The Confidential

Roundtable of the Confidential’s ACC Correspondents: Week 12/13

Welcome to the ACC Roundtable of the ACC Correspondents!  As is and will be the plan for the remainder of the football season, the Confidential correspondents will discuss the Week that was (Week 12) and the Week that will be (Week 13) for the ACC and their respective schools.  Tell us what you think below.

1. What was most notable about your school’s performance in Week 12?

• HHuntley (NC State): State put together an adequate performance this weekend. Not great, but not bad.
  
• Kevin (Louisville): Most notable for UofL was holding PITT to only 3 second half points after helplessly coughing up 35 in the first half.
• Alwin (North Carolina): The resiliency and clutch performance in OT, even though it was brought on by not taking care of the ball. Oh, and the defense seemingly carried the offense until the end there. That was new. 
• Lenville (Louisville): The Cards experienced a complete breakdown in the 2nd quarter at Pittsburgh. That was easily the ugliest quarter that I ever remember them playing as the Panthers were overwhelmingly dominant, putting 35 points on the scoreboard. The Cards needed a QB change & a 49 yard TD bomb to pull back within 42-24 at the half.
• Commander/ACaffrey (Syracuse): In a game that could have saved his job, Scott Shafer continued to be unduly risk averse, choosing a FG rather than going for the score on 4th and goal from the 1.  Later, down 21-3, he would go for a two-point conversion.  Not to be a hypocrite, but you have to know your football situation.  Why eschew an easy 1 point to take an offensive play from the 3 yard line (net possible gain of 1 point), when you did not try to get extra points on an offensive play from the 1 yard line (net possible gain of 4).  Plus, even if you fail on the 4th and 1, the other team STILL has to start from the line of scrimmage.  Instead, he again showed that he lacked confidence in his offense to score from the 1 and in his defense to take advantage of an opponent starting at the 1.  And in the end, the A.D. and fans lacked confidence in Shafer (who was fired).
  

• HHuntley (NC State): This is the big one. A chance to spoil a nearly spotless season for the rival…doesn’t get much better than this. It would be typical NC State to win this game when it makes no sense at all.
  
• Kevin (Louisville): This week I need to see a UofL team that can avoid long mental lapses and an offensive line that can create some resemblance of an average running game. Last, I want to see defensive backs who can prove they can actually tackle in space as they will get opportunities against Boom Williams and JoJo Kemp.
• Alwin (North Carolina): I’m really looking for a complete effort in enemy territory. It’s going to be loud, it’s going to be insane, and it’s going to be intense. We need to play our best game of the season Saturday for many reasons. 
• Lenville (Louisville): Good effort & focus from start to finish. It’s the last game of the regular season & the Cards are still looking for a QB to step up & claim the position of full time starter. To prevent our in state rival from getting to 6 wins & bowl eligibility for the second straight year.
• Commander/ACaffrey (Syracuse): As bad a head coach as Shafer turned out to be, he was still a very good defensive coordinator and helped bring Syracuse back to respectability.  He is also, by all accounts, a good man.  I hope that he has a nice send off at the Dome this week with a supportive crowd and a victory.
  

• HHuntley (NC State): Boston College sure gave Notre Dame a scare. That’s the second time this season they’ve done this. If they were bowl eligible, they’d be scary.
  
• Kevin (Louisville): I was most impressed this week by North Carolina. They held off a very stingy VA Tech team in their house who had nothing to lose and looking for an upset.
• Alwin (North Carolina): Virginia Tech. I know that may be biased considering they pushed us to the brink in the beginning of the game it looked as if the emotion had been spent sending Coach Beamer off, but they never gave up. 
• Lenville (Louisville):Pitts 2nd quarter performance against the Cardinals. The secondary was no match for Boyd & they took full advantage of it. The Cards were able to make some halftime adjustments & were able to make a comeback just to come up short.
• Commander (Syracuse): Miami keeps on winning.  Is there any chance that their interim coach gets retained by the new staff?  Recall that Urban Meyer kept Luke Fickell at Ohio State.  It would not be unprecedented.
  

• HHuntley (NC State): Clemson, Alabama, B1G champion, and Big 12 champion. Sorry Notre Dame, but getting a week off is going to cost you.
  
• Kevin (Louisville):I think the following will be in……Alabama, Clemson, Notre Dame and Oklahoma.
• Alwin (North Carolina): Clemson, Alabama, Iowa, and Oklahoma (for now)
• Lenville (Louisville):Today I would have 1 Clemson, 2 Alabama, 3 Iowa & 4 Notre Dame. My prediction for the final rankings are 1 Clemson, 2 Alabama, 3 Oklahoma & 4 Michigan State. Notre Dame could still be a factor in the final poll with a victory over Stanford.
• Commander (Syracuse): Season ends today & season’s end: 1. Clemson, 2. Alabama, 3. Notre Dame; 4. Iowa.  By season’s end: 1. Alabama; 2. Clemson, 3. B1G Champion; 4. Notre Dame.  If so, the Big XII would be left out again.  Maybe time to go to 12 teams???
  

What do you think?  How would you answer these questions?