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Week 12 of ACC Games and What Knowledge We’ve Gained

Sunday, November 29th, 2009

Just another week in the ACC, craziness reigns as we go into the ACC Championship Game…

For my ranking of the ACC 1-12, check OTB’s ACC Power Poll: Week 13.

Week 12 of ACC Games: What Knowledge We’ve Gained

Let’s see how it all finished…

ATLANTIC DIVISION
School Conference Pct. Overall Pct.
Clemson 6-2 .750 8-4 .667
Boston College 5-3 .625 8-4 .667
Florida State 4-4 .500 6-6 .500
Wake Forest 3-5 .375 5-7 .417
NC State 2-6 .250 5-7 .417
Maryland 1-7 .125 2-10 .167
COASTAL DIVISION
School Conference Pct. Overall Pct.
Georgia Tech 7-1 .875 10-2 .833
Virginia Tech 6-2 .750 9-3 .750
Miami 5-3 .625 9-3 .750
North Carolina 4-4 .500 8-4 .667
Duke 3-5 .375 5-7 .417
Virginia 2-6 .250 3-9 .250

(Graphic per TheACC)

With both title game participants losing to rivals, there are more questions than answers right now between Clemson and Georgia Tech. I will be researching every angle and giving my prediction for the game later this week, but here are my thoughts right now.

ACC Champion: Clemson

What can you get from two losses? The Tigers are in a better position coming out of the games with just how many miscues were made and injuries were sustained by Georgia Tech. Clemson played its worst offensive game this season on the road at their rival. Everything that could go wrong–did. Georgia Tech played its worst offensive game this season which was aided by an injury to their star QB Nesbitt who would return, but not really the same as he was pre-injury. Both defenses struggled also, I give the decided edge to Clemson’s defense when you match them up. The Jackets’ defense was mauled by the Bulldogs–Clemson cannot do exactly the same to them, but the Tigers put up quite a few points on them in their earlier meeting. The absolute key to either team winning is jumping on the opponent early.

Bowl Projections

Orange: Clemson
Clemson is the automatic qualifier with one more loss and very well could face an undefeated team as there are still 6 of them.

Chick-Fil-A: Virginia Tech
The Hokies are the best option out there at 9-3 and are arguably the best team in the ACC at this point.

Gator: Georgia Tech
Going 0-2 down the stretch, the Jackets play in the last year of the Gator Bowl’s tie-in with the ACC.

Champ Sports: Miami
The Canes finished strong in Tampa vs. South Florida and are rewarded with a trip to Orlando.

Music City: North Carolina
The Music City really is left with no option but to take UNC as they do not want another FSU vs. Kentucky nor BC.

Meineke Car Care: Florida State
FSU is coming off a destruction at the Swamp, but the Noles still have that name-recognition for tickets and some alumni in the area.

Emerald: Boston College
Good news BC–you might miss Southern Cal. Bad news BC–you might get Toby Gerhart and the Stanford Cardinal in a virtual home game.

Slant and Gos

>Virginia Tech capped off another impressive season with a blowout road victory over rival UVA. Ryan Williams should get strong consideration for ACC Player of the Year as he was what kept the Hokies offense going this season. It is weird not see to Virginia Tech in an ACC Championship Game, but they still had a solid season and could have done a little more.

>The other ACC Championship representative from last season also finished off another solid season at Boston College with a 19-17 road win at Maryland. The Eagles reach yet another 8 win season and Coach Spaziani kept the ship steady among a lot of offseason turmoil. BC and Virginia Tech are similar in that they are not all that flashy, but they win–and that’s all that matters. They will now not go to a bowl that they deserve and will once again be underrated in next year’s preseason rankings–but that’s just what BC does.

>The two embattled coaches of Al Groh and Ralph Friedgen went out with losses this season, but will they reach the same end? We have been telling you for months that Groh was gone, but Friedgen is tricky due to money and “coach-in-waiting” issues. Neither team quit on their coaches–they just were not all that good. Friedgen seems to believe he is going to be back, but we will see.

>Raycom saw a duel of senior QBs as they combined for over 700 yards passing and 8 passing TDs with Wake’s Skinner and Duke’s Lewis. The Deacs would finish off their season on a high note with the 45-34 victory. Both teams are looking to draw momentum from this season and both will have new QBs at the helm next season. Duke’s faltering down the stretch was not a good sign that Cutcliffe has turned it around–consistency is always the issue when turning around a perennial losing program. As for Wake Forest, Coach Grobe has set the mark high with the 2006 ACC Championship and will continue to have to measure most seasons to that.

It’s ACC Championship Week! What are your thoughts on this week? ACC Championship picks/keys? What should Maryland and Virginia due with their situations? Is Duke really turning it around? I would love to see your thoughts.

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UNC Football steps on the gas in the ACC + looking ahead to the Iron Bowl: Alabama vs. Auburn

Wednesday, November 25th, 2009

There is nothing like a weekend in New England to get you in the Thanksgiving holiday mood!  This past Saturday I called the North Carolina-Boston College game for ESPN radio and we had a good one. It didn’t start out that way, though, with the Tar Heels defense scoring two touchdowns in the first quarter after their offense had already put up seven points. It had the makings of a blowout, but the Eagles made a game of it. Ultimately, North Carolina put the game away with a late TD and won 31-13. There were ten turnovers in the contest, six by Boston College – and that brings me to my first point of the week. Do you know who Everett Withers is? Time’s up. He is the Tar Heels defensive coordinator and his troops have been a turnover machine the last few weeks. They have 12 interceptions in the last month and have scored a total of four touchdowns in the last two games.

Back in October North Carolina suffered a defensive collapse in a loss to Florida State. But they turned the season around the following Thursday night with a win at Virginia Tech. Withers’s game plan against Tyrod Taylor was superb and North Carolina has gone on to win four in a row after the debacle against the Seminoles. Everett Withers is a big reason why.

One more note on the Tar Heels. They need to get jacked up when they face NC State.  The Wolfpack treat this like the game of the year and have proven it on the field. Last year I called this game for TV and when I talked with the NC State coaches before the contest you could tell that, for them, this was like Clemson vs South Carolina, Michigan-Ohio State, Auburn and Alabama. The Tar Heels acted like it was just another day at the office. Not that they didn’t care, but it was just another game, or so it seemed to me.

Here are a couple of funny quotes from our meeting with the BC players on the Friday before the contest with North Carolina.  Mike McLaughlin is the Eagles middle linebacker. The senior told us that in last year’s game at North Carolina, Tar Heel wide receiver Hakeem Nicks “wrote his NFL contract on my back”.  Nicks, now a rookie with the New York Giants, caught three TD passes and ran for a fourth in the North Carolina victory.

BC quarterback Dave Shinskie, a 25 year old freshman, talked about working with 69 year old offensive coordinator Gary Tranquill. Tranquill was on Woody Hayes staff at Ohio State in the late 60s and has also coached for Bill Belichick and Nick Saban, among others.  Shinskie said Tranquill read a poem at a team meeting the day before about the “Mighty Casey”.  Of course the poem ends with “there is no joy in Mudville, because the mighty Casey struck out.”  Shinskie then looked at us and said, “Why would a dude write a poem about a guy who choked?”  We had no answer.

As you give thanks this weekend and spend time with family and friends, please say a prayer for two staffers from NC State. Dana Bible, the offensive coordinator for the football team, is battling leukemia and Gary Hahn, the long time “Voice of the Wolfpack,” is fighting prostate cancer. May they be back on the sidelines and in the broadcast booth soon.

I’ve got a double header this weekend for ESPN Radio: Auburn hosts Alabama on Friday and USC faces UCLA on Saturday.  Check your local listings.  Have a wonderful and safe Thanksgiving holiday.

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Week 11 of ACC Games: What Knowledge We’ve Gained

Monday, November 23rd, 2009

What’s up and welcome to another edition of WKWG(it’s catching on…wait for it…)

For my ranking of the ACC 1-12, check OTB’s ACC Power Poll: Week 12.

Week 11 of ACC Games: What Knowledge We’ve Gained

We’ve had the ACC Championship pegged since Clemson beat Miami back in October and Georgia Tech kept the rushing game rolling. With the ACCCG set, we pick the game right now, project the bowls, and give insight on the week in ACC football.

ACC Champion: Clemson

Clemson is the only team in the ACC that can match-up and beat the Jackets right now–and I think they will. The Tigers’ offense has been on fire while the Clemson D has been solid in their six game winning streak where they have scored 34 points or more in each game. For Georgia Tech, they execute seamlessly and they are hard for any team to beat, but I still wonder if they can do it in the big game. Clemson has played basically a 5 game ACC Atlantic playoff to get where they are while the Jackets have coasted to their Coastal title. Neither team has a decided advantage in this game and that works in the Tigers’ favor.

Bowl Projections

Orange: Clemson
Clemson is the automatic qualifier for this one and at probably 10-3 with C.J. Spiller and co.–dangerous team for one of the non-AQs like Boise State or possibly an undefeated Cincinnati.

Chick-Fil-A: Virginia Tech
Yes, this is a third time to the ATL for the Hokies, but they are the most attractive choice here as a top 15 team with a great fanbase(though I bet they would not mind a Clemson loss in Tampa to have the Tigers fall here).

Gator: Georgia Tech
If I did not think that the CFA might not want the same ACC team from last season, I would have them in the ACC’s no. 2 bowl.

Champ Sports: North Carolina
If Miami had any fan support, they probably jump UNC here, but the Heels are hot right now and should bring a few with them.

Music City: Miami
If Tennessee/Kentucky is the SEC representative, the Music City will be fine for attendance and take Miami for interesting game.

Meineke Car Care: Florida State
FSU could be coming off a destruction at the Swamp, but a matchup with a team like West Virginia is an interesting one for the guys in Charlotte.

Emerald: Boston College
BC once again falls victim to not being all that sexy of a pick and are shipped out West to possibly play Southern Cal which could be a cool matchup for Eagles’ fans.

Hitch Routes

>I was at the Clemson-Virginia game this weekend and saw a Cavaliers’ team that is still with Groh. He appears to be gone, but his players played hard for him with nothing on the line in Death Valley Saturday. The creativity in the gameplan that led to several scores in the first half make me wonder where that was all season though.

>Florida State has the weirdest team in the ACC. They have an excellent offense no matter the QB apparently, but the defense was dominated by Maryland of all teams who is quickly approaching double digit losses this seasons.

>Virginia Tech finishing up another solid–yet unspectacular–yet still really good–and possibly top ten by the end of it– season. Does that make sense? They beat Miami for their signature win that really is not looking all that great, but still won a number of games are in in the top 15. Their dominance in the ACC since joining is remarkable and will have opportunity to notch yet another ACC win at home versus Virginia. Ryan Williams is a man among boys and has the potential to break a lot of records at Virginia Tech who has had a number a great RBs.

>The Canes keep winning in frustratingly close ways for how talented they are. Miami will finish off what could have been a more promising season against South Florida with a 9 win season and bowl berth most likely outside of the ACC’s top four bowls. The turning point in the Canes season happened against Clemson in Land Shark as they had multiple opportunities to put away the Tigers and they could not. In retrospect, Clemson is playing really well now, but Miami had that game.

>Maryland, NC State, and Duke are our hard luck losers as they all showed flashes of brilliance in their games, but could not sustain the effort for 4 quarters. From some knowledge I gained on Friday with a radio show I work with, it appears Maryland has no option but to keep Maryland with all the money they have vested in Friedgen and the whole coach-in-waiting thing they have with Franklin. You gotta hope as a Terps fan that the performance at FSU was not a fluke and they can be better next season–optimism could start with knocking off BC at home next weekend. As for NC State/Duke, they are teams trending in opposite directions as Duke is on the up-swing and NC State is left with a lot of questions. Wins for both teams could rest a couple fears for next season as Duke takes on Wake Forest on Raycom next week and NC State takes on rival UNC at noon also.

Thanks for reading! ACC Championship picks? Thoughts on the bowls? We’ve got a bunch of contests for commenters going for some sweet shirts(I’ve got my own and like it) so you’ve got an opinion, voice it here!

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Original Retro Brand and Raycom Sports’ “College Christmas Comment Contest”

Thursday, November 19th, 2009

Original Retro Brand is giving away 4 big shopping spree prizes just for leaving a comment on your favorite team blog. The Grand Prize winner will receive a $200 gift card, one 1st prize winner will receive a $100 Gift Card, and two 2nd prize winners will receive $50 gift cards! These gift cards can be used to stock up on cool college gear just in time for Christmas at OriginalRetroBrand.com.

All you have to do for a chance to win one of these four great prizes is leave a comment on this or any other Raycom Sports blog. NO PURCHASE NECESSARY! Contest ends December 15th, 2009.

How to enter: Each comment you leave on this blog equals one entry into the contest. These must be genuine comments. By “genuine comment” I mean that it must add something to the conversation taking place. For example, a comment that simply says “cool” or “please enter me” will not help you win a gift card from Original Retro Brand. Your fate is in your own hands. The more you comment, the better chance you have at winning. So, if you want to win the prize, read often and comment often! On December 15th, the winners will be chosen at random and sent their prizes. It’s that easy!

About Original Retro Brand (http://originalretrobrand.com)…They create the shirts ACC fans (and all other college sports fans) were born to wear. They are the logos you remember in a cool, fitted, fashion-forward tee. Be the envy of all your friends, neighbors, and co-workers. By the way, you don’t have to wait until the contest is over. Buy a shirt today! We don’t just love them because they are our sponsor. We love them because they are AWESOME!

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Winners Announced for the Raycom Sports’ “Race to Win a $250 Shopping Spree” Comment Contest

Wednesday, November 18th, 2009

The winners are in!  These 2 lucky people commented on the Raycom Sports Team Blogs and are cashing in.  Drum roll please…

The Grand Prize Winner of a $250 Shopping Spree from Original Retro Brand goes to “Pablo”

The 1st Runner Up Prize of a $100 Shopping Spree from Original Retro Brand goes to “Sebastian”

Congratulations, and thanks for being a part of the Raycom Sports Blog Network!

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The Straw That Stirs The Drink…

Wednesday, November 18th, 2009

When the ACC expanded a few years ago, adding Miami and Boston College to make it a 12 team league, two major media markets were also added. In the big picture, that made a lot of sense. The ACC would now be reaching two large population bases to promote increased league coverage along the entire east coast. Television plays a big role in this exposure. If you are asking national advertisers for big dollars and can deliver Boston, Miami, Atlanta, Baltimore and Washington, DC, along with the Triangle area of Raleigh and Charlotte, then the advertising rate you charge should increase. That’s a big positive – but there are also negatives. Most of the markets I have just listed have NFL franchises; some are represented by all four major professional sports. That’s a problem when it comes to getting attention from the media, which is the “straw that stirs the drink” for most sports teams.

I recall a few years ago as I was preparing for a broadcast of a Boston College football game, I would go to the Boston Globe website to find stories about the Eagles and then quarterback sensation Matt Ryan. If I found two stories all week I was lucky. That’s because although BC was headed to the ACC Championship game with a great quarterback, they had to deal with the attention given to the Patriots (NFL), Celtics (NBA), Red Sox (MLB) and Bruins (NHL).

The same goes for the Hurricanes down in Miami, But to be honest, in what I have seen, the Miami Herald and other newspapers in South Florida seem to give college sports solid coverage. Georgia Tech in Atlanta has to fight for its own share of attention with the Falcons (NFL), Braves (MLB), Hawks (NBA) and Thrashers (NHL). And let’s not forget the big media darling in Atlanta, the Georgia Bulldogs of the SEC.

When Matt Ryan was guiding BC to the ACC championship, the economy was strong. Today newspapers have fewer writers on staff to cover sporting events due to cutbacks and layoffs. A veteran writer told me a few days ago that the Atlanta Journal Constitution is down seven sportswriters because of the economy. As a result, the editors have to pick and choose which teams they will cover on the road. All this means that the ACC schools I have mentioned in these markets must come up with alternative ways to get the word out about their sports programs. While I can’t imagine not having a morning paper to read over a good cup of coffee, that day might be coming. The internet has become king and those schools that have put time and effort into a good website will have the edge over those that haven’t. There is always sports radio and local television, but that’s not always a positive either. I did a talk show in Charlotte for a couple of years and, trust me, the best shows were those done after the local team got beat. Everyone had a theory on what had gone wrong and wanted to let you know about it. As for local TV sports, put a stopwatch on how much time is given the sports anchor for his or her nightly report. If it’s a minute and a half they are lucky. We have slowly entered a new and challenging era in the coverage of news and sports and how the ACC and its member schools deal with it will help determine their financial success.

I will be in Boston this weekend calling North Carolina at BC for ESPN Radio. The Eagles still have a shot at the Atlantic Division title. I’ll let you know what page the game day story is on in the Boston Globe. I am sure the front page will still have something about Bill Belichick’s fourth and two call from last Sunday’s loss by the Patriots to the Colts. Check your local listings.

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Week 10 of ACC Games and What Knowledge We’ve Gained

Sunday, November 15th, 2009

ACC football looks to have its championship game set…

For my ranking of the ACC 1-12, check out my ACC Power Poll.

Week 10 ACC: What Knowledge We’ve Gained

*We’ve had it Georgia Tech and Clemson in Tampa for a few weeks now and here’s the standings…

(As Of November 14)
ATLANTIC DIVISION
School Conference Pct. Overall Pct.
Clemson 5-2 .714 7-3 .700
Boston College 4-2 .667 7-3 .700
Florida State 3-4 .429 5-5 .500
Wake Forest 2-5 .286 4-7 .364
NC State 1-5 .167 4-6 .400
Maryland 1-5 .167 2-8 .200
COASTAL DIVISION
School Conference Pct. Overall Pct.
Georgia Tech 7-1 .875 10-1 .909
Virginia Tech 4-2 .667 7-3 .700
Miami 4-3 .571 7-3 .700
North Carolina 3-3 .500 7-3 .700
Duke 3-3 .500 5-5 .500
Virginia 2-4 .333 3-7 .300


Projected ACC Championship Game: Clemson vs. Georgia Tech

Georgia Tech emphatically punched their ticket in Durham while Clemson is one game away with a home win over Virginia coming up. These two teams are not only the champions of their divisions, but also undoubtedly the best two teams in the conference at this point. I’m not buying that if Virginia Tech or Miami was in the Atlantic that they would be better than Clemson right now. Clemson has scored 38 points or more in their 5 game winning streak–add that to the defense they play–no other team is playing this well outside of Georgia Tech.

Projected ACC Champion: Clemson

Clemson is the most complete team in the ACC at this point, but Georgia Tech’s offense is playing at another level right now. Both teams have improved leaps and bounds from their September matchup. So I’m factoring change in venue to a neutral site, full allotment of days to prepare for each other, and the fact that both offenses have improved–got to stick with the Tigers right now.

Bowl Projections

Orange: Clemson

Chick-Fil-A: Virginia Tech

Gator: Georgia Tech

Champ Sports: Miami

Music City: North Carolina

Meineke: Boston College

Emerald: Florida State

Eagle Bank: Duke if they win out

Zone-Read

>North Carolina has really been impressive lately and the defense is still driving the bandwagon. UNC’s 4 INTs forced on Miami’s Harris were the catalyst to the victory to keep up the winning streak. The offense has done just enough to pull out the wins and Heels’ kicker Barth would hit the FGs to put the game away. The Heels have gone from possibly being shut out of the bowls to possibly being in the top tier of the ACC bowls.

>Miami is in meltdown mode as Harris is struggling and the defense is not playing at the level it was earlier. Amazing how quickly a season can change can’t it? The Canes went from being the best team in the ACC after taking out Georgia Tech and FSU early on to now sitting at 3 conference losses and being in the middle of the pack in the Coastal. ACC defenses have learned how to deal with Whipple’s offensive scheme and Harris has not made good  decisions. He throws way too many deep balls into coverage and teams like UNC will take advantage of that.

>BC is the victim of another team’s hot streak. The Eagles have two more ACC games to go, but it probably will not matter in the grand scheme of things with Clemson’s game with Virginia deciding the Atlantic. It is unfortunate for the Eagles for several reasons because of no shot at the Orange then the precipitous fall that the Eagles usually take in the bowl hierarchy. Overall, this was not a good season for the Atlantic Division as the two worst teams in the conference reside there and BC will not get any respect against Coastal teams with similar records.

>Florida State is team enigma. I said when predicting the Wake/FSU game that all they needed was a decent game from freshman QB Manuel to win and they got that and more. The Noles will be bowling now after taking out the Terps next week.

>Duke’s bowl chances increased with a loss. They have to go 2-0 with games at Miami and at home against Wake Forest, but look at how those teams played this week. Miami will return home to play Duke before 15,000 or so, no big bowl aspirations now–Duke could pull it off. As for Wake Forest, Duke is the better team and should win there.

>It’s back to the drawing board for Wake Forest, Maryland, NC State, and Virginia. Two of the four(UVA, Maryland) could have coaches looking in the classifieds while the two Tobacco Road coaches will just work on their teams for next year. Wake’s Skinner did not have a great senior day and his Deacs have not been there all season consistently. For Russell Wilson, he and his Pack have a lot to learn in the offseason–undoubtedly the most disappointing team in the ACC from a preseason hype standpoint.

ACC Championship picks? Bowl projections? Coach to fire? Leave a comment with your thoughts…

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ACC Basketball 2009-10: What to Watch For

Thursday, November 12th, 2009

This season has the potential to be one of the most competitive ACC basketball seasons in conference history with a number of solid teams and no one that can run away with it…

For my prediction of the ACC season, check out OnTheB-Rink.com/blog. Here’s some of what you should be watching for in the ACC this season…

ACC Basketball 2009-10: What to Watch For

*Even before news of Plumlee’s injury, I have been skeptical of Duke as the favorite in the ACC. Duke still has no true, experienced point guard to lead them this season. Duke has talent, but they need to develop a player that can consistently lead this team on the court when handling the ball. The Blue Devils find that guy and they should be fine as they were down the stretch last season when they made a shift at PG.

*Florida State’s Solomon Alabi is the big man you should keep an eye on in the ACC this season. He’s over 7 foot tall and developing into a talent to go with the height. After losing Douglas to the NBA, the ‘Noles need to replace that scoring and a lot should come from FSU’s post-play.

*North Carolina’s youth should not matter in the ACC race as they are talented, but safe to say, they are not exactly the 2008-09 Heels. Why you should buy stock in UNC and not in a team like Duke is they have a PG in Drew that can manage the flow of the game in addition to some amazing talents in the paint. Unless someone else steps up, expect the status quo to be maintained at the top of the ACC.

*Clemson is the deepest team in the league–which is going to be tough on ACC opponents with the press defense they run. Expect to be put on your heels, ACC, Clemson will be able to run 10-12 players deep in conference play this season with All-ACC forward Trevor Booker, returning starters Stitt and Potter, contributing bench players Smith, Young, and Grant; and four highly touted freshman coming in with Noel Johnson(6′6), Milton Jennings(6′9), Devin Booker(6′8), and Donte Hill(6′4). Clemson will be stout on defense, but offense is the key to any success.

*Greivis Vasquez, a team does not make for the Terps. Vasquez can be an exceptional player at times, but he needs a couple other players to make a significant impact for the Terps to finish in the top half of the conference as they are regularly being picked preseason. Maryland’s lack of size is troubling also as Vasquez is almost their biggest player at PG!

*Sidney Lowe’s seat…another lackluster season and it has to be hot, right?

*Georgia Tech’s handling of all the talent will be oh-so-interesting this season. Derrick Favors’ entrance into the ACC has vaulted the Jackets’ expectations up to the top of the ACC, but I will wait and see on that. Georgia Tech had talent last season also and could not even make the NCAA Tourney.

*Virginia Tech’s frontcourt to be the difference between the NCAAs or the other tournament that begins with an “n”. VT forward Jeff Allen has to have a breakout season for the Hokies to remain competitive in the ACC as he will face a number of talented big men in conference.

*Wake Forest, in year three of Gaudio, could be really good…or not. The Demon Deacons had an outstanding start to their ‘08 campaign, but it ended in a slide towards the end that would conclude by losing to Cleveland State in the first round of the NCAAs. They have a point guard, solid guys on the wing, and size down-low, but they had it last season even with Jeff Teague, an outstanding player, and could not advance in the postseason. The Deacs are going to be a hit-or-miss team. .

There’s a lot more to watch in the ACC so here’s where you come in…what should we be watching for from your team and its impact on the ACC?

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Hey Kornheiser…Give Credit Where Credit is Due

Wednesday, November 11th, 2009

The other day I was watching PTI, the ESPN show that features writers Tony Kornheiser and Michael Wilbon. As usual, they were debating the various sports topics of the day when their attention turned to college football. In talking about the BCS and the power conferences this season, Kornheiser observed, “In the ACC, everyone has at least two losses,” – thus dismissing the conference as a whole in the big picture of the nation’s elite.  What?  The last I checked, Georgia Tech is in the ACC and they have an overall record of 9-1.  Yes, Miami has two defeats and everyone else has at least three, but let’s give credit where it is due.  The Yellow Jackets keep inching up the BCS ladder and if they beat Duke this weekend they will clinch the Coastal division title. They also host Georgia before getting ready for the bowl season. Here is the perfect example of the national media already having an image of ACC football without taking a look at the facts. In previous blogs I have written what I think the ACC needs to get back on track in the national picture, but here we have a journalist on a nationally televised show making an assumption – and a false one at that. That TV show is taped in Washington, D.C. and with Maryland part of the sports scene there, the co-hosts should have at least known the numbers of the ACC division leaders.

Kudos to Georgia Tech coach Paul Johnson for his gutsy call in overtime, going for it on fourth down and short inside the five, passing up a game tying field goal, and beating Wake Forest with the touchdown that followed. This should be a fun game this week at Duke with the Blue Devils having a good passing game, something the Jackets defense has had trouble with. Will Duke be able to stop the option offense of Georgia Tech?  Against Army, which runs a similar style, the Devils gave up 266 rush yards, 385 total yards and were outgained by 149 yards, yet still won the game 35-19 thanks in part to two Leon Wright interception returns for touchdowns. I think there should be plenty of points scored in this one. The winner of this game will be the team that plays better defense and forces more turnovers.

Speaking of offense, the Clemson-NC State game should be a shootout.  The Tigers control their destiny in the Atlantic Division.  They are tied with BC for first place but have a win over the Eagles which would be the tie breaker.

It was tough news to hear of the season ending injury to Florida State quarterback Christian Ponder.  He did indicate he would return next season, however, which is great news to whomever is head coach.

After a great trip to Tempe, Arizona last week I stay close to home this weekend, broadcasting Florida at South Carolina for ESPN Radio.  It’s my first up close look at the number one Gators.  Check your local listings.

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Week 9 of ACC Games and What Knowledge We’ve Gained

Sunday, November 8th, 2009

Long title…lot’s of knowledge below…

For my ranking of the ACC 1-12, check out my ACC Power Poll. Also, do your part for the ACC’s most dynamic player and vote for C.J. Spiller for Heisman or whatever other ACC players that catch your eye here.

Week 9 of ACC Game and What Knowledge We’ve Gained

This week saw all favorites win on the field in the ACC which is more surprising than anything this season. Here’s the updated standings…

ATLANTIC DIVISION
School Conference Pct. Overall Pct.
Boston College 3-2 .600 6-3 .667
Clemson 3-2 .600 5-3 .625
Florida State 2-3 .400 4-4 .500
Wake Forest 2-4 .333 4-6 .400
NC State 1-4 .200 4-5 .444
Maryland 1-5 .167 2-7 .200
COASTAL DIVISION
School Conference Pct. Overall Pct.
Georgia Tech 6-1 .857 9-1 .900
Miami 4-2 .667 7-2 .778
Virginia Tech 4-2 .667 7-3 .700
Duke 3-2 .600 5-4 .556
North Carolina 2-3 .400 6-3 .667
Virginia 2-3 .400 3-6 .333

(Graphic per TheACC but altered by me)

Projected ACC Atlantic Champ: Clemson

The Tigers are in position…really…seriously…they could do this. Last we talked about the Tigers burning me multiple times for predictions but I still was going to pick them to win the Atlantic–hey, I’m looking pretty good right now. Clemson developed an offense in the bye week between Maryland loss and Wake Forest win and have catapulted to the top of the Atlantic since. Other than Georgia Tech and Florida State, there is not a offense in the ACC playing better than Clemson right now which is remarkable with all the heat that is on Clemson offensive coordinator Billy Napier. Two games stand between the Tigers and Tampa with NC State in Raleigh and back home with Virginia.

Projected ACC Coastal Champ: Georgia Tech

They struggled and nearly gave it all away on a 4th down attempt in the late 4th quarter, but Coach Johnson’s aggressiveness paid off in the overtime for the win and they only have Duke between them and the trip to Florida. A couple weeks ago we said that that would be a tough game–after a couple weeks of watching football now–I am going with the Jackets, but it could very well be close. Duke will be playing for the goal of 7 wins that seemed so reachable weeks ago and Georgia Tech has not been dominant down the stretch. Bottom line, Duke has nothing for a well-tuned wreckbone offense, but Thad Lewis is always the X factor.

As we build on this each week…

Projected ACC Champ: Clemson

Now you are like, wait, what? Georgia Tech met the Tigers already this season and frankly–I thought Clemson was the better team out of that game even in the loss. Georgia Tech has played better since then overall, but Clemson has performed remarkably well post-Maryland loss in the last 4 games. It will be an epic matchup with lots of scoring if this happens, but we’ve still got a few weeks to go.

Wheel Routes(in honor of C.J. Spiller)

*The Canes may not be as good as we thought in October. Sure, they are 7-2, but Miami just has not looked impressive in a long time. Miami QB Jacory Harris has come down to earth and Miami’s overall scheme has too. The big plays are not happening as frequently. Miami is a solid team with tons of talent, but they are still a bit away from elite status.

*North Carolina’s defense is willing them to victory. They kept Duke’s offense under 130 yards and the offense chipped in enough field goals to get the victory to press towards bowl elgibility.

*Florida State’s Christian Ponder is a warrior, but his ‘Noles are not there yet. Ponder struggled through injuries and would throw 4 picks and separate his shoulder on a tackle of Clemson’s DeAndre McDaniel after one of those INTs. The ‘Noles offense faced their toughest test yet in a defense and played well enough to win, but the turnovers would kill them. The defense even showed up for FSU in the first quarter, but they did not hold the Tigers when they needed to in key situations.

*The Deacs can still play spoiler. Riley Skinner went from nearly being held out to playing well enough to win on the road at Georgia Tech. The Deacs have two winnable games coming up with FSU possibly minus Ponder and with Manuel and Duke on the road after a bye week. A bowl is not out of the realm of possibilities for the 4-6 Demon Deacons.

*NC State still has an offense, but still has zero defense. They defeated the Terps like the other six teams not named Clemson this season and Russell Wilson would have an okay day. He threw for over 300 yards and 3 TDs, but also gave up 3 INTs. The Wolfpack is just not a solid football team and they will not be bowling this season which is an epic disappointment for all the preseason hype.

*Duke’s bowl chances are shot. I’ve liked Duke in the middle of the season, but they had to have this UNC game for the opportunity to win 1 of 3 from Georgia Tech, Miami, and Wake Forest to make a bowl. It makes this week’s Georgia Tech game an absolute must-win for a bowl.

*Virginia and Maryland are still playing hard despite their issues. I watched their games closely and they both put up good efforts on the road. These teams have injury/coaching issues that result in losses quite frequently. For UVA, there is only one option and that is a change in regime. For Maryland, Friedgen is a good coach in my estimation, but he and Maryland need a fresh start because something got really screwed up in the past few years.

What do you think about the ACC down the stretch? Should be interesting…

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