ACC Football Predictions for Week 7
The Confidential’s football predictions for this week’s games featuring ACC teams. The Confidential struggled to a 4-4 record–the worse week of the season. Still, the Confidential is at a respectable 49-15 so far. On to the week 7 predictions:
Saturday October 13, 2012
#18 Louisville (5-0) @ Pittsburgh (2-3), 11:00 a.m. Pitt has been an enigma. When you believe in them, they fail. When you give up on them, they pull the upset. The Confidential believes that they have the best coaching staff in the Big East. But Pitt will rise to the occasion and defend its home turf. Prediction: Pittsburgh 24, Louisville 21.
Syracuse (2-3) @ #20 Rutgers (5-0), Noon. It is no secret that the Confidential is a “homer” when it comes to Syracuse, but rarely predicts based on that homer nature. It is a jinx-risk thing. But Rutgers will have the better season when it is all said and done. Rutgers schedules smart and develops the confidence of its teams. Syracuse’s challenging schedule has undermined its team confidence. Prediction: Rutgers 21, Syracuse 19.
Duke (5-1) @ Virginia Tech (3-3), 12:30 p.m. In most years, this would be a 30-point spread and an easy selection of the Hokies. But those records cannot be ignored–they are saying something else. The Confidential has been burned by the Hokies repeatedly this year, but will give them one more chance to show that they are not imploding. Prediction: Virginia Tech 33, Duke 21.
North Carolina (4-2) @ Miami (4-2), 2:30 p.m. The Sanctions Bowl! Look, North Carolina has had a nice season, and Miami has been blown out by top foes on the road. But note that Miami is home for this game. That is a huge edge for the Hurricanes. Prediction: Miami 30, North Carolina 22.
Maryland (3-2) @ Virginia (2-4), 3:00 p.m. Who saw this coming? Maryland with more wins than Virginia? One of Virginia’s wins being a luck win against Penn State? It is what it is. If it is a fluke, this will be the week that puts the teams back on their expected course. Prediction: Virginia 24, Maryland 14.
Boston College (1-4) @ #12 Florida State (5-1), 5:30 p.m. The Seminoles could not avoid a letdown last week. They were their own worst enemy. Boston College just does not have the horses to play with Florida State. If the Seminoles lose, they have the wrong coaching staff, plain and simple. Prediction: Florida State 56, Boston College 10.
The Confidential apologizes in advance for not picking your team. A lot of close games here. Feel free to share why we are wrong.
The Confidential 
Cuse wins and I’ll tell you why. The schedules which you praise & condemn. Sure 5-0 LOOKS nice, but go beneath the cover and you’ll see it’s a product of the schedule, not of a very good team. Game by game
Tulane 0-5 They’re like a doorknob. Everybody gets a turn.
Howard FCS Big whoop.
So Fla 2-4 Every team they have played has scored 30 points EXCEPT Rutgirls.
Ark 2-4 Bubble wrap defense. Only decent O RU has faced fared pretty well.
UConn 3-3 Worst offense in the conference, probably country.
Looking at that, do you have any doubt that if Cuse played that schedule they too would be 5-0? I don’t. Would it make them a better team? Hell no! It could make them worse though, by masking thier faults and stagnating thier progress by exaggerating thier sense of ability. Conversely, testing themselves against high level competition made them see thier weaknesses, adjust accordingly and thus, improve. And that will be the difference. Cuse’s improvement as a team from week 1 till now. Particularly on the defensive line and special teams coverage (which was awful).
Syracuse would always have a better record if it scheduled like Rutgers. But that obvious fact is lost on the athletic department.