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24 Sep 2015
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ACC Roundtable of the Confidential Correspondents: Week 3/4

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 3) and the Week that will be (Week 4) 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 3?

  • HHuntley (NC State): NC State is notorious for playing down to the level of their competition. This week we saw them play much better than a lesser Old Dominion team. That’s really encouraging to see moving forward.
  • Lenville (Louisville): This team has tenacity. The Cardinals are young & started the season with 2 ranked teams which proved to be to tough for their lack of experience. With 10 players drafted last season & another 16 graduated preseason expectations has proven to be to high. The Cards are off to an 0-3 start for the first time since 1984 but you have to give them credit for not filling the early schedule with cupcakes like most of the ACC has.
  • Commander/ACaffrey (Syracuse): The easy answer would be how good Eric Dungey was and how good the offense looked in the first half.  The most notable thing about the performance was the sheer level of coaching collapse in the second half.  Tim Lester called a great first half–24 points, including a TD drive with 4th and 5th string quarterbacks Austin Wilson and Zack Mahoney under center.  Then, in the second half, Lester did not get a first down with that same duo.  The play calling was odd, to say the least, but was saved by a nice 25-yard drive in overtime.  Meanwhile, Chuck Bullough’s defense was a sieve in the second half–allowing Central Michigan to move up and down the field.  Bullough was saved by his defense forcing two turnovers and making a great stop in overtime.  Meanwhile, Scott Shafer continues to show abysmal courage and clock management.  No need to continue debating, but you simply cannot call a timeout while the clock is running (15 seconds), your opponent has no timeouts, and they are 20+ yards from the end zone.  And, if you do, you better not let the one guy that has burned you all day score a relatively easy touchdown.  Egad.  The coaching staff as a whole was saved by its players.  For that, Syracuse deserves its 3-0 record.
  • Kevin (Louisville): Most notable was U of L holding Clemson to only 20 points despite having no running game and keeping their defense on the field all night
  • UNC Tarheel Fan (UNC): With a comparison to last year I think the most notable line was the defensive line. On the first drive of the game the Fighting Illini had them reeling, quickly moving down the field, but the defense stood up and denied them getting into the end zone.
2. What are you looking to see out of your school in Week 4?
  • HHuntley (NC State): I’m really just looking for more of the same. It’s a very similar situation as the Wolfpack travel to South Alabama. There’s a tendency for this to be a trap game with the weeknight game @ VT coming up.
  • Lenville (Louisville): Their first W. The Cards finally get a break with Samford. They need to use this game to gain confidence, find some team chemistry & jump start their offense. Finding a starting QB would be nice as well.
  • Commander (Syracuse): Look, as a homer, I truly think that Syracuse can beat L.S.U.  I would not bet money earmarked for necessities (or any money, for that matter) on it happening.  But I am excited to see this coaching staff rebound with a good game plan.  Our run defense will either be surprisingly good or surprisingly bad.  If the former, it might be a game.  Granted, with a 5th string, walk-on QB, it will be a long shot.  But that is why they play the games.  Cannot wait!
  • Kevin (Louisville): Looking to see the new changes on the OL as it has been rumored that 2/3 new guys will get a chance to play.
  • UNC Tarheel Fan (UNC): What I really want to see is the unit as a whole do what they did against Illinois, control the lime of scrimmage, make smart plays, and be the better team they’re supposed to be on paper for the entire game. Even last year we struggled with putting away an FCS opponent early. That will also allow our depth chart to get some reps as we prepare for Georgia Tech.

3. Who impressed you the most in the ACC in Week 3?

  • HHuntley (NC State): Miami’s win over Nebraska sort of symbolizes their return. They’ve been struggling in games like that for years, so it’s nice to see them play that well. I hope they remain a contender this year.
  • Lenville (Louisville): Notre Dame was impressive over GT, I was picking GT as the ACC champ. ND controlled the game despite all of their injuries. Miami was impressive as well for the first 3 quarters. Miami is off to a 3-0 start & Kaaya looks to be one of the best QB’s in the ACC.
  • Commander (Syracuse): Boston College.  Once again, a Steve Addazio team went toe-to-toe with a blue blood and did not flinch.  Even with a QB injury, BC was still in it until the end–a defensive touchdown really making the difference.  Just look at what Addazio has done in big games

2013.  FSU went 14-0, outscoring opponents 723-170.  Of that 170, Boston College scored 34–the most of all teams–in a 48-34 loss.  Auburn (31) was the only other team to exceed 17 points against the Seminoles.  Clemson was 11-2 that year, beating Boston College 24-14.  It was the fewest points that Clemson scored in a win all year and the second narrowest margin of victory (Georgia, 3).

2014.  Boston College lost by 3 and 4 to Florida State and Clemson (while also beating a 9-4 Southern Cal, splitting the 2-year series).

2015.  Florida State narrowly wins, 14-0.

In five games against FSU and Clemson over the past three years, the average margin of loss was a mere 45 points–9 points per game–(7 PPG against Clemson and 10.3 PPG against FSU).  By comparison, FSU has beaten Clemson by an average of 21.5 points in 2 games over that span.  FSU has beaten NC State (23.5 points per game) and Syracuse (37 points per game) with far greater ease.  Clemson has beaten NC State (27.5 ppg) and Syracuse (22.5 ppg) much more handily than it has beaten B.C.  And let’s just ignore Wake Forest.  In any event, Steve Addazio is doing good things up at B.C. and is worthy of being considered for a job at an elite school.

  • Kevin (Louisville): Most impressed by Clemson – hard to beat a hungry UofL team on the road on a Thursday night.
  • UNC Tarheel Fan (UNC): Notre Dame (since we’re including them here). I really thought with the loss of their starting QB that Georgia Tech would be able to upend them but that was not the case. Actually, with that triple option offense I thought they could have done it with or without ND’s starter.
4. If the playoffs started today, who would you vote in?  Who do you think will be there at season’s end?
  • HHuntley (NC State): 1. Ohio State 2. Ole Miss 3. Baylor 4. Clemson.Last year showed us how much the committee values conference champions. So I’m betting on the winners of the B1G, SEC, Big 12, and ACC. I think the Pac-12 is too competitive to put a team in the playoff this year. It looks like their champion might end up with 2 or 3 losses.
  • Lenville (Louisville): There are a lot of worthy candidates after 3 weeks but no one has looked dominant so far. As of today I would put Ohio St, ND, Ole Miss & TCU in but if I had to project to the end of the season I would put Ohio St, ND, Georgia & Oklahoma in. Should Clemson beat ND then I would swop them out. Watson should get stronger and the Tigers will finally win the ACC championship.
  • Commander (Syracuse): Right now?  1. Michigan State; 2. Ole Miss; 3. Ohio State, and 4. Notre Dame.  MSU and Ole Miss have two very good wins.  Ohio State was greatly helped by injury against Va Tech, but any undefeated reigning champion has to be in the top 4.  Has to.  And No. 4 is the toughest.  Does anyone else have an impressive win?  For now, we can put Notre Dame in there… they beat Texas and Georgia Tech.  No idea where this goes at season’s end.  Could it be the year that the S.E.C. gets left out?  If Clemson and one of TCU/Baylor run the table, perhaps.  The Pac-12 is vulnerable here too.
  • Kevin (Louisville): Ohio State, Michigan State, Ole Miss & Notre Dame.
  • UNC Tarheel Fan (UNC): Michigan State, Notre Dame, Oklahoma, and (gasp) Clemson. May be more of a wish list and really it is difficult to choose having so many undefeated teams with soft schedules and big upsets. I think you’re going to have quite a battle for two of those with FSU, Clemson, Oklahoma, LSU, Mississippi State, Georgia, TCU, and Baylor controlling their own fates. I think the Spartans take the Buckeyes out if someone doesn’t do it before then.

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

Posted by acaffrey in ACC only, ACC Roundtable, Football, FSU Correspondent, Louisville Correspondent, Opinion, Syracuse correspondent, UNC Correspondent and tagged , , , ,
22 Jan 2015

ACC Basketball Confidential Roundtable: January 22, 2015

Every week, the Confidential contributors get together during football and basketball seasons to provide a summary of their school, the ACC, and other topics of note.  Here is this week’s thoughts on hoops:

1.  How did your school look this past week–any surprises or disappointments?  Are you looking forward to anything regarding your school?

Brian (FSU): Well the fact FSU actually won on the road to a half decent Clemson team was a surprise.  Although, I was disappointed we lost at home to NCSU. I thought NCSU was one of the games against a good team that FSU could steal at home. In looking at FSU’s likely win total, I think I see 4 to 5 wins the rest of the year. I have stated that 16 wins would be surprising, and I doubt FSU can get there this year.

Harrison (NC State): While disappointing, the UNC loss was expected. It was too much to expect a young team to take down both of the local powerhouses. Honestly, I’m just happy that the game was (somewhat) close the entire time. A few days later, NC State found itself playing a road game without their point guard. Cat Barber sat out due to a death in the family. The team was able to rally around it however and managed to win fairly easily. This is refreshing for fans of a team that is known for picking up bad losses in conference play.

Anthony (Syracuse): The loss to Clemson was obviously a disappointment, but getting back to the win column against Boston College without a dominating performance by Rakeem Christmas was a pleasant surprise.
2.  What surprised you or disappointed you with the ACC?
Brian (FSU): I was surprised that Duke was able to bounce back after 2 surprising losses, and to do it by 11 points at Louisville is even more surprising. I am starting to be disappointed with Louisville.  The big boys of the ACC are giving them some issues.  I see at least another 2 to 3 losses this year for them, and maybe more.
Harrison (NC State): January is over and we still aren’t sure what to make of Syracuse. We see them play great some games and then they go lose by 13 to Clemson (in the Carrier Dome no less). They really are becoming the team that won’t die. Every time we try to write them off as a bad team, they win some more ACC games. It’s safe to say that with Christmas in the lineup, this could be a dangerous team in the ACC Tournament.
Anthony (Syracuse): Virginia Tech at 0-4 is a bit surprising.  I thought Buzz Williams would have pulled out a win by now.
3.  Anything noteworthy outside of the ACC?
Brian (FSU): Well my Kentucky watch continues. Since we spoke last they whooped up on Bama, and struggled at home against the Commodores.  Kentucky is vulnerable and beatable… I am still predicting they lose on February 10th at LSU. I am calling my shot!

Harrison (NC State): Ole Miss has had a very weird season to say the least. They opened the season with a loss to Charleston Southern, but then beat Creighton. They lost to Dayton, but then take Kentucky to overtime. This week, the Rebels beat another top-25 team (Arkansas) but then lost unranked Georgia. If you want to have some fun with the transitive property, look no further than this team.

Anthony (Syracuse): How about Creighton at 0-7 in the Big East?  Tulane with a 4-3 conference record in the AAC, with UConn  sitting way back at 2-2.  Texas in the middle of the pack in the Big 12.  Speaking of Texas, is there any greater example of money not guaranteeing success in the revenue sports?
WHAT DO YOU THINK?  LET US KNOW…
Posted by acaffrey in ACC Roundtable, Basketball, Opinion and tagged , , ,
15 Jan 2015

ACC Basketball Confidential Roundtable: January 15, 2015

As we have done with football, the Confidential plans to get some or all of the Confidential contributors together weekly during the basketball season to provide a summary of their school, the ACC, and other topics of note.

1.  How did your school look this past week–any surprises or disappointments?  Are you looking forward to anything regarding your school?

Brian (FSU): Not really surprised by how my Noles looked on the court. Syracuse handled FSU at home… as expected. Syracuse is a solid team if not outright very good, and FSU is just not that good. No surprises from FSU. I guess I am disappointed in the loss, but if you believe you must have high expectations to be disappointed by a loss, then I am not even disappointed. I still wonder if FSU can get to 16 wins this year… right now they sit at 9 total. I bet they get to maybe 15… probably 14. 

Harrison (NC State): The Virginia loss was somewhat expected. There was a little hope in the 1st half as State jumped out to an early lead, but it vanished in the 2nd half as the Cavaliers took control of the game. That loss made the Duke win even sweeter.  In case you somehow missed it, NC State was able to take down Duke this week. There’s not much to say other than it was a near perfect effort from the Wolfpack. I would not have picked Duke to be the win between UVA, Duke, and UNC. Tonight, they have the chance to do the impossible and finish 2-1 in that stretch. The team is hot and I think fans are optimistic.

Len K (Louisville): The Cards are still struggling with their offense but are showing signs of improvement. PG Chris Jones is finally scoring and passing the ball turning in his best performances of this season the last few games. They are still looking for a consistent answer at the 5 position. Duke comes to town this Saturday so I am looking forward to seeing if they continue to show improvement on the offensive end. Wayne Blackshear has a tendency to disappear in big games, will he show up this weekend?

 Anthony (Syracuse): Nothing was more disappointing than the injury to Chris McCullough.  Count me in the group that thinks that this could be a very good thing for him–he needs more work.  Maybe he will enter the draft, but showing up every night and being hit or miss probably was not helping his cause.  Very proud of the team holding serve and beating the teams it is supposed to beat.  The ACC is tough top to bottom.  No bad wins.
2.  What surprised you or disappointed you with the ACC?
Brian (FSU):  Duke getting handled by two un-ranked teams. Yes one is a rival. Yes they are both good teams. But to be beat by double digits in back to back games… that is hardly the sign of an elite team.  I think the top of the ACC is suddenly wide open.
Harrison (NC State): I’ll steer clear of NC State’s win and talk about UNC and Louisville. In what was a very entertaining game, UNC defeated the Cardinals with some late game heroics. I’m still not really sure what to think of the Tar Heels as they have had some of bigger ups and downs in the conference. Meanwhile, Louisville is still one of the best teams in the country with its only other loss coming at Kentucky. Both teams look dangerous coming down the stretch.
Len K (Louisville): The ACC has seen its fair share of upsets this season, will they continue? Notre Dame, NC State, Syracuse & Miami are all playing great ball right now & any one of them can break into the top four of the ACC. The bottom half of the conference is looking strong as well. Manning is making an immediate impact at Wake Forest. Its going to be a fun season.
Anthony (Syracuse): How about how good the bottom of the ACC is?  There are no pushovers.  Each team may be good enough for some post-season tourney.  It cannot happen, as they will beat up on each other.  But that has been a surprising development.
3.  Anything noteworthy outside of the ACC?
Brian (FSU): Kentucky had yet another close call against A&M.  I think Kentucky will drop a game, it is just a matter of when.  Of course as I say this statement Kentucky is utterly destroying Missouri by almost 50 points. If Kentucky loses in the regular season it will be either this Saturday, January 24th, Feb 7th, Feb 10th, Feb 28th, or March 3rd.

 If I had to lay money down it will be on Feb 10th against LSU on the road. The reason is on the 7th they will be at UF, who I think will fight Kentucky, but I see the Wildcats pulling it out. Then only 3 days later Kentucky goes to LSU.  In terms of offense, rebounds, passing the ball, and efficiency LSU is actually very similar to Kentucky.  In fact, LSU has a better field goal %. I think if a tired Kentucky team goes to LSU, they might get upset. 

Harrison (NC State): Former ACC member Maryland continues to be look impressive as they have taken an early lead in the B1G. I know that many people, myself included, didn’t see Maryland as a top 15 team especially after their sub-par finish in the ACC last year.  The Big 12 is surprisingly competitive this year in basketball with 7 teams in this week’s top 25. We all knew about Kansas and the other usuals, but teams like Oklahoma State and West Virginia have seemingly come out of nowhere.

Len K (Louisville): I’m going to step away from basketball here this week. First I want to congratulate Cards volleyball player Katie George for being crowned Miss Kentucky recently. Secondly lets talk about the first football playoffs. Ohio St winning the championship proves that there is parity in college football. The difference between the power 5 compasses isn’t that great. It also shows that the B1G is stil a solid Football Conference. You can also make a strong argument now of how the BCS system was flawed with #4 winning the title.
Anthony (Syracuse): Rutgers beating Wisconsin. 
WHAT DO YOU THINK?  LET US KNOW…
Posted by acaffrey in ACC Roundtable, Basketball, Opinion and tagged , , ,
08 Jan 2015
1 Comment

ACC Basketball Confidential Roundtable: January 8, 2015

As we have done with football, the Confidential plans to get some or all of the Confidential contributors together weekly during the basketball season to provide a summary of their school, the ACC, and other topics of note.  (Ed. note: This should have been published yesterday.  Apologies in advance.)

1.  How did your school look this past week–any surprises or disappointments?  Are you looking forward to anything regarding your school?
Brian (FSU): I was surprised FSU won 2 of 3 games (counting December 30th for this question), but was disappointed in the loss. FSU in one of the oddest ways you will ever see beat UF on a buzzer beater (FSU player went for a 3 in a tied game at the end of the game and missed short of the entire rim, and then a UF player went up for the rebound and accidentally tipped in the ball for an FSU win as time expire). Then FSU a few days later goes to a 6 win Mississippi State team and gets handled on the road. Then on the 6th of January handles its first ACC team of 2015 in VT. Talk about an up and down year.

 
I am not sure I am looking forward to anything coming up as I see FSU losing its next two games on the road to Syracuse and Pitt. Seriously with 9 wins, I wonder if FSU can get to 16 wins before the ACC tournament starts. There are 16 games left this year and I only see 3 likely wins, and another 3 to maybe 4 games where FSU has a decent shot to win. For every other game FSU has at best a 25% or worse shot of winning.  So the magic number is 7 for FSU to finish 16-15 in the regular season… not sure if they will get there. 

Harrison (NC State): This past week we saw two very different NC State teams. Against Cincinnati, the team looked slow and confused. Trevor Lacey only had 6 points, which was obviously an issue, but the team should be able to function even when he has a bad game. After disappointing fans in that game, the team turned it around and played a very impressive game against Pittsburgh. The team was totally different and improved to 2-0 in the ACC. Now comes the real challenge. The Wolfpack face UVA, Duke, and UNC in their next 3 games. I think it’s reasonable say that even 1 win in that stretch would make Wolfpack fans very confident.

Anthony (Syracuse): Syracuse won a tough one in Virginia Tech.  And that is all that matters.  What is impressive so far this year is the improvement by Rakeem Christmas.  He has really developed an inside game.  If he can control the fouls, he will be a much-welcomed addition to the ‘Cuse for March.

2.  What surprised you or disappointed you with the ACC?
Brian (FSU): I was surprised how much trouble Wake gave to Louisville, but much more surprised that GT took ND to OT… then I was surprised even more when only 2 days removed from a slug fest with GT ND traveled to a ranked, now hot, UNC team and pulled out a 1 point victory. ND is starting to look like the 2014 FSU football team… okay, maybe I went too far there.
Harrison (NC State): I think the biggest story this week in the ACC is Virginia Tech playing a very competitive game against Syracuse. VT is not highly thought of in the ACC and were even down 19 at the half. To come back and only lose by 2 was quite impressive. I still don’t see them contending for a title, but they look like they could pull a few upsets this year. Notre Dame was also a huge surprise at least for me. Going in to Chapel Hill and getting a win is not an easy thing to do. The Irish have quietly risen to contender status.

Anthony (Syracuse): Notre Dame at 3-0, including a win over UNC in Chapel Hill is impressive.  Period.  The top 7 in the ACC are not surprising.  The fact that Notre Dame is atop–and validly atop–the standings certainly is.  Watch out for Virginia Tech too.  Buzz Williams is sweaty, but he is a good coach.

3.  Anything noteworthy outside of the ACC?
Brian (FSU): Kentucky may not be better than the Sixers. Kentucky barely beat Ole Miss, a 9 win team. You know a team with the same number of wins as FSU, and you know how much I think of my Noles. One interesting stat to look at in the game is Kentucky’s field goal percentage. They are not even top 50, and that is a bit surprising considering how much bigger their team is than everyone. I would have thought their size alone would ensure they have an elite field goal percentage. So maybe everyone jumped the gun who said that the Wildcats could take-out the Sixers in a game. Let’s all be realistic… we all know they are only capable of beating the Knicks right now. 

Harrison (NC State): More than anyone else, Kentucky contines to impress me. Putting up video game numbers one day against UCLA, and now going into Louisville to beat a top 5 team. I don’t expect them to go undefeated, but I am very interested to see who beats them and how they do it. Also, don’t look now, but Old Dominion is 12-1 and ranked this week. Looking at their resumé, I’m not totally sold on them. However, this has to be the first time in a long time that 3 teams from Virginia are ranked.

Anthony (Syracuse): St. Johns being 0-3 in the Big East is a surprise.  That is too much talent for that kind of a start.  Michigan State at 10-5 is also a surprise.  But smart money is on Tom Izzo figuring out a way to get any 12 D-1 players to be competitive by March.
WHAT DO YOU THINK?  LET US KNOW…
Posted by acaffrey in ACC Roundtable, Basketball, Opinion and tagged , , ,
20 Dec 2014

ACC Basketball Confidential Roundtable: December 20, 2014

As we have done with football, the Confidential plans to get some or all of the Confidential contributors together weekly during the basketball season to provide a summary of their school, the ACC, and other topics of note.

1.  How did your school look this past week–any surprises or disappointments?  Are you looking forward to anything regarding your school?
Brian (FSU): FSU continued with its unimpressive play in a blow-out loss to ND.  I guess the Irish got their revenge against FSU for what they believe was a bad call on the football field this year (it was the correct call Irish, get over it).  Anyway, ND destroyed FSU… and I would say was disappointed, but I saw it coming with how FSU has played all year.  Yes, FSU looked good against UCF, but they are at best an NIT caliber team this year.  This year has really been one big disappointment… and I am not looking forward to the regular beat downs the ACC season will bring.  Although, I hope we can upset UF on December 30th.
John (UNC): It wasn’t surprising that North Carolina lost to Kentucky. After all, the Wildcats are the runaway number one team in the country. They’re big. They’re talented. And while both teams legitimately played well, Big Blue was simply more talented. Still, it’s disappointing. Why? Because this is definitely not where I expected North Carolina to be at this point in their schedule. With all of the preseason expectation- a top 5 ranking, key returnees, big name recruits, it was inevitable. The Tar Heels were back. They were going to return to the Final Four and put the past few years of the academic and athletic scandal behind them. And yet, here they are, a respectable, but not great, 7-3, with conference play on the horizon. Yes, it was nice to have wins over #18 Florida and #22 UCLA, but those teams aren’t ranked anymore. It’s time to prove something this Saturday against Ohio State. They’re #12 and not showing any signs of slowing down.
Mike (NC State): The Wofford loss is a bummer but may serve as a wake-up call for the Pack.  What has me more concerned is the play of BeeJay Anya.  He lost weight in the offseason and that did increase his stamina, but he looks a little out of sync to me, as if he is having a hard time adjusting to the lighter weight.  His rebounding has gone up, though, so maybe it’s just me.  And I am pleased that three players are scoring in double figures, but I wonder what will happen when State hits the meat of their ACC schedule. 
Len K (Louisville): The Cards have shown improvement since the start of the season. They were out rebounded by Berry in their first exhibition but have strong on the boards since. They are further along defensively then what I thought they would be with so many freshman. My biggest surprise so far would be the play of freshman Chinanu Onuaku at C. Onuaku brother played for Syracuse & came into Louisville ready to play physically. He will need to learn how to stay out of foul trouble however. The biggest disappointment on the season has to be the Cards shooting. They have struggled with their 3 point shooting which has carried over into their free throw shooting as well. Freshman SF Shaqquan Aaron has 2 more games left on his 10 game suspension from the NCAA for improper housing benefits that he deceived while in high school. The Cards shooting has been improving and adding Aaron to the line up should help as well.
Anthony (Syracuse): Syracuse recruits for its zone defense–but it does not recruit for three-point shooting.  This means that the team rises or falls in that department on Trevor Cooney.  Syracuse’s 2003 team had three guys that could reliably hit three-pointers, this one has just one.  This continues to be an achilles heel for Syracuse.  I just do not see it improving.  If Cooney gets hot in March, anything can happen in the Big Dance.  But if he is cold throughout January and February, March may be irrelevant.  It is not HIS fault that he is the only pure shooter.  It is what it is.
2.  What surprised you or disappointed you with the ACC?
Brian (FSU): I am surprised how well ND, Miami, and GT has looked.  I am disappointed in Syracuse… thought they could be better.  UNC is what I thought they were, kind of good but not elite.  I had a feeling they were overrated.  But ND, UM, and GT have really surprised me this year.

John (UNC): Once again, the conference underwhelmed on the small stage. It’s not that it’s entirely out of the realm of possibility that a talented team from a Power 5 conference like NC State could lose to a team like Wofford, but it SHOULD be unlikely. It happened this past Sunday. Yes, scoring seems to be down again this season, especially in the once fast-paced ACC, but the Wolfpack only put up an anemic 54 against the Terriers. That shouldn’t win any games. Mark Gottfried has an extremely talented group, but with a ranked West Virginia team coming up, they need to find some answers quickly.

Mike (NC State): I don’t think this qualifies as a surprise, but I was extremely disappointed by UNC’s loss to Kentucky.  Yeah, I’m the NC State guy, and normally I would be hating on the Heels, but any time one of the ACC’s “marquee” programs (Duke, UNC, Syracuse) suffers a loss in one of these high-profile matchups the conferences reputation takes a hit.  And none of us like that.
Len K (Louisville): The way North Carolina and Syracuse have struggled early in the season has been disappointing. They both came with highly rated recruiting classes so they both should improve over the course of the season. Miami has been by far the biggest surprise to me. The Canes are looking tough.
Anthony (Syracuse): Notre Dame and Miami continue to be surprises on the positive side.  If you had Notre Dame atop the ACC standings in your projections… wow.  Still, Duke, Virginia, and Louisville are more likely to be the best ACC team than the Fighting Irish.
3.  Anything noteworthy outside of the ACC?
Brian (FSU): This will sound random, but Butler and Texas are noteworthy.  For a few years Texas seemed to be on a slide.  They used to be regulars to the Elite Eight, but have not made it past the second round in over 6 years… even missing the tournament two years ago.  This year they seem to be pretty good again. I know some people thought Barnes had worn out his welcome, but maybe those people jumped the gun a bit. Butler is interesting because one would have thought when Stevens left they would regress as a program.  But since he left they went to the tournament last year and are currently ranked.  I wonder if they can continue to build that program with the new blood.
John (UNC): While losing Alex Poythress didn’t affect Kentucky’s fortunes against the Tar Heels, you have to think that at some point, he will be missed. After all, he was a key leader, an upperclassman who did far more than the stat box showed. There will be a night where the rest of the team is off, and Coach John Calipari will wish he had just one more big man. Fans of the ACC can only hope that is on December 27th against Louisville. In other news, the injury bug continues- the NBA’s Milwaukee Bucks just found out that former Duke star Jabari Parker will miss the season with a torn ACL of his own.
Mike (NC State): Looks like the big one is the game Saturday between UNC-Ohio State.  Wouldn’t hurt any for the league if State upset West Virginia, either.
Len K (Louisville): Kentucky has been strong this season, they should’ve saved their 40-0 talk for this season. With only UCLA & Louisville remaining on there regular season schedule is a possibility since they play in a joke of a basketball conference. The one thing everyone should STOP talking about is “platooning”. They aren’t playing equal minutes and they are not subbing 5 at a time. Calipari is the king of gimmicks and “platooning” is just the latest one.
Anthony (Syracuse): The AAC… did YOU expect Tulane to be 9-1 and UConn to be 4-4?  Nope.  How about Penn State 10-1 and Michigan 6-4? 
WHAT DO YOU THINK?  LET US KNOW…
Posted by acaffrey in ACC Roundtable, Basketball, Opinion and tagged , , ,
03 Dec 2014
2 Comments

ACC Roundtable of the Confidential Correspondents: Week 14/15

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 14) and the Week that will be (Week 15) for the ACC and their respective schools.  Special thanks to the Confidential contributors for their comments and opinions.  Tell us what you think below.

WHAT WAS THE BIGGEST SURPRISE FOR THE ACC IN WEEK 14?

Len (Louisville): The ACC going 4-0 against the SEC. That was a great win by Georgia Tech. I am also surprised by how Miami finished the season. They showed potential earlier in the season but finished on a down note. It looked as if they would challenge for the coastal but instead tied with Virginia Tech and Virginia.

Mike (NC State): I don’t know how big a surprise it was, outside of Georgia Tech/Georgia, but the ACC sweep of the SEC was a rush.  Finally some good news in the ongoing battle against The Best Darn Football Conference Ever Just Ask Them.  ACC!!! ACC!!!

John (UNC): Wow. Say what you want about the supposed weakness of the SEC East, but the fact is that Clemson, Louisville, Georgia Tech and Florida State helped the conference make a statement this past Saturday. You can add Pittsburgh and Virginia Tech to that discussion too. With 11 bowl eligible teams for the second year in a row, and a perfect rivalry weekend record against the SEC, the ACC is poised to take another step forward. That is, unless Georgia Tech proves to be TOO good, and knocks the Seminoles out of the playoff.

Brian (FSU): The ACC going 4-0 against the SEC last week. Wow, you would think that would impress the committee… but yet FSU is 4 and GT who has beaten 2 straight ranked teams and is 10-2 is not even top 10, while Michigan State who has not beaten a single committee ranked team and is also 10-2 is ranked 3 spots higher at 8. In that case, the committee is saying Michigan State’s two loses to ranked teams in Oregon and OSU is more important than Georgia Tech’s wins over ranked teams Clemson and UGA. Oh and to add insult to injury no conference has more wins against non-conference Power 5 opponents (10) than the ACC, and the ACC is one of two power 5 conferences with a winning record in that same category (the other being the Pac 12). So, I am surprised both by the ACC’s success and utter lack of respect by a committee that seems either ignorant of college football or void of credibility in its selection.

Anthony (Syracuse): The biggest surprise had to be North Carolina State taking the Tar Heels to the woodshed.  It looked like UNC was finally putting something together…. and… NOT!  A close second for me is Pitt beating Miami.  Again, Miami looked like they were ready to turn the corner… and then NOT!  The ACC sweeping the SEC did not surprise me, really.

WHAT WAS THE BIGGEST SURPRISE/DISAPPOINTMENT FOR YOUR SCHOOL IN WEEK 14?

Len (Louisville): The Cards pulled out the victory with its 3rd string QB & while losing the turnover battle. Bolin was dreadful in his only other appearance this season but turned out one of the best performances by a Louisville QB this season against Kentucky. Their pregame antics reeked of desperation and I was surprised by the lack of class from our rival. I was disappointed that the antics worked and that some Louisville players fell to their level.

Mike (NC State): Well. let’s see.  The Wolfpack beat UNC to finish 7-5.  They played their best game of the season against their archrivals. Not much to complain about, but I was disappointed in a couple of things. The overly aggressive plays that resulted in boneheaded penalties that twice prolonged a Carolina drive in the second half were ridiculous.  And why not pull the starters going into the fourth quarter with the game already won?  Maybe I’m just a grumpy old man.  Anyway, big win, happy happy. The Pack is back.

John (UNC): I’ve all but given up on trying to understand this team. One week the Tar Heels completely demolish a very good Duke squad (now 9-3), and the next they fall flat on their faces against another big rival in NC State. ON SENIOR DAY. If that isn’t motivation, I don’t know what is. Now, they await their bowl placement, and all I can say is, they need the extra practices.

Brian (FSU): I was surprised FSU could win a game in spite of Winston instead of because of Winston. I was disappointed in the committee deciding that TCU should be ranked higher than FSU, at 3.  This decision is idiotic for many reasons, but here are a few:  TCU has a loss, FSU does not have any losses. TCU has 2 less wins than FSU, not 1 but 2. TCU has faced only 9 power 5 schools, FSU has faced 11. TCU actually has a worse SOS than FSU in most rankings, and the one used by ESPN recently has TCU behind FSU in that category. The committee chair yesterday had the cojones to say FSU is undefeated but struggled in its games… FSU WON ALL OF ITS GAMES! So the eye test or game control literally means more in the committees eyes than wins. By the way Kansas, Washington State, and Arkansas all say hello committee members… all teams who are not very good that gave teams ranked higher than FSU fits, not allowing those higher ranked teams to control those games at all; and saying hello right behind those bad teams are Baylor, Ole Miss, and Arizona… they actually beat TCU, Bama, and Oregon. I would like to ask Ninja Swofford to start getting vocal now. I would hope if FSU wins this weekend it could not possibly fall again, but if OSU sitting at five blows out a team in Wisconsin ranked near GT, and FSU struggles to win in its game then FSU, if recent history holds, could fall to 5. Everyone says it is impossible, but 2 months ago would you have thought college football’s only unbeaten team would be sitting behind 3 one loss teams? One last thing, Mike Tranghese was too sick to vote last week, and FSU sat at 3… he was able to vote this week and FSU is at 4.  You know the same Tranghese who was the Big East commissioner until 2009… just saying, if anyone has a an ax to grind against ACC schools it would be the guy whose league imploded due to ACC poaching.

Anthony (Syracuse): Scott Shafer has gone from hero to zero so quickly it is really unfathomable.  If he was coaching with any sense of courage, maybe he would be given the benefit of the doubt.  But his gutless playing for field position–without any regard for game, score, and time.  His hard-nosed mantra is a ruse.  Meanwhile, his team plays undisciplined football, both in terms of penalties and knowledge of the game.  Any Syracuse fan can look past the injuries, but the warning signs on Shafer are huge.  He will likely get 2015 to show that 2014 was an anomaly.  If it shows that 2013 was the anomaly, he will be unemployed.

WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING FORWARD TO IN WEEK 15 FOR YOUR SCHOOL?

Len (Louisville): Our bowl match up. Where are we going & who will we play. Who be will our starting quarterback? Bonnafon will be available but Bolin looked good against Kentucky. Accuracy has been a problem for Louisville QB this season.

Mike (NC State): What bowl, what bowl?  That’s about all that’s left to contemplate.  Watching the game it seemed that the Belk was mentioned a lot.  Wherever the Pack ends up, it’s a lot better feeling than last year.

John (UNC):  The Tar Heels began the season with ACC Championship dreams, but once again, they’ll be watching, not playing, this Saturday. It’s ironic that North Carolina’s best chance to win the league happened the year they weren’t eligible to participate, but that’s irony for you. With movement already happening in the coaching world (vacancies at Michigan, Florida and Nebraska among others), I’m hoping that Coach Fedora pulls the trigger and at least begins a discussion with a few prospective defensive coordinator replacements. Unfortunately, while former Florida coach Will Muschamp has North Carolina ties (his father played for the Tar Heels), he’s likely to be out of the price range of the basketball centric pocketbooks in Chapel Hill.

Brian (FSU): FSU winning the ACC and getting in the playoff… but I am fully aware of how dangerous GT is in reality. In fact, all my complaining is likely to be moot… I think the Jackets pull it out.  One thing to look for is Smelter is hurt, and GT relies on him for making the big catch and or the big reverse. Of course it is raining this weekend in Charlotte, so that helps Tech much more than FSU. Long story short, I think FSU loses… but if they win, I hope it is a narrow victory. I also hope TCU, Baylor and OSU blow out their opponents… and Oregon and Bama win this weekend. I want to dare the committee to be stupid enough to keep an unbeaten FSU out. I want chaos. I have written them off… and I am rooting for the rest of the country to look at the committee as a bunch of foolish members. I am essentially daring the committee to leave out an unbeaten FSU.

Anthony (Syracuse): It will be interesting to see if the fans cool off over what was a disappointing season made worse by poor coaching.  I suspect not.

WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING FORWARD TO IN WEEK 15 FOR THE ACC?

Len (Louisville): Can Georgia Tech upset Florida State and if so can they make the playoffs? Will FSU fall out of the top 4 by winning again? Apparently in this new world of college football you have to lose to be number one and going undefeated is meaningless.

Mike (NC State): What else but the ACC Championship Game?  Part of me wants an underdog Georgia Tech win, but the other part smacked that part down and threw it in the garbage disposal.  Not only am I pulling for FSU, they absolutely have to win so we can see Round Two of The ACC Wins It All.

John (UNC):  Nothing got me more excited for the ACC Championship Game than watching Georgia Tech-Georgia this past weekend. What a game! As a North Carolina fan, it’s funny to think that the Yellow Jackets’ only two losses are to the Tar Heels, and to the Blue Devils, who North Carolina beat. But Georgia Tech has really come on strong at the end of the season under the direction of newly crowned ACC Coach of the Year (and North Carolina native) Paul Johnson. The Seminoles better be on watch Saturday if they want to preserve their playoff hopes.

Brian (FSU): Ummmm good recruiting, and John Swofford getting after the committee.

Anthony (Syracuse): Well, FSU winning would be best for the ACC.  On the other hand, if a 13-0 Florida State is dominated, that will tarnish the ACC’s season somewhat.  But if Florida State can beat Georgia Tech, then this will be a true sign that they will be very competitive in the playoff.

WHO ARE YOUR FOUR PLAYOFF TEAMS IF THE SEASON ENDED TODAY?

Len (Louisville): 1 FSU ( because being undefeated should still mean something ) 2 Alabama 3 Oregon 4 Ohio State. I can’t understand the argument of ranking Alabama and Oregon ahead of FSU but not TCU! FSU & TCU resumes or similar but only one is 12-0. I’m calling BS on the committees rankings this week. If you want geographical matchups then don’t seed the top 4. Go Noles!

Mike (NC State):

Florida State – undefeated for a reason.
Oregon – the western powerhouse rolls on.
Ohio State – they earned it, no matter who is at QB.
Alabama – so FSU can complete the Auburn/Alabama sweep.

John (UNC): It’s conference championship week and anything could happen. Arizona has ALREADY beaten Oregon once. Georgia Tech is looking strong. Ohio State will probably screw up. One thing is certain though, and that’s the power of Alabama. For another week, I’m sticking with Alabama, Oregon, Florida State and TCU. I’m just not as confident about it as I was before.

Brian (FSU): Right now: 1) FSU, 2) Oregon, 3) Bama, 4) Baylor…. in reality it will end up being: 1) Bama, 2) Oregon, 3) OSU, 4) TCU

Anthony (Syracuse): The fact that the committee has Florida State at #4 is an abomination.  The entire committee should be scrapped and replaced.  Under the old system, the only question would be who was #2.  Under the new system, the only question should be who is #2 through #4.  In NO circumstance should an undefeated team from ANY POWER FIVE conference… that is the sole undefeated team… be anything but a #1 seed overall.  The bottom line is that Alabama, Oregon, and TCU have each not even been the winner on a field this year, whereas nobody can say that about the Seminoles.  And while FSU has had its share of good fortune, so has TCU (see the West Virginia late-game implosion).  Moreover, there is nothing about the committee’s ranking that is consistent.  So my top 4 is: (1) FSU; (2) Alabama; (3) Oregon; and (4) T.C.U.

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

Posted by acaffrey in ACC only, ACC Roundtable, Football, FSU Correspondent, Louisville Correspondent, Opinion, Syracuse correspondent, UNC Correspondent and tagged , , , ,
26 Nov 2014
1 Comment

ACC Roundtable of the Confidential Correspondents: Week 13/14

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 13) and the Week that will be (Week 14) for the ACC and their respective schools.  Special thanks to the Confidential contributors for their comments and opinions.  Tell us what you think below.

WHAT WAS THE BIGGEST SURPRISE FOR THE ACC IN WEEK 13?

Len (Louisville): I was expecting North Carolina to beat Duke but not in that fashion. I know BC is good but I was expecting Florida State to handle them better. It’s hard to rank them number 1 in the country when they haven’t dominated anyone.

Mike (NC State): It was a wild week in the ACC.  Florida State struggled mightily against Boston College, but that has been the norm this year for the Noles.  Then there was that weird 0-0 tie and double overtime win for Wake Forest over Virginia Tech, the Deacs first conference win of the season.  But Duke failed to show up against UNC, and while I thought the Heels might win, by rights it should have been a bit closer than the 45-20 blowout it was, or as we call it down here, the whuppin’ it was.

John (UNC): Last week, the talk was about Notre Dame’s freefall (which continued with a loss against Louisville). This week it’s all about the Hokies. What happened to this team? Seriously. Even with an uncommon number of season ending injuries (it’s in the double digits), this isn’t how a Frank Beamer team plays. Fighting for bowl eligibility on the last game of the season? Something has got to give.

Brian (FSU): Duke completely getting destroyed by UNC.  Duke has completely fallen on its face.  It went from one moment showing it is a regular power in the ACC to possibly being a flash in the pan. To let your rival ruin your season in that manner might be as soul crushing as it gets in college football.  Duke has to win this weekend or risk an 8-4 regular season, with no shot at double digit victories on the year.

Anthony (Syracuse): I have to go with Duke getting blown out by UNC.  Virginia Tech losing to Wake Forest after defeating Duke–well, the Duke win looks a bit less impressive now.  And Wake has been trending up since bottoming out against Syracuse.  And UNC winning is not the same level of surprise that UNC dominating was.  Coastal is just a mess.

WHAT WAS THE BIGGEST SURPRISE/DISAPPOINTMENT FOR YOUR SCHOOL IN WEEK 13?

Len (Louisville): My biggest disappointment would have to be that Louisville didn’t force more turnovers. I was surprised by Notre Dame tenacity on defense with all their injuries. ND came out on senior day & were fired up to play & pretty much sustained that throughout the whole game. I was really surprised that ND missed the field goal to send it to overtime.

Mike (NC State): It was a bye week for State, so now might be a good time to drop in a line about an intriguing 2015 recruit: Darian Roseboro, Def. Tackle.  Roseboro played for Lincolnton High School, not far from where I live, and he is rated 4 stars by Scout.com. He’s 6’3″ and 293 lbs and should be making plenty of tackles for the Pack next season.  Looking forward to that.

John (UNC): I legitimately thought that North Carolina had a chance against Duke, especially given the Blue Devils’ performance the week before in their loss against Virginia Tech. Never in my wildest dreams, however, did I think it would be a blow out in the Tar Heels’ favor. What a game! So yes, I wasn’t surprised at the outcome, just how it went down. And unfortunately, I also wasn’t surprised when I heard that the team destroyed Duke’s locker room and field. North Carolina football is the gift that keeps on giving…at least if you’re a reporter.

Brian (FSU):    I was both surprised and disappointed that Winston found a way to spark off the field type controversy ON THE FIELD! He is very lucky the referee did not flag him for touching the referee.  I was also very surprised that the kicker missed his 3rd kick of the season.

Anthony (Syracuse): Scott Shafer’s punt on 4th and 1 from his own 47 with a minute or so remaining was just the latest example of him not being nearly as hardnosed as he claims.  So that is more of a disappointment than a surprise.  The real disappointment is that the defense could not stop Pitt without RB James Connor.  But for a few shanked FGs and an opportune red zone interception, the score could have been a lot worse.  Simply stated, a Syracuse team that purports to be hard-nosed is anything but that right now.

WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING FORWARD TO IN WEEK 14 FOR YOUR SCHOOL?

Len (Louisville): Pitino (Editor’s Note: Petrino?  Why does Jurich have to confuse us like this!) is undefeated vs Kentucky & I look forward to that remaining true this Saturday. The cats are struggling as of late while the Cards are playing at their best right now. Bonnafon is developing consistency at the quarterback position & Pitino doesn’t take a knee against the cats so I am looking forward to a huge victory.

Mike (NC State): Everything.  It’s the rivalry game Pack fans look forward to all season, and here’s hoping for a good showing against the Tar Heels. Realistically, Carolina is peaking and playing at home, so it could be a long day.  But if State does win, it would give us a more bowl-attractive 7-5 record, so go Pack!!!

John (UNC):  I can’t overstate the importance of a win this week. Sure, the Tar Heels are bowl eligible now, but a victory against the Wolfpack would give North Carolina a much needed boost in the public eye. Frankly, the University just needs something positive to talk about, and a sweep of their main conference rivals would be a good start.

Brian (FSU): Hopefully, FSU knocking off the Gators putting Fisher’s record against the big 3 rivals for FSU at 13-2.  I still think FSU is due for a loss though, so I will watch the game with one eye closed.

Anthony (Syracuse): Syracuse showing up with great effort and a game plan.

WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING FORWARD TO IN WEEK 14 FOR THE ACC?

Len (Louisville): All the rivalry games! Should be a fun weekend. Clemson v South Carolina and if Georgia Tech can upset Georgia. How the ACC fares against the SEC. Could be a statement weekend.

Mike (NC State): Florida State faces its last hurdle before the ACC title game, and it’s a doozy.  Sure, Florida isn’t as tough this year as they would have liked, but this game is for my money the best rivalry in college football.  And if the Noles, who have been building their undefeated record on the edge of a sharp razor all season, can’t win this one there will likely be no playoff spot waiting no matter what happens against Tech in Charlotte.

John (UNC):  As a Tar Heel in a Hokie family, I’m really hoping for a Virginia Tech win. But that’s not the only important game going on. This week, the ACC has an opportunity to make a statement against its bitter rival to the South. If the conference can hold its own against the SEC (and we’re not talking just Louisville-Kentucky), then it will gain a whole lot more respect in the college football world, and with the selection committee.

Brian (FSU): The ACC is favored to win 3 of its 4 SEC match-ups, Louisville vs. KY/FSU vs. UF/Clemson vs. S Car, and GT has a realistic shot to beat UGA.  I would like to see the ACC at least go 2-2 in those games… please no losing record.

 Anthony (Syracuse): A whole slew of rivalry games.  But more specifically… the ACC/SEC matchups.  The ACC needs Florida State to win and expects Louisville to win.  But can Georgia Tech rise up and beat Georgia?  Can Clemson end its streak of losing to South Carolina.  And keep an eye on Virginia–if Mike London wins, does he save his job?

WHO ARE YOUR FOUR PLAYOFF TEAMS IF THE SEASON ENDED TODAY?

Len (Louisville): 1 FSU 2 Oregon 3 Alabama 4 Baylor.

Mike (NC State):Florida State, Oregon, Mississippi State and Alabama, in that order.

John (UNC): Despite the fact that TCU was almost upset by a lowly Kansas team, they’re staying in the top 4…for now- Florida State, Alabama, Oregon, TCU.

Brian (FSU): Right now: 1) FSU, 2) Oregon, 3) Bama, 4) Ms St.  End of Year: 1) Bama, 2) Oregon, 3) Ms St, 4) OSU.

Anthony (Syracuse): (1) Florida State; (2) Alabama; and (3) Oregon.  For number 4, you look at Mississippi State, Ohio State, Baylor, and TCU, obviously.  Ohio State has the worst loss.  But they are also looking fairly strong right now (save for a lackluster performance against Indiana).  Baylor beat TCU, but lost to West Virginia.  Mississippi State may have the best resume–the best loss at the very least.  But I think the committee will want four conferences represented if possible.  So if Ohio State can run the table, they will be number 4.  And if you look at Ohio State–they beat the same team, Minnesota, than TCU beat.  So (4) Ohio State.

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

Posted by acaffrey in ACC only, ACC Roundtable, Football, FSU Correspondent, Louisville Correspondent, Opinion, Syracuse correspondent, UNC Correspondent and tagged , , , ,
19 Nov 2014

ACC Roundtable of the Confidential 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.  Special thanks to the Confidential contributors for their comments and opinions.  Tell us what you think below.

WHAT WAS THE BIGGEST SURPRISE FOR THE ACC IN WEEK 12?

David (FSU): Duke, what are you doing? I really didn’t see them losing to Va Tech going into the week, and you’ve got to feel for both Clemson (Watson’s knee) and Miami (I seriously don’t know how FSU won).

Len (Louisville): Clemson, Duke and Notre Dame all losing. Duke’s hold on the Coastal loosened and Georgia Tech is ready to take it from them. North Carolina can knock their rivals from the division lead this weekend.

Mike (NC State): While Virginia Tech’s upset of Duke was an eye-opener, the Georgia Tech domination of Clemson is the surprise of the week in the conference.  Jackets fans will now be watching the UNC-Duke Thursday night game with renewed interest, as this is the best chance for another Duke loss.    

John (UNC): Wow, Notre Dame’s freefall continues. Losing to a 3-6 Northwestern team just shows how far the mighty have fallen. Injuries aside, there’s no excuse for the Fighting Irish to lose to the Wildcats, especially in South Bend. Not that Notre Dame would have a chance for a big bowl with three losses anyway, but they may need to re-think their football conference affiliation status at this point. Welcome to the ACC…for real this time.

Brian (FSU): ND losing to Northwestern… what the heck happened? There went my pool.  NW has one of the worst offenses in college football and puts crazy points on ND on the road.  Brian Kelly has gone from top tier college football coach to a mistake waiting to happen in just two weeks.

Anthony (Syracuse): Tough call.  I really did not see Duke losing to Va Tech, Clemson losing to Georgia Tech, or Notre Dame losing to Northwestern.  The latter was the biggest upset though.  But I will go with Florida State yet again starting slow and having to come back.  The Seminoles are playing with fire.  If you cannot come out strong against a rival like Miami–that is not a good sign.  Credit FSU for the win, but it is high time that FSU play a full 60-minute game.

WHAT WAS THE BIGGEST SURPRISE/DISAPPOINTMENT FOR YOUR SCHOOL IN WEEK 12?

David (FSU): I could go on for days about everything that surprised me in this game. How lost the D was for the first 25 minutes of the game, how the Defense turned it on and shut down Miami for the next 35. How moving Cam Erving to Center & starting a True Freshman in Rod Johnson at LT actually worked, and worked very well. Helped open up running lanes for another True Freshman who is emerging as a the team’s homerun threat in Dalvin Cook.

Len (Louisville): Notre Dame losing. It would have been nice to face a ranked opponent on their turf. The Cards are playing for a good bowl game and we can knock the Golden Domers down a few more notches for the ACC.

Mike (NC State): Hey! The Pack can run the ball!  Ok, it was only Wake, but NC State’s 362-yard rushing performance, including 100+ yards by both Matt Dayes and Shadrach Thornton was a high point in a season of struggles.  And they are now bowl-eligible. But hey, Wolfpack, don’t settle for sneaking in at 6-6.  Beat Carolina!!

John (UNC): I was so impressed with how the Tar Heels came back against Pitt, despite being down almost the whole game. One thing the team has shown this year is resiliency. Even though the defense is among the worst in the country, they always show up when they’re needed most. With a young team all-around, hopefully, it’s the sign of good things to come.

Brian (FSU):   I am surprised FSU did not lose to UM by a field goal, and in reality UM is the team that got burned by a shanked field goal in reality.  I am also surprised ESPN is beginning to cover the fact it may have jumped the gun on the Winston got paid for autographs scandal.  Reports from OTL are coming out that the signatures in question were questioned so much by the original authenticator brought in to verify the signatures that said authenticator refused to authenticate the items in question (a different entity had to be brought in).  In fact, when you read the story at ESPN it seems very shady.  The guy claiming he got Winston to sign the items would not let the authenticator observe Winston actually sign the items.  Also, it seems now that OTL has had handwriting experts look over the signatures and let us just say the experts seem to think they do not seem to be Mr. Winston’s John Hancock.  Of course with my Noles’ luck this will all change tomorrow, and new information will blow up to make FSU look bad a little more.  I was disappointed that all of FSU’s key opponents decided to get worse.  Clemson and ND both choked winnable games away, and likely ACC Ch. Game Opponent Duke fell on its face again.

Anthony (Syracuse): As far as we know, no more starters were lost during the bye week.

WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING FORWARD TO IN WEEK 13 FOR YOUR SCHOOL?

David (FSU): The Noles are almost 3 touchdown favorites heading into a home match up vs. BC, and all I’m looking for is seeing them escape with a comfortable win. Can we get one week where it isn’t down to the wire? Please? Honestly, look to see the same OL lineup and that they continue to gel. The run game for FSU has quietly been improving and I expect that to continue to flourish.

Len (Louisville): I should have mentioned this last week as probably the biggest surprise from the BC game was that the Cards won the game with their second string QB, true freshman Bonnafon. Gardner is at least done for the season with another knee injury and Bonnafon will start the rest of the season. He has had a tough season so far having been thrust into action a week after his father passed earlier in the season but performed well at Boston College. The bye week should help him prepare for the trip to South Bend. The Domers are playing poorly right now and Cards S Holliman only needs 1 more INT to tie the NCAA record. Only 15 FBS teams have more INT’s than his 13. He has 2 games to set the record (vs Kentucky).

Mike (NC State): The Pack is on a bye, so get prepared for the season-ending showdown.  I say again, beat Carolina!!

John (UNC):  This week is huge for North Carolina. With a win Thursday, they could deny Duke a chance at the ACC championship, and become bowl eligible at the same time. A Tar Heel dream. With a loss, well…that would put a whole lot more pressure on the season finale against NC State. The Wolfpack are a much better team than their record suggests, so North Carolina really needs to take care of business against the Blue Devils. Game. Set. Match?

Brian (FSU): Hopefully, and finally a strong win.  Of course, BC is no pushover… in fact I tend to think they can win.   I love my Noles, but they cause my blood pressure to rise a little too much.

Anthony (Syracuse): Syracuse really needs to win one of its final two games to get to 4 wins.  4 wins is a bad season, without question, but it would be great to avoid the valleys experienced only during the G-Rob era (his BEST season was 4 wins).  Winning at Pitt has been elusive, but you have to wonder whether Syracuse fan force turnovers.  Pitt has had problems in that regard and Syracuse’s defense is healthy.

WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING FORWARD TO IN WEEK 13 FOR THE ACC?

David (FSU): I’m going to take the Louisville v ND game here, and think ND gets back on track after two weeks I’m sure any Fighting Irish fans have already tried to erase from their memory.

Len (Louisville): Can the Heels knock the Dookies from the Coastal lead. FSU may get more help by playing Georgia Tech in the CCG. Tech is looking stronger than Duke and should be higher ranked if they can beat Georgia. Bonnafon didnt fare well in the Cards trip to Death Valley, how will he handle the trip to South Bend? I have been waiting for this game for a long time and with it being played on my father’s birthday makes it all the sweeter. I just wish he was here to see it.

Mike (NC State): Louisville/Notre Dame should be interesting, though it has lost some of its luster.  Then there’s Boston College/FSU, which will likely be closer than expected.  But the game of the week is that Thursday nighter between Carolina and Duke.  Both teams need it badly; UNC to get bowl-eligible and Duke to hold off charging Georgia Tech.  Should be a good one.

John (UNC):  I would love to see two more teams become bowl eligible. Sure, I’m biased, because one of the teams in position is North Carolina, but it would be great for the conference, there’s no denying that. I also think a Louisville win against Notre Dame is extremely possible, and that would be fun to see as well. Until the Fighting Irish join the conference full-time, I’ll root for the REAL ACC over them any day.

Brian (FSU): How about Louisville, FSU, ND, GT, and Clemson all trending up for their out of conference play.  I want GT to get rested and ready to upset UGA.  I want Louisville and ND to not kill each other before they face Kentucky and USC the following week.  FSU and Clemson need to somehow get ready for their big rivals the following week, without choking and looking ahead (yeah it is doubtful CU will stumble… FSU however, different story).  Long story short, I want the ACC to look as good as possible going into rivalry week to take some OOC schools down!

 Anthony (Syracuse): Duke/UNC is a huge showdown as it will determine who plays in the ACCCG.  Louisville traveling to ND will be very interesting… the new kid on the college football block vs. the old establishment.  ND is reeling, so it will be interesting to see how they respond to adversity.

WHO ARE YOUR FOUR PLAYOFF TEAMS IF THE SEASON ENDED TODAY?

David (FSU): 1)FSU 2)Bama 3) Oregon 4) TCU with Miss St. and Baylor lurking.

Len (Louisville): 1) FSU, 2) Alabama, 3) Oregon, 4) Miss St. Miss St played better than I expected but they and Alabama still have a tough road ahead and I don’t expect them both to make it. I look for Baylor to sneak in at #4. The worst case scenario for the SEC would be to have Missouri as champion since they lost to Indiana.. In that scenario it would be possible for the SEC to be left out.

Mike (NC State):1) Florida State 2) Alabama 3) Oregon 4) Ohio State.

John (UNC): None of the teams from my top four lost last week, so no changes here. It’s Alabama, Oregon, Florida State and TCU until further notice.

Brian (FSU): 1) FSU, 2) Bama, 3) Oregon, 4) Miss St.  In 3 weeks: 1) Bama (wins out), 2) Oregon (wins out), 3) Baylor (wins out), 4) OSU (wins out)…. Miss St likely loses to Ole Miss, and until I am proven wrong I am assuming FSU playing with fire will burn it soon… also that pre-ACC title game student conduct hearing could have a major impact on FSU’s standing.  Even if FSU runs the table, winning the ACC title without Winston, if the hearing causes Winston to be removed from the team how will the committee react?  The safe money is to exclude FSU on the same grounds 1 seeds in the NCAA Tournament have been lost by teams who have a star played injured just before the tourney.

Anthony (Syracuse): (1) Florida State; (2) Alabama; (3) Oregon; and (4) Ohio State.  I am not a big fan of the Big 10, but you have to think that there is going to be a strong push by the Committee to get the Big 10 into the finale somehow.  If Ohio State wins out, they will be in.

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

Posted by acaffrey in ACC only, ACC Roundtable, Football, FSU Correspondent, Louisville Correspondent, Opinion, Syracuse correspondent, UNC Correspondent and tagged , , , ,
14 Nov 2014

ACC Basketball Confidential Roundtable: Season Preview

As we have done with football, the Confidential plans to get some or all of the Confidential contributors together weekly during the season to provide a summary of their school, the ACC, and other topics of note.  This week is the preview session:

Q1: What are your expectations for your team this season–best-case scenario, worst-case scenario, and reasonable expectations?

John (North Carolina): I have huge expectations for my team this season. With the collection of talent that North Carolina has, there’s no reason to think that a return to the Final Four isn’t possible. With 6 McDonald’s All-Americans, 5 Mr. Basketballs (including Joel Berry, a three-time winner in the State of Florida) and a two-time National Championship Hall of Fame coach, the Tar Heels may finally be poised to live up to the lofty expectations set upon them.

Best Case Scenario- Marcus Paige continues his run as ‘Mr. Clutch’ and is the nation’s best point guard once again. Forward Brice Johnson thrives under his increased minutes, and someone on the team finally learns to shoot a three-point shot. With high-scoring, and the fast-tempo that is consistent with a signature North Carolina team, the Tar Heels win the third National Championship of the Roy Williams era. Also, Duke flames out in the first round of the tournament again, this time, losing to local rival NC Central. There are riots in the streets of Durham, NC (but no one is hurt).

Worst Case Scenario- The NCAA decides that the information in the Wainstein Report is bad enough for them to take away the Tar Heels’ 2005 National Championship, a first for the governing body. Bogged down by sanctions, scholarship reductions and the early retirement of Coach Roy Williams, North Carolina limps to a 20-loss season where Marcus Paige regresses, Brice Johnson and Kennedy Meeks tear their ACL and no one figures out how to hit a three-point shot. Duke wins their fifth National Championship, passing the Tar Heels non-vacated number of championship seasons and Justin Jackson leaves early for the NBA. There are riots in the streets of Chapel Hill, NC (multiple injuries are reported).

Reasonable Expectations- It seems reasonable enough that with the talent Roy Williams has this year, that the Tar Heels 1) Contend for the ACC Regular Season Title 2) Advance to the Semi-Finals of the ACC Tournament and 3) Qualify for the Sweet Sixteen. But those expectations are almost too reasonable. North Carolina has a great shot at both the ACC Regular Season and Tournament titles, and has the skill to make it to college basketball’s final weekend. But will they? The Tar Heels have underperformed the last few years, struggling under the weight of the academic scandal, the PJ Hairston saga and their own inability to hit free throws. Time will tell.

Len K (Louisville): The Cards brought in a 6 men class so they will be young this season. The class was loaded with much needed size and came with a top 5 ranking but only two have shown to be a factor as of now. Two are 7′ foreigners who will need time to develop their game and physically. One arrived in school in August so he is behind while another is still waiting to be cleared by the NCAA. The good news is that two who should make an early impact are the Cards top rated PG and C. We know who the starting 5 will be and these two freshman will be the first to off the bench. Best case they compete for the conference championship. Worst case they finish mid-pack in the ACC. There’s 20+ wins on the schedule so a top 5 ACC finish is perfectly reasonable. We will learn a lot more about the Cards on Friday, 11/14, when they open the season in Puerto Rico against Minnesota. Yup, Rick vs Richard in a battle of the Pitino’s to start the season.

Brian (FSU):

Best Case: FSU shocks the world and wins the ACC, after all this is the best team FSU has had since it won the ACC Tournament.  Then gets to the Tourney, and then finishes in the Final 4. Am I dreaming? Probably, but this is a best case scenario… if you want a more reasonable best case scenario I would say this team is capable of winning the ACC, not likely, but not inconceivable.  In that scenario FSU could be good enough to get to the Sweet 16.

Worst Case: FSU goes to a third straight NIT tournament, and doesn’t even get to host a game.  I will admit odds are far better this scenario happens than FSU being a Final 4 squad. 

Reasonable: I think FSU getting to the Semis of the ACC tourney is not out of the question, and then gets to the Sweet 16.  I just have a good feeling about this year’s team.

Mike (NC State):

Best case:  Senior Ralston Turner fills the scoring void left by TJ Warren, a slimmed-down BJ Anya dominates in the paint, and Chris Corchiani Jr. lives up to his genes.  The Pack finishes in the top 5 of the conference and makes a deep NCAA run, perhaps Elite Eight.

Worst case:  Turner can’t fill those big shoes and Anya suffers a relapse.  Corchiani proves to be just another walk-on benchwarmer.  State struggles and misses the Big Dance.
Realistically, the Pack should have the guns to finish in the upper half of the conference barring major injury trouble. Scoring will likely be an issue early on as the team figures out their roles After TJ, but if Cat Barber continues to improve everybody should get chances.  The Wolfpack should make the NCAA tournament field without a play-in, though two wins may be the limit once they arrive.

Anthony (Syracuse): Some of Jim Boeheim’s best runs in the Big Dance have been with teams with very low expectations.  This 2014-2015 team may not have NIT expectations, but nobody is talking about the ‘Cuse right now.  The upside for Syracuse is always a Final Four run.  This can happen if the freshmen are as advertised and the sophomores take the next step… and if Trevor  Cooney/Rakeem Christmas become consistent.  The downside for Syracuse is the aforementioned NIT.  That is less likely than a Final Four run, but far from impossible.  If the sophomores do not develop, and Cooney/Christmas continue to be “no shows” too often, it is not clear that the freshmen will be able to carry the load.  The reasonable expectations are that Syracuse will do well in November/December… but then come back to reality as the ACC schedule hits.  One would expect a Big Dance seeding in the #5/#6 range.   

Q2: Who do you think the top 3 and bottom 3 teams in the ACC will be at season’s end?

John (UNC): I expect the top three of the ACC to be North Carolina, Duke and Louisville in no particular order. Virginia has a good team, but I’m not sure I see them maintaining the same level of momentum without mainstays Joe Harris and Akil Mitchell. Other teams like Syracuse, NC State and Pittsburgh will be good, but I don’t think there will be any surprise winners like Miami in 2013. The bottom three teams are actually harder to predict. Will new coach Buzz Williams make an immediate impact on Virginia Tech, leading the Hokies out of the basement? Or will they be stuck there with Boston College, an almost lock for the cellar? I’m betting on quick improvement in Blacksburg, and regression in Atlanta and Clemson. My bottom three- Boston College, Georgia Tech, Clemson.

Len K (Louisville): How can you not put Duke and North Carolina atop the ACC? The battle will be for #3. The top candidates here are Virginia, Louisville and Syracuse. Louisville plays NC, Pitt and Miami twice while also getting Duke at home. With all the young talent on the Cards roster I will put Virginia at #3 for now. My bottom 3 would be Wake, Clemson and Virginia Tech. Manning will do will at Wake but it will take some time.

Brian (FSU):Duke, 2) UL, 3) UNC (I am sorry; I think UNC is overrated).  13) Wake, 14) BC, 15) GT

Mike (NC State): I like Duke to win the conference with UNC coming in a close second.  Louisville, my #1 in the preseason poll, should be third at season’s end.  As for the bottom 3, let’s say Georgia Tech, Miami and Virginia Tech.

Anthony (Syracuse): As much as I would like to add Syracuse to the top three, Duke is just too loaded.  North Carolina has the next most talent.  And Louisville’s Rick Pitino will have the Cardinals ready for the ACC.  It is possible that the Cards will develop slow and come on late, in which case Virginia’s system is more likely to put them in that spot than Syracuse or the rest of the field.  The bottom three are likely to be the usual suspects–Georgia Tech, Boston College, and Clemson. 

Q3: What ACC coach enters 2014 on the hot seat?

John (UNC): Brian Gregory has been the coach of the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets for four years now, and has not led his team past a 9th place finish in conference. Even though the fans in Atlanta are not known for their basketball fandom, Gregory’s predecessor, Paul Hewitt, led the team to 6 postseason appearances in 11 years and was much more successful in his early tenure, bringing players like Chris Bosh and Thaddeus Young to town. Four years is usually enough to tell the direction of a program. If Gregory can’t show visible progress, his time will be done in the increasingly competitive ACC.

Len K (Louisville): Being new to the ACC I wont put any coach on the hot seat this early but the situation in Chapel Hill will be worth monitoring. His performance on the sidelines certainly hasn’t warranted a removal but will a change be forced by the NCAA?

Brian (FSU): Mike Brey of ND.

Mike (NC State): Brian Gregory has to be feeling posterior-area warmth after three straight losing seasons at Georgia Tech.  If a fourth follows, and I think it might, the Jackets will soon be looking elsewhere.

Anthony (Syracuse): It has to be Brian Gregory, who joins Tom Crean of Indiana in being a coach from the Tom Izzo coaching tree that is in trouble right now.  Which reminds me… take a look at the Rick Pitino coaching tree over at ESPN.  Pretty impressive.  Of course, Pitino is part of the Boeheim coaching tree.  

Posted by acaffrey in ACC Roundtable, Basketball, Opinion
13 Nov 2014
1 Comment

ACC Roundtable of the Confidential Correspondents: Week 11/12

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 11) and the Week that will be (Week 12) for the ACC and their respective schools.  Special thanks to the Confidential contributors for their comments and opinions.  Tell us what you think below.

WHAT WAS THE BIGGEST SURPRISE FOR THE ACC IN WEEK 11?

David (FSU): The week went pretty much as planned, though Clemson did struggle a bit more than I expected early, the week was pretty much the status quo.

Len (Louisville): All the blowout victories. Not surprised by the wins but by the margins. The way Arizona State dominated Notre Dame.

Mike (NC State): The way Wake Forest hung with Clemson, trailing only 20-17 going into the fourth quarter.  This does not bode well for NC State; of their remaining two opponents, Wake looks to be the most winnable game.  Or is it?

John (UNC): Nothing too surprising this week, honestly. All the teams that won were expected to win, even though the margins may not have been exactly the same. At times, Clemson struggled against Wake Forest, and Florida State looked sloppy against Virginia, but no one will remember that years from now when they look back at each team’s win-loss record. Pretty standard. Oh wait, Notre Dame got destroyed by Arizona State, completely ending the Fighting Irish’s chance at the College Football Playoff. Not entirely surprising given the way they’ve played against their questionable schedule, but fantastic for the ACC’s chances at having them join all-in at some point in the future.

Brian (FSU):  Wake Forest putting up 20 points on Clemson’s defense.  I could not believe Wake’s anemic offense was able to score on Clemson.  On a side note I am surprised that OSU blew out Michigan State… you know the same OSU team that lost to the team currently in last place in the Coastal.  Of course if you watch ESPN the OSU hype machine is spinning that OSU is improving while asking us to ignore the VT loss.  Here is the thing, if you praise OSU you cannot do so without praising the ACC.  If one of the worst ACC teams can handily beat the best Big 10 team at their house, what does that say about the ACC?  You cannot brush off that loss for OSU when all they have played since the loss are other Big 10 teams and High School level competition, and the best Big 10 team should be able to handle the worst of any conference, even with a new QB.  Everyone has called JT Barrett one of the bright spots for OSU this year… well you cannot ignore what one of the worst ACC teams did to that QB in September. Sorry all BIG 10 homers, fact is the Hokies beat your best team.

Anthony (Syracuse): By far… it was Clemson allowing 20 points to Wake Forest. A close second was Notre Dame laying an egg against Arizona State.

WHAT WAS THE BIGGEST SURPRISE/DISAPPOINTMENT FOR YOUR SCHOOL IN WEEK 11?

David (FSU): I was surprised at not seeing Mario Pender & some others play either at all or very sparingly in the second half. FSU seemed to pack it in once they had a 2 score lead, appearing to just desire escaping with a W and as much rest as possible for key players still hampered by injury. 

Len (Louisville): I was surprised by how bad Boston College special teams were. I was disappointed in Dyers performance, I was expecting him to continue his high level of play. I was pleased that they weren’t caught looking ahead to Notre Dame. The 38-19 final score was surprising as well, it’s a solid road victory.

Mike (NC State): Zero momentum carried over from the Syracuse game and the Pack was pummeled.  Not that the Tech game looked too promising, but 56-23?  Really?

John (UNC):  North Carolina was off last week, so thankfully, we didn’t lose. The Tar Heels continued to be in the news though, as former player Michael McAdoo (no relation to former basketball player James Michael McAdoo) sued the school, claiming that the University ‘failed to provide him with a quality education.’ While that may be true on some level due to his involvement in the African American Studies Department’s paper classes, this is a guy who got kicked out of school for plagiarism and academic fraud that he committed, not someone else. While I agree that it’s the University’s responsibility to provide a quality education, I am a firm believer in personal responsibility. The blame falls solely on McAdoo for going along with the paper class system instead of waiting to speak out when it was more convenient for him. Much like fellow whistle blower Rashad McCants, McAdoo’s professional career has been a complete bust, in part because of his bad attitude.

Brian (FSU):   I was surprised and disappointed that the UM game is currently sitting at -1.5 FSU.  Yes, UM is a rival…. Yes, statistically they have better numbers… Yes, they have played better offenses, and their D is top 11… Yes, FSU has not looked like last year… I do not care!  Fact is FSU should be more of favorite than they are, and certainly not an underdog (trending that way).   FSU has actually faced far better run defenses and defenses that are far more aggressive than UM.  UM has actually played some of the worst run defenses, have Duke Johnson, and they are still not a top 30 team in rushing.  In two of the games they lost this year they played good run defenses (the only 2 all year ), and could not break a 100 yards rushing.  Fact is, if you stop UM’s ground attack they are in trouble.  Would you believe me if I told you with all the injuries and all the criticism that FSU has the third best run defense UM will have faced all year, sitting at 35? Well they are, and are coming in healthier in the front line than they have been all year.  Remember, FSU had 2 total linebackers going up against Louisville… that will not be the case against UM.  That being said… UM will likely shock FSU… I always assume the worst.

Anthony (Syracuse): Syracuse keeps losing players and keeps performing at the same level.  For all the criticism lofted at Scott Shafer (e.g. here), he has kept this team together despite the losses.  Syracuse may not have talent, but it certainly has heart.

WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING FORWARD TO IN WEEK 12 FOR YOUR SCHOOL?

David (FSU): I’m most looking forward to seeing how the run game works itself out on both sides of the ball. Getting Pender back should help FSU, and supposedly Cook will be able to play as well. Can the team finally have a dominate rushing game that we expected to see at the start of the year? As for MIA, they’ve already proven they can run the ball as well as anyone in the ACC not named GT. Will the FSU DL have gap composure and integrity? Exactly how healthy are Mario Edwards & Eddie Goldman, their play will be vital to FSU’s chances for success.

Len (Louisville): The Cards are on a bye week so I’m looking forward to them getting healthy again. Lorenzo Mauldin missed the game against BC due to a shoulder injury, that injury has been nagging him all season. Golson is struggling with turnovers and Holliman added 3 ints to his season total, giving him 13 to lead the nation, so I am looking forward to our trip to South Bend in two weeks. The Cards defense should be able to pressure Golson much like Arizona St did which should give the Cards the advantage.

Mike (NC State): The Wolfpack must focus and beat Wake to ensure bowl eligibility.  I have no confidence that they can go into Chapel Hill and beat the Heels in Week 14, especially if the bowl issue isn’t yet nailed down.

John (UNC):  It’s Homecoming, so I’m looking for a win against Pittsburgh. If we can’t pull it off against the Panthers, our shot at bowl eligibility decreases significantly since a win at Duke can’t be guaranteed, or even remotely expected, at this point. The Tar Heels need to take care of business against the Panthers in order to set up a crucial home game against rival NC State the final week of the season. Something to watch- If NC State loses at home against Wake Forest this Saturday (highly unlikely, but possible), the stakes of the Tar Heels’ end of the month meeting with the Wolfpack become even higher. NC State is only 5-5 with two games remaining.

Brian (FSU):  Not much, since I somehow expect to lose. I would say, with our great kicker it would not be due to a wide right field goal… but then he shanked one against Louisville.

Anthony (Syracuse): Rest and healing.

WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING FORWARD TO IN WEEK 12 FOR THE ACC?

David (FSU):I’m actually going to take the Clemson v GT game here, the GT offense vs Clemson D should be a great matchup to watch, and both teams still have plenty on the line this year.

Len (Louisville): If FSU can remain unbeaten after traveling to Miami. Also the Clemson and GT game. You have two Coastal teams, Miami and GT, playing at their best right now hosting the two top dogs from the Atlantic. Pop open a cold one, grab your favorite snack and enjoy the games.

Mike (NC State): Florida State vs Miami.  One of the two rivalry games the Noles face as the season draws to a close.  The Hurricanes are peaking at the right time, and the Seminoles have looked vulnerable over most of this season.  Will this be the game that ruins the chance of getting an ACC team into the first College Football Playoffs?

John (UNC):  The spotlight is on the Florida State-Miami game, but the other four games have bigger implications. Will North Carolina get one step closer to bowl eligibility against the Panthers? Will NC State get to six wins with a victory over the lowly Demon Deacons? What will another (expected) loss for the Hokies do to Frank Beamer’s tenure at Virginia Tech? And how will fierce rivals Clemson and Georgia Tech fare coming into a game with only four losses between them? There’s a lot at stake on Saturday, and it’s more than just pride.

Brian (FSU): I could say the only time ranked teams from the ACC are playing each other this weekend, and it is a rivalry game in GT vs. CU… but the Duke game is also important.  Right now it is a 3 way race for the Atlantic, in reality.  GT needs a lot of help. Duke controls its destiny.  UM is in a good tie-breaker position against Duke head to head.

 Anthony (Syracuse):Well, there are two top notch games between FSU/Miami and Georgia Tech/Clemson.  What else could anyone want?

WHO ARE YOUR FOUR PLAYOFF TEAMS IF THE SEASON ENDED TODAY?

David (FSU): 1) Miss State 2) FSU 3) Oregon 4) Alabama (obviously this changes after this weekend).

Len (Louisville): 1 Miss State, 2) FSU, 3) Oregon. I was expecting a bigger margin of victory from FSU so I put them at #2. The top 3 are.solid but #4 isn’t getting any easier. My top candidates for the 4 spot are Alabama, TCU & Baylor. I would give this spot to the Big 12 champ but for now I will put Baylor there.

Mike (NC State):1 Florida State, 2 Oregon, 3 Mississippi State, 4 Alabama

John (UNC):  Oregon, Mississippi State and Florida State were victors on Saturday, but Michigan State fell out of the race entirely when they lost to rival Ohio State. I’m not ready to put the Buckeyes in the rankings though, because Alabama has made a great case to be team #4 this week. Actually, make that team #3. With a loss against the Crimson Tide this weekend, Mississippi State falls out of the rankings too, and TCU moves in. Get ready for the Horned Frogs!

Brian (FSU): Right now: 1) Miss St, 2) FSU, 3) Oregon, 4) TCU… of course I think Baylor having the tie-breaker over TCU should count for something.  At year end: 1) Bama, 2) Oregon, 3) Baylor (I think TCU will choke at UT… calling it now), 4) Miss St (With 1 loss, they beat a battered Ole Miss squad but by losing to Bama they avoid the SEC Title game, but resume trumps a 1 loss OSU BIG winner…  the BIG then literally flips a… cannot finish that sentence.) 

Anthony (Syracuse): I am going with Florida State, Mississippi State, Oregon, and TCU. I have zero issues with the way the playoff committee has things right now.  Except… why is Florida State #3?  They beat Notre Dame… who was good enough to propel Arizona State UP three spots.  Meanwhile, Oregon has a MUCH worse loss and just had their Michigan State win downgraded.  I think that they were just trolling #FSUTwitter

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

Posted by acaffrey in ACC only, ACC Roundtable, Football, FSU Correspondent, Louisville Correspondent, Opinion, Syracuse correspondent, UNC Correspondent and tagged , , , ,

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