The Confidential

The ACC Sports Blog

Archive for the tag “notre dame”

10 Dec 2012
2 Comments

ACC Basketball Rankings: December 10, 2012

This is particularly complex with Pitt, Louisville, Notre Dame, and Syracuse not yet in the ACC, but it can still be done.  This is how the Confidential ranks the ACC basketball teams as of December 10, 2012:

1.  Duke (9-0)–The Blue Devils are hated by many.  But you cannot deny how successful this season has gone.  An impressive 9-0.

2. Syracuse (8-0)–The Orange have two good victories, but no truly great ones.  A decent OOC slate, but the real meat comes in the Big East regular season.

3. Louisville (8-1)–The ACC’s newest addition has only lost to Duke.  A win over Missouri is the big victory on the schedule.

4.Pittsburgh (9-1)--The Panthers are looking to rebound after last year’s disappointing season.  Only loss is to a very very good Michigan team.

5. Notre Dame (8-1)–The Irish lost to St. Joseph’s, which is not uber-embarrassing.  Still, that has them behind several teams.  The win over Kentucky was nice, but less impressive now.

6. Maryland (7-1)–The Terps have been good, losing only to Kentucky.  Still waiting on an impressive win though.

7. North Carolina State (6-2)–The Wolfpack have been somewhat disappointing at only 6-2.  But the losses are not awful and they do have a win over surprising UConn.

8.Virginia Tech (7-1)–Despite losing to WVU, the Hokies have decent wins, such as Iowa and Oklahoma State.  Not too bad.

9. North Carolina (7-2)–As good as 7-2 looks, the Tar Heels have not beaten anyone of note.  The best win might be Mississippi State, a lower tier SEC team.

10. Miami (5-1)–Miami’s win over Michigan State was very impressive.  Need to see the Hurricanes against major competition a few more times before having them elevate over the teams ahead of them.

11. Virginia (8-2)—The Wahoos struggled in the first few games, but are rounding into form.  With wins over Tennessee and Wisconsin, look for this team to rise to the top half.

12. Georgia Tech (6-2)–No shame in the two losses, but it’s hard to find even a decent win for the Yellow Jackets.  Time will tell.

13. Clemson (5-3)–The Tigers have tough losses–Gonzaga, Illinois, and Arizona.  This team may peak late in the season.

14. Florida State (5-4)–At 5-4, the Seminoles are easily the ACC’s disappointment so far.  The losses to Mercer and South Alabama stand out.

15. Wake Forest (4-5)–The Demon Deacons did beat Mercer, but few other teams.  The losses are not horrible, but just way too many to get to NIT-level play.

16. Boston College (4-5)-Losses to Charleston and Bryant land Boston College in its familiar, cellar position.  So it goes in Beantown.

Right/wrong?  Disagree?  If not, let us know.

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

The Confidential’s College Basketball Top 25 & Bottom 5: December 4, 2012

Each week, the Confidential will provide its ranking of the top 25 teams in College Basketball, as well as the Bottom 5 major conference teams.  Here is the December 4, 2012, update, with analysis of the top 10 and bottom 5:

  1. Duke (8-0): The Blue Devils have beaten Kentucky, Louisville, and Ohio State.  Who has beaten better teams?  Nobody.
  2. Indiana (8-0): Tough call between Syracuse and Indiana, but the edge goes to the Hoosiers.  Indiana has convincing wins over Georgetown and North Carolina already.
  3. Syracuse (6-0): The Orange have beaten San Diego State in San Diego and Arkansas in Fayetteville.  Looking very good as the calendar hits December.
  4. Michigan (7-0): With wins over Pitt and NC State, the Wolverines are off to a perfect start.  The most talented Michigan team in a long, long time.  Well, outside East Lansing anyway.
  5. Florida (6-0): Gator-mania is back.  Florida has already beaten Wisconsin and Marquette.  Struggling Seminoles are up next.
  6. Louisville (6-1):  The Cardinals are not coping well with the injury to Gorgui Dieng.  Still, only loss of the season is to Duke.
  7. Gonzaga (8-0): After a few quiet years, Gonzaga hopes to return to national prominence.  Hmmmm…does the Big East need a team in Washington?
  8. Ohio State (5-1).  Like Louisville, Ohio State has only lost to Duke.  The Buckeyes are part of a strong upper tier of the Big Ten.
  9. Cincinnati (7-0): Lack of elite opponents makes this ranking a bit high.  But the Bearcats are at least beating some major conference opponents (Oregon, Alabama, Iowa State).
  10. Arizona (5-0).  The Wildcats have not really played anyone yet.  So the undefeated start is not all that impressive.  Yet.
  11. Missouri (6-1).
  12. Illinois (8-0).
  13. New Mexico (8-0).
  14. San Diego State (5-1).
  15. Creighton (7-1).
  16. Georgetown (5-1).
  17. Notre Dame (7-1).
  18. Minnesota (8-1).
  19. Wichita State (8-0).
  20. North Carolina State (4-2).
  21. Oklahoma (6-1).
  22. UNLV (5-1).
  23. Kansas State (6-1).
  24. North Carolina (6-2).
  25. Michigan State (6-2).

* * *

300. West Virginia (2-3).  A lot of teams with 3 wins knocking on the door here, but the Mountaineers and their 2 wins earn the spot.  Not likely to last though.

301.  Vanderbilt (2-4).  Vanderbilt has lost to Oregon, Villanova, Marist, Davidson.  Yikes.

302.  Georgia (2-5).  The Bulldogs losses to Youngstown State, UCLA, Southern Mississippi, and South Florida are perplexing.  Indiana is understandable.

303.  Mississippi State (2-5).  No shame to losing to North Carolina, Marquette or Texas.  Providence was a disappointment.  Troy an embarrassment.

304.  Auburn (2-5).  Is Auburn the worst athletic department in the country?  Football team faces more scandal and was terrible this year.  The hoops team has now lost to Murray State, Rhode Island, Boston College, DePaul, and Dayton.

These rankings are early and will certainly shake up as the season progresses.  Still, if you feel like debating, share your comments…

Posted by acaffrey in Rankings and tagged , , , , , , , ,
27 Nov 2012
7 Comments

Navy to the ACC?

There are some Internet rumors out there about Navy being in consideration for the ACC.  Interesting.

First, if adding Navy means that Notre Dame joins the ACC full-time, then it is game over and you have to do it. Adding Notre Dame would legitimize the ACC in a way that no other addition could.

Second, if not, Navy could be added with the same program as Notre Dame.  Perhaps both teams would play 5 games.  Perhaps both teams would be willing to play 6 games.  After all, the matchup between the two schools would now be a conference game.  For scheduling purposes, it would make some sense to have two teams doing so.

Of course, the problem would be figuring out how to coordinate divisions.  With Notre Dame and Navy both appealing to northern teams, it would be hard to divide geographically.  Ideally, you’d want to separate Notre Dame and Navy.  But then they would have to play extra games to face each other.  It gets challenging.

An interesting move would be to add Navy and Army for football only if ND is willing to go “all in.” Picture this:

USA Pod: Syracuse, Army, ND, Boston College

NE Pod: Pitt, Navy, Virginia, Virginia Tech

NC Pod: NC, NC State, Duke, Wake Forest

SE Pod: Miami, FSU, Clemson, Georgia Tech

The USA Pod and NE Pod always play each other, forming the NORTH division.  The NC and SE Pod always play each other, forming the SOUTH division.  The best teams in the North and South play in the CCG.  Each team in the North would also play one team from the NC and SE pods each.  Each team in the South would also play one team each from the USA and NE pods.  The goal would be to match teams by level as much as possible.

With 9 opponents set, this would only leave Notre Dame three OOC games, presumably USC, a Big 10 school, and another school.  But if ND were agreeable to that, so be it.

Obviously, there would be some issues.  ND, Virginia Tech, and FSU are good anchors.  North Carolina is a weak anchor for the NC pod.  Although they were 8-4 this year.  Meanwhile, having Clemson, Miami, and Georgia Tech in one pod is pretty strong.  But, again, the pods are not actual divisions–just for  scheduling purposes.  It remains a North/South split.  On balance, the North/South split is not that bad.

In fact, just allowing the geography to play itself out makes more sense than trying to manipulate balance.  This year, Florida State is playing 6-6 Georgia Tech.  It would be better to be playing an 10-2 team from the North–regardless of difficulty of schedule in getting there.  For strength of schedule purposes, it benefits a Florida State or Clemson to play the toughest schedule possible.  Of course, THIS year, Notre Dame would be the best team, with a 10-2 record overall.

In any event, that remains a bit of a pipe dream on many levels.  For now, the discussion is UConn, Louisville, and Navy.  Unfortunately, there is no real discussion about Cincinnati right now.

Time will tell as to which, if any, is chosen.

 

 

Posted by acaffrey in ACC only, Conference Realignment, Football and tagged , , , ,
24 Nov 2012
22 Comments

ACC Expansion Thoughts: 16 teams?

The message boards are heating up over the idea of the ACC adding Louisville, Cincinnati, and UConn to become the first 16-team conference.  Indeed, this was a legitimate enough “rumor” that the well-respected Frank the Tank blog (notwithstanding the Confidential’s recent criticism of some of the comments there), included this quote:

One interesting example of Twitter having fans on edge was a Tweet from Brian Miller, a Tallahassee Democrat reporter that said that the ACC wouldn’t even make a choice between Louisville and UConn, but rather add both of them along with Cincinnati* to create a 16-team conference.  By the time that Tweet spread like wildfire, Miller had removed it from his timeline.  Time will tell whether that was removed because it couldn’t be backed up or the information was too sensitive for the reporter’s source to put it out there for public consumption immediately.  The ACC may very well have the most incentive to grow to 16 first to create a perception of strength in numbers (even if it might not look like the most financially lucrative move).  [Full article here.]

At first glance, the idea of expanding to 16 teams seems counter-intuitive because it would mean 16 teams dividing an already too-small pot for 14 teams.  But there is plenty to discuss about it.  Here are the Confidentials thoughts (albeit with zero predictions).

The recent addition of Maryland to the Big 10 is a benefit to Fox.  While ESPN has a piece of the Big 10, as the Big Ten Network grows, the risk of losing more inventory also grows.  And Fox’s partnership with the Big 10 is one that includes joint ownership of the BTN.  While much is said about ESPN and Fox being cooperative in preventing a third major sports network developing, it cannot be forgotten that ESPN and Fox are not simply dividing the world for mutual benefit.  At some point, they are competitors.  In the same vein, the SEC and Big 10 both covet North Carolina–they may be cooperating to some extent, but they both ultimately have a similar goal.  In any event, if the Big 10 were to take two more ACC schools or if the Big XII were to take a few (or more) ACC schools, then the ACC’s ability to survive would be in jeopardy.  If ESPN profits from the ACC deal, they stand to lose that profit AND suffer the embarrassment of losing ground to Fox.  The Confidential believes that if ESPN wants to have a presence beyond merely the SEC in football and the remnants of the Big East in basketball, it needs to preserve the ACC.  If it wants to do that, it will have to pony up the $$$ to keep the ACC alive.  You know, like it did with the Big XII.

However, ESPN cannot just go around re-negotiating its contracts to pay more money.  It cannot show that little deference to its contracts or otherwise play favorites within the conference scheme.  The loss of Maryland is a one-team change in the conference.  If the ACC were to backfill with UConn or Louisville, ESPN would have to voluntarily renegotiate its contract.  This just cannot happen.

Instead, what needs to happen is that the ACC take on three new teams… such as Louisville, Cincinnati, and UConn.  If that happens, ESPN can renegotiate the TV deal.  It can help narrow the differences with the other conferences, such that the ACC seems less likely to be broken up.  Perhaps it would even be enough to make Florida State happy.  If so, the Big XII would be without effective replacements from the ACC to get to 12 teams.

Now, if the Big XII truly does want 12 teams, suddenly the best options on the table are the Big East schools–with Louisville and Cincinnati perhaps being the best targets, as they would be a nice fit with West Virginia.  Plus, Fox and the Big XII could see taking Louisville and Cincinnati a good measure to block the ACC from getting the revenue increase it needs from ESPN to start evening the balance.  This would make it more likely to eventually land Florida State and Cincinnati.  Indeed, imagine if Cincinnati starts having more TV revenue than Clemson and Florida State.  The pressure on the ACC would be substantial.  It could start to crumble.

On the other hand, the ACC could be pleased to see the Big XII take Louisville and Cincinnati because it would mean less spots available for a future raid of the ACC.  Does the Big XII want Florida State badly enough to go to 14 or 16 teams?  In addition, while Louisville to the ACC makes sense to make Florida State happy, UConn has the location and basketball pedigree to make the hoops schools happy.  In fact, the Big XII does not even need to TAKE Louisville, it just needs to have Louisville sufficiently convinced that the Big XII would take them to defer making a decision.  If Cincinnati is told they are the 16th team, their decision is dependent on both Louisville and UConn accepting.  If UConn accepts first, then it just comes down to whether Louisville is willing to sign on with the ACC or not.  The ACC could end up with UConn, without running the risk of angering Florida State.  After all, the decision was Louisville’s.  It chose the Big XII.

On yet another hand, if you are the Big XII… why care about Louisville and Cincinnati?  The Big XII’s best move would be to take USF with Louisville.  Tampa is a GREAT place for a school.  If the Big 10 can gamble on making Rutgers relevant, why couldn’t the Big XII gamble on USF becoming a clear 4th Florida school?  With Miami down, this is the time to strike.  Of course, USF couldn’t be having a worse year to struggle on the field.  But, from a demographics and recruiting standpoint, this has to be a worthy add.  Or the Big XII could use USF as the partner to try to woo Florida State.  If Clemson is unwilling to abandon the ACC, perhaps USF could do so.  Actually, an argument could be made that the Big XII expanding into Florida by taking BOTH USF and UCF makes some sense.  You get inroads on the Orlando/Tampa markets.  Two HUGE schools.  Again, if the Big 10 is willing to gamble on schools the Big XII.

With more hands than Secretariat, the Confidential has one more.  If the ACC goes to 16 teams, is there room for Notre Dame?  Suddenly, the Fighting Irish are looking at being the 17th school–an unwieldy number.  The ACC may have to move beyond the Fighting Irish at that point.  Maybe drop them down to 4 games per season.  Play each team once every 4 years.  Or this rumor could be a play to get Notre Dame to consider taking Cincinnati’s spot.  Having already sold the alums on the ACC partially, maybe there is a better ability to just bite the bullet and go “all in.”  It’s better than dropping down to the Atlantic-10 or being in the Big XII or Big 10.  For the ACC, if Notre Dame is not going to join now, it is never going to join.  If/when the big money conferences do start poaching the ACC schools, Notre Dame will lose interest.  It’s going to get worse before it gets better.  With ND, perhaps the ACC becomes safe.  Without ND, who knows?

Another hand… if the ACC was smart, it would just negotiate with ESPN to allow Florida State to now keep their Tier III rights.  Allow ND to join the ACC but also keep their Tier III rights.  ND can put theirs on NBC.  Florida State can do whatever it wants with theirs.  Keeping Florida State makes the Southern ACC schools like Clemson and Ga Tech happy.  Getting ND makes everyone happy.  Although ND and FSU would get some extra $$$, is there any doubt that those two schools are, by far, the biggest Kings that the ACC will ever have?  It’s the difference between football relevance and irrelevance.  In 2020’s, the ACC can negotiate something better for Clemson and Georgia Tech and Virginia Tech.  For now, Florida State and Notre Dame can keep those schools in the picture so that their prominence remains stable.

Of course, Occam’s Razor comes into play.  Perhaps the ACC just decided that adding three schools is a good idea.  Or perhaps the rumor is just a rumor.  Who knows anymore?

So, no predictions here… just thoughts.  Feel free to share where you think this is going.

Posted by acaffrey in Conference Realignment and tagged , , , , , , , ,
22 Nov 2012
2 Comments

ACC Football Predictions for Thanksgiving Weekend 2012

The Confidential’s football predictions for this week’s games featuring ACC teams.  Not sure whether there should be analysis of Louisville or UConn…. ha ha ha.  Anyway, last week the Confidential went 6-2, improving the overall record to a respectable 78-30.  On to the week 13 predictions:

Friday, November 23, 2012

Syracuse (6-5) @ Temple (4-6), 11:00 a.m.   You’ll have to stop your Black Friday shopping a bit early to catch this one.  Syracuse showed that its football is definitely on the upswing with a win on the road against Missouri, who was itself desperate for a win.  The Orange are banged up and this is Temple’s final game of the season.  An upset would not be shocking, but the Confidential will lean toward the ‘Cuse keeping the momentum going.  Prediction: Syracuse 33, Temple 21.

Saturday November 24, 2012

Georgia Tech (6-5) @ #3 Georgia (10-1), 12:00 p.m.  Maybe rivalry week allows teams to throw out the records.  But it is hard to really feel like Georgia Tech can win this game.  They have been playing a bit better lately.  Still, this one has a chance to get ugly.  Prediction: Georgia 30, Georgia Tech 17.

Virginia (4-7) @ Virginia Tech (5-6), 12:00 p.m.  As much as the Hokies have struggled all year, they are one win away from a bowl.  Virginia is an enigma still–no idea which version of the team will show up from week-to-week.  The Hokies have home field advantage, which has to be worth something.  Prediction: Virginia Tech 21, Virginia 17.

#21 Rutgers (9-1) @ Pittsburgh (4-6), 12:00 p.m.  This has been a great week for Rutgers and a 10th win would just be the icing on the cake.  Pitt must win to have a chance at a bowl.  No matter what happens, Rutgers gets to play Louisville for the BCS bowl berth next week, so perhaps the Scarlet Knights will come out flat.  Upset special here.  Prediction: Pittsburgh 24, Rutgers 20.

Miami (6-5) @ Duke (6-5), 12:30 p.m.  The Blue Devils have been coasting.  Miami has been another hard team to figure out.  With the Hurricanes pulling the plug on the post-season, it will be interesting to see whether they show up.  If Al Golden can get them motivated, Miami should win.  For Duke, this game presents the opportunity to regain some much needed momentum.  Prediction: Miami 31 , Duke 28.

Maryland (4-7) @ North Carolina (7-4), 3:00 p.m.  The only thing more surprising than Maryland leaving the ACC is the lack of anyone really caring.  Somewhat odd, really.  The Terps should have rivalries after all these years, but seemingly do not.  For Randy Edsall, a win here would be a great way to celebrate the offseason.  For the Tar Heels, bowl ineligibility means that this is their last chance to play football for several months.  Prediction: North Carolina 30, Maryland 10.

Boston College (2-9) @ North Carolina State (6-5), 3:00 p.m.  Well, another version of the Tom O’Brien Bowl.  Give credit to Boston College, they have played tough two weeks in a row.  A coaching change is inevitable, but the team has not quit at all.  An upset to send the coaching staff off would be a great way to finish the season.  The Wolfpack could really use another win though.  If they can’t beat BC…. well, do you really deserve a bowl?  Prediction: North Carolina State 24, Boston College 20.

Vanderbilt (7-4) @ Wake Forest (5-6), 3:30 p.m.  The Demon Deacons are desperate for a win to get bowl eligible.  Vanderbilt has its bowl game locked up.  Another reason for Vandy to be comfortable is that they are coming off the high of beating Tennessee.  Badly.  At the same time, Wake Forest has been as unimpressive as possible in getting to 5 wins.  It’s just hard to envision Wake pulling this one out.  Prediction: Vanderbilt 24, Wake Forest 17.

#6 Florida (10-1) @ #10 Florida State (10-1), 3:30 p.m.  The game of the week–two top 10 teams battling to see who gets to 10-1.  Florida has now been impressive in his recent cupcake wins.  Florida State has been only slightly better.  Neither team is peaking right now.  If the Seminoles want to be considered “back,” this is a game that they have to win.  In a pure homerism pick, the Confidential thinks it will happen.  Prediction: Florida State 28, Florida 21.

#13 South Carolina (9-2) @ #12 Clemson (10-1), 7:00 p.m.  The ACC regular season finale ends with a bang, as Clemson looks to avenge its disappointing loss to the Gamecocks last year.  This Clemson team has been scoring at will of late.  Unfortunately, last week the Tigers allowed North Carolina State to pretty much do the same thing.  South Carolina has to be licking its chops.  Homerism prevails again here.  Prediction: Clemson 35, South Carolina 24.

Idle: None

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 , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
21 Nov 2012

The Confidential’s College Football Top 25 & Bottom 4: Week 12

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 12 version, with analysis of the top 10 and bottom 4:

  1. Notre Dame (11-0): The Fighting Irish shutout Wake Forest to draw within one game of the national title.  Oh, and Matt Barkley is injured now.
  2. Ohio State (11-0).  The Buckeyes took care of Wisconsin, which is a pretty good football team for the Big 10.  Nicely done.
  3. Alabama (10-1): Alabama beat Western Carolina.  Or West Carolina.  Or something.  Good grief.  Up next?  The Iron Bowl.
  4. Florida State (10-1):  The Seminoles demolished Maryland, who promptly quit the ACC.  Perhaps Western Carolina is looking for a new home?
  5. Florida (10-1): Florida did better against Jacksonville State than it did against Louisiana-Lafayette.  Huge game against the Seminoles looms.
  6. Oregon (10-1): The Ducks are good at putting up 50 points on inferior defenses (and USC).  Stanford exposed them.
  7. Kansas State (10-1): The Wildcats were cruising, until Baylor stopped them.  Still a great season no matter what happens in two weeks against Texas.
  8. Clemson (10-1): The Tigers have quite an offense this year.  We’ll see how they fair against the South Carolina defense.
  9. Georgia (10-1): Georgia beat up on Georgia Southern.  Another exciting SEC game last week.  Georgia Tech should provide slightly more resistance.
  10. Oklahoma (8-2): The Sooners eked by West Virginia to claim the final spot in the top 10.  Up next is rival Oklahoma State.
  11. Texas A&M (9-2).
  12. LSU (9-2).
  13. South Carolina (9-2).
  14. Nebraska (9-2).
  15. Louisville (9-1).
  16. Oregon State (8-2).
  17. Stanford (9-2).
  18. Michigan (8-3).
  19. Texas (8-2).
  20. UCLA (9-2).
  21. Oklahoma State (7-3).
  22. Rutgers (9-1).
  23. Boise State (9-2).
  24. Northern Illinois (10-1).
  25. Utah State (9-2).

* * *

121.  Illinois (2-9).  The Illini lost the pillow fight with Purdue.  Even Northern Illinois is ranked!

122. Washington State (2-9).  The Cougars were blown out by Arizona State.  Tough debut year for head coach Mike Leach.

123. Kansas (1-10).  Kansas was demolished by Iowa State, losing some momentum.  Well, as much momentum as a team can get with close losses.

124. Colorado (1-10).  The Buffaloes lost by 35 to somebody.  Sadly, this is a defense that WOULD benefit from having Greg Robinson.  Wow.

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 , , , , , , , ,
17 Nov 2012

The Confidential’s College Basketball Top 25 & Bottom 5: Week 1

Each week, the Confidential will provide its ranking of the top 25 teams in College Basketball, as well as the Bottom 4 major conference teams.  Here is the Week 1 version, with analysis of the top 10 and bottom 4:

  1. Duke (2-0): The Blue Devils beat Kentucky.  Who has beaten a better team yet this year?
  2. Syracuse (1-0): The Orange have beaten San Diego State in San Diego.  Aircraft carrier or not, that’s worthy of #2.
  3. Indiana (2-0):  The Hoosiers have not been tested yet, but they will be soon enough.
  4. Louisville (2-0).  These are good times in Louisville, with both major teams ranked.  May be outgrowing the Big East.
  5. Michigan (3-0): It’s hard to be fully sold on the Wolverines, but they are beating their cupcakes.  Better than losing to them.
  6. Gonzaga (2-0): Gonzaga obliterated a good West Virginia team.  That gets them higher in the Confidential’s eyes than in the polls.
  7. Connecticut (3-0):  This will not last.  But the Huskies have beaten MSU and Wake Forest.  Can anyone top that?
  8. Michigan State (1-1): Tom Izzo is a favorite of the Confidential.  Who else has the courage to open a season with UConn and Kansas?
  9. Florida (2-0): The Gators have already beaten a tough Wisconsin team.  Nice for the strength of schedule.
  10. Kansas (2-1): Losing to MSU by 3 is more impressive than beating Southwest State A&M or any other cupcake.  Kansas will be there at season’s end.
  11. Kentucky (2-1).
  12. Arizona (2-0).
  13. North Carolina (2-0).  Note: At time of publication, the Tar Heels were leading Long Beach State by one at halftime.
  14. Missouri (2-0).
  15. North Carolina State (3-0).
  16. UNLV (1-0).
  17. Ohio State (1-0).
  18. Baylor (3-1).
  19. UCLA (3-0).
  20. Wichita State (1-0).
  21. Notre Dame (2-0).
  22. Wisconsin (1-1).
  23. Creighton (2-0).
  24. San Diego State (1-1).
  25. Alabama (4-0).

* * *

300. Purdue (1-3).  The Confidential understands that the Boilermakers have played some tough games already.  But three losses in mid-November is three losses.

301.  Georgia (1-2).  The Bulldogs are having a great football year.  Not so much on the hardcourt though.

302.  Mississippi State (1-1).  Losing to Troy is not a great way to start the season.  So it goes.

303.  Washington (1-1).  The Huskies lost to Albany.  The Great Danes traveled 3,000 miles and won.  Not good.

304.  Rutgers (2-1).  The Scarlet Knights have two wins.  But they lost to the St. Pete’s Peacocks.

These rankings are early and will certainly shake up as the season progresses.  Still, if you feel like debating, share your comments…

Posted by acaffrey in Rankings and tagged , , , , , , , ,
15 Nov 2012

ACC Football Predictions for Week 12

The Confidential’s football predictions for this week’s games featuring ACC teams.  The Confidential struggled to a 4-4 record, making the overall record to a less-respectable 72-28.  On to the week 12 predictions:

Thursday November 15, 2012

North Carolina (6-4) @ Virginia (4-6), 7:30 p.m.  Don’t look now, but Virginia is surging toward a possible bowl game.  After beating bowl-eligible North Carolina State and potentially bowl-eligible Miami, it remains a possibility.  North Carolina just gave up 68 points to Georgia Tech.  Football, not basketball.  Unreal.  The defense will be better this week.  Still, the home team has more to play for.  Prediction: Virginia 31, North Carolina 28.

Saturday November 3, 2012

#10 Florida State (9-1) at Maryland (4-6), 12:00 p.m.  Maryland is a feel-good story this year.  But they are playing with a 5th string QB.  Florida State simply cannot lose this game and be taken seriously as “back.”  Sure, the temptation will be to look ahead to the huge rivalry game with equally impressive Florida.  But these are the games that elite teams win in the first half.  Prediction: Florida State 38, Maryland 6.

Virginia Tech (4-6) @ Boston College (2-8), 12:30 p.m.  As much as Virginia Tech has struggled this year, they still have a chance at a bowl game.  It would be cool if Virginia Tech and Virginia are both 5-6 heading into the rivalry game.  It’s hard to see Boston College stopping the Hokies from being in that position. Prediction: Virginia Tech 27, Boston College 10.

South Florida (3-6) @ Miami (5-5), 3:00 p.m.  The Bulls have struggled with BJ Daniels.  It is hard to see them getting better now that he is lost for the season.  Meanwhile, Miami remains a complete enigma.  A win would be expected here, a loss would not be the least bit surprising either.  But the absence of Daniels and the Hurricanes being at home justify the prediction here.  Prediction: Miami 31 , South Florida 24.

North Carolina State (6-4) @ #11 Clemson (9-1), 3:30 p.m.  The Wolfpack have already ruined Florida State’s national title aspirations; why not ruin Clemson’s BCS bowl hopes too?  Clemson cannot be looking ahead to its rivalry game against South Carolina either.  Much like the Seminoles, the Tigers have to prove that they are elite by avoiding upsets–like last year.  Clemson is rolling and at home.  Prediction: Clemson 35, North Carolina State 20.

Duke (6-4) @ Georgia Tech (5-5), 3:30 p.m.  Who would have thought that this game would have Championship Game implications?  If Duke wins, they will go to the ACC Championship Game.  If Georgia Tech wins, they are still in the hunt for the same opportunity.  Duke has not been a very good road team this year.  Georgia Tech seems to be turning things around.  Prediction: Georgia Tech 42, Duke 31.

Wake Forest (5-5) @ #3 Notre Dame (10-0), 3:30 p.m.  The Fighting Irish have been coasting to their game with USC.  Frankly, if they do not start playing better, they will lose that game.  Brian Kelly will have to get his team motivated for this home game against the Demon Deacons.  Nothing about Wake Forest’s season suggest that they can win this game.  However, teams seem to rise to the occasion when they travel to South Bend.  Prediction: Notre Dame 24, Wake Forest 16.

Syracuse (5-5) @ Missouri (5-5), 7:30 p.m.  The Orange scheduling is just absurd.  Three of the four OOC games were against bowl-eligible FBS teams.  The fourth was against an FCS team, Stony Brook, that is 9-2.  And now they play at Missouri, who is desperate for the win to get to bowl-eligibility.  The Tigers are healthy now too.  Syracuse has struggled on the road and has a more-winnable game looming against Temple next week.  The Confidential is pulling for the Orange, but skeptical.  Prediction: Missouri 28, Syracuse 24.

Idle: Pittsburgh.

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 , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
14 Nov 2012

The Confidential’s College Football Top 25 & Bottom 4: Week 11

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 11 version, with analysis of the top 10 and bottom 4:

  1. Oregon (10-0): The Ducks had no trouble dealing with Cal.  And Alabama’s loss opened up the #1 spot.
  2. Notre Dame (10-0): The Fighting Irish edged Boston College.  Up next is mediocre Wake Forest.  Not the week to be looking ahead to USC.
  3. Kansas State (10-0):  The Wildcats got by TCU, albeit without the offensive fireworks.  Up next is Baylor.
  4. Ohio State (10-0).  The Buckeyes had a week off to rest.  This week they travel to surging Wisconsin.
  5. Alabama (9-1): Alabama lost to Texas A&M to drop out of the top spot.  Still in prime position for a BCS berth.
  6. Georgia (9-1): Georgia destroyed a desperate Auburn team.  That justifies the leapfrog over the Seminoles.
  7. Florida State (9-1):  The Seminoles struggled to beat a fading Virginia Tech team.  They need to focus on Maryland this week and avoid the upset.
  8. Florida (9-1): Florida eked by Lousiana-Lafayette and has Jacksonville State next.  The real test is the looming battle with Florida State.
  9. Clemson (9-1): The Tigers keep on rolling–this time easily defeating Maryland.  An at-large BCS berth remains possible.
  10. Oklahoma (7-2): Again, if there is going to be a two-loss team in the top 10, how about one that lost to two teams in the top 4?  That’s the Sooners.
  11. Texas A&M (8-2).
  12. LSU (8-2).
  13. South Carolina (8-2).
  14. Nebraska (8-2).
  15. Louisville (9-1).
  16. Oregon State (7-2).
  17. Michigan (7-3).
  18. Louisiana Tech (9-1).
  19. Texas (8-2).
  20. Stanford (8-2).
  21. UCLA (8-2).
  22. Boise State (8-2).
  23. Cincinnati (7-2).
  24. Central Florida (8-2).
  25. Southern California (7-3).

* * *

121.  Illinois (2-8).  The Illini keep losing.  Again, though, Purdue is in the same boat and the two teams play in this week!  Classic pillow fight!

122. Boston College (2-8).  Boston College looked decent against Notre Dame.  Then again, Notre Dame is not a dominant, high-scoring team.

123. Kansas (1-9).  Kansas is losing by tighter margins than Colorado.  So they move up a slot.

124. Colorado (1-9).  The Buffaloes lost by 25 to somebody.  It they had played someone good, they would have lost by 50.   Just another level of terrible.

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 , , , , , , , ,
13 Nov 2012

ACC Basketball Rankings: Week 1

While there is plenty of football left to be played, basketball is now started.  Here are the Confidential’s ACC basketball rankings in Week 1:

  1. Syracuse (1-0).  With a win over ranked San Diego State, in San Diego, the Orange rightfully claim this spot.  For now.
  2. North Carolina State (1-0).  The Wolfpack destroyed Miami (Ohio), retaining the #2 position easily.
  3. Duke (1-0).  Duke beat a cupcake, but the polls had North Carolina leapfrog them.  Too soon for that.
  4. North Carolina (2-0).  Although North Carolina beat two cupcakes to Duke’s one, plenty of season left for a true justification to swap the two teams.
  5. Notre Dame (1-0).  The Fighting Irish struggled to beat Evansville.  But they won.
  6. Pittsburgh (2-0).  The Panthers are off to a good start.  Last year started strong too, until it imploded.
  7. Virginia Tech (2-0).  The Hokies are off to a 2-0 start, including a nice win over Rhode Island.  
  8. Miami (1-0).  Miami started the season with a struggle to beat Stetson.  Baby steps.
  9. Boston College (1-0).  This team had so much difficulty last year–every win is worthy of note. 
  10. Wake Forest (1-0).  The Demon Deacons are young, but undefeated!
  11. Georgia Tech (1-0). The Yellow Jacket’s season started nicely with a win over Tulane.
  12. Clemson (1-0).  The Tigers really took care of Presbyterian to start off the season.  Up next is Furman.
  13. Maryland (1-1).  The Terps played very well against Kentucky.  Look for this team to start rising up the rankings.
  14. Virginia (1-1).  No shame in losing to George Mason.  The defense is as good as ever.
  15. Florida State (1-1).  You cannot lose at home to South Alabama and expect to be ranked ahead of any teams.  Sorry Seminoles.

So there it is.  Agree?  Disagree?

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

Post Navigation

← Older Entries
Newer Entries →