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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 , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
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 , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
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 , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
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 , , , , , , , ,
08 Oct 2012

ACC Football Rankings: October 8, 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 8, 2012:

1.  Florida State (5-1)–With its win over Clemson, the Confidential simply cannot punish the Seminoles for its road loss to North Carolina State THAT much.  There is plenty more time for Clemson to show it deserves this spot over the team that it lost to.

2. Clemson (5-1)–In beating Georgia Tech, Clemson has itself set up nicely to pounce if/when Florida State disappoints next.  The Tigers need to focus on running the table in the ACC and worry about its conference rival South Carolina only when that game week approaches.

3. Duke (5-1)–Duke keeps winning.  That Stanford loss looks worse now, but who had the Blue Devils playing for bowl-eligibility in mid-October?  Give credit where it is due.

4. North Carolina State (4-2)–Before the weekend, Florida State was in the national title picture.  After this weekend, they are not.  Credit North Carolina State for making that happen.

5. North Carolina (4-2)–The Tar Heels finally beat someone with some talent–the very talented Virginia Tech Hokies.  They’ll have to prove that the deserve to stay in this spot when they visit Miami this week.

6. Miami (4-2)–Miami has yet to lose in conference play, but they have been simply awful against top 10 teams out of conference.  They have been outscored 93-16.  Not a typo.  Wow.

7. Maryland (3-2)–Well, the Terrapins are above .500.  They kept it as close against West Virginia as anyone all year.  The best wins are Temple and Wake Forest though.  Ugh.

8. Wake Forest (3-3)–The Demon Deacons beat North Carolina.  Virginia Tech did not.

9. Virginia Tech(3-3)—Not that Wake Forest has done THAT much to be ahead of Virginia Tech.  But Virginia Tech is struggling in a way that we have not seen under Frank Beamer.

10. Syracuse (2-3)–Syracuse was desperate for a win and got it, defeating Pitt 14-13.  A pretty ugly win though.

11. Pittsburgh (2-3)—At least Pitt has a nice win over Virginia Tech.  They lost a lot of momentum with that Syracuse loss though.

12. Georgia Tech (2-4)–The loss to Clemson was not bad, but the Georgia Tech resume is just not that impressive.  They did beat Virginia though.

13. Virginia (2-4)–That lucky win over Penn State looks nice.  But otherwise Virginia has been awful.

14. Boston College (1-4)–For a few weeks, the Confidential has been saying that Boston College doesn’t deserve to be #14.  Losing to Army?  There, now they deserve it.

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

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

ACC Weekend Football Recap: October 7, 2012

Well, another week is in the books for the ACC and its national title hopes are in the dumpster.  It is not Florida State’s fault that the ACC is out of the national title picture, but it is Florida State’s fault that the Seminoles are.  The ACC’s other “BCS hopefuls” looked particularly poor also, with Virginia Tech, Georgia Tech, and Miami all losing.  Simply put, the ACC continues to mire itself in football mediocrity.

Here are the current standings:

Atlantic Conference W-L Overall W-L
Maryland 1-0 3-2
Clemson 2-1 5-1
Florida St. 2-1 5-1
N. Carolina St. 1-1 4-2
Wake Forest 1-3 3-3
Boston College 0-2 1-4
Coastal Conference W-L Overall W-L
Miami (Fla.) 3-0 4-2
Duke 2-0 5-1
North Carolina 1-1 4-2
Virginia Tech 1-1 3-3
Georgia Tech 1-3 2-4
Virginia 0-2 2-4

So there you have it.  Maryland, of all teams, is leading the Atlantic division.  And Miami and Duke are pacing the Coastal division.  If you bet $5 in Vegas on a Duke-Maryland championship game, you’d be looking for an island somewhere to purchase.  But that’s a possibility (mathematically).

It was not all bad for the ACC.  Duke rising to the occasion to beat Virginia IS a good story.  Virginia remains a dumpster fire, but Duke has not beaten Wake Forest and Virginia–neither team expected to be as bad as they currently are.  A Duke surge in football will be national news.  Clemson beating Georgia Tech continues the legitimacy of the Tigers.  And if Clemson can run the table and defeat a very hot South Carolina team in the process, they will be a legitimate BCS entry for the conference.  Similarly, Florida State running the table would include a defeat of currently surging Florida, accomplishing the same thing.  North Carolina State deserves some kudos for defeating Florida State too.  And we’ll be generous and call the Syracuse-Pitt pillow fight on Friday night a “defensive struggle,” as both teams have had decent offenses all season that were stifled by good performances on the other side of the ball.  These are all good things.

But it was mostly bad.  The ACC could have used a return to relevance by Virginia Tech, but the Hokies lost to North Carolina.  Not sure what is going on with Frank Beamer’s team, but it is not good.  Georgia Tech looked better in losing to Clemson, but 2-4 really was not expected.  That close loss to Virginia Tech looks worse and worse each week too.  Boston College losing to Army simply confirms that the program is in trouble right now.  And Miami remains an enigma–showing no signs of being able to compete on the national stage with another out-of-conference blowout loss.  That suggests that the ACC is that weak nationally–a 3-0 team in conference cannot stay within 30 points of top 10 teams.

There is little to point to defend ACC football in 2012.  At this point, it will be a battle for respect once again.  It is disappointing that the conference is in “wait ’til next year mode,” but it is what it is.

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

ACC Football Predictions for Week 6

The Confidential’s football predictions for this week’s games featuring ACC teams.  The Confidential nailed the Miami, Louisiana Tech, and Cincinnati wins last week.  Did not see the Georgia Tech loss (much less the margin of loss) or Duke wins though.  Still, the Confidential is at a robust 45-11 so far.  On to the week 5 predictions:

Friday October 5, 2012

Pittsburgh (2-2) @ Syracuse (1-3), 7:00 p.m.  Pitt started cold, but has been pretty good lately.  Syracuse starts every game cold, but has warmed up considerably in the second half in all games except Minnesota.  All signs point to Pitt being the team headed in the right direction.  And Syracuse has not beaten Pitt since… well, we’d have to look it up.  THAT long.  Prediction: Pitt 28, Syracuse 20.

Saturday October 6, 2012

Boston College (1-3) @ Army (0-4), Noon.   Both teams could use a victory.  Army just lost to FCS stud team Stony Brook, while BC has only beaten FCS New Hampshire.  Army is not going to lose out, but Boston College just needs this game way too much.  A loss could mean a coaching change.  Prediction: Boston College 27, Army 20.

Virginia Tech (3-2) @ North Carolina (3-2), 12:30 p.m.  Virginia Tech is just not its normal self this year.  North Carolina is able to blow out overmatched opponents, but cannot beat the solid ones.  Virginia Tech is not overmatched.  They may even be better than solid.  Prediction: Virginia Tech 31, North Carolina 20.

Virginia (2-3) @ Duke (4-1), 3:00 p.m.  The Blue Devils can smell a bowl game.  Virginia is having an unimpressive year.  This is Duke’s chance to be more than just a basketball school.  You have to win the winnable home games to take the next step.  Prediction: Duke 30, Virginia 21.

Georgia Tech (2-3) @ Clemson (4-1), 3:30 p.m.  The Bees are in trouble.  The Tigers are coasting.  Georgia Tech should be motivated after a humiliating loss.  Clemson must remain focused on a talented, but struggling opponent.  Clemson likely has too many weapons right now.  Prediction: Clemson 42, Georgia Tech 24.

Wake Forest (3-2) @ Maryland (2-2), 3:30 p.m.  Wake Forest could be in Duke’s shoes right now–2/3 the way to a bowl game.  Instead, Wake has to look at a game like Maryland as a game that it needs to win.  Maryland has been much improved this year.  Edge to the home team.  Prediction: Maryland 24, Wake Forest 21.

Miami (4-1) @ Notre Dame (4-0), 7:00 p.m.  The game of the day.  In 2015, this will be a conference game.  For now, it is matchup of two teams that dominated the past, but have struggled in the present.  Anything can happen in this game.  But Brian Kelly has the Fighting Irish defense looking very good.  Prediction: Notre Dame 21, Miami 16.

Florida State (5-0) @ North Carolina State (3-2), 8:00 p.m.  The Seminoles need to avoid a letdown every week.  They are their own worst enemy.  Or best enemy–if they just stay focused, they can beat anyone.  They certainly can defeat NC State–even on the road.  Prediction: Florida State 34, North Caroline State 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 , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
02 Oct 2012
2 Comments

ACC Football Rankings: October 1, 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 1, 2012:

1.  Florida State (5-0)–With a win over South Florida, the Seminoles showed that they can avoid a let down.  The Seminoles control their own destiny and are looking very very good.

2. Clemson (4-1)–By dispatching Boston College, the Tigers are trying to stay in contention should Florida State slip up. So far, so good.

3. Miami (4-1)–Miami is now 3-0 in conference play.  Who saw that coming after the Week 2 blowout loss to Kansas State (a legit team)?  Is this the year that the Seminoles and Hurricanes finally meet up in the ACC Championship Game?

4. Duke (4-1)–Duke is not supposed to be for real, but the wins just keep adding up for the Blue Devils.  What team with a worse record deserves this spot more?  Exactly.

5. Virginia Tech (3-2)–The Hokies are not having a typical season.  And being slid into the 5th spot is more of a reflection on the implosions elsewhere in the conference.

6. North Carolina State (3-2)–NC State’s game against Miami was the type of game it needs to win to turn the corner.  Of course, this is a statement that gets said for this program multiple times a year it seems like.

7. Wake Forest (3-2)—The Demon Deacons could be #4 in this list, but the loss to Duke caused this drop.  At least they beat the Tar Heels.

8. North Carolina (3-2)–The Tar Heels have done a nice job of beating the teams they are supposed to beat.  Much of the ACC cannot say that, unfortunately.

9. Pitt (2-2)–Despite losing its first two games, Pitt looks to have righted the ship.  Big game against Syracuse this week.

10. Maryland (2-2)—Give credit to Maryland-at least they are much improved over last year.  With all the mediocrity, the Terrapins may yet make a bowl.

11. Georgia Tech (2-3)–Hard to explain what is going on in Georgia Tech.  But they have generally looked better than Virginia.

12. Virginia (2-3)—Virginia has looked worse than their 2-3 record suggests.  In danger of dropping lower.  

13. Syracuse (1-3)–Syracuse is desperate for a win.  Pitt is going to be a tough foe.

13. Boston College (1-3)–Boston College doesn’t deserve to be #14.  They are playing tough teams.  No impressive wins yet.

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

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

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