The Confidential

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30 Oct 2012
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The Confidential’s College Football Top 25 & Bottom 4: Week 9

Each week, the Confidential will provide its ranking of the top 25 teams in College Football, as well as the Bottom 4 BCS-level teams.  Here is the Week 9 version, with analysis of the top 10 and bottom 4:

  1. Alabama (8-0): Alabama keeps on rolling, with a romp over Mississippi State.   The LSU game should be fun!
  2. Oregon (8-0): The Ducks obliterated Colorado.  But what else is new?
  3. Notre Dame (8-0): The Fighting Irish are for real after defeating Oklahoma on the road.  They cannot look ahead to USC though.
  4. Kansas State (8-0):  The polls are starting to love Kansas State.  As well they should after yet another impressive win.
  5. Ohio State (9-0).  The Buckeyes keep on rolling, with a win over Penn State.
  6. Florida State (8-1):  The Seminoles get a week off after blowing out Duke.
  7. LSU (7-1):  And here come the SEC schools.  LSU took care of Texas A&M to improve to 7-1.
  8. Georgia (7-1): Georgia got a big win over Florida in Jacksonville.
  9. Florida (7-1): The Gators struggled offensively against Georgia, but are still a good team.
  10. Louisville (8-0): The Cardinals struggled against Cincinnati before pulling out the win to remain unbeaten.
  11. Oklahoma (5-2).
  12. Clemson (7-1).
  13. South Carolina (7-2).
  14. Mississippi State (7-1).
  15. Nebraska (6-2).
  16. Boise State (7-1).
  17. Southern California (6-2).
  18. Oregon State (6-1).
  19. Michigan (5-3).
  20. Louisiana Tech (7-1).
  21. Texas Tech (6-2).
  22. Stanford (6-2).
  23. West Virginia (5-2).
  24. Toledo (8-1).
  25. UCLA (6-2).

* * *

121.  Illinois (2-6).  With a loss to Indiana, Illinois is at the bottom of the B1G now.  Do they miss Ron Zook now?

122. Virginia (2-6).  With Boston College’s win over Maryland, Virginia drops to the bottom of the ACC barrel.  Enjoy.

123. Colorado (1-7).  The Buffaloes are just plain bad.  70-6 against Oregon.  Has any program fallen farther than Colorado?

124. Kansas (1-7).  Kansas played very well against Texas.  This isn’t the Texas of old, but kudos to the Wildcats for making a game of it.

So there it is.  If you do not like it… sorry.  But feel free to share your reasons why…

Posted by acaffrey in Football, Rankings and tagged , , , , , , , ,
29 Oct 2012

ACC Football Rankings: October 29, 2012

This is particularly complex with Pitt and Syracuse not yet in the ACC, but it can still be done.  This is how the Confidential ranks the ACC football teams as of October 29, 2012:

1.  Florida State (8-1)–The Seminoles left no doubt that Duke still has a ways to go before joining the football elite.  Florida State gets some extra time off before traveling to the Hokies.

2. Clemson (7-1)–Clemson took care of the Demon Deacons on Thursday night, winning comfortably.  And now it is their turn to beat up on Duke.  In theory.

3. Duke (6-3)–The Blue Devils have been handled easily in their three losses.  Still, with a win over North Carolina, Duke holds on to the #3 slot.

4. North Carolina (6-3)–The Tar Heels move up into 4th place with a win over North Carolina State.  If only the Tar Heels were bowl eligible…

5. North Carolina State (5-3)–NC State missed a golden opportunity to get to bowl eligibility over rival North Carolina.  With Virginia, Wake Forest, and Boston College still on the schedule, they should get it done though.

6. Virginia Tech (4-4)–With six 4-4 teams to rank, it gets difficult to split hairs.  But Virginia Tech has the best win of the six teams–surprisingly it is Duke.

7. Miami (4-4)–The Hurricanes had the week off before entering the final third of the season.  Miami gets to prove it is worthy of leapfrogging the Hokies when they play this week.

8. Wake Forest (4-4)–The Demon Deacons win over North Carolina gets them the spot ahead of Syracuse.  North Carolina is a 6-3 team, while Syracuse has yet to beat a team above .500.

9. Syracuse (4-4)—The Orange rallied from 20 down to beat a desperate South Florida team that played well.  Syracuse’s head-to-head win over Pittsburgh justifies the move up to 9th place.

10. Pittsburgh (4-4)–Syracuse’s win over Pitt forces the Panthers down to #2.  However, given that they lost to Youngstown State, one must be impressed with how the season has turned around.

11. Maryland(4-4)—The loss to B.C. hurts the Terrapins.  A win to get to 5-3 would have the fan base thinking bowl game.  4-8 seems like a distinct possibility now.

12. Georgia Tech (3-5)–Georgia Tech just lost to Brigham Young, which is bad enough.  Getting blown out must have the Yellow Jackets a bit worried about the Paul Johnson era.

13. Boston College (2-6)–At 1-6, it did not look like Boston College would ever win again.  But they beat a surprising Maryland team to get that first win over a FBS program.  Nicely done.

14. Virginia (2-6)–Along with Virginia Tech and Georgia Tech, Virginia is a huge disappointment for the A.C.C.  They deserve the basement this week.

Do you agree with these rankings?  If not, let us know.

Posted by acaffrey in ACC only, Football, Rankings and tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
25 Oct 2012
1 Comment

ACC Football Predictions for Week 9

The Confidential’s football predictions for this week’s games featuring ACC teams.  The Confidential surged to a 6-2 record, elevating the overall record to a respectable 58-20.  On to the week 9 predictions:

Thursday October 25, 2012

#14 Clemson (6-1) @ Wake Forest (4-3), 7:30 p.m.  Clemson needs to avoid a late season slump.  This is exactly the type of game that could easily lead to a loss and subsequent November swoon.  With the whole nation watching, Clemson needs to rise to the occasion.  Meanwhile, the Demon Deacons are still looking for a signature win this year.  It aint coming this week.  Prediction: Clemson 27, Wake Forest 17.

Saturday October 27, 2012

Temple (3-3) @ Pittsburgh (3-4), noon.  Temple has 2 Big East wins, while Pittsburgh has zero.  In the battle for Pennsylvania, Pittsburgh has the home field advantage though.  We’ll see how much pride the Panthers can display.  One has to figure that Pittsburgh will rise to the occasion.  Prediction: Pittsburgh 21, Temple 10.

North Carolina State (5-2) @ North Carolina (5-3), 12:30 p.m.  This is sort of the battle for North Carolina–at least with respect to the public Universities.  Both teams have been decent and the winner will get to 6 wins.  While there is no bowl eligibility for the Tar Heels, N.C. State has eyes on a bowl.  This is a tough one to call.  Prediction: North Carolina 28, North Carolina State 20.

Maryland (4-3) @ Boston College (1-6), 1:00 p.m.  At the beginning of the year, this would have seemed like a key game for Boston College to get a conference win.  Now, it is hard to envision Boston College defeating the surprising Terrapins.  With Maryland starting to smell a bowl game, and Boston College floundering, look for the visiting team to pull out a win.  Prediction: Maryland 21, Boston College 14.

Brigham Young (4-4) @ Georgia Tech (3-4), 3:00 p.m.  Brigham Young has had trouble scoring, which is usually not a problem for Georgia Tech.  But BYU looked great against Notre Dame.  Still, the Yellow Jackets have too much pride to let a team come into Atlanta and steal a win.  Prediction: Georgia Tech 28, Brigham Young 9.

Duke (6-2) @ #11 Florida State (7-1), 3:30 p.m.  The ACC game of the week.  Duke is bowl eligible, which may mean that they will have a let down.  And Florida State is at home.  This game will be the true test of just how far the Blue Devils have come.  After losing to Virginia Tech and Stanford on the road, the Confidential has to go with the Seminoles.   Prediction: Florida State 44, Duke 9.

Syracuse (3-4) @ South Florida (2-5), 7:00 p.m.  Florida State struggled to beat South Florida on the road.  Syracuse is a 3-4 team with no wins on the road.  If Syracuse wants to get to a bowl game, they will need to win this game.  If South Florida wants to go to a bowl, losing here would be catastrophic.  Syracuse wants to win, but the Bulls must win.  Prediction: South Florida 28, Syracuse 20.

The Confidential apologizes in advance for not picking your team.  A lot of close games here.  Feel free to share why we are wrong. 

Posted by acaffrey in ACC only, Football, Predictions and tagged , , , , , , , , , , , ,
23 Oct 2012

The Confidential’s College Football Top 25 & Bottom 4: Week 8

Each week, the Confidential will provide its ranking of the top 25 teams in College Football, as well as the Bottom 4 BCS-level teams.  Here is the Week 8 version, with analysis of the top 10 and bottom 4:

  1. Alabama (7-0): Alabama keeps on rolling, with a romp over Tennessee.  Mississippi State this week is not the automatic win that most would have assumed in August.  Next up: Mississippi State.
  2. Oregon (7-0): The Ducks dismantled Arizona State to remain perfect on the season.  There is little chance of this team not making it to 8-0; see opponent.  Next up: Colorado.
  3. Notre Dame (7-0): The Fighting Irish struggled to beat a very unimpressive Brigham Young team.  This ranking would be in jeopardy, but for this week’s opponent giving Notre Dame a chance to rebound.  Next up: @ Oklahoma.
  4. Florida (7-0): The Gators obliterated suddenly-unimpressive South Carolina.  The edge over Kansas State is very narrow though.  Next up: @ Georgia.
  5. Kansas State (7-0): The win in Morgantown would have been even more impressive if Texas Tech had not demolished the Mountaineers the week before.  A great win nonetheless, as the Wildcats are knocking on the door of the top 3 or 4.  Next up: Texas Tech.
  6. Ohio State (8-0).  The Buckeyes keep on rolling, with a win over Purdue.  The first team to 8-0 also.  The sanctions bowl this week for the B1G.  Next up: @ Penn State.
  7. Florida State (7-1):  The Seminoles did what they needed to do in beating Miami in Miami.  This week’s game against Duke suddenly looks interesting.  Next up: Duke.
  8. Oklahoma (5-1): The Sooners’ destruction of Kansas was expected.  They get a real test this week with undefeated Notre Dame coming to town.  Next up: Notre Dame.
  9. LSU (7-1):  The Tigers went into Lubbock and defeated the Aggies, albeit by a narrow margin.  Still, a good win is a good win.  Next up: Alabama on November 3.
  10. Georgia (6-1): Georgia defeated hapless Kentucky.  But by less than a touchdown?  Nobody below the Bulldogs deserved to leapfrog them though.  Next up: Florida.
  11. Louisville (7-0):   Next up: Cincinnati.
  12. Southern California (6-1):  Next up: @ Arizona.
  13. Oregon State (6-0).  Next up: @ Washington.
  14. Clemson (6-1).  Next up: @ Wake Forest.
  15. Rutgers (7-0).  Next up: Kent State.
  16. Mississippi State (7-0).  Next up: @ Alabama.
  17. Michigan (5-2).  Next up: Nebraska.
  18. Nebraska (5-2).  Next up: @ Michigan.
  19. Ohio (7-0). Next up: @ Miami.
  20. Boise State (6-1).  Next up: @ Wyoming.
  21. Louisiana Tech (6-1). Next up: @ New Mexico State.
  22. South Carolina (6-2).  Next up: Tennessee.
  23. West Virginia (5-2).  Next up: TCU on November 3.
  24. Texas Tech (6-1).  Next up: @ Kansas State.
  25. Stanford (5-2).  Next up: Washington State.

* * *

121.  Indiana (2-5).  While Indiana has two wins, they are over FCS Indiana State and brand new FBS team UMass–the worst team in all of FBS (only winless team, in fact).  The worst resume of the 2 win teams.

122. Colorado (1-6).  Colorado lost by 44 points to USC.  And that seems like a moral victory for the Buffaloes–the only team on this list to beat a conference foe.

123. Boston College (1-6).  Boston College–was equally inept last year, but then rallied late.  Is it possible for history to repeat itself?

124. Kansas (1-6).  Kansas looks like a real risk to go 1-11.  The Charlie Weis era.  Enjoy.

So there it is.  If you do not like it… sorry.  But feel free to share your reasons why…

Posted by acaffrey in Football, Rankings and tagged , , , , , , , ,
22 Oct 2012

ACC Football Rankings: October 22, 2012

This is particularly complex with Pitt and Syracuse not yet in the ACC, but it can still be done.  This is how the Confidential ranks the ACC football teams as of October 22, 2012:

1.  Florida State (7-1)–With a win over Miami, the Seminoles stay comfortably ahead of Clemson for the best overall record in the ACC.  Florida State cannot look ahead to the Florida game and MUST continue to take care of business.

2. Clemson (6-1)–Clemson defeated Virginia Tech, maintaining its safe spot at #2 in the conference.  The Tigers did what they needed to do against a struggling Hokies team.

3. Duke (6-2)–The Blue Devils rebounded from a loss at Virginia Tech to defeat North Carolina at home.  The Blue Devils are bowl-eligible for the first time in nearly 20 years.  Congratulations!

4. North Carolina State (5-2)–The Wolfpack moved to 5-2 by defeating Maryland in College Park.  NC State is now one win away from bowl eligibility with 5 games left.

5. North Carolina (5-3)–The Tar Heels had a chance to get to bowl-eligibility, but lost to rival Duke.  One wonders if the sanctions take some of the juice out of the thrill of getting that 6th win.

6. Miami (4-4)–The Hurricanes have lost to some pretty good teams this year.  They have lost ugly though.

7. Virginia Tech (4-4)–This is just not the Hokies’ year.  Really, Virginia Tech could be a few slots lower too.

8. Maryland (4-3)–The Terps get the nod over Wake Forest here as they won the head-to-head matchup.  What great character this team has shown in being above .500 this late in the season.

9. Wake Forest (4-3)—The Demon Deacons took care of Virginia–a nice road win.  A bowl is still readily in sight.

10. Syracuse (3-4)–Syracuse salvaged its chances for a bowl game by defeating UConn handily over the weekend.  They’ll need to win 3 out of the 5 remaining, but all opponents look somewhat vulnerable.

11. Pittsburgh (3-4)—Pitt gets the edge over Georgia Tech by virtue of beating Virginia Tech.  Pitt’s wins over Buffalo and Gardner-Webb are not all that impressive otherwise.

12. Georgia Tech (3-4)–Georgia Tech is half-way to bowl eligibility with a convincing win over Boston College.  The Yellow Jackets are still searching for a good win though.

13. Virginia (2-6)–At 2-6, Virginia really needs a bye week.  Fortunately, they’ll get one this week. 

14. Boston College (1-6)–After losing yet again, the Eagles don’t need a bye week–they might STILL lose.  Gotta figure a coaching change is an inevitability.

Do you agree with these rankings?  If not, let us know.

Posted by acaffrey in ACC only, Football, Rankings and tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
19 Oct 2012

ACC Football Predictions for Week 8

The Confidential’s football predictions for this week’s games featuring ACC teams.  The Confidential struggled to a 3-3 record–the worst week of the season.   Still, the Confidential is at a respectable 52-18 so far.  On to the week 8 predictions:

Friday October 19, 2012

Connecticut (3-3) @ Syracuse (2-4), 8:00 p.m.  The Orange simply cannot lose this game.  If the Doug Marrone era is not going to fall completely off the tracks, Syracuse needs to win this much of a winnable game.  UConn is struggling and coached by the guy Syracuse fired.  Just a must win.  Prediction: Syracuse 24, UConn 17.

Saturday October 20, 2012

Virginia Tech (4-3) @ #14 Clemson (5-1), noon.  This is a rematch of last year’s conference title game, but the teams are headed in different directions right now.  Virginia Tech had to rally to beat Duke, while Clemson has only lost to Florida State.  Given that Clemson is at home, as well as Virginia Tech’s defensive mortality, it is difficult to pick Virginia Tech to pull the upset.  Prediction: Clemson 35-Virginia Tech 24.

Wake Forest (3-3) @ Virginia (2-5), 12:30 p.m.  The Demon Deacons have been absolutely, positively mediocre.  Virginia is jealous of that right now.  Again, however, Virginia is the home team, which has to count for something.  The Confidential just does not see Wake Forest taking the win here.  Prediction: Virginia 21, Wake Forest 20.

Boston College (1-5) @ Georgia Tech (2-4), 3:00 p.m.  Boston College has been downright awful this year, with no wins over FBS teams.  Georgia Tech has been equally bad lately.  This two teams are at and/or near the basement in the ACC right now.  Like Syracuse, Georgia Tech simply MUST win this game.  Prediction: Georgia Tech 38-Boston College 13.

Pittsburgh (2-4) @ Buffalo (1-5), 3:30 p.m.  The Steelers and Bills face off in a clash of old industrial towns.  Wait, what?  Pittsburgh lost its momentum after the Virginia Tech win.  Buffalo has never really had any momentum yet.  One has to think the Bulls will be fired up for this rare visit from a BCS-level team.  Still, Pitt has to win this one, right?  Prediction: Pittsburgh 36, Buffalo 10.

North Carolina State (4-2) @ Maryland (4-2), 3:30 p.m.  While North Carolina State is not too much of a surprise, Maryland certainly is.  Good thing that Terrapins fans did not run Randy Edsall out of town.  Most likely.  Maryland does have to play a bunch of good teams down the stretch.  Reality sets in this week.  Prediction: North Carolina State 27, Maryland 14.

North Carolina (5-2) @ Duke (5-2), 7:00 p.m.  Obviously, a great basketball matchup, this is a pretty darn good football game this year.  For Duke, the season-ending slate is simply brutal.  This may be their last, best chance to get to bowl-eligibility.  Who better than the Tar Heels to stop them?  Prediction: North Carolina 24, Duke 20.

#12 Florida State (6-1) @ Miami (4-3), 8:00 p.m.  Miami has been tough to figure out.  There is really nothing in their performance to suggest that they can win this game.  Then again, there is everything out there to suggest that Florida State could simply lose it.  Typically, however, Florida State stumbles most egregiously in North Carolina.  Prediction: Florida State 45-Miami 20.

The Confidential apologizes in advance for not picking your team.  A lot of close games here.  Feel free to share why we are wrong. 

Posted by acaffrey in ACC only, Football, Predictions and tagged , , , , , , , , , , , ,
17 Oct 2012

The Confidential’s College Football Top 25 & Bottom 4: Week 8

Each week, the Confidential will provide its ranking of the top 25 teams in College Football, as well as the Bottom 4 BCS-level teams.  Here is the Week 8 version, with analysis of the top 10 and bottom 4:

  1. Alabama (6-0): Alabama continued the trend of Missouri being dominated in the SEC.  Halfway to another SEC-CCG.  Next up: @ Tennessee.
  2. Oregon (6-0): The Ducks were idle this week.  Up next–surprising Arizona State.   Next up: @ Arizona State.
  3. Notre Dame (6-0): The Fighting Irish added to their impressive victories by toppling Stanford.  They seem “back” under Kelly.  Next up: Brigham Young.
  4. Florida (6-0): The Gators did what they needed to do in beating Vanderbilt.  Next up: South Carolina.
  5. Kansas State (6-0): Kansas State took care of a game Iowa State squad.  Bill Snyder has this team on a roll–but the toughest road trip of the year looms.  Next up: @ West Virginia.
  6. Ohio State (7-0).  While it has been a comparatively unimpressive schedule so far, Ohio State has handled everyone.  Night and day from last year.  Next up: Purdue.
  7. Florida State (6-1):  The Seminoles did what they were supposed to do this week–annihilating Boston College.  Despite Miami’s difficulties this year, the Seminoles have to focus.  Next up:  @ Miami.
  8. Oklahoma (4-1): The Sooners’ destruction of Texas was admirable, but it may say more about how far Texas has fallen.  A rivalry win is always great though.  Next up: Kansas.
  9. LSU (6-1):  The Tigers defeat of South Carolina puts them back into contention.  A suddenly hot Texas A&M team is up next though.  Next up: @ Texas A&M.
  10. Georgia (5-1): Georgia has had a week to lick its wounds.  This does not bode well for Kentucky.  Next up: @ Kentucky.
  11. Louisville (6-0):   Next up: South Florida.
  12. Southern California (5-1):  Next up: Colorado.
  13. Oregon State (5-0).  Next up: Utah.
  14. West Virginia (5-1):  Next up: Kansas State.
  15. South Carolina (6-1):  Next up: @ Florida.
  16. Clemson (5-1).  Next up: Virginia Tech.
  17. Rutgers (6-0).  Next up: @ Temple.
  18. Mississippi State (6-0).  Next up: Middle Tennessee.
  19. Cincinnati (5-0). Next up: @ Toledo.
  20. Ohio (7-0). Next up: @ Miami.
  21. Michigan (4-2).  Next up: Michigan State.
  22. Nebraska (4-2).  Next up: @ Northwestern.
  23. Boise State (5-1).  Next up: UNLV.
  24. Louisiana Tech (5-1). Next up: Idaho.
  25. North Carolina (5-2).  Next up: @ Duke.

* * *

121. Colorado (1-5).  Colorado still does have a win against a conference foe, which is nice.  Unfortunately, that foe is near this list too.

122. Washington State (2-5).  As the losses keep mounting, Colorado gets to leapfrog the team that it managed to beat.  Both teams are pretty bad though.

123. Boston College (1-5).  Boston College was not supposed to keep it close against Florida State.  So it didn’t.

124. Kansas (1-5).  Kansas at least played respectably against Oklahoma State.  The Charlie Weis experience–failing at a University near you.

So there it is.  If you do not like it… sorry.  But feel free to share your reasons why…

Posted by acaffrey in Football, Rankings and tagged , , , , , , , ,
16 Oct 2012

ACC Football Rankings: October 15, 2012

This is particularly complex with Pitt and Syracuse not yet in the ACC, but it can still be done.  This is how the Confidential ranks the ACC football teams as of October 15, 2012:

1.  Florida State (6-1)–A week after doing what it normally does (losing to teams from Tobacco Road for no reason), Florida State did what it was supposed to do–annihilate Boston College.  Halfway to a BCS bowl for the Seminoles.

2. Clemson (5-1)–Clemson was idle, but nobody below it did anything worthy to leapfrog them.  Sitting nicely in the #2 slot.

3. North Carolina (5-2)–The Tar Heels defeated a tough Miami team on the road.  This team looks like it might be ready to take the next step.

4. North Carolina State (4-2)–The Wolfpack was idle this week, but will look to have a strong second half en route to another bowl appearance.

5. Virginia Tech (4-3)–The Hokies finally put something together–defeating upstart Duke at home.  Giving up 20 points in the first quarter was a poor start, but the final score was all Hokies.

6. Duke (5-2)–Duke’s second half schedule will be brutal–they need to get that 6th win ASAP.  They had the Hokies on the ropes too.

7. Maryland (4-2)–Without question, Maryland is battling Duke for the surprise team of the year.  The difference is that Maryland very well could end up with a better record due to Duke’s tough schedule.  This is why you do NOT fire head coaches after one year.

8. Miami (4-3)–Miami had a chance to take the next step, but faltered against the Tar Heels.  This is still an OK team, but not ready to be classified as “good.”

9. Wake Forest (3-3)—Wake Forest is sitting at .500, a mediocre record after a mediocre first-half of the season.  Not going to get any easier for the Demon Deacons.

10. Syracuse (2-4)–Syracuse lost to undefeated Rutgers, but the Orange continue to self-destruct.  Looking at the results up and down these rankings, Syracuse fans need to be careful in losing patience with their coach.  That being said, Doug Marrone needs to re-evaluate what he is doing.

11. Pittsburgh (2-4)—Pitt also lost to an undefeated Big East team–Louisville.  Pitt did not keep it quite as close as Syracuse did, but that is not a surprise.

12. Georgia Tech (2-4)–Georgia Tech needed the bye week to regroup and gather its thoughts.  There are still opportunities on the schedule, but becoming bowl eligible will take some work.

13. Virginia (2-5)–All that momentum from last year has stalled.  Maryland and Virginia seemed to have swapped teams somehow.  A bowl seems unlikely.

14. Boston College (1-5)–After losing to the Seminoles by 40+ points, Boston College is squarely in the basement.  A bowl seemed highly unlikely.

Do you agree with these rankings?  If not, let us know.

Posted by acaffrey in ACC only, Football, Rankings and tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
11 Oct 2012
2 Comments

ACC Football Predictions for Week 7

The Confidential’s football predictions for this week’s games featuring ACC teams.  The Confidential struggled to a 4-4 record–the worse week of the season.   Still, the Confidential is at a respectable 49-15 so far.  On to the week 7 predictions:

Saturday October 13, 2012

#18 Louisville (5-0) @ Pittsburgh (2-3), 11:00 a.m.   Pitt has been an enigma.  When you believe in them, they fail.  When you give up on them, they pull the upset.  The Confidential believes that they have the best coaching staff in the Big East.  But Pitt will rise to the occasion and defend its home turf.  Prediction: Pittsburgh 24, Louisville 21.

Syracuse (2-3) @ #20 Rutgers (5-0), Noon.   It is no secret that the Confidential is a “homer” when it comes to Syracuse, but rarely predicts based on that homer nature.  It is a jinx-risk thing.  But Rutgers will have the better season when it is all said and done.  Rutgers schedules smart and develops the confidence of its teams.  Syracuse’s challenging schedule has undermined its team confidence.  Prediction: Rutgers 21, Syracuse 19.

Duke (5-1) @ Virginia Tech (3-3), 12:30 p.m.  In most years, this would be a 30-point spread and an easy selection of the Hokies.  But those records cannot be ignored–they are saying something else.  The Confidential has been burned by the Hokies repeatedly this year, but will give them one more chance to show that they are not imploding.  Prediction: Virginia Tech 33, Duke 21.

North Carolina (4-2) @ Miami (4-2), 2:30 p.m.  The Sanctions Bowl!  Look, North Carolina has had a nice season, and Miami has been blown out by top foes on the road.  But note that Miami is home for this game.  That is a huge edge for the Hurricanes.  Prediction: Miami 30, North Carolina 22.

Maryland (3-2) @ Virginia (2-4), 3:00 p.m.  Who saw this coming?  Maryland with more wins than Virginia?  One of Virginia’s wins being a luck win against Penn State?  It is what it is.  If it is a fluke, this will be the week that puts the teams back on their expected course.  Prediction: Virginia 24, Maryland 14.

Boston College (1-4) @ #12 Florida State (5-1), 5:30 p.m.  The Seminoles could not avoid a letdown last week.  They were their own worst enemy.  Boston College just does not have the horses to play with Florida State.  If the Seminoles lose, they have the wrong coaching staff, plain and simple.  Prediction: Florida State 56, Boston College 10.

The Confidential apologizes in advance for not picking your team.  A lot of close games here.  Feel free to share why we are wrong. 

Posted by acaffrey in ACC only, Football, Predictions and tagged , , , , , , , , , , , ,
09 Oct 2012

The Confidential’s College Football Top 25 & Bottom 4: Week 7

Each week, the Confidential will provide its ranking of the top 25 teams in College Football, as well as the Bottom 4 BCS-level teams.  Here is the Week 7 version, with analysis of the top 15 and bottom 4:

  1. Alabama (5-0): Nobody is looking as good as Alabama right now, but this has been a weird year.  Nobody seems safe.  Next up: @ Missouri.
  2. Oregon (6-0): The Ducks have looked as dominant as ever.  Will they win the Pac-12 this year?   Next up: @ Arizona State.
  3. Notre Dame (5-0): The Fighting Irish have beaten a decent trio of teams in Michigan, Michigan State, and Miami.  Purdue is no slouch either.  Next up: Stanford
  4. Florida (5-0): The Gators stopped beating up on the SEC mediocrity and took care of LSU.  The East needed that win.  Next up: @ Vanderbilt.
  5. Kansas State (5-0): Kansas State destroyed Kansas.  Having already beaten Oklahoma, they get the edge over West Virginia and South Carolina.  Next up: @ Iowa State.
  6. West Virginia (5-0): The Mountaineers look outstanding.  The Big XII “defenses” are even less of a challenge than the Big East.  Who woulda thunk?  Next up: @ Texas Tech.
  7. South Carolina (6-0): The Gamecocks had no trouble with Georgia and have been quite good this year.  This week is another big test though.  Next up: @ L.S.U.
  8. Ohio State (6-0).  After walloping Nebraska, Ohio State suddenly looks to be “back.”  This week should not change anything.  Next up: Indiana.
  9. Florida State (5-1): After beating Clemson and then South Florida on the road, a letdown against NC State was not unexpected.  A loss was.  Next up: Boston College.
  10. Oklahoma (3-1): The Sooners may have lost to Kansas State, but that is a good football team.  Red River Rivalry Week!  Next up: Texas.
  11. LSU (5-1):  Unlike Georgia, LSU kept it close against Florida.  Another big test this week for the Tigers though.  Next up: South Carolina.
  12. Georgia (5-1): Georgia is supposed to be good.  But “good” teams put up a bigger fight against their conference rivals.  Next up: @ Kentucky.
  13. Louisville (5-0): The Cardinals have been OK this year.  Not truly tested yet though.  Next up: @ Pittsburgh.
  14. Southern California (4-1): The Trojans need some impressive victories.  So far, nothing too special in that regard.  Next up: @ Washington.
  15. Oregon State (4-0).  The Beavers are 4-0–who thought that would happen?  One of the year’s big surprises for sure.  Next up: @ Brigham Young.
  16. Clemson (5-1).  Next up: Virginia Tech.
  17. Texas (4-1). Next up: Oklahoma.
  18. Rutgers (5-0).  Next up: Syracuse.
  19. Louisiana Tech (5-0). Next up: Texas A&M.
  20. Mississippi State (5-0).  Next up: Tennessee.
  21. Cincinnati (4-0). Next up: Fordham.
  22. Ohio (6-0). Next up: Akron.
  23. Michigan (3-2).  Next up: Illinois.
  24. Nebraska (4-2).  Next up: @ Northwestern.
  25. Boise State (4-1).  Next up: Fresno State.

* * *

121. Kentucky (1-5).  The Wildcats have played some good teams, but 1-5 is 1-5.

122. Colorado (1-4).  After beating Washington State, the Buffaloes gave away their momentum with a blowout loss to UCLA.

123. Boston College (1-4).  Losing to Army is a good way to stay on this list.  So good work, B.C.

124. Kansas (1-4).  Kansas loses to instate rival by 40+ points, so Weis decides to practice without the Seniors.  How does that help anything?  The Peter Principle.

So there it is.  If you do not like it… sorry.  But feel free to share your reasons why…

Posted by acaffrey in Football, Rankings and tagged , , , , , , , ,

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