowl and salvage the season. Wins over Duke, Virginia and South Carolina did bring their record to 7-5, but they lost to Nebraska in the post season bowl. It wasn’t enough to save the coach’s job.
So this year, a new coach, but their starter QB is gone and a few other offensive weapons. This might be one of those “rebuilding years” and Clemson’s schedule is pretty tough by ACC standards. And without Duke on the schedule…it might be hard to see 7 wins.
Georgia Tech fared much better, yet still leaving much to be desired. The entire conference took a shot in the face by the nation, even though the ACC put a ton of teams in post season play. Georgia Tech’s 9-4 record leaves some question marks. To be sure, 9 wins for any FBS school is admirable, but some wonder if the Yellow Jackets are as tough as they seem.
GA Tech started out easy, beating Jacksonville State, before taking their first ACC win over Boston College. But any hopes of dominating the year were ended quickly by Virginia Tech. They would recover by beating SEC foe Mississippi State 38-7 before marching over Duke, Gardner-Webb, and Clemson. But a loss to crumbling Virginia team had people wondering if Georgia Tech was really that good, or just easing through a soft schedule and conference.
A win over Florida State, and a loss to UNC left a lot of eyebrows raised, people not really knowing what kind of team they were looking at, but a win vs. Miami and an impressive win against Georgia seemed to make the point that this was one of the best teams in the ACC. The season would however, end in a loss to LSU in the post season bowl.
What was questionable for Georgia Tech was that they seemed to struggle on the road. Yes they beat BC but by 3. They lost to Virginia Tech by the same margin. They beat Clemson only by 4 points and lost to UNC by 21. They did beat Georgia but only by 3 points. Is there some problem with the Y Js on the road? With a schedule that includes Miami, Mississippi State, Florida State, Virginia and Vanderbilt, ALL on the road, somebody better get these guys prepared for life outside of Atlanta.
So who is favored? To me, one of the first things I look for is stability in the quarterback position. We have already seen how quickly the fates of a season change with a quarterback. Georgia Tech has the same quarterback from last year (Nessbitt), while Clemson has a new one. Georgia Tech is home. Georgia Tech is nationally ranked. Georgia Tech beat Clemson last year in their own house. Everything seems to point to the Yellow Jackets. If there is a question, it would be that Nessbitt is now the leading scorer in rushing…and for a quarterback that could spell trouble. If Clemson neutralizes that, then the game is in the air….
In the air…a strange thing to say for Georgia Tech, since they don’t like throwing, and Nessbitt has ONLY 2 touchdowns and 5 interceptions…ugh!
If Clemson figures that out, they have every chance to win, but with a brand new coach, I am not sure if he can set it in motion. The way I described this, I would originally think Georgia Tech wins by 14 points…but looking deeper, this could be much closer. I’ll put it this way, if Clemson can’t stop Nessbitt, I expect the Yellow Jackets to win by 10. If they CAN contain him…Clemson just might steal an early victory…we shall see…
Monday, September 7, 2009
Miami vs Florida State
Miami vs. #18 Florida State
You know, several years ago this would have been THE game to watch… now, it’s THE only game on tv tonight, after the afternoon game of Cincinnati and Rutgers.
Two once very storied programs, giving us great NFL stars such as Deon Sanders and Michael Irving, Charlie Ward and Vinny Testaverde, now we have two schools struggling to not only reclaim some past glory, but a conference as well.
But to me, the ACC has done fairly well for itself. Last year 10 out of 12 teams in the ACC finished with 6 wins or more. Only Duke and Virginia failed to do so. This means that the conference is competitive, regardless of what others say. Of all the power conferences, I believe the ACC is above the Big East, but under the other 4. But tonight’s matchup is going to pre-determine who will have a legit shot at the ACC crown. Already Virginia Tech has fallen (not really sure how they got such a high ranking anyway) so it is already up for grabs. Which Florida team will step forward?
For Miami, tonight’s matchup is incredibly important. You just can’t keep losing to your state rival, and last year winning seven games is not worth celebrating if you are the Hurricanes. Losing early to Florida last year can be overlooked, but dropping games to conference foes UNC AND Florida State did not look good. It also didn’t look good the way Miami lost the last three games of the season to Georgia Tech, NC State and California. Most will credit only one good win, that over Virginia Tech…but that was last year.
This year brings many challenges, including a new quarterback and a schedule that leaves no mercy. It is not out of the realms of possibility that Miami could be 0-4 before they see Florida A&M. Playing away against FSU, home against a good Georgia Tech team, away at VA Tech and home vs. Oklahoma could be more than the Hurricanes can take. The schedule still seems favorable enough to put Miami in post season, but a win vs. Florida State can really go a long way. A loss could set the table for a disappointing season.
For Florida State, a 9-4 season is decent, but still below expectations. Long have the Seminoles been the rulers of the ACC, now they are feared by no one in the conference. But this is still a team to consider for the ACC crown. Last year the Seminoles dismantled my beloved Catamounts by a score unmentionable, and then crushed another foe 46-7.
But it could be argued that money can’t buy you wins…although that isn’t true. Western Carolina and UTC made decent money getting their butts kicked by Florida State. But it didn’t really prepare FSU for the schedule, as they lost their first REAL game vs. Wake Forest 12-3. All those points scored in the first two games, and only 3 points when it really mattered.
Still, Florida State recovered and won 4 games in a row, until they ran into Georgia Tech in Atlanta, losing their second conference game. They would lose again to Boston College and once more to state rival Florida before finishing the season with a win over Wisconsin in a bowl game.
The only real blowout was against Florida, losing 45-15. The loss to Wake Forest was only by 9 points, the loss to Boston College by 10 and the loss to Georgia Tech, only 3 points. All four losses were to decent teams, it seemed that Florida State beat the teams they were supposed to beat. Still, it isn’t the standard of FSU.
With a returning QB and a host of other starters, some say Florida State can indeed be the team to beat, especially since they also beat Virginia Tech last year. The problem is that they have a key game vs. BYU next, and state rival South Florida this year. Not a lot of traveling for the Seminoles, outside of going to Boston College and BYU, all the other games are in the deep south, which could bring familiarity to the team. This could play in their favor, but you still have to win games.
With a quarterback that threw almost as many interceptions as touchdowns, this is still kinda hairy. Florida State at home always has a great crowd, yet three of their 4 losses came in Tallahassee. Miami’s wins on the road last year were against Texas A&M, Duke and Virginia…all three combined were 13-22...all losing records.
These clearly are not the glory days for either team, but as long as the ACC Title is on the line, you might as well go get it. A win for either team is obviously important, but I think Florida State might have a slight edge here…not by too much, but considering Miami has a new QB it could possibly get ugly. I think Florida State can win this by a touchdown, maybe even 10 points, but I wonder since FSU has dropped several home games last year…not a sign of a force in the ACC. Still, with Virginia Tech slipping, everything is up for grabs now.
You know, several years ago this would have been THE game to watch… now, it’s THE only game on tv tonight, after the afternoon game of Cincinnati and Rutgers.
Two once very storied programs, giving us great NFL stars such as Deon Sanders and Michael Irving, Charlie Ward and Vinny Testaverde, now we have two schools struggling to not only reclaim some past glory, but a conference as well.
But to me, the ACC has done fairly well for itself. Last year 10 out of 12 teams in the ACC finished with 6 wins or more. Only Duke and Virginia failed to do so. This means that the conference is competitive, regardless of what others say. Of all the power conferences, I believe the ACC is above the Big East, but under the other 4. But tonight’s matchup is going to pre-determine who will have a legit shot at the ACC crown. Already Virginia Tech has fallen (not really sure how they got such a high ranking anyway) so it is already up for grabs. Which Florida team will step forward?
For Miami, tonight’s matchup is incredibly important. You just can’t keep losing to your state rival, and last year winning seven games is not worth celebrating if you are the Hurricanes. Losing early to Florida last year can be overlooked, but dropping games to conference foes UNC AND Florida State did not look good. It also didn’t look good the way Miami lost the last three games of the season to Georgia Tech, NC State and California. Most will credit only one good win, that over Virginia Tech…but that was last year.
This year brings many challenges, including a new quarterback and a schedule that leaves no mercy. It is not out of the realms of possibility that Miami could be 0-4 before they see Florida A&M. Playing away against FSU, home against a good Georgia Tech team, away at VA Tech and home vs. Oklahoma could be more than the Hurricanes can take. The schedule still seems favorable enough to put Miami in post season, but a win vs. Florida State can really go a long way. A loss could set the table for a disappointing season.
For Florida State, a 9-4 season is decent, but still below expectations. Long have the Seminoles been the rulers of the ACC, now they are feared by no one in the conference. But this is still a team to consider for the ACC crown. Last year the Seminoles dismantled my beloved Catamounts by a score unmentionable, and then crushed another foe 46-7.
But it could be argued that money can’t buy you wins…although that isn’t true. Western Carolina and UTC made decent money getting their butts kicked by Florida State. But it didn’t really prepare FSU for the schedule, as they lost their first REAL game vs. Wake Forest 12-3. All those points scored in the first two games, and only 3 points when it really mattered.
Still, Florida State recovered and won 4 games in a row, until they ran into Georgia Tech in Atlanta, losing their second conference game. They would lose again to Boston College and once more to state rival Florida before finishing the season with a win over Wisconsin in a bowl game.
The only real blowout was against Florida, losing 45-15. The loss to Wake Forest was only by 9 points, the loss to Boston College by 10 and the loss to Georgia Tech, only 3 points. All four losses were to decent teams, it seemed that Florida State beat the teams they were supposed to beat. Still, it isn’t the standard of FSU.
With a returning QB and a host of other starters, some say Florida State can indeed be the team to beat, especially since they also beat Virginia Tech last year. The problem is that they have a key game vs. BYU next, and state rival South Florida this year. Not a lot of traveling for the Seminoles, outside of going to Boston College and BYU, all the other games are in the deep south, which could bring familiarity to the team. This could play in their favor, but you still have to win games.
With a quarterback that threw almost as many interceptions as touchdowns, this is still kinda hairy. Florida State at home always has a great crowd, yet three of their 4 losses came in Tallahassee. Miami’s wins on the road last year were against Texas A&M, Duke and Virginia…all three combined were 13-22...all losing records.
These clearly are not the glory days for either team, but as long as the ACC Title is on the line, you might as well go get it. A win for either team is obviously important, but I think Florida State might have a slight edge here…not by too much, but considering Miami has a new QB it could possibly get ugly. I think Florida State can win this by a touchdown, maybe even 10 points, but I wonder since FSU has dropped several home games last year…not a sign of a force in the ACC. Still, with Virginia Tech slipping, everything is up for grabs now.
Sunday, September 6, 2009
Can Oklahoma and VA Tech still make it to BCS?
Can Oklahoma and Virginia Tech Still Get to BCS?
Quick answer…absolutely…
But a more detailed description is necessary.
Folks, to be very blunt, NO team in ANY BCS power conference is eliminated from the BCS in the FIRST game of the season…NONE.
Folks, even DUKE still has a shot at the BCS after the first week.
There is just too much left in the season, and remind me again how many games these teams play? Last I counted, it was more than one, so there is always a chance.
But after we say the logical, we have to get more specific. Yes, Oklahoma losing to BYU hurts them, and yes Virginia Tech losing to Alabama hurts them, but they are not out of the BCS picture. But if you asked me which team has the better chance of still getting there, my money is on Oklahoma.
As a guy that lives in the middle of ACC territory, I had a raised eyebrow to how Virginia Tech was in the top 10. The ACC didn’t scare too many teams last year so I wondered how they got ranked so high. The Hokies are good, but I wasn’t sure they were top 10 good.
But Oklahoma has a top ranked quarterback, who by the way just won the Heisman, although last night he got injured. I am convinced they would have won if Sam Bradford had been healthy, but it might be likely that he might miss a game or two. And I gotta tell ya, that offensive line looked kinda porous.
But if I had to give you a percentage of the chances of either getting to the BCS Championship, I’d say 75% chance for Oklahoma, and maybe 40% for Virginia Tech. The reason why they have a chance at all is because they are in power conferences, and will be playing other quality opponents. Teams like Boise State have already played their one big game…the power conferences play MANY big games.
Add on to this that both Hokies and Sooners have a conference in which there is a championship game…meaning if they make it there, they will likely play one more ranked opponent. It would be a strong shot in the arm for either to win and make a case for the BCS Championship.
But we know that for that to happen, many teams must lose. Now we know there won’t be 25 undefeated teams in the nation, but for either team to make a case, all they need is for one or no teams to go undefeated. IF that happens, then you have to look at the schedule of both teams, to see IF they can run the tables and get back in the picture.
Let’s look at both teams and see, starting with the Oklahoma Sooners:
Their next couple of games include Idaho State and Tulsa…if Sam Bradford is injured (and he is) then maybe the next couple of weeks will give him time to rehab, as Oklahoma would clearly be favored over the next two games. They then travel to Miami to play the Hurricanes before starting the conference schedule, which starts out with Baylor, but has Texas immediately after that, then Kansas, Kansas State and Nebraska before finishing the last three against Texas A&M, Texas Tech and Oklahoma State.
Folks… that is a tough schedule. IF Oklahoma can run the tables, and I understand it is a BIG if, then they would play in the Big 12 Championship. Should they win that, they would have every right to claim a stake in the BCS Championship IF, there are less than two undefeated power teams in the nation.
A lot of things has to happen but by no means are the Sooners out after the first game of the season.
But it gets a little more complicated for the Virginia Tech Hokies:
After losing to Alabama, the Hokies play Marshall, the travel to Nebraska before starting their conference season against Miami. They then play Duke, Boston College and Georgia Tech by mid season. After the next game against UNC, they play ECU (who beat them last year) before closing the season against Maryland, NC State and Virginia. If they best the conference, then they will be in the ACC Championship game.
But of the two teams, who has the tougher schedule? It would seem that Oklahoma would, and if so, then their wins would be more impressive than those of VA Tech. Now this applies IF both teams run the tables. If both teams end the season with only 1 loss, which would look more impressive to the voters?
Mind you, many critics spat on the ACC for being a weak conference last year, although I think they were equally balanced almost from top to bottom. Still, this makes it harder for Virginia Tech to make the BCS Championship. Oklahoma may well get a “pardon” from the voters since Sam Bradford was injured, but they will still fall hard from the #3 spot they had.
But remember, this is only week one….there is far, far too much more football to play, so both teams are still in the mix, even at 0-1. We’ll just have to see how it plays out.
Quick answer…absolutely…
But a more detailed description is necessary.
Folks, to be very blunt, NO team in ANY BCS power conference is eliminated from the BCS in the FIRST game of the season…NONE.
Folks, even DUKE still has a shot at the BCS after the first week.
There is just too much left in the season, and remind me again how many games these teams play? Last I counted, it was more than one, so there is always a chance.
But after we say the logical, we have to get more specific. Yes, Oklahoma losing to BYU hurts them, and yes Virginia Tech losing to Alabama hurts them, but they are not out of the BCS picture. But if you asked me which team has the better chance of still getting there, my money is on Oklahoma.
As a guy that lives in the middle of ACC territory, I had a raised eyebrow to how Virginia Tech was in the top 10. The ACC didn’t scare too many teams last year so I wondered how they got ranked so high. The Hokies are good, but I wasn’t sure they were top 10 good.
But Oklahoma has a top ranked quarterback, who by the way just won the Heisman, although last night he got injured. I am convinced they would have won if Sam Bradford had been healthy, but it might be likely that he might miss a game or two. And I gotta tell ya, that offensive line looked kinda porous.
But if I had to give you a percentage of the chances of either getting to the BCS Championship, I’d say 75% chance for Oklahoma, and maybe 40% for Virginia Tech. The reason why they have a chance at all is because they are in power conferences, and will be playing other quality opponents. Teams like Boise State have already played their one big game…the power conferences play MANY big games.
Add on to this that both Hokies and Sooners have a conference in which there is a championship game…meaning if they make it there, they will likely play one more ranked opponent. It would be a strong shot in the arm for either to win and make a case for the BCS Championship.
But we know that for that to happen, many teams must lose. Now we know there won’t be 25 undefeated teams in the nation, but for either team to make a case, all they need is for one or no teams to go undefeated. IF that happens, then you have to look at the schedule of both teams, to see IF they can run the tables and get back in the picture.
Let’s look at both teams and see, starting with the Oklahoma Sooners:
Their next couple of games include Idaho State and Tulsa…if Sam Bradford is injured (and he is) then maybe the next couple of weeks will give him time to rehab, as Oklahoma would clearly be favored over the next two games. They then travel to Miami to play the Hurricanes before starting the conference schedule, which starts out with Baylor, but has Texas immediately after that, then Kansas, Kansas State and Nebraska before finishing the last three against Texas A&M, Texas Tech and Oklahoma State.
Folks… that is a tough schedule. IF Oklahoma can run the tables, and I understand it is a BIG if, then they would play in the Big 12 Championship. Should they win that, they would have every right to claim a stake in the BCS Championship IF, there are less than two undefeated power teams in the nation.
A lot of things has to happen but by no means are the Sooners out after the first game of the season.
But it gets a little more complicated for the Virginia Tech Hokies:
After losing to Alabama, the Hokies play Marshall, the travel to Nebraska before starting their conference season against Miami. They then play Duke, Boston College and Georgia Tech by mid season. After the next game against UNC, they play ECU (who beat them last year) before closing the season against Maryland, NC State and Virginia. If they best the conference, then they will be in the ACC Championship game.
But of the two teams, who has the tougher schedule? It would seem that Oklahoma would, and if so, then their wins would be more impressive than those of VA Tech. Now this applies IF both teams run the tables. If both teams end the season with only 1 loss, which would look more impressive to the voters?
Mind you, many critics spat on the ACC for being a weak conference last year, although I think they were equally balanced almost from top to bottom. Still, this makes it harder for Virginia Tech to make the BCS Championship. Oklahoma may well get a “pardon” from the voters since Sam Bradford was injured, but they will still fall hard from the #3 spot they had.
But remember, this is only week one….there is far, far too much more football to play, so both teams are still in the mix, even at 0-1. We’ll just have to see how it plays out.
Thursday, September 3, 2009
2009 College Football is HERE!
2009 College Football Begins!
Shall we dance?
Tonight as I blog this out (although it is actually 1:18 in the afternoon), college football begins. I have not written in awhile, but with the excitement of the upcoming college games, and the season, there may well be much to talk about. Right now every team has a chance to make it to the National Championships…but we know that more than half the teams are already eliminated.
The fun will see how this story unfolds, the debates, arguments and the success stories of the upcoming college season. Believe me, I am ready to jump in this, I love writing about football.
I had actually been gone so long I forgot where my blogs were, and had to hunt them down and remember what I had posted. I hope as the season rolls on, there will be much to speak about, and already there are stories that are controversial…take Michigan.
I would like to get into that a little more, but at this moment I just need to knock some rust off the keys as I prepare for the season. Another topic is Notre Dame, and how they could possibly got a top 25 ranking…based off WHAT?
Oh yeah, this will be a nice year to yap about….
Anyway, look forward to more posts as the season goes on, not just college football, but the NFL and other stories as we go along. Before I start to sink my teeth into this season, I hope you remember that what I talk about is in the context of sports, knowing that we can’t all agree on any one thing…except that college football fans love college football, and NFL fans love NFL. I am both. We certainly won’t agree on the teams we like and dislike, but I hope you remember that it is just a game…heh heh.
(he said, KNOWING his Raiders are in SERIOUS trouble this year…)
Anyway, look for some more blogs as we go along…let’s all enjoy the ride!
Shall we dance?
Tonight as I blog this out (although it is actually 1:18 in the afternoon), college football begins. I have not written in awhile, but with the excitement of the upcoming college games, and the season, there may well be much to talk about. Right now every team has a chance to make it to the National Championships…but we know that more than half the teams are already eliminated.
The fun will see how this story unfolds, the debates, arguments and the success stories of the upcoming college season. Believe me, I am ready to jump in this, I love writing about football.
I had actually been gone so long I forgot where my blogs were, and had to hunt them down and remember what I had posted. I hope as the season rolls on, there will be much to speak about, and already there are stories that are controversial…take Michigan.
I would like to get into that a little more, but at this moment I just need to knock some rust off the keys as I prepare for the season. Another topic is Notre Dame, and how they could possibly got a top 25 ranking…based off WHAT?
Oh yeah, this will be a nice year to yap about….
Anyway, look forward to more posts as the season goes on, not just college football, but the NFL and other stories as we go along. Before I start to sink my teeth into this season, I hope you remember that what I talk about is in the context of sports, knowing that we can’t all agree on any one thing…except that college football fans love college football, and NFL fans love NFL. I am both. We certainly won’t agree on the teams we like and dislike, but I hope you remember that it is just a game…heh heh.
(he said, KNOWING his Raiders are in SERIOUS trouble this year…)
Anyway, look for some more blogs as we go along…let’s all enjoy the ride!
Wednesday, December 17, 2008
California vs Miami in the Emerald Bowl
Emerald Bowl
Miami (Fla) vs. California
Am I right, or is there only four bowls in the great state of California? Texas has I think 5 bowls, Florida seven and California has four, making almost half of all the bowls this year.
And this bowl involves two BCS conferences, both located on opposite ends of the nation. Miami from the ACC and California from the Pac-10...quite possibly the two furthest teams apart on post season if you don’t include Hawaii (but don’t quote me on that).
This is a strange matchup, because in years past when you think of Miami, you think of a National Powerhouse, a team that always factored in the National Championship, but in years of late, that has not been so much the truth. But in rebuilding, you see that there is some evidence that this team has promise.
And what of California? Granted much of the East Coast don’t get to see Cal much, and because of that there is a lot of “east coast bias” against Pac-10 teams, but this is a credible team. Let’s look at the resumes of both schools and see how each team got to this very spot.
Let’s start with California, out of the Pac-10. Most times when you talk of this conference, most people think only of USC and their dominance of the conference. It just seemed that California knew that they had to play a few teams outside the West Coast to gain some early respect, and did so by having Michigan State visit them, and defeating them 38-31. This was a strong win already, and was enhanced just a bit by crushing Washington State, a conference foe, 66-3.
But it was the cross-country trip to Maryland where they learned that they were not unstoppable, especially the record of football games (college and pro) of West Coast teams traveling to the East Coast. In a loss to Maryland 35-27, it seemed that Cal was going to have to rely on the strength of the Pac-10 to keep the credit it had earned.
A win vs. non-conference foe Colorado State seemed to prepare the Golden Bears for their second conference win against Arizona State at home. They were looking pretty good at 4-1 until they loss their second road trip to Arizona 42-27. But one conference loss isn’t bad at all, so there was still hope.
Their next game vs. UCLA was a good test, because at the time many didn’t know what UCLA team was going to show up, and it worked in Cal’s favor, stomping the Bruins 41-20. But NOW things were going to get tough. California had three straight games against three ranked conference foes…the entire season for the Golden Bears would be decided in this strip of time.
The first game vs. then #24 Oregon gave Cal great hope, beating the Ducks at home, 26-16. But the next two games were away, and Cal already had 2 losses on the road…they would get two more, losing to then #7 USC 17-3, and then to #23 Oregon State 34-21.
At 6-4, the slumping Golden Bears had already qualified for a bowl but needed to gain momentum before the post season. This came with the final two games against slumping Stanford and winless Washington, both of which California defeated with little problem.
Half of the teams California played are in a bowl, and nearly all of those were ranked some time this season. Cal defeated two of those six, but played well against teams like USC, Oregon and Oregon State.
On the other side, Miami comes from the competitive ACC, and started out a little rocky. An early win against Charleston Southern didn’t mean much, but the loss to state rival Florida, then ranked #5, was important. Losing 26-3 meant that there was much work for this Miami team to be recognized as a top 25 team.
This seemed to be what Miami was trying to do when they went to Texas A&M and captured a win 41-23, but was lost the next two games in conference play. In two embarrassing HOME games, Miami lost to UNC 28-24 and to state rival Florida State 41-39. At 2-3, there seemed to be a lot of concern for the Hurricanes.
But the season didn’t go completely south, as the team found courage in non-conference game, in Central Florida, winning 20-14. It was the spark the Hurricanes needed, as they went on to win four straight conference games. Beating Duke 49-31 was pretty much expected, but the win against Wake Forest 16-10 gave the team hope.
Miami would go on and play two close games vs. Virginia and Virginia Tech, but would beat them both. At 7-3, they were already qualified for a bowl…it’s just as well since they lost their two remaining games, one to Georgia Tech 41-23, and then to NC State 38-28, both being road games.
At least 7 teams on Miami’s schedule will be in a bowl, so there is no doubt that this team had a very difficult season. And further, it wasn’t like they were blown out too many times, this is a team that can hang in there.
So, who has the better chance to win? Strength of schedule always plays a part, but to me it seems that California is closer to making that next step, Miami can get there, but maybe not this year. Maybe close, who can tell, but I like this matchup. I say California by a field goal, but as I said before, who can tell…..
Miami (Fla) vs. California
Am I right, or is there only four bowls in the great state of California? Texas has I think 5 bowls, Florida seven and California has four, making almost half of all the bowls this year.
And this bowl involves two BCS conferences, both located on opposite ends of the nation. Miami from the ACC and California from the Pac-10...quite possibly the two furthest teams apart on post season if you don’t include Hawaii (but don’t quote me on that).
This is a strange matchup, because in years past when you think of Miami, you think of a National Powerhouse, a team that always factored in the National Championship, but in years of late, that has not been so much the truth. But in rebuilding, you see that there is some evidence that this team has promise.
And what of California? Granted much of the East Coast don’t get to see Cal much, and because of that there is a lot of “east coast bias” against Pac-10 teams, but this is a credible team. Let’s look at the resumes of both schools and see how each team got to this very spot.
Let’s start with California, out of the Pac-10. Most times when you talk of this conference, most people think only of USC and their dominance of the conference. It just seemed that California knew that they had to play a few teams outside the West Coast to gain some early respect, and did so by having Michigan State visit them, and defeating them 38-31. This was a strong win already, and was enhanced just a bit by crushing Washington State, a conference foe, 66-3.
But it was the cross-country trip to Maryland where they learned that they were not unstoppable, especially the record of football games (college and pro) of West Coast teams traveling to the East Coast. In a loss to Maryland 35-27, it seemed that Cal was going to have to rely on the strength of the Pac-10 to keep the credit it had earned.
A win vs. non-conference foe Colorado State seemed to prepare the Golden Bears for their second conference win against Arizona State at home. They were looking pretty good at 4-1 until they loss their second road trip to Arizona 42-27. But one conference loss isn’t bad at all, so there was still hope.
Their next game vs. UCLA was a good test, because at the time many didn’t know what UCLA team was going to show up, and it worked in Cal’s favor, stomping the Bruins 41-20. But NOW things were going to get tough. California had three straight games against three ranked conference foes…the entire season for the Golden Bears would be decided in this strip of time.
The first game vs. then #24 Oregon gave Cal great hope, beating the Ducks at home, 26-16. But the next two games were away, and Cal already had 2 losses on the road…they would get two more, losing to then #7 USC 17-3, and then to #23 Oregon State 34-21.
At 6-4, the slumping Golden Bears had already qualified for a bowl but needed to gain momentum before the post season. This came with the final two games against slumping Stanford and winless Washington, both of which California defeated with little problem.
Half of the teams California played are in a bowl, and nearly all of those were ranked some time this season. Cal defeated two of those six, but played well against teams like USC, Oregon and Oregon State.
On the other side, Miami comes from the competitive ACC, and started out a little rocky. An early win against Charleston Southern didn’t mean much, but the loss to state rival Florida, then ranked #5, was important. Losing 26-3 meant that there was much work for this Miami team to be recognized as a top 25 team.
This seemed to be what Miami was trying to do when they went to Texas A&M and captured a win 41-23, but was lost the next two games in conference play. In two embarrassing HOME games, Miami lost to UNC 28-24 and to state rival Florida State 41-39. At 2-3, there seemed to be a lot of concern for the Hurricanes.
But the season didn’t go completely south, as the team found courage in non-conference game, in Central Florida, winning 20-14. It was the spark the Hurricanes needed, as they went on to win four straight conference games. Beating Duke 49-31 was pretty much expected, but the win against Wake Forest 16-10 gave the team hope.
Miami would go on and play two close games vs. Virginia and Virginia Tech, but would beat them both. At 7-3, they were already qualified for a bowl…it’s just as well since they lost their two remaining games, one to Georgia Tech 41-23, and then to NC State 38-28, both being road games.
At least 7 teams on Miami’s schedule will be in a bowl, so there is no doubt that this team had a very difficult season. And further, it wasn’t like they were blown out too many times, this is a team that can hang in there.
So, who has the better chance to win? Strength of schedule always plays a part, but to me it seems that California is closer to making that next step, Miami can get there, but maybe not this year. Maybe close, who can tell, but I like this matchup. I say California by a field goal, but as I said before, who can tell…..
Monday, December 8, 2008
2008 Orange Bowl
The Orange Bowl 2008
As the Bowl season starts, I wanted to take a look at some of the bowls and what kinda matchups we may be looking at.
First off, thumbs DOWN to Fox for how they shamelessly tried to use suspense in the BCS selection show. Anybody that has been following the college football season even HALF of the season should have already known who was going where, and it was shameless how Fox tried to “keep it a secret” from the viewers as if they were doing the NCAA Basketball Selection show.
It was an insult to any real college fan to have to listen to those dudes sit there and try to play tongue and cheek until they revealed the bowl games…and really, were any of a surprise to any of you?
Now, to anybody who follows my blogs, or read other blogs on the bowls, we all knew that the Orange Bowl was going to feature the ACC Champion, whomever that turned out to be. But we also knew that by default, they would likely have to take the Big East Champion as well. The way things shook out in the BCS meant that the Orange Bowl would likely be the least of the bowls and were kinda stuck with the Big East Champion.
As it turns out, Virginia Tech wins the ACC Championship over Boston College, and Cincinnati wins the Big East Championship (although without a true conference championship…something they need to fix).
So we have Virginia Tech vs. Cincinnati, how do they stack up?
Virginia Tech’s resume:
9-4 and in the ACC, perhaps the most competitive conference top to bottom in the nation. A humiliating loss to ECU in their first game of the year, but won 5 straight, including a home win vs. Georgia Tech, and away games vs. UNC and Nebraska.
Back to back away losses to Boston College and Florida State, before rebounding against Maryland. One more loss in an away game vs. Miami before three straight wins, including the ACC Championship against Boston College.
About 8 games were against teams that were ranked sometime during the season, and as many will see a bowl this year. Never blew anybody out, but never got BLOWN out. But here is a problem…Virginia Tech has some issues traveling away from home. Their four losses were all away….hmmmm.
Cincinnati’s resume:
11-2 and from the Big East, going 6-1 in the conference. Started out the season with a spanking of a lesser foe, before GETTING spanked by Oklahoma. Won 4 games in a row, including MAC foes, and conference foe Rutgers. Lost away bad at UCONN before winning six straight, including wins over South Florida, West Virginia and Pittsburgh.
About 5 games were against teams that have been ranked sometime this year, but they beat 3 of those 5. About six of those teams they played this year will see a bowl. This team started out red hot with the points, but cooled down as they eased into conference play. Their two losses came on away games, but also to tough opponents, one by the way will be playing for the National Championship (Oklahoma).
So who is favored?
We could go another 5 pages on more specific details like players, injuries and things like that, but let’s spin this differently. If I was to side for Virginia Tech, I would look at the fact that the ACC has been more competitive than any other conference. I did not say they were BETTER, I said they were more competitive. Virginia Tech learned a lesson in humility when they thought they could just whip up on upstart ECU, and learned a valuable lesson.
This team stumbled early and stated to gain ground when they had two road games against quality teams. Experience plays big in these games, and they have a very experienced coach. But youth often fails when tested on the road, something this team has certainly proven.
If you pull for Cincinnati, you look at the fact that 11 wins is 11 wins. How many other teams can say that? Only Connecticut beat them outside of a potential National Champion, and none of the other Big East teams could say that. Not Rutgers, not West Virginia, not South Florida, and certainly not Louisville. This team has had a magical year, bringing fame to a school that had not seen it in a long time. I remember years ago Penn State hung like 70 or 80 points on this team…but that was many years ago.
But if I had to pick, I think Virginia Tech has the edge. One may question some wins with Cincinnati. Eastern Kentucky? Not a Division 1A school. The three MAC teams they played back-to-back-to-back were a combined 7-17, neither of them having winning records. Marshall finished 4-8. So in the first 5 games, the only team of credit that Cincinnati played was Oklahoma…and lost big.
This screams strength of schedule, which to me immediately moves me over to Virginia Tech. But when it mattered, Cincinnati stepped it up, losing only one more game the rest of the year. And yet, I wonder about VA Tech on the road. Can they win on the road, seeing they lost 4 games in similar fashion? I know they beat Boston College in Florida, which is an away game, and in fact will be going back to that very state, so the advantage seems to be with them.
If you ask me who the better team is, I would say Virginia Tech, and might predict them to win by a touchdown or less. But other things play in here, does VA Tech look at Cincinnati like they did ECU, or are they now disciplined to treat every opponent like a top 25 caliber team? What is the mindset of a Cincinnati team that may just be “happy to be there”?
Lots of things will play out in this Orange Bowl. If I had to predict a score, I would say that if Virginia Tech wins, it might be 24-20. But this could easily be flipped in the Bearcats favor.
Time will tell all….
As the Bowl season starts, I wanted to take a look at some of the bowls and what kinda matchups we may be looking at.
First off, thumbs DOWN to Fox for how they shamelessly tried to use suspense in the BCS selection show. Anybody that has been following the college football season even HALF of the season should have already known who was going where, and it was shameless how Fox tried to “keep it a secret” from the viewers as if they were doing the NCAA Basketball Selection show.
It was an insult to any real college fan to have to listen to those dudes sit there and try to play tongue and cheek until they revealed the bowl games…and really, were any of a surprise to any of you?
Now, to anybody who follows my blogs, or read other blogs on the bowls, we all knew that the Orange Bowl was going to feature the ACC Champion, whomever that turned out to be. But we also knew that by default, they would likely have to take the Big East Champion as well. The way things shook out in the BCS meant that the Orange Bowl would likely be the least of the bowls and were kinda stuck with the Big East Champion.
As it turns out, Virginia Tech wins the ACC Championship over Boston College, and Cincinnati wins the Big East Championship (although without a true conference championship…something they need to fix).
So we have Virginia Tech vs. Cincinnati, how do they stack up?
Virginia Tech’s resume:
9-4 and in the ACC, perhaps the most competitive conference top to bottom in the nation. A humiliating loss to ECU in their first game of the year, but won 5 straight, including a home win vs. Georgia Tech, and away games vs. UNC and Nebraska.
Back to back away losses to Boston College and Florida State, before rebounding against Maryland. One more loss in an away game vs. Miami before three straight wins, including the ACC Championship against Boston College.
About 8 games were against teams that were ranked sometime during the season, and as many will see a bowl this year. Never blew anybody out, but never got BLOWN out. But here is a problem…Virginia Tech has some issues traveling away from home. Their four losses were all away….hmmmm.
Cincinnati’s resume:
11-2 and from the Big East, going 6-1 in the conference. Started out the season with a spanking of a lesser foe, before GETTING spanked by Oklahoma. Won 4 games in a row, including MAC foes, and conference foe Rutgers. Lost away bad at UCONN before winning six straight, including wins over South Florida, West Virginia and Pittsburgh.
About 5 games were against teams that have been ranked sometime this year, but they beat 3 of those 5. About six of those teams they played this year will see a bowl. This team started out red hot with the points, but cooled down as they eased into conference play. Their two losses came on away games, but also to tough opponents, one by the way will be playing for the National Championship (Oklahoma).
So who is favored?
We could go another 5 pages on more specific details like players, injuries and things like that, but let’s spin this differently. If I was to side for Virginia Tech, I would look at the fact that the ACC has been more competitive than any other conference. I did not say they were BETTER, I said they were more competitive. Virginia Tech learned a lesson in humility when they thought they could just whip up on upstart ECU, and learned a valuable lesson.
This team stumbled early and stated to gain ground when they had two road games against quality teams. Experience plays big in these games, and they have a very experienced coach. But youth often fails when tested on the road, something this team has certainly proven.
If you pull for Cincinnati, you look at the fact that 11 wins is 11 wins. How many other teams can say that? Only Connecticut beat them outside of a potential National Champion, and none of the other Big East teams could say that. Not Rutgers, not West Virginia, not South Florida, and certainly not Louisville. This team has had a magical year, bringing fame to a school that had not seen it in a long time. I remember years ago Penn State hung like 70 or 80 points on this team…but that was many years ago.
But if I had to pick, I think Virginia Tech has the edge. One may question some wins with Cincinnati. Eastern Kentucky? Not a Division 1A school. The three MAC teams they played back-to-back-to-back were a combined 7-17, neither of them having winning records. Marshall finished 4-8. So in the first 5 games, the only team of credit that Cincinnati played was Oklahoma…and lost big.
This screams strength of schedule, which to me immediately moves me over to Virginia Tech. But when it mattered, Cincinnati stepped it up, losing only one more game the rest of the year. And yet, I wonder about VA Tech on the road. Can they win on the road, seeing they lost 4 games in similar fashion? I know they beat Boston College in Florida, which is an away game, and in fact will be going back to that very state, so the advantage seems to be with them.
If you ask me who the better team is, I would say Virginia Tech, and might predict them to win by a touchdown or less. But other things play in here, does VA Tech look at Cincinnati like they did ECU, or are they now disciplined to treat every opponent like a top 25 caliber team? What is the mindset of a Cincinnati team that may just be “happy to be there”?
Lots of things will play out in this Orange Bowl. If I had to predict a score, I would say that if Virginia Tech wins, it might be 24-20. But this could easily be flipped in the Bearcats favor.
Time will tell all….
Monday, December 1, 2008
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.
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.
Thursday, November 13, 2008
ACC Football
Some love for ACC Football
It’s very interesting that only a month or so ago, many believed that the ACC was so beat up that they might only get 5 teams in post season play. When I looked at teams like Virginia and Clemson falling apart, I thought that this team of 12 would get less than half of the members into a bowl.
But things have changed quite a bit hasn’t it?
It’s interesting that lots of fans of other smaller conferences like to say that their teams could beat ANYBODY in the ACC or the Big East. I remember watching ESPN on their “Interactive Tuesday” games and read a lot of the comments people put about their non-BCS teams. Lots of people believe that their teams like Ball State, Tulsa or Utah could beat any team in the ACC.
This is because they claim that the ACC is very soft this year, and I saw this as well. But maybe we have misinterpreted that from “soft” to very competitive. Let me show you what I mean.
There are 9 bowls…NINE that have courted ACC teams. That is a heck of a lot of bids out of a conference of 12 teams. And as I said earlier, I thought that maybe 5 would get there. But at this very moment, as of November 13th, 2008, there are not five, but EIGHT teams now qualified for a bowl.
From the Atlantic division Florida State leads the way at 7-2, followed by Wake Forest and Maryland, both at 6-3. Boston College makes the fourth, also at 6-2, but with a tough conference record.
On the Coastal division, you have UNC on the top at 7-2, followed by Virginia Tech and Miami, both at 6-3, with Georgia Tech below them at 7-3 because of conference records. Eight teams now qualified for a bowl.
And get this…NO teams in the ACC are excluded. NONE.
The Big 12 can’t say that because they have 2 teams out of post season contention, and 7 teams currently eligible.
The Big East can’t say that because they have one team out of the post season, and only 5 currently eligible.
The Big 10 can’t say that because they have 3 teams out, and 6 teams currently eligible.
Conference USA can’t say that because they have 4 teams out, 3 currently eligible.
The MAC? Nope, they have SIX teams out, three teams in.
Mountain West? Two teams out, 4 teams in.
Pac-10? Two teams out, 5 teams in.
The great SEC? Nope, Tennessee is out and they have only 6 teams now eligible.
Sun Belt? Not hardly. Two teams out and only one has qualified.
And the WAC? Two teams out, two teams in.
So for all the critics who said the ACC was garbage, your proof is in the fact that this is the ONLY conference in Division IA (FBS) that had the MOST teams already eligible for bowl season, and at this moment has NO teams excluded. That makes this conference pretty competitive, doesn’t it?
I didn’t say it was the BEST, so don’t say something silly, I said they were the most competitive.
But here is something interesting…can they put MORE in post season? Let’s see:
Of the four teams in “limbo” we start with Virginia. The Cavaliers are currently 3-3 in ACC play and 5-5 overall. We know they have 2 games left, against Clemson at home and vs. Virginia Tech away. With wins over UNC and Georgia Tech, there is still a shot that Virginia COULD still take the division, but they need UNC to lose, and they need to beat Virginia Tech. I am not sure if the Richmond game they played earlier counts, if it does, then one win is all they need. If not, they need to win both games, which is pretty tough to do. But there IS a good chance for Virginia to qualify for a bowl if they can beat Clemson.
What of Duke? Sure they are 1-4 in conference, but 4-5 overall. With three games, they need two wins. But I gotta tell ya, I can’t see it. There might be a slight chance against Clemson, but playing in Death Valley won’t be good for Duke, and then to turn around and go TO Virginia Tech…nope. Then to end the season against currently ranked UNC could spell 3 losses in a row. But if they can steal ONE game, they might have a shot. A longshot, but still a shot.
I mentioned Clemson, they too still have a chance, even at 4-5. They too have 3 games remaining, first at home vs. Duke. Even in difficulty, I can still see Clemson beating Duke, but it is not automatic. If they can beat the Blue Devils, then they would be 5-5, needing one more win. Their last two games are against Virginia and a home stand against South Carolina. It’s not out the realm of possibility for Clemson to win 2 games, but I really don’t see it. It’s just a tough road.
And then there is NC State, who is actually the closest team to being knocked out of post season. At 3-6, any loss will finish them off. It’s actually amazing that a team that logs on so few miles the entire season can play so poorly. Have you seen their schedule?
Of their 9 games, FIVE have been home in North Carolina. Of the four away games, one was in Durham, and TWO was in South Carolina! Up to now the only time NC State has left the Carolinas was when they played Maryland. And yet, only 3 wins?
Of their last 3 games, get this…they STAY at home to play ranked Wake Forest, and then have an away game to Chapel Hill. It’s quite possible that the Wolfpack may have logged the fewest miles in the nation before their big trip to Miami to finish the season. But regardless of how you slice it, if they lose ONE game, their season is over. I see no way they can get through playing 2 ranked teams and then making a trip completely out of their comfort zone to end the season, knowing by then that it’s just a game.
So of the four teams in the ACC trying to make a bowl, mathematically there is still hope for NC State, but maybe a 1% chance to win 3 games in a row. Duke has maybe a 3% chance because they need two wins instead of 3. Clemson has maybe a 10% chance because they are playing 2 teams with a losing record, and is it possible they could beat them both. But if they cannot, the won’t beat South Carolina. And for Virginia, they need only one win (if Richmond counts) so I give them a 25% chance.
So show some love for the ACC guys, there is a slight chance that they can do something probably never done…put ALL teams in post season….ok stop laughing, I know it’s highly unlikely… but as of this moment, no other conference can say that…
Can they? I didn’t think so.
It’s very interesting that only a month or so ago, many believed that the ACC was so beat up that they might only get 5 teams in post season play. When I looked at teams like Virginia and Clemson falling apart, I thought that this team of 12 would get less than half of the members into a bowl.
But things have changed quite a bit hasn’t it?
It’s interesting that lots of fans of other smaller conferences like to say that their teams could beat ANYBODY in the ACC or the Big East. I remember watching ESPN on their “Interactive Tuesday” games and read a lot of the comments people put about their non-BCS teams. Lots of people believe that their teams like Ball State, Tulsa or Utah could beat any team in the ACC.
This is because they claim that the ACC is very soft this year, and I saw this as well. But maybe we have misinterpreted that from “soft” to very competitive. Let me show you what I mean.
There are 9 bowls…NINE that have courted ACC teams. That is a heck of a lot of bids out of a conference of 12 teams. And as I said earlier, I thought that maybe 5 would get there. But at this very moment, as of November 13th, 2008, there are not five, but EIGHT teams now qualified for a bowl.
From the Atlantic division Florida State leads the way at 7-2, followed by Wake Forest and Maryland, both at 6-3. Boston College makes the fourth, also at 6-2, but with a tough conference record.
On the Coastal division, you have UNC on the top at 7-2, followed by Virginia Tech and Miami, both at 6-3, with Georgia Tech below them at 7-3 because of conference records. Eight teams now qualified for a bowl.
And get this…NO teams in the ACC are excluded. NONE.
The Big 12 can’t say that because they have 2 teams out of post season contention, and 7 teams currently eligible.
The Big East can’t say that because they have one team out of the post season, and only 5 currently eligible.
The Big 10 can’t say that because they have 3 teams out, and 6 teams currently eligible.
Conference USA can’t say that because they have 4 teams out, 3 currently eligible.
The MAC? Nope, they have SIX teams out, three teams in.
Mountain West? Two teams out, 4 teams in.
Pac-10? Two teams out, 5 teams in.
The great SEC? Nope, Tennessee is out and they have only 6 teams now eligible.
Sun Belt? Not hardly. Two teams out and only one has qualified.
And the WAC? Two teams out, two teams in.
So for all the critics who said the ACC was garbage, your proof is in the fact that this is the ONLY conference in Division IA (FBS) that had the MOST teams already eligible for bowl season, and at this moment has NO teams excluded. That makes this conference pretty competitive, doesn’t it?
I didn’t say it was the BEST, so don’t say something silly, I said they were the most competitive.
But here is something interesting…can they put MORE in post season? Let’s see:
Of the four teams in “limbo” we start with Virginia. The Cavaliers are currently 3-3 in ACC play and 5-5 overall. We know they have 2 games left, against Clemson at home and vs. Virginia Tech away. With wins over UNC and Georgia Tech, there is still a shot that Virginia COULD still take the division, but they need UNC to lose, and they need to beat Virginia Tech. I am not sure if the Richmond game they played earlier counts, if it does, then one win is all they need. If not, they need to win both games, which is pretty tough to do. But there IS a good chance for Virginia to qualify for a bowl if they can beat Clemson.
What of Duke? Sure they are 1-4 in conference, but 4-5 overall. With three games, they need two wins. But I gotta tell ya, I can’t see it. There might be a slight chance against Clemson, but playing in Death Valley won’t be good for Duke, and then to turn around and go TO Virginia Tech…nope. Then to end the season against currently ranked UNC could spell 3 losses in a row. But if they can steal ONE game, they might have a shot. A longshot, but still a shot.
I mentioned Clemson, they too still have a chance, even at 4-5. They too have 3 games remaining, first at home vs. Duke. Even in difficulty, I can still see Clemson beating Duke, but it is not automatic. If they can beat the Blue Devils, then they would be 5-5, needing one more win. Their last two games are against Virginia and a home stand against South Carolina. It’s not out the realm of possibility for Clemson to win 2 games, but I really don’t see it. It’s just a tough road.
And then there is NC State, who is actually the closest team to being knocked out of post season. At 3-6, any loss will finish them off. It’s actually amazing that a team that logs on so few miles the entire season can play so poorly. Have you seen their schedule?
Of their 9 games, FIVE have been home in North Carolina. Of the four away games, one was in Durham, and TWO was in South Carolina! Up to now the only time NC State has left the Carolinas was when they played Maryland. And yet, only 3 wins?
Of their last 3 games, get this…they STAY at home to play ranked Wake Forest, and then have an away game to Chapel Hill. It’s quite possible that the Wolfpack may have logged the fewest miles in the nation before their big trip to Miami to finish the season. But regardless of how you slice it, if they lose ONE game, their season is over. I see no way they can get through playing 2 ranked teams and then making a trip completely out of their comfort zone to end the season, knowing by then that it’s just a game.
So of the four teams in the ACC trying to make a bowl, mathematically there is still hope for NC State, but maybe a 1% chance to win 3 games in a row. Duke has maybe a 3% chance because they need two wins instead of 3. Clemson has maybe a 10% chance because they are playing 2 teams with a losing record, and is it possible they could beat them both. But if they cannot, the won’t beat South Carolina. And for Virginia, they need only one win (if Richmond counts) so I give them a 25% chance.
So show some love for the ACC guys, there is a slight chance that they can do something probably never done…put ALL teams in post season….ok stop laughing, I know it’s highly unlikely… but as of this moment, no other conference can say that…
Can they? I didn’t think so.
Tuesday, October 28, 2008
ACC Costal Division
Speedblog: ACC Coastal
What in the name of sports is going on in the ACC?
In a year where the ACC has been seen as the weakest of the power conferences, and where the MWC and WAC can boast that they might be just as good as the ACC this year, we cannot possibly predict who will come out on top.
Doesn’t anybody want to go to one of those BCS bowls? There’s a lot of money in it for your university if you go.
So let’s look at half of the ACC and see what the future holds for them. Let’s look at the Coastal Division and get an idea of how these teams may fare. Now I know it can be a bit complicated to remember which team belongs where, so I’ll list them out for you in order from “worst” to “best”.
Duke University (1-2 conference, 4-3 overall)
It used to be that Duke Football was as funny as a retro show of Sesame Street…in fact, I get warm feelings when I think of both. And if you read my blogs, you know I kid these guys a lot, but all in fun. But seriously, this has been the doormat of the conference for quite awhile. Yet this year, there is slight hope that maybe Duke won’t finish at the bottom and MAYBE they’ll qualify for a bowl. A surprising win over Vanderbilt brought hope to the Blue Devils.
It is possible that Duke could steal a game from either NC State or Clemson, but most people may not bet on that. But Duke is close to qualifying for a bowl and there might be a surge of hope that could get them a win…maybe two. They managed to beat Virginia but lost to Georgia Tech and Miami…getting 6 wins just doesn’t seem likely.
Miami University (2-2 conference, 5-3 overall)
It seems that the glory days of the “U” are gone, but there are still signs of a good team here. Yes they are at the bottom beside Duke, but they beat Duke, something Virginia can’t brag about. Losing to three quality teams, (Florida, Florida State and UNC) isn’t bad, but the loss to the Tarheels was a division game, one they needed. Now they’ve got to play the other 3 teams in their division, and it won’t be easy.
The “U” needs to qualify for a bowl as well, and has a hard road to get there. If you don’t count the Charleston Southern game, the Hurricanes need 2 more wins. I am not too sure they can get it from a surging Virginia team or a pretty decent Georgia Tech team. There might be a chance with a wounded Virginia Tech squad, and let’s face it, NC State isn’t going anywhere. There could be a chance for Miami, but it’s really a crap shoot.
Virginia Tech (2-2 conference, 5-3 overall)
When VA Tech lost to ECU, it was a big shocker, but having lost the last two games to Boston College and Florida State puts this team in some serious trouble. We know the injuries of last week was a main problem and will likely have in impact on whether this team can still compete for the ACC Title. I had Boston College and Virginia Tech playing in the ACC Championship, and although there is still a chance, it seems to be slipping.
To their credit however, they HAVE defeated UNC and Georgia Tech, so division wise they are in as good a shape as anybody. Even if they lose to Maryland next week, they can still take the division championship and go to the ACC Championship if they sweep Miami, Duke and finally Virginia. The Hokies have a better chance for post season than Miami or Duke…by a long shot.
North Carolina (2-2 conference, 6-2 overall)
Only two teams in the ACC are currently eligible for a bowl, having 6 wins…UNC is one of them. Strange, when they are not the best team in their own division. The problem is they lost 2 division games to Virginia and Virginia Tech, making it very hard for them to slide into the ACC Championship. With games vs. Georgia Tech and Duke, it is possible they can split that, but they also have games against NC State and Maryland. I can’t guarantee them more than one game (Duke), so the others are going to be tough to get.
You can call it a moral victory that the Tarheels are in post season already, but they’d like to compete for that ACC Championship and then a BCS game. But to make that happen, they need Virginia to lose a couple of games, as well as Virginia Tech. Again, odd that a team that has already qualified for bowl season is so low in the division, and needing a lot of help to get to the ACC title game.
Georgia Tech (3-2 conference, 6-2 overall)
Georgia Tech has 6 wins, just like UNC, but they have yet to qualify for a bowl. This implies to me that either the Jacksonville State game does not count, OR the Gardner-Webb game, or BOTH. In either case, they need to win some more games to qualify for a bowl. And like UNC, both their losses came to Virginia AND Virginia Tech. Yes they have wins over Clemson, Boston College and Duke, but only the Duke win counts for the division. Technically you can say Georgia is 1-2 in their division, with two more games to play in their division.
The hard part is that currently 3 of their last 4 games are against ranked foes. They play #15 Florida State next, then #22 UNC before a game vs. Miami and finishing the regular season vs. #6 Georgia. None of these games are easy. If GA Tech needs one win, they will have to scrap to get it….if they need 2 wins, I am not sure they can get it.
Virginia University (3-1 conference, 5-3 overall)
Who woulda thought that this team would be sitting on top of the Coastal Division of the ACC? I certainly didn’t when they lost to Duke. Getting embarrassed by USC early can be overlooked, but losing to Duke must have really woke these guys up. From the point they lost to Duke, they were 1-3, with their only win over Richmond. But since then, they have beaten Maryland, once-ranked ECU, and currently ranked UNC and Georgia Tech. It’s interesting what an embarrassing win will do for a football team.
Once this team looked doomed and would never see post season unless they watched it on television like the rest of us. But now, they have a chance. If we assume that the Richmond game does not count, then Virginia needs at least 2 wins to qualify. And I gotta tell you, the way they have been playing, I can see them getting it. The next game vs. Miami could be key, because winning that sets up some interesting games vs. Wake Forest and Clemson, games I can see them winning. It is theoretically possible that Virginia could be 8-3 before seeing Virginia Tech at the end of the season. And if the Hokies are still wounded…could the Cavaliers be 9-3 and in the ACC Championship?
Stay tuned and we’ll all find out at the same time.
What in the name of sports is going on in the ACC?
In a year where the ACC has been seen as the weakest of the power conferences, and where the MWC and WAC can boast that they might be just as good as the ACC this year, we cannot possibly predict who will come out on top.
Doesn’t anybody want to go to one of those BCS bowls? There’s a lot of money in it for your university if you go.
So let’s look at half of the ACC and see what the future holds for them. Let’s look at the Coastal Division and get an idea of how these teams may fare. Now I know it can be a bit complicated to remember which team belongs where, so I’ll list them out for you in order from “worst” to “best”.
Duke University (1-2 conference, 4-3 overall)
It used to be that Duke Football was as funny as a retro show of Sesame Street…in fact, I get warm feelings when I think of both. And if you read my blogs, you know I kid these guys a lot, but all in fun. But seriously, this has been the doormat of the conference for quite awhile. Yet this year, there is slight hope that maybe Duke won’t finish at the bottom and MAYBE they’ll qualify for a bowl. A surprising win over Vanderbilt brought hope to the Blue Devils.
It is possible that Duke could steal a game from either NC State or Clemson, but most people may not bet on that. But Duke is close to qualifying for a bowl and there might be a surge of hope that could get them a win…maybe two. They managed to beat Virginia but lost to Georgia Tech and Miami…getting 6 wins just doesn’t seem likely.
Miami University (2-2 conference, 5-3 overall)
It seems that the glory days of the “U” are gone, but there are still signs of a good team here. Yes they are at the bottom beside Duke, but they beat Duke, something Virginia can’t brag about. Losing to three quality teams, (Florida, Florida State and UNC) isn’t bad, but the loss to the Tarheels was a division game, one they needed. Now they’ve got to play the other 3 teams in their division, and it won’t be easy.
The “U” needs to qualify for a bowl as well, and has a hard road to get there. If you don’t count the Charleston Southern game, the Hurricanes need 2 more wins. I am not too sure they can get it from a surging Virginia team or a pretty decent Georgia Tech team. There might be a chance with a wounded Virginia Tech squad, and let’s face it, NC State isn’t going anywhere. There could be a chance for Miami, but it’s really a crap shoot.
Virginia Tech (2-2 conference, 5-3 overall)
When VA Tech lost to ECU, it was a big shocker, but having lost the last two games to Boston College and Florida State puts this team in some serious trouble. We know the injuries of last week was a main problem and will likely have in impact on whether this team can still compete for the ACC Title. I had Boston College and Virginia Tech playing in the ACC Championship, and although there is still a chance, it seems to be slipping.
To their credit however, they HAVE defeated UNC and Georgia Tech, so division wise they are in as good a shape as anybody. Even if they lose to Maryland next week, they can still take the division championship and go to the ACC Championship if they sweep Miami, Duke and finally Virginia. The Hokies have a better chance for post season than Miami or Duke…by a long shot.
North Carolina (2-2 conference, 6-2 overall)
Only two teams in the ACC are currently eligible for a bowl, having 6 wins…UNC is one of them. Strange, when they are not the best team in their own division. The problem is they lost 2 division games to Virginia and Virginia Tech, making it very hard for them to slide into the ACC Championship. With games vs. Georgia Tech and Duke, it is possible they can split that, but they also have games against NC State and Maryland. I can’t guarantee them more than one game (Duke), so the others are going to be tough to get.
You can call it a moral victory that the Tarheels are in post season already, but they’d like to compete for that ACC Championship and then a BCS game. But to make that happen, they need Virginia to lose a couple of games, as well as Virginia Tech. Again, odd that a team that has already qualified for bowl season is so low in the division, and needing a lot of help to get to the ACC title game.
Georgia Tech (3-2 conference, 6-2 overall)
Georgia Tech has 6 wins, just like UNC, but they have yet to qualify for a bowl. This implies to me that either the Jacksonville State game does not count, OR the Gardner-Webb game, or BOTH. In either case, they need to win some more games to qualify for a bowl. And like UNC, both their losses came to Virginia AND Virginia Tech. Yes they have wins over Clemson, Boston College and Duke, but only the Duke win counts for the division. Technically you can say Georgia is 1-2 in their division, with two more games to play in their division.
The hard part is that currently 3 of their last 4 games are against ranked foes. They play #15 Florida State next, then #22 UNC before a game vs. Miami and finishing the regular season vs. #6 Georgia. None of these games are easy. If GA Tech needs one win, they will have to scrap to get it….if they need 2 wins, I am not sure they can get it.
Virginia University (3-1 conference, 5-3 overall)
Who woulda thought that this team would be sitting on top of the Coastal Division of the ACC? I certainly didn’t when they lost to Duke. Getting embarrassed by USC early can be overlooked, but losing to Duke must have really woke these guys up. From the point they lost to Duke, they were 1-3, with their only win over Richmond. But since then, they have beaten Maryland, once-ranked ECU, and currently ranked UNC and Georgia Tech. It’s interesting what an embarrassing win will do for a football team.
Once this team looked doomed and would never see post season unless they watched it on television like the rest of us. But now, they have a chance. If we assume that the Richmond game does not count, then Virginia needs at least 2 wins to qualify. And I gotta tell you, the way they have been playing, I can see them getting it. The next game vs. Miami could be key, because winning that sets up some interesting games vs. Wake Forest and Clemson, games I can see them winning. It is theoretically possible that Virginia could be 8-3 before seeing Virginia Tech at the end of the season. And if the Hokies are still wounded…could the Cavaliers be 9-3 and in the ACC Championship?
Stay tuned and we’ll all find out at the same time.
Thursday, October 16, 2008
College Football teams to be warned....
College teams to be warned!
As we come up on another exciting weekend of college football, the clarity of post season is really not much different than it was a few weeks ago. Theoretically speaking, all 119 teams of the Division I are still eligible for a bowl…yep, even North Texas and Washington, who currently have NO wins. So there is hope for everyone, but that will change starting this weekend.
As such, there are many teams that must heed my warning and gird thy loins, for this weekend can easily turn a team to a path of success…or failure, in one quick afternoon or evening of college football.
So let us begin with my warnings….
Tonight Florida State and NC State will play as both ACC teams struggle to make a post season game. I spoke on this on my blog on Florida State, so I will keep this one short by warning Florida State that if they do not win this game, they may not be seeing any bowl except the cereal bowl in the cafeteria the next morning.
But take heed BYU, your heroics have been called out!
Sure, you’re the #9 team in the nation, but I have heard stories of the soft schedule you have had thus far. Beating Washington seemed good then, but now looks highly suspect. Beating UCLA seemed like a great feather, but now looks like worthless plumage. Are you REALLY as good as you say? If so, prove it now against a worthy opponent in TCU. You remember them, a 1 loss team who was defeated only by Oklahoma. And you are going to THEIR home…I warn you, be careful…
Beware ye of the smurf turf, your perfect season can be in jeopardy.
Boise State hosts Hawaii on Friday, one of a couple of tests for the #15 team in the land. A perfect record won’t get you in the BCS Championship, but it will guarantee a BCS bowl. We know this isn’t the same Hawaii team from last year, but if you play with that same mentality, you’ll find yourselves with your first loss, and likely out of any big-time money bowls.
Take caution, both Wake Forest and Maryland!
The ACC doesn’t scare anybody this year, and there are 9 bowls slotted for ACC teams. Who in the world thought that 9 out of 12 teams were going to qualify for a bowl? At this point there could be only 5, and Maryland desperately needs to steal a couple of wins to make that happen. Wake Forest is almost assured to get a bowl but their eyes are on a greater prize…maybe the Sugar Bowl, but to do that they cannot lose more than 2 games, or else lose the division to maybe Boston College. This is a win Wake Forest needs to stay on pace to the ACC Championship, and a win Maryland needs just to stay alive.
Oh Big East, where is thou sting?
Last year the Big East was supposed to be the up and coming conference of the 6 “big dogs”. But they are average, and two teams fight to maintain that mediocrity. UCONN and Rutgers play just to see some post season games. Connecticut started out great, although many questioned the strength of schedule, but faded with key injuries. It will be a stretch to win 6 quality games and qualify, but it is possible. Rutgers however, must win EVERY game just to qualify…not very likely.
Looks like the same old Rutgers. It is possible they could beat UCONN, but winning 6 of 6 games, not likely.
Let the Huskers of Nebraska hear my words, and be warned!
Playing Texas Tech close showed some promise, but in the end, a loss is still a loss. In fact, THREE losses in a row does not bode well for you, after starting out 3-0. Don’t make me have to use that famous phrase from Dennis Green:
“They are who we THOUGHT they were!”
This game vs. Iowa State is critical because you need 3 wins just to qualify for a bowl. Right now, of your last 6 games, you have a good chance to win 4, which would indeed qualify you for a bowl. But a loss here against Iowa State means you have no more margin for error to get to a bowl, and your chances to play in the Big 12 Championship are toast. It’s time for Nebraska to handle their business, or else plan for next year.
Who will warn Ohio State of the Spartans?
A huge game this weekend between #12 Ohio State and #20 Michigan State. We know Penn State is in the driver’s seat at the moment, and the entire conference took a blow to the jaw when USC embarrassed the Buckeyes, but there is still hope. For Ohio State to hope for a shot at that National Title, they have to win out. If they can beat Michigan State this weekend, and Penn State the next, they’d be right back in the mix unless the other teams involved are still without a loss. If ever there was a time to lose, Ohio State picked the best time…early. But lose again, and the door to the BCS Championship slams on your nose.
Be ye warned, both UNC and Virginia!
Although one of my favorite teams, I still must caution UNC and their #18 ranking to be wary of Virginia. Yes that win vs. Notre Dame was delicious, but do not assume that you have “made it” to the elite teams of Division I. I personally think you are guaranteed a bowl because you can surely win 2 more games (one including Duke). Fear not UNC, you are going bowling this season, but your greater prize of a BCS bowl could be in jeopardy if you overlook Virginia.
But for you, Virginia, there is much to fear. Beating Maryland was impressive, and backing that up with a win over slumping ECU gives hope, but is it enough to get to the post season? You need 4 wins, and the only team that might give you the easiest chance to win is the Clemson Tigers. Every other game you have to fight and claw for, and your margin for error is paper thin.
And finally, beware Navy!
Two quality wins against Wake Forest and Air Force has you riding high and almost assured of that Eaglebank bowl (or Constitutional bowl, whatever they call that), but your schedule looks very interesting. If the Towson game does not count as a legit Division I win (since Towson is not a Division I team) then you need 3 more wins to qualify. I see no trouble with Temple and SMU, but if Pittsburgh is as good as advertised, you might be 6-3 before you see Notre Dame. Remember, if that Towson game does not count, you are actually 5-3.
If you lose to Notre Dame, then that Northern Illinois game is your best chance to qualify for a bowl, because all bets are off when you play Army. You DO realize the tight rope you are walking here, don’t you? But a win vs. Pittsburgh will virtually guarantee you a bowl…maybe even a better one than you are already slated for.
So many great games…so many to warn…
As we come up on another exciting weekend of college football, the clarity of post season is really not much different than it was a few weeks ago. Theoretically speaking, all 119 teams of the Division I are still eligible for a bowl…yep, even North Texas and Washington, who currently have NO wins. So there is hope for everyone, but that will change starting this weekend.
As such, there are many teams that must heed my warning and gird thy loins, for this weekend can easily turn a team to a path of success…or failure, in one quick afternoon or evening of college football.
So let us begin with my warnings….
Tonight Florida State and NC State will play as both ACC teams struggle to make a post season game. I spoke on this on my blog on Florida State, so I will keep this one short by warning Florida State that if they do not win this game, they may not be seeing any bowl except the cereal bowl in the cafeteria the next morning.
But take heed BYU, your heroics have been called out!
Sure, you’re the #9 team in the nation, but I have heard stories of the soft schedule you have had thus far. Beating Washington seemed good then, but now looks highly suspect. Beating UCLA seemed like a great feather, but now looks like worthless plumage. Are you REALLY as good as you say? If so, prove it now against a worthy opponent in TCU. You remember them, a 1 loss team who was defeated only by Oklahoma. And you are going to THEIR home…I warn you, be careful…
Beware ye of the smurf turf, your perfect season can be in jeopardy.
Boise State hosts Hawaii on Friday, one of a couple of tests for the #15 team in the land. A perfect record won’t get you in the BCS Championship, but it will guarantee a BCS bowl. We know this isn’t the same Hawaii team from last year, but if you play with that same mentality, you’ll find yourselves with your first loss, and likely out of any big-time money bowls.
Take caution, both Wake Forest and Maryland!
The ACC doesn’t scare anybody this year, and there are 9 bowls slotted for ACC teams. Who in the world thought that 9 out of 12 teams were going to qualify for a bowl? At this point there could be only 5, and Maryland desperately needs to steal a couple of wins to make that happen. Wake Forest is almost assured to get a bowl but their eyes are on a greater prize…maybe the Sugar Bowl, but to do that they cannot lose more than 2 games, or else lose the division to maybe Boston College. This is a win Wake Forest needs to stay on pace to the ACC Championship, and a win Maryland needs just to stay alive.
Oh Big East, where is thou sting?
Last year the Big East was supposed to be the up and coming conference of the 6 “big dogs”. But they are average, and two teams fight to maintain that mediocrity. UCONN and Rutgers play just to see some post season games. Connecticut started out great, although many questioned the strength of schedule, but faded with key injuries. It will be a stretch to win 6 quality games and qualify, but it is possible. Rutgers however, must win EVERY game just to qualify…not very likely.
Looks like the same old Rutgers. It is possible they could beat UCONN, but winning 6 of 6 games, not likely.
Let the Huskers of Nebraska hear my words, and be warned!
Playing Texas Tech close showed some promise, but in the end, a loss is still a loss. In fact, THREE losses in a row does not bode well for you, after starting out 3-0. Don’t make me have to use that famous phrase from Dennis Green:
“They are who we THOUGHT they were!”
This game vs. Iowa State is critical because you need 3 wins just to qualify for a bowl. Right now, of your last 6 games, you have a good chance to win 4, which would indeed qualify you for a bowl. But a loss here against Iowa State means you have no more margin for error to get to a bowl, and your chances to play in the Big 12 Championship are toast. It’s time for Nebraska to handle their business, or else plan for next year.
Who will warn Ohio State of the Spartans?
A huge game this weekend between #12 Ohio State and #20 Michigan State. We know Penn State is in the driver’s seat at the moment, and the entire conference took a blow to the jaw when USC embarrassed the Buckeyes, but there is still hope. For Ohio State to hope for a shot at that National Title, they have to win out. If they can beat Michigan State this weekend, and Penn State the next, they’d be right back in the mix unless the other teams involved are still without a loss. If ever there was a time to lose, Ohio State picked the best time…early. But lose again, and the door to the BCS Championship slams on your nose.
Be ye warned, both UNC and Virginia!
Although one of my favorite teams, I still must caution UNC and their #18 ranking to be wary of Virginia. Yes that win vs. Notre Dame was delicious, but do not assume that you have “made it” to the elite teams of Division I. I personally think you are guaranteed a bowl because you can surely win 2 more games (one including Duke). Fear not UNC, you are going bowling this season, but your greater prize of a BCS bowl could be in jeopardy if you overlook Virginia.
But for you, Virginia, there is much to fear. Beating Maryland was impressive, and backing that up with a win over slumping ECU gives hope, but is it enough to get to the post season? You need 4 wins, and the only team that might give you the easiest chance to win is the Clemson Tigers. Every other game you have to fight and claw for, and your margin for error is paper thin.
And finally, beware Navy!
Two quality wins against Wake Forest and Air Force has you riding high and almost assured of that Eaglebank bowl (or Constitutional bowl, whatever they call that), but your schedule looks very interesting. If the Towson game does not count as a legit Division I win (since Towson is not a Division I team) then you need 3 more wins to qualify. I see no trouble with Temple and SMU, but if Pittsburgh is as good as advertised, you might be 6-3 before you see Notre Dame. Remember, if that Towson game does not count, you are actually 5-3.
If you lose to Notre Dame, then that Northern Illinois game is your best chance to qualify for a bowl, because all bets are off when you play Army. You DO realize the tight rope you are walking here, don’t you? But a win vs. Pittsburgh will virtually guarantee you a bowl…maybe even a better one than you are already slated for.
So many great games…so many to warn…
Monday, October 13, 2008
ACC Bowls for 2008
2008 ACC Bowl Predictions
With most ACC teams halfway through their season, it will now be interesting to see the possibilities of where some of these teams may end up. There are a ton of bowls out there for the post season, but where will your favorite ACC team end up…if they go to a bowl at all?
Let’s try to run down some ideas of where the ACC teams may go, and see how this will look a month or two down the road, shall we?
First, we have to get an idea of what bowls the ACC are eligible for:
Fed-Ex BCS National Championship
Ok, let’s go ahead a nip this in the bud…no chance. Now, outside of that the ACC does have a lot of slots available.
BCS Bowl: Available to ACC Champion
Chick-Fil-A Bowl: #2 ACC vs. SEC
Gator Bowl: #3 ACC vs. Big East or Big 12
Champ Sports Bowl: #4 ACC vs. Big 10 #4 or #5
Music City Bowl: ACC #5, #6 or #7 vs. SEC #6 or #7
Emerald Bowl: ACC #5, #6 or #7 vs. Pac 10 #5
Meinike Car Care Bowl: ACC #5, #6 or #7 vs. Big East #3
Humanitarian Bowl: WAC vs. ACC #8
Congressional (Eaglebank) Bowl: Navy vs. ACC #9
I have read on some other sites that the ACC is not going to be able to put 9 teams in the bowls, but let’s see if that is possible. We know there are 12 teams in the ACC, and as of October 12th, every team still has, in THEORY a chance to win enough games to go to the post season. But somehow, we know that’s not really gonna work out.
But we do know that there will be an ACC Championship, and the winner is guaranteed a BCS bowl. I think it is quite likely that the ACC winner will go to the Sugar bowl, because distance also determines where a team may play. Since the Fed-Ex Orange Bowl is the National Championship this year, the ACC will have no part of that. So the next closest place is New Orleans and the Sugar Bowl. To me, it looks like Virginia Tech may be playing either Wake Forest or Boston College. Either way, at this moment it looks like Virginia Tech going to the Sugar Bowl, meaning the loser will be going to the Chick-Fil-A Bowl vs. some SEC team.
I want to say Wake Forest is going to be that team, but I’m not 100% convinced that they can score enough to do that. Right now, I’ll say Boston College might be the surprise for that. But to do that, Wake Forest will have to lose a couple of games in their division, something they have not done yet. But with Boston College traveling TO Wake Forest, that might be in the Demon Deacons’ favor. But just to sound controversial, I will say Boston College loses the ACC Championship and goes to the Chick-Fil-A Bowl.
That means the third place ACC team gets to go to the Gator Bowl against either a Big 12, or Big East, or even Notre Dame. With Notre Dame losing 2 games, they may be out of any chance for a BCS bowl, so they may be going to the highest paying bowl. Here’s a thought, could UNC be that team to play in the Gator Bowl? With 6 games left, I can see them winning at least half of those, maybe even stealing a game. Three losses would look real good to them at the end of the year.
Which could drop Wake Forest to a 4th seed Bowl, that being the Champs Sports Bowl vs. a Big 10 #4 or #5. Think maybe Wisconsin or maybe even Northwestern. I could see Wake Forest going to this bowl if they don’t win their division.
It may get tricky with the next 3 bowls because the Music City Bowl, the Emerald Bowl and the Meinike Car Care Bowl have some options with the 5th, 6th and 7th ACC teams. So now you’d have to ask yourself, who else in the ACC would have qualified for a bowl after Virginia Tech, Boston College, UNC and Wake Forest?
Of those, Florida State might be in trouble, if they don’t count the two Southern Conference teams they beat earlier, then I cannot see them qualifying for a bowl. They’d have to win 4 of 7 games, and I can’t give them the Florida game and maybe not the Virginia Tech game. That means FSU has to win 4-5...I can’t see that.
IF Maryland wins 6, it will be the hard way, and it may ONLY be 6 if they play like they did against Virginia. But I think it is possible for them to get 7 wins. As far as any other teams…it might be true…the ACC can’t put 9 teams in bowl season.
Now I say that with the idea that there are a couple of ACC teams such as Miami and Clemson, and maybe Virginia that has outside shots, but from what I have seen, it don’t look too good. What this may mean is that those bowls will open up for at large teams, but if Maryland is the only one to qualify after the previous ones that I have going to a bowl, I think the Meinike Car Care Bowl will take Maryland because travel isn’t too far for the fans of Maryland. The Emerald Bowl, in San Francisco, could be too much of a stretch to ask fans to travel across the country for a mid card bowl.
So right now, it seems that the ACC might put 5 teams in a bowl; Virginia Tech, Boston College, UNC, Wake Forest and Maryland. There are other teams that could change this, but it might be a stretch. We’ll see how this plays out and update this if we can.
With most ACC teams halfway through their season, it will now be interesting to see the possibilities of where some of these teams may end up. There are a ton of bowls out there for the post season, but where will your favorite ACC team end up…if they go to a bowl at all?
Let’s try to run down some ideas of where the ACC teams may go, and see how this will look a month or two down the road, shall we?
First, we have to get an idea of what bowls the ACC are eligible for:
Fed-Ex BCS National Championship
Ok, let’s go ahead a nip this in the bud…no chance. Now, outside of that the ACC does have a lot of slots available.
BCS Bowl: Available to ACC Champion
Chick-Fil-A Bowl: #2 ACC vs. SEC
Gator Bowl: #3 ACC vs. Big East or Big 12
Champ Sports Bowl: #4 ACC vs. Big 10 #4 or #5
Music City Bowl: ACC #5, #6 or #7 vs. SEC #6 or #7
Emerald Bowl: ACC #5, #6 or #7 vs. Pac 10 #5
Meinike Car Care Bowl: ACC #5, #6 or #7 vs. Big East #3
Humanitarian Bowl: WAC vs. ACC #8
Congressional (Eaglebank) Bowl: Navy vs. ACC #9
I have read on some other sites that the ACC is not going to be able to put 9 teams in the bowls, but let’s see if that is possible. We know there are 12 teams in the ACC, and as of October 12th, every team still has, in THEORY a chance to win enough games to go to the post season. But somehow, we know that’s not really gonna work out.
But we do know that there will be an ACC Championship, and the winner is guaranteed a BCS bowl. I think it is quite likely that the ACC winner will go to the Sugar bowl, because distance also determines where a team may play. Since the Fed-Ex Orange Bowl is the National Championship this year, the ACC will have no part of that. So the next closest place is New Orleans and the Sugar Bowl. To me, it looks like Virginia Tech may be playing either Wake Forest or Boston College. Either way, at this moment it looks like Virginia Tech going to the Sugar Bowl, meaning the loser will be going to the Chick-Fil-A Bowl vs. some SEC team.
I want to say Wake Forest is going to be that team, but I’m not 100% convinced that they can score enough to do that. Right now, I’ll say Boston College might be the surprise for that. But to do that, Wake Forest will have to lose a couple of games in their division, something they have not done yet. But with Boston College traveling TO Wake Forest, that might be in the Demon Deacons’ favor. But just to sound controversial, I will say Boston College loses the ACC Championship and goes to the Chick-Fil-A Bowl.
That means the third place ACC team gets to go to the Gator Bowl against either a Big 12, or Big East, or even Notre Dame. With Notre Dame losing 2 games, they may be out of any chance for a BCS bowl, so they may be going to the highest paying bowl. Here’s a thought, could UNC be that team to play in the Gator Bowl? With 6 games left, I can see them winning at least half of those, maybe even stealing a game. Three losses would look real good to them at the end of the year.
Which could drop Wake Forest to a 4th seed Bowl, that being the Champs Sports Bowl vs. a Big 10 #4 or #5. Think maybe Wisconsin or maybe even Northwestern. I could see Wake Forest going to this bowl if they don’t win their division.
It may get tricky with the next 3 bowls because the Music City Bowl, the Emerald Bowl and the Meinike Car Care Bowl have some options with the 5th, 6th and 7th ACC teams. So now you’d have to ask yourself, who else in the ACC would have qualified for a bowl after Virginia Tech, Boston College, UNC and Wake Forest?
Of those, Florida State might be in trouble, if they don’t count the two Southern Conference teams they beat earlier, then I cannot see them qualifying for a bowl. They’d have to win 4 of 7 games, and I can’t give them the Florida game and maybe not the Virginia Tech game. That means FSU has to win 4-5...I can’t see that.
IF Maryland wins 6, it will be the hard way, and it may ONLY be 6 if they play like they did against Virginia. But I think it is possible for them to get 7 wins. As far as any other teams…it might be true…the ACC can’t put 9 teams in bowl season.
Now I say that with the idea that there are a couple of ACC teams such as Miami and Clemson, and maybe Virginia that has outside shots, but from what I have seen, it don’t look too good. What this may mean is that those bowls will open up for at large teams, but if Maryland is the only one to qualify after the previous ones that I have going to a bowl, I think the Meinike Car Care Bowl will take Maryland because travel isn’t too far for the fans of Maryland. The Emerald Bowl, in San Francisco, could be too much of a stretch to ask fans to travel across the country for a mid card bowl.
So right now, it seems that the ACC might put 5 teams in a bowl; Virginia Tech, Boston College, UNC, Wake Forest and Maryland. There are other teams that could change this, but it might be a stretch. We’ll see how this plays out and update this if we can.
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