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07 Apr 2015
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Congrats to Duke and Coach K…

As a Syracuse fan and now an ACC fan, I have always had a loyalty to Jim Boeheim and a healthy degree of healthy, spirited dislike for Coach K and Duke.  I am not saying that Duke is not a great program.  I would be hard-pressed to make an argument that any other coach in college basketball is superior to Coach K.  1,000 wins and (now) five championships speak for themselves.  Still, to me, Duke is the New York Yankees of college basketball… when you meet a non-alum fan living outside the region, you cannot help but think “fair weather.”   And it is beyond debate that Duke seemingly “gets the calls” as much as any team in any sport.  Somewhere along the way, Dick Vitale converted from a basketball knowledge savant to a Coach K agent and Duke promoter, which grew intolerable.  So, if any praise for Duke and Coach K comes from this writer, it is a brand new feeling.  But here it goes… props to Coach K and Duke for the national championship this year.

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Posted by acaffrey in Basketball, Duke Correspondent, Opinion and tagged , , ,
23 Mar 2015
1 Comment

Syracuse Thrashes Duke in Lacrosse, 19-7

While most folks are concentrating on March Madness, the Syracuse Orange faithful have turned to mens lacrosse–where, other than perhaps Johns Hopkins–nobody has more tradition.  But recent years have been fairly lean for the Orange.  2015, however, is off to a great start.  So a lot of eyes were on yesterday’s matchup between the Orange and the two-time reigning champion Duke Blue Devils.  And Syracuse dominated, winning 19-7 over #4 Duke in the Carrier Dome.

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Posted by acaffrey in ACC only, Game Review, Lacrosse, Syracuse correspondent and tagged , , ,
18 Mar 2015
1 Comment

Big Changes At Syracuse… AD out, Boeheim in 3 years

With the recent NCAA violations and penalties, the fact that changes were in store for Syracuse is NOT surprising.  And here they are.  Syracuse athletic director, Darryl Gross, is resigning (you know how this works) as athletic director.  The more surprising announcement is that Jim Boeheim will retire in 3 years.  Here is the Confidential’s quick take.

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Posted by acaffrey in Opinion, Syracuse correspondent and tagged , , , , , ,
02 Mar 2015
9 Comments

The Confidential’s All-Time Syracuse Basketball Team

Suppose you had to play one game… for all the marbles… and you could use your time machine (or TARDIS) to put together a team of 12 players at their peaks.  Who would you pick?  Well, the Confidential does not know who YOU would pick.  But here is who the Confidential would pick for Syracuse:

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Posted by acaffrey in All-Time Teams, Basketball, Opinion, Syracuse correspondent and tagged , , ,
26 Jan 2015

O Captain, My Captain!

(Ed Note: This was supposed to be published yesterday).  Now that the University of Louisville Men’s Basketball team has had time to heal the gashing wounds laid down by the Duke Blue Devils from a week ago (Jahlil Okafor just scored again by the way), we look to see how they bounce back on Sunday when they invade the home of the PITT Panthers and the greatest slicked back coaching hairstyle this side of Steve Lavin.  It’s been an eerily quiet week from the Cards, with one exception.

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Posted by klw0408 in ACC only, Basketball, Louisville Correspondent
23 Jan 2015
3 Comments

Syracuse and Rafael Addison

A caveat: Rafael Addison was my favorite player growing up.  So when Nunes Magician started discussing what off-the-radar player deserved to have his Syracuse jersey retired, I rather easily came to the defense of #12.  As it has, sadly, been nearly 30 years since Addison played, few current fans truly remember him.  But I thought he deserved some recognition.

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Posted by acaffrey in Basketball, Syracuse correspondent and tagged , , , ,
22 Jan 2015
3 Comments

Syracuse Orange On Trial: A 3 Game Case Study

Opening Statement: this season is rustling a few Orange fan feathers. You might describe Syracuse’s overall play somewhere between panic-inducing, gut wrenching and dare I say exciting. Jim Boeheim’s troops currently tout a 14-5 overall record and are 5-1 in ACC play. That fact bears repeating but for the sake of redundancy, I’ll let the readers make that call. For many college basketball teams that record would be a season to tell their friends about. Throw in the fact that Syracuse has just one starting senior in Rakeem Christmas (you may have heard of him) and things might start to take form. So why is it some Syracuse fans are ready to call their doctor for a refill on their anxiety medication? Could it be that we are a spoiled fan base not used to losing a game before January? Or is it the impending doom expected when the NCAA announces its ruling in the investigation of Syracuse? While each of those questions may hold validity, I suggest the answer can be found quite easily. Look no further than the last 3 games on the schedule, two of which are wins! Ladies and gentlemen of the jury, I present to you the facts in the case of why Syracuse fans that have one foot on the ledge should take a giant step back to safer ground.

Exhibit A: a game dubbed “Wake Forest: The Greek Tragedy That Almost Was”. The Demon Deacons showed up to the Dome with a 9-8 record, two losses coming by the swords of Louisville and Duke. They were well known for employing a fast paced offense and would certainly look to continue that. Syracuse meanwhile was riding a 6 game win streak. Rakeem Christmas was morphing from seedling to fully grown Navel Orange while Trevor Cooney was busy finding his 3 point shot. After the few aforementioned facts presented, for the sake of argument put yourself in a Syracuse fan frame of mind. Now sprinkle in a little math and science of the ACC conference as we know it. After a few pre-game beers, this would surely lead you explaining to your buddy why this game should be a 10 point Orange victory. But you’ve forgotten one thing. Wake Forest rolled in on their Trojan horse and deployed Konstantinos Mitoglou. His 26 point performance helped Wake push the game into overtime. Not to be outdone on his home court Rakeem Christmas put up a career high 35 points and carried Syracuse to a narrow 86-83 victory. Honorable mention to Trevor Cooney with 21 points of his own. Overtime against 1-3 ACC opponent just isn’t acceptable. Albeit thankful for a win, Syracuse fans instantly begin experiencing symptoms of slight chest pains and anxiety.

Exhibit B: Littlejohn Coliseum for a late Saturday afternoon date with the Clemson Tigers. As newcomers last season, Syracuse established who they thought the real Orange around the ACC was with a 57-44 home victory. Fast forward to January 17th 2015. Subtract Tyler Ennis and Jerami Grant and you have an inexperienced Syracuse team in hostile territory. Clemson came in sporting a nice overtime win against a ranked Arkansas team earlier in the season but had losses to teams like Winthrop and Rutgers. If Syracuse fans saw this and were like myself, they might have been slightly bewildered. Despite the inexperience and a road game in the ACC, fans still expected a win. Instead, Syracuse hardly showed up. Clemson began the 1st half hotter than breakfast at a Waffle House. At the under 8 timeout, it was Clemson 21 and Rakeem Christmas 9. Halftime saw the game seemingly already won, 39-18 in favor of the Tigers. I’d bet a shot of Jameson that at this point there was a Syracuse fan watching that had already shut the game off in disgust. Clemson finished with 3 starters in double figures and shot 40% from the 3 point line. For Syracuse, the only bright spot was Rakeem Christmas again. I can’t recall a game where Trevor Cooney played worse. He went 0-5 from downtown and had just 5 points, all coming from the free throw line. Usually sound guard Michael Gbinije struggled. The Orange fell 66-53 and I sensed symptoms stemming from the Wake Forest game were being exacerbated. But a young team on the road played a poor game. They lost for the first time in ACC play. Regardless of the opponent and a few acceptable excuses for a loss, some fans had their hands on the phone ready to call to a physician.

Exhibit C: Let’s examine the most recent game against Boston College. The Golden Eagles entered the Dome at 8-8, without a single ACC Conference win. That fact might have had a few fans and perhaps players alike looking past BC. However, flashback to last year when this BC team came in and unraveled Syracuse’s historic 25-0 start (I still blame the jerseys that were worn that night). Back to present time with many of its players returning, BC came in with something to prove. They could knock off a quality opponent on the road for its first conference win. A recipe for disaster can be seen fairly easily. Meanwhile, Syracuse was looking to avoid a second two game losing streak of its season. There was no way Syracuse could lose. Right? Despite a hot BC start, Syracuse took a 35-17 lead into half. Lacking some depth down low due to a Chris McCollough injury, the team had to avoid foul trouble. In true Murphys Law fashion that I believe is contagious to Syracuse, Rakeem Christmas picked up 4 fouls by the 16 minute mark in the 2nd half. Forced to play without him for most of the 2nd half, Michael Gbinije stepped up big time and ultimately saved the Orange a second straight humiliation. The game ended 69-61 but the score fool wasn’t fooling anybody that watched. Syracuse came gut-wrenchingly close to blowing a late 13 point lead with anything but clutch FT shooting and a couple late turnovers. Fans watched what should have been a blowout turn into a close victory against a team without a conference win. And therein lies precisely my point. The team found a way to overcome adversity and win. It got help from a mostly reliable guard in Michael Gbinije. The score doesn’t matter when a team wins. Sports are beautiful like that. But it was too late for some. The calls were being made and prescriptions were being ordered. Diagnosis: Syracuse induced panic, anxiety and insomnia.

Closing argument: we see reasons why there is panic among the fan base. All of which can be argued as valid concerns. The team struggled to close out a couple sub par ACC opponents. While there are the almost automatic double-doubles coming from Rakeem Christmas, players like Trevor Cooney, Michael Gbinije and Tyler Roberson are grasping for consistent performances in the last 3 games. Late game free throw shooting and carelessness are rearing their ugly heads. But aside from the struggle to find a consistent good team performance, the fact remains that Syracuse has won two of its last three. How some fans can still be pressing the panic button is slightly maddening to me. Most likely it’s the ACC schedule that lies before us but as we’ve seen with games like NC State beating Duke, there are never any cupcakes in the ACC. I believe Syracuse fans need to slow down and look at the facts. The team has 14 wins and is 5-1 in conference play. They’re dealing with the loss of a starting freshman that before injury was a probable one and done and still winning without him. But most importantly, it’s time to remind themselves that no matter how ugly, a win is still a win. To quote BC head coach Jim Christian, “they’re 5-1, guys. I wish I was struggling like that.”

Posted by drunkcusefan in ACC only, Opinion, Syracuse correspondent and tagged , , , ,
19 Jan 2015

Will The Cards Fly South From Here?

First off, hello to all the subscribers to ACC Confidential.  My name is Kevin Wright and I will be the new and second contributor to this blog representing the University of Louisville.  With that said, I will get right to the point with my first blog entry……..

After attending the UofL/Duke tilt this past Saturday at the Yum Center, my biggest fears as a long-time die hard Cardinal fan became a reality: the Cards may have deficiencies this season that cannot be overcome by X’s and O’s or the good ole post game “players only” locker room meeting.  The fact is, this UofL basketball team simply labors to put the ball in the basket.  Back in December when UofL played in-state rival Kentucky, one was left to wonder if the Cardinal’s abysmal shooting performance that day was due to UK’s astounding length and defensive prowess.  Not to take anything away from Kentucky, but after watching the Cards miss numerous well manufactured open mid-range jumpers and attempts from beyond the arc on Saturday (mind you against a make shift zone defense orchestrated by Duke and Coach K), the hard truth hit home.

Through the years Rick Pitino has built his offensive systems around multi-dimensional players who could score in all facets of the game.  I don’t need to remind other UofL fans of the likes of former players such as Luke Hancock, Russ Smith, Kyle Kuric, Taquan Dean and so on……all reliable perimeter players who consistently made their teammates better by making open shots when they were afforded to them.  This year’s Rick Pitino team, his 14th since coming back to The Bluegrass State, is unique in the fact that there are no real true shooters on the roster.  One could argue that Terry Rozier is a good perimeter player, and while I could agree with such an assertion I would not list that as his biggest offensive strength.  Other perimeter players on the Cardinal roster have proven to be unreliable, erratic and at times downright bad.  The same can be said for Louisville’s lineup of frontcourt players which is hampered by a lack of offensive skill and playing experience.

Luckily for the Cards they have a some time to lick their wounds following a convincing loss to the hands of the Blue Devils.  Upon return, however, will they be able to continue to win games while finding ways of off setting their lock of scoring by being meticulous in all other facets?  March has been a kind and rewarding month for Louisville basketball teams in the past several years.  Getting to the end of the regular season finish line this season may be more taxing and trivial for this current groups of players.  The ACC needs UofL to thrive in the same vein that the Cards needs their conference mates to help maintain conference strength.

Hopefully UofL fans will see their Cards rising and flying high in the weeks to come.

Posted by klw0408 in ACC only, Basketball, Louisville Correspondent and tagged , , ,
11 Dec 2014

Syracuse Fans: History Repeats Itself

A team that required divine intervention to eke out a win, barely beat an FCS team, and required overtime to win its first game.  A team that ended the season on a five-game losing streak.  A team with questions surround its offensive coordinator.  A once-popular head coach with a sub .500 winning percentage.  A bowl season followed up by disappointment.  A terrible season.

No, this is not about the 2014 Syracuse Orange football team.  This is about the 2011 Syracuse Orange football team.  Consider…

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Posted by acaffrey in ACC only, Football, Syracuse correspondent 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 , , , ,

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