ACC Bowl Season Kicks Off Today

The first two bowl games featuring ACC teams kick-off today as UNC plays Pittsburgh in the Meineke Car Car Bowl and tonight Boston College takes on traditional national power Southern Cal in the Emerald Bowl.

UNC continued to improve under Butch Davis in his third year, going 8-4. Their year ended on a sour note and ruined a chance at a ten win year, losing to rival NC State 28-27. This was still another step in the right direction for Davis and the UNC program though. Their opponent in their second straight car care bowl is Pittsburgh from the Big East. Pitt also lost to NC State earlier in the year. Pitt finished the year 9-3, losing their last two ball games to West Virginia and Cincinnati. Both were very close however, and it could be argued that Pitt was 3 or 4 plays away from going undefeated. On paper, this looks like a good match-up. UNC has a very good defense with lots of speed. Pitt features a balanced offensive attack led by true freshman running back Dion Lewis and his 1600 yards and 16 TDs. Pitt comes into the game as a 3 point favorite.

I look for Pitt to be able to control the line of scrimmage and be able to run the ball against UNC. UNC's offense has struggled many times this year but has done enough to help the defense get eight wins. In the end I just think Pitt has a little more across the board (especially offensively) and will win a close game.

The Emerald Bowl is an interesting match-up. This is a great opportunity for Boston College to get to play a national powerhouse on national TV. USC did not have a typical year for them over the past decade but they still have a ton of talent. Boston College continued their run of extremely consistent football over the past 15 years, this time under first year coach Frank Spaziani. They went 8-4 (the same record as USC) and made their fourteenth straight bowl game. USC will be led by running back Joe McKnight (if he is allowed to play) and Damian Williams at wide receiver. The USC defense, usually one of the fastest and best in the country, has been shredded this year. They lost a ton of playmakers (eight starters) from last years' Rose Bowl team and it showed.

On paper, this looks like a blowout. USC has more four star players (ratings coming out of high school) than BC does three star players. However, USC is young and raw at many positions (QB and on defense) and has not been "USC" this year. USC comes in as a touchdown favorite. BC did not play any team close to the overall talent level of USC this year. If it overwhelms them (even though it is young talent) this game could get a little ugly. USC has not scored enough points this year to blow teams out, and they have given up too much on defense, but they are the better team in this one. I look for USC to win fairly comfortably with BC playing tough but just not quite having the talent necessary to hang with the Trojans.

ACC Loses Challenge for First TIme

For the first time in the eleven year history of the ACC/Big 10 challenge, the Big Ten was able to win the inter-conference matches. The swing game was the Duke vs. Wisconsin game as this one was close throughout and it became apparent that whomever won this game would decide which conference won. Duke never led but never got far behind but was unable to close down the stretch.

Monday the Big 10 won the only game of the challenge with Penn St. beating Virginia. I thought Virginia would win this game but Penn St. had the home court advantage. It can also be noted that Virginia is even worse than I thought they would be and probably won't win very many games this year. First year coach Tony Bennett has his work cut out for him. My prediction 0-1.

TUESDAY

Purdue beat Wake Forest fairly easily to give the Big 10 a 2-0 lead. Purdue was the better, more experienced team and it showed; especially in the second half. Wake has some talent (Aminu and Smith) but not enough to beat a good Big 10 team on the road. My prediction 1-1.

Northwestern beat NC State to give the Big 10 a 3-0 lead. NC State really only has one player on the court most of the time that is ACC caliber (Tracy Smith). Cases could be made for Javi Gonzalez and maybe freshman Scott Wood but other than these few guys State has a lack of overall talent. They will struggle throughout the year to score the basketball and need to defend better than they did on Tuesday if they want to win very many games. A fairly unathletic Northwestern team manhandled NC State for most of the night. My prediction 1-2.

Virginia Tech beat Iowa to scratch the board for the ACC, making it 3-1. Virginia Tech is led by Jeff Allen and Malcolm Delaney this year and they will try and ride them to as many victories as they can get them. Iowa is a bad team and VT should have won this game. My prediction 2-2.

Maryland beat Indiana at Assembly Hall to make it 3-2 Big 10. Indiana is still in a rebuilding mode but played hard against Williams' bunch. Maryland, in the end, had the best player on the court (Vasquez) and he led them down the stretch and finished with 23 points. My prediction 3-2.

UNC beat Michigan St. to even the Challenge to 3-3 with one night remaining. Michigan St. was punched in the mouth early and never could recover. Despite a valiant second half run, UNC had built too big a halftime lead (16). Ed Davis played outstanding and UNC got their first good game from their guards, especially Larry Drew. UNC has great talent and if they can get it to all come together could make a nice run later this year. My prediction 3-3.

WEDNESDAY

Illinois made a furious run in the second half to come back from 24 down to win at Littlejohn Coliseum. This made the challenge 4-3 Big Ten. Clemson just collapsed. No other way to describe it. In my opinion, they need to quit pressing at times when they get a big lead. The press allows them to get a big lead but teams get used to seeing it over the course of an entire game. I think it allows teams to make runs on them because they can get so many easy baskets. Clemson really should have won this game and it would have given the ACC the challenge. My prediction 3-4.

Miami beat Minnesota, in what many considered to be a mild upset, to even the challenge at 4-4. Miami made the plays down the stretch in what was a close game throughout. Miami might be slightly underrated this year and could be a bit of a surprise in the ACC. My prediction 3-5.

Boston College beat Michigan to give the ACC a 5-4 lead with two games to go. Michigan was obviously overrated this preseason (#15) as their record now sits at 3-3. Boston College is always fundamentally sound under Al Skinner and won this early season game without their best player form a year ago Tyrese Rice (adjusting pretty well to not having him in the line-up). My prediction 3-6.

Wisconsin beat Duke in the major swing game of the challenge to make it 5-5. Duke got down early and never made it all the way back. They never got too far behind but could never get over the hump. Kyle Singler kept Duke in the game in the first half and freshman Andre Dawkins hit 4 second half threes to almost bring Duke back. In the end Trevon Hughes was too much for Duke and Bo Ryan improved his home record at Wisconsin to 111-10 in his nine years. My prediction 3-7.

Ohio St. was the more talented team and it showed as they handily beat FSU to clinch the challenge for the Big Ten. Evan Turner is an NBA prospect and FSU had no answer for him. BIG TEN won this game and the challenge for the first time 6-5. My prediction 4-7.

The two things I learned most from this challenge were: The ACC is down this year overall. This conference lost a lot of talent from a year ago and it showed in this competition. And number two, my horrible record for picking games continues. I picked 4 right and 7 wrong. Pathetic.

Another ACC/Big Ten (eleven???) challenge

The ACC/Big 10 (even though they have eleven teams) challenge cranks up again on Monday night. The series features eleven games and the ACC is undefeated in this challenge. However, the Big 10 probably has their best chance yet to win this year and should definitely at least make it interesting.

Monday

Penn St. at Virginia (ESPN2): Penn St. doesn't appear to be strong this year which should provide UVA and first year coach Tony Bennett with a good opportunity to get the ACC a quick 1-0 lead. These two teams are two of the worst respectively in their leagues so I will give the edge to Virginia since they are at home

ACC 1-0

Tuesday

Wake Forest at Purdue (ESPN): Purdue has lived up to their preseason billing thus far this year. They looked great against Tennessee and should continue to be a player in the Big 1o race. Wake has some talent, but not as much as Purdue. I also am still not completely sold on Gaudio as a head coach. Purdue wins this one, perhaps going away down the stretch.

1-1

Northwestern at NC State (ESPNU): NC State was picked to finish last in the ACC this year and thus far have been a surprise. Tracy Smith is a legit all-ACC type player and State will go as far as he can take them. Northwestern usually isn't expected to do much in basketball and they aren't again this year. They did have an impressive win over Notre Dame. NC State gets the slight edge at home.

ACC 2-1

Maryland at Indiana (ESPN2): If the team picked to finish third in the ACC can't beat a better but still rebuilding Indiana team under second year coach Tom Crean then the ACC is doomed in this challenge.

ACC 3-1

Michigan St. at UNC (ESPN): UNC has had Michigan St.'s number recently. Michigan St. was picked to be one of the best teams in the country this year with almost their entire team coming back from a national championship run a year ago. They lost a bad game to Florida last week but other than that have been OK. UNC is in rebuilding mode this year and shouldn't win this game but with national TV, a home game, and a team that they should have confidence against you never know. I still will go with Michigan St. and their experience and revenge factor (but it will be close and could go either way).

ACC 3-2

Virginia Tech at Iowa (ESPN2): Iowa is TERRIBLE. Their program has really fallen apart. Virginia Tech will not be good this year in the ACC but they should beat Iowa.

ACC 4-2

Wednesday

Illinois at Clemson (ESPN): Illinois doesn't look to be very good this year (have lost their last two games to Utah and Bradley). They were ranked in the preseason top 25 however and these games could have been nothing more than early season slips. Clemson should be a contender in the ACC race and are always tough with their press. Clemson has a good home court advantage. Illinois is well coached but I don't think they have the talent to hang with the Tigers for 40 minutes at the pace that Clemson will want to play.

ACC 5-2

Minnesota at Miami (ESPNU): Minnesota has continued its rise under second year coach Tubby Smith (formerly Kentucky's coach). They have lost twice but both were to good teams. Miami has had a solid start to the year (perhaps somewhat surprising) and might be better than advertised. However, in a game with teams with similar talent I will give the coaching edge (by a wide margin) to Tubby over Frank Haith. Every time I watch Miami play they seem to do something extremely confusing. Minnesota gets a road win for the Big 10.

ACC 5-3

Boston College at Michigan (ESPN2): Michigan may have been slightly overrated (preseason #15) but are still a solid team under John Beilein. Boston College has early season losses to Northern Iowa and St. Joseph's. They are also missing their best player, Rakim Sanders. Michigan wins at home.

ACC 5-4

Duke at Wisconsin (ESPN): Wisconsin is always a solid team and well coached. They also have a great home court advantage and anytime Duke goes anywhere on the road the crowd will be raucous (see Purdue last year in the challenge). Duke is the best team in the ACC right now. They don't appear to have the weakness of previous years (no inside play) and as long as their guards stay healthy they are a final four type team. Wisconsin will make Duke grind it out and play slow but Duke is comfortable with that and wins a good game.

ACC 6-4

Florida St. at Ohio St. (ESPN2): Ohio St. should win this game playing at home. They have a deep team with good frontline talent, led by Evan Turner. FSU had a bad loss to Florida but has had some quality wins as well. This game might be closer than some think but Ohio St. wins.

ACC wins challenge 6-5.

This could be a closer year but the ACC still wins and keeps the streak alive.

ACC Football With One Week to Go

Most of the ACC football teams have one week remaining before bowls for those teams that qualify. The ACC championship game is set. Clemson, winner of the Atlantic, will take on #7 Georgia Tech, winner of the coastal and currently sitting at 10-1. The ACC Championship game should be good as these two teams played a great game earlier in the year with the Yellow Jackets coming through late.

The only teams that will not be bowl eligible are Maryland, Virginia, Duke, NC State, and Wake Forest. One of these teams, if they get to 6-6, could petition for a bowl spot from the ACC if the conference does not have enough bowl eligible teams at the end of the year. The likelihood is that spot would go to another automatic qualifier from another conference.

The last games for most teams could be interesting....

UNC plays NC State in their annual rivalry game. Since the arrival of Tom O'Brien at State and Butch Davis at UNC, NC State has owned the rivalry. They have won the past two games (when most people thought UNC was the more talented team) and last year won by 31, winning 41-10. This year would appear to be different. UNC has won four straight games with their defense being great to sometimes dominant in all of these games. UNC is sitting at 8-3 and will go bowling no matter the result here, but could get a fairly big bowl invite with a win and a 9-3 final record. State, on the other hand, has had an extremely disappointing year. This was supposed to be the breakout year for State as they returned the ACC offensive rookie of the year in Russell Wilson, as well as almost all of their skill players on offense. State also returned a decent amount on defense, most notably Nate Irving, probably the best LB in the ACC last year. It has not panned out. The defense was killed by injuries and some of the most porous secondary play I have ever seen. The offense has scored, but has been forced to try too much at times to keep up in scoring battles with other teams. My gut tells me that State has kind of packed it in this year (lost last week at VT 38-10) and UNC is on a roll. UNC SHOULD win this game fairly comfortably. However, O'Brien has made a huge deal about rivalry games and has been good in them so far. State can score points and UNC's biggest flaw this year has been a lack of production from TJ Yates and the UNC offense. Still, someone would have to be crazy to pick State to win this game at this point. Stranger things have happened though I suppose.

Duke plays Wake in the private school bowl. Wake has had a sub-par year for them under Jim Grobe, sitting at 4-7 and not bowl eligible. Duke, under second year coach David Cutcliffe, has continued their rise back towards respectability. After going 4-8 in year one and being close in a bunch of those close losses, they sit at 5-6 in year two with a chance to finish a year at .500 or better for the first time since 1994. While they are not bowl eligible with the win (their win of NCCU does not count towards the six wins necessary) this would be a big step for Duke with regards to recruiting, national perception, and so many other things. Simply, Duke will probably need/want this game a little more than the Deacs. Wake has turned into a GOOD program under Grobe but they lost too much last year to the NFL to be able to have a great year this year. Wake is now a good football team, but they are still Wake in that they can't simply replace great talent with other great talent like national powerhouses around the country. They are always going to have years (much like Duke) where they aren't going to be perfect. This should be a good game though and one probably worth watching as two senior QBs (and two of the best in history at their respective schools) play their final games.

Florida State takes on Florida in their annual heated rivalry game. Florida has dominated the series (and college football) recently and should, as long as they aren't looking ahead to 'Bama in the SEC Championship game, win comfortably. FSU has been bad on defense, good on offense, and consistently inconsistent. They sit at 6-5 and will go to a bowl game but an upset here would improve their bowl position and be a start to regaining their standing nationally. Florida is just too good though. Their defense will have the speed to match FSU on offense and be able to slow down what has been a productive offense under coordinator and head coach to be Jimbo Fisher. Their offense will also be the most athletic, fastest offense FSU has seen all year and that is trouble. FSU has been giving up points at a record rate for them and I don't see any reason that won't continue. Florida by at least 3 TDs.

Clemson, fresh off earning their first ACC Championship game appearance under second year coach Dabo Swinney, plays South Carolina in their annual rivalry game. Clemson is red hot, winners of their last six games. CJ Spiller and the Clemson offense have been phenomenal during this stretch. They have scored at least 34 points in all six games (and over 40 in four of them). South Carolina got off to another good start under Spurrier at 5-2. They have been 1-3 since and are 6-5. Clemson killed South Carolina last year and the Gamecocks will be looking for revenge. Clemson, however, is simply the better team. Too much speed on offense and a defense capable of confusing Stephen Garcia. Clemson wins this game.

Georgia Tech takes on archrival Georgia. Georgia has been the better team for most of the past twenty years, but not since the arrival of Paul Johnson. Johnson simply wins games and this year is no different. He has the Yellow Jackets at 10-1 and number seven in the BCS Standings. Georgia is probably having their worst year under Mark Richt. They have been inconsistent and really bad on defense at times. That spells bad news for this one. Georgia Tech continues putting up gaudy numbers weekly running the football. They are second in the country in rushing yards per game and #12 in total offense. Georgia is having such a bad year by their standards that there has been rumblings of Richt losing his job. While I think that would be crazy (he has had a GREAT career there and this is just one minor slip in my opinion), a loss to Tech for the second straight year certainly would not help him. Georgia has been able to score at times and GT's defense has not been stellar, but GT will probably win this one in a shootout.

Virginia Tech and Virginia play their annual rivalry game. This won't be close. Al Groh is probably coaching his final game for the Cavaliers and while this could get his guys to play slightly more inspired football, they just aren't very good. VT is very good even if they didn't have quite the year they wanted. VT is looking to lock up a probable gator bowl appearance and should do so fairly easily.

Harrison Barnes Announces Today

Harrison Barnes, the number one ranked player in the basketball class of 2010, announces today at 4:oo on ESPNU. The six finalists are Duke, North Carolina, Kansas, UCLA, Oklahoma, and Iowa State.

This has particular interest in ACC land as the most common consensus (though it could be very wrong; Barnes has been tight lipped about the whole process) is that it is down to Duke and UNC. Whichever program lands Barnes signs one of the best prospects in recent memory and one that has an already legendary work ethic. Barnes is most known around his high school for his 6 am conditioning workouts before he goes to school each and every day. Not bad for a high school senior that is already more talented than everyone else on the court.

If Duke signs Barnes they appear ready for another national championship run. With the signing of Kyrie Irving last week as their point guard of the future, getting Barnes would be the final piece of their puzzle going with the inside presence they have signed the past couple of classes. Simply put, if Duke DIDN'T win a national championship with Barnes (unless he is a one and done guy, which most think he is not) it would have to be considered at least a minor disappointment. That is how good this kid is.

If UNC lands Barnes it would be another huge signing for the Heels and a great piece for them getting Roy Williams his third ring in six or seven years. While this would not be as program defining for them as for Duke as Duke has slipped just a bit in recent years, it would be a huge commitment none the less. Roy Williams has been having great success on the recruiting trail since his arrival in Chapel Hill and getting Barnes would just help the steam engine to keep rolling down the tracks. However, Barnes would be the best player he would have signed in his five years in Chapel Hill and that is saying something.

Wherever he ends up will be huge for whatever program it is. If he does end up in ACC country the battles between the Blue Devils and Tar Heels will certainly be interesting over the next 2-3 years.

Should Spikes be Suspended?

Brandon Spikes of Florida was caught on camera in Saturdays game against Georgia poking at another players eye in a pile fighting for a fumble.

Is this a part of the game or should he be suspended more than just one half of the next game?

The Georgia player who got his eye poked by Spikes says he shouldn't be suspended but many fans are saying the suspension is a joke (way too short).

What do you think?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cISxU8Crulw

Current ACC Rankings: One to Twelve

The ACC (and college football) season is halfway over. Here are how I see the teams as far as ranking, from one to twelve.

1. Virginia Tech

Hard to argue with anyone else getting the top spot. VT's only loss is to Alabama, currently ranked second in the country. VT has good talent and great coaching and is the clear favorite at this point.

2. Georgia Tech

This is unfair to Miami because they beat Georgia Tech head to head. However, that was Georgia Tech's third game in 13 days and they were tired. I also think that GT will have the better record, in the conference, at the end of the year.

3. Miami

They probably should be number two. Jacory Harris is having a great year leading this team and they have athletes. The win over Oklahoma was huge and should give this team confidence for the rest of the year.

4. Wake Forest

After the top 3, it gets really tough. Wake lost to Boston College but has had two nice wins over NC State and Maryland since and is in control over their destiny and a win over Clemson this Saturday would really give them control. Grobe's teams are so consistent it is maddening.

5. Boston College

The Eagles are TERRIBLE, and I mean TERRIBLE on offense. They have had two weeks where at halftime they had less than 10 yards of offense. However, the defense is pretty good and is keeping them in most games. The Eagles sit at 2-2 in the conference and currently deserve the top 5. It can change quickly though.

6. Clemson

They are here because I don't know who else to put. Clemson is doing its usual fall underachieving routine and are at 2-3 but do have the talent to win games, as well as the schedule (playing in the Atlantic division).

7. Virginia

Here comes Al Groh. Every year in September it is his last year and by Thanksgiving he has his job back. While this still may be his last year, the Cavs have gotten two impressive wins in a row, especially last week thumping Indiana 47-7. Who knows with this team.

8. Florida State

Things are amiss in Tallahassee. Them being ranked eighth is more of an indictment on the conference than anything. They do have the impressive BYU win and still have some talent somewhere in that program.

9. Duke

I would have put Duke eighth but I still can't wrap my head around them being able to beat Florida St. Maybe they could. Their win over NCSU was really impressive and if their offense keeps playing at that high of a level then they will be in every game for the rest of the year (especially considering the teams ranked below them have been terrible on offense).

10. NC State

NC State looked as though they were turning the corner after the Pitt win and ready for a big year. The last two losses to Wake and especially Duke have been big setbacks. They still win games with Wilson at quarterback but they have to figure out how to defend the pass and tackle.

11. North Carolina

They can't score. Not even against Georgia Southern last week. The defense (which is good) had to score for them. UNC, unless they can figure out how to put points on the board, will struggle in every game they have the rest of the year.

12. Maryland

They almost lost to a FCS team, lost to Middle Tennessee St. for the second straight year, and got hammered by Rutgers and California. They somehow beat Clemson but have been bad in every other game this year. They haven't shown me (other than the Clemson game) they can consistently play an entire game.

ACC Football Recruiting Update - Miami

Miami has recruited well under Randy Shannon, and this year (so far) is no different. Same system for all the recruiting updates (first star rating is rivals, second is scout)

Louis Nix (DT) 4*/4*
Malcolm Bunche (OL) 4*/3*
Todd Chandler (DT) 4*/4*
Tavadis Glenn (DT/OT) 4*/3*
Javarie Johnson (LB) 4*/4*
Tyrone Cornelius (LB) 3*/3*
Jeremy Davis (WR/DB) 3*/3*
Darion Hall (RB) 3*/3*
Shane McDermott (OL) 3*/3*
Kevin Nelson (LB) 3*/3*
Kacy Rodgers (DB) 3*/3*
Johnathan Feliciano (OL) 3*/3*
Stephen Morris (QB) 3*/3*
Maurice Hagens (RB/FB) 3*/3*
Andrew Tallman (DE/OT) 3*/3*
Clive Walford (TE) 3*/3*
Raheam Buxton (DB) NR/3*

*NR=not yet rated

Miami, like Virginia Tech, has put together a solid (if not spectacular) class. They are currently ranked number 20 in the 2010 team rankings. Again, like Virginia Tech, they are in the running for a few big time prospects (#1 MLB Jeff Luc, #1 S Matt Elam). If "The U" can land a few of these types of guys they should have another top 5 to 10 class. Things are looking up in Coral Gables.

ACC Football Recruiting Update - Virginia Tech

Here is just a little recruiting update for ACC football teams, starting with Virginia Tech. As you know, the best way to start winning games on the field is to get better players into the program. This list will show each teams current commitments, their position, and what star rating they have (the first star rating is rivals.com, and the second is from scout.com).

VIRGINIA TECH

Zack McCray (DE) 4*/4*
Nick Acree (DT/OT) 4*/4*
Mark Shuman OT) 4*/4*
Chase Williams (LB) 3*/3*
Caleb Farris (OL) 3*/3*
Derrick Hopkins (DT) 3*/3*
Matt Arkema (OL) 3*/3*
Ricardo Young (QB) 3*/3*
Jerome Lewis (DE/TE) 3*/3*
Tahrick Peak (LB) 3*/3*
Kyle Fuller (CB) 3*/3*
Mark Leal (QB) 3*/3*
Brian Laiti (LB/S) 3*/3*
Detrick Bonner (CB) 3*/3*
Justin Taylor (DE) 3*/3*
E.J. Smiling (WR) 2*/3*
Dominique Patterson (ATH/LB) 3*/2*
Nick Dew (CB/S) 3*/2*
De'Antre Rhodes (DT) 3*/2*
Theron Norman (CB/S) 3*/2*

Virginia Tech has lined up a really solid class so far. They are currently ranked 25th nationally in team rankings by scout.com and are pursuing a few more elite type prospects. If they are able to land a few of those this will be one of Virginia Tech's best classes in the past few years.

The ACC is TERRIBLE!!

What has happened to ACC football???? It has almost become laughable. The conference has just fallen apart honestly. There are only two teams really playing to their potential, Georgia Tech and Virginia Tech (and maybe Boston College).

Clemson is a joke. All the talent that they have on the field at any given time and they can't win a game. They lost to a Maryland team today that most considered horrible this year. Swinney is doing NOTHING to establish any credibility with the fan base; especially in a year where the ACC is wide open.

Florida St. is pitiful. If there is one team with more total talent than Clemson it is FSU, and they are even worse! After losing to a backup QB led South Florida team on their home field they go to Boston College and lose to a mediocre BC team (even though they are winning games).

For all that "great young" talent that UNC has, they are doing nothing. They beat some dogs to begin the year, they have looked horrible the past two weeks, and incredibly bad today. Losing to UVA (who lost to WILLIAM AND MARY) at home is downright pitiful, and even more so only scoring three points. Can Butch Davis coach a lick? Seriously?

NC State has had one quality win (Pitt) and a couple of close losses. Losing to Wake when Wake is in a rebuliding mode doesn't look great. Wilson is still probably the best quarterback in the ACC and will win the Wolfpack some games. They were predicted to be a seven or eight win team, and that is probably what they will be. Can't complain too much about them at this time.

Virginia has turned into a joke. This used to be the second best team in the ACC. Al Groh has lost this program, and even though they won today they are not any good at all.

Maryland is also a joke. They won today as well but are not good at all and have a ton of work to do just to get back to respectability after making back to back Orange bowls in 2002 and 2003.

Duke is Duke. While they are one of the few teams this year that is probably improving, obviously they are still a bunch of players away from being able to compete on a weekly basis.

Miami is still up in the air. I think they are better, but they are still nowhere close to being "The U" of the 1980s and 1990s. Can't complain about them too much overall though.

Georgia Tech, VT, and BC to a lesser extent are the only teams really living up to their potential on any sort of a consistent basis. Thank goodness for these teams because without them the ACC would be one of the worst two or three conferences in college football.

College Teams with Most NFL Products

I heard this talked about on a local sports radio program the other day and it really sheds some light on the current state of the ACC. This, to me, is the biggest reason the ACC is behind some of the other top football conferences in national credibility and significance. Below is a list of the top programs in terms of producing NFL talent:

1. Miami (FL) - 46
2. Ohio State - 44
3. Florida St. - 41
4. Georgia - 37
5. Tennessee - 36
5. Michigan - 36
7. LSU - 32
7. Texas - 32
9. Florida - 31
10. Auburn - 30

The ACC only has two programs in the top 10 in terms of NFL talent and both of those have many players that have been there a while. FSU and Miami have always produced players with great speed and just really good football players. However, no one else in the ACC even comes close. The other thing to notice: There are 5 SEC teams on the list (just in the top 10). It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out that the best talent wins football games and the ACC has not had that elite talent. If the ACC wants to be one of the best or the best football conference in America, they need to get better players.

I am watching the South Carolina vs. Ole Miss game right now and tell me how many teams in the ACC could be SC. Not many. And South Carolina is somewhere between the 5-7 range in the SEC.

Virginia Tech always seems to be one more great player away of competing for national championships. Clemson always seems to have great talent at the skill positions but often complain about their offensive line play. Virginia produces some NFL talent but obviously not enough. Georgia Tech is the same way and their program will obviously trend differently now with the new offensive system. Duke and Wake Forest are never going to produce a ton of NFL talent and have to find other ways to win. Maryland is pretty much in that same boat (along with Boston College). The North Carolina state schools (UNC and NCSU) have to recruit better along the east and south as there are simply not enough good high school football players in North Carolina to go around.

The best way to get more talent is to win games on the field, and with the exception of Virginia Tech, ACC programs have not been doing that consistently enough recently. Gotta have the horses.

Better Week for the ACC (almost much better)

Week two for the ACC went better than opening week. Only one ACC team lost (two if you count Clemson losing to conference foe Georgia Tech). The only reason this cannot be counted as much better is because there were a few teams that had games that were much closer than they should have been.

POSITIVES

1. Two ACC teams put on another great show on Thursday night as Georgia Tech and Clemson played a great game with GT pulling out a three point win. It was exciting throughout, especially after GT's initial surge. Clemson did not give up after getting down early and the game turned out to be another good showcase game for the conference.

2. There were quite a few teams that played much better than week one. Duke went from losing to Richmond and really not doing much to beating Army, and beating them fairly convincingly at least (35-19). NC State bounced back, albeit against a much less talented Murray State team, destroying them in every aspect of the game, winning 65-7. Virginia Tech played great against a decent Marshall team, winning 52-10. The 52 is a great sign for the Hokies because they have struggled to muster offense in almost every game the past few years. Wake Forest bounced back after an opening loss to Baylor by beating a solid Stanford team 24-17. Riley Skinner was back to his old self, taking care of the ball and limiting mistakes. Boston College played well again, defeating Kent St. 34-7.

3. The ACC only lost one game against conference foes, definitely the biggest positive. The loss was Virginia to TCU. Virginia is not supposed to be good and TCU is a ranked team.

NEGATIVES

1. FSU absolutely laid an egg. For the ACC to regain national prominence and respectability FSU has to be a powerhouse. To barely beat an average FCS team (Jacksonville St.) 19-9 and need a fourth quarter comeback to do it is simply embarressing. FSU fans are really questioning Bobby Bowden, Jimbo Fisher, Mickey Andrews and the direction of the program and who can really blame them? Teams go through lulls but a team like Florida St. should not have an almost ten year run like this.

2. Maryland barely beat Colonial Athletic Association foe James Madison (38-35 in OT). Maryland is a lower level ACC team this year but should have the talent to handle most FCS teams. Ralph Friedgen needs to turn this program around or he could be looking for a job next fall.

3. Virginia, a team with respectable football tradition, is awful. It wasn't long ago that UVA was competing with Florida St. on national television and was probably the second best team in the ACC. Al Groh will most likely be looking for a job next fall as well.

The ACC restored a little bit of their repuation this weekend with a 9-1 record against other leagues. A lot of these games were games where the ACC team was favored but a 9-1 record looks tons better than the 4-6 from a week ago. The ACC still needs a national championship contender to really get back on the map but this weekend certainly did not hurt.

ACC Needs Better Week Two

The ACC did not get off to a good start in the 2009 football season last weekend, only winning one game as a conference against a FBS opponent and going 0-2 against the Colonial Athletic Association (thanks UVA and Duke). This weekend is huge for ACC football as they look to try and get some decent wins against out of conference competition. The ACC did have a nice lift the past two games, with FSU and Miami as well as Georgia Tech and Clemson putting on nice shows on national television. However, there are two things a conference is usually measured upon. One, if your conference has a national title contender it helps because they are constantly in the national spotlight and it just makes the conference "feel" tougher as a team that could win it all is playing week and week out. Two, how your conference does against the other major conferences. The ACC got off to a horrible start and needs to improve this weekend.

NORTH CAROLINA vs. Connecticut

UNC looked fine last week beating up on the Citadel, but this will be a much tougher test. UCONN is always well coached and will be looking for revenge after losing lat year. if UNC can run the football they will win the game as they can let their defense do the rest.

Pick: UNC 27 UCONN 20

WAKE FOREST vs. Stanford

Wake was beaten last seek by Baylor 24-21 and this game is huge for their chances at bowl eligibility. This also would be a nice win for the ACC as Wake is projected to finish in about the same spot that Stanford is in the Pac-10. Stanford has a good passing attack behind freshman QB Andrew Luck. If Wake can pressure him, they have a good shot.

Pick: Wake 28, Stanford 24

DUKE vs. Army

Duke was one of the two biggest disappointments of the first weekend losing to FCS Richmond. Duke desperately needs this win for team morale as well as to keep any interest from the fanbase. If Duke loses this game and starts 0-2 with losses to Richmond and Army, Duke administration will not need to hire a cleaning crew after the next home game because no one will be there.

PICK: Duke 30, Army 20

VIRGINIA TECH vs. Marshall

Virginia Tech played OK in their opener, falling to Alabama 34-24. It wasn't quite as close as the score indicated, but VT did not get destroyed as Clemson did one year ago. This would be another huge blow to the conference's reputation should VT, projected to win the ACC, lose to Marshall. Marshall has a nice team and could pull an upset if VT comes in and tries to sleepwalk through this game.

PICK: Virginia Tech 28, Marshall 17

BOSTON COLLEGE vs. Kent State

BC should have another easy win here to open their season 2-0. Kent St. will be tougher than Northeastern was a week ago though.

PICK: BC 38, Kent St. 20

VIRGINIA vs. TCU

Virginia was the laughing stock of the ACC a week ago losing to William and Mary. That loss will most likely be one that costs Al Groh his job at the end of the year. He could do a lot today to save it if he could pull the upset on a top 20 ranked team. It is not going to happen though.

PICK: Virginia 14, TCU 35

FLORIDA STATE vs. Jacksonville St.

Florida State came up just short in their opener against Miami. This game should be easy enough for the Seminoles. The only way they have any trouble is if they are not over losing last week and come out and just go through the motions. Jacksonville St. does have former LSU QB Ryan Perrilloux, who was a top 2 QB in his high school senior class.

PICK: FSU 48, Jacksonville St. 10

MARYLAND vs. James Madison

Maryland took a beating last week against Cal (52-10). Hopefully they will rebound this week against a Colonial Athletic Association team. James Madison is a decent team and Maryland will have to play pretty well to get a win here.

PICK: Maryland 27, James Madison 17

NORTH CAROLINA STATE vs. Murray State

NC State looked bad in their opener offensively against South Carolina, scoring only 3 and gaining only 133 yards of total offense. They will look to take out their frustrations on Murray St. as this will probably be a game where State fans will get to see more of Mike Glennon. This SHOULD be an easy win for the Wolfpack but you never know with ACC football.

PICK: NC State 40, Murray St. 13

wow ACC

What a weekend of college football! I am so glad there is some quality sports to watch on TV now. The summer drags on, especially when you are a Cincinnati Reds fan. While this was a great weekend with college football starting back up, the ACC took another nation wide respectability hit as the conference got off to a horrible start. Two ACC teams lost to 1-AA teams (now FCS) and no ACC team won any game of note.

NC STATE 3, SOUTH CAROLINA 7

In an offensive shootout, the Wolfpack came up just short. State was able to muster 133 yards of offense and one whole field goal. In a nationally televised game with football fans from all over the country watching just because football was finally back, the ACC laid its first egg of the weekend in a game that any halfway decent team would have beat SC as they played poorly as well.

WAKE FOREST 21, BAYLOR 24

Another chance for the ACC to get at least something of a statement win over a BIG XII team and another loss. Wake played horribly for most of the game, as it really was not as close as the score indicated. Usually reliable QB Riley Skinner threw three picks and Wake could not contain Baylor QB Robert Griffin. Wake is supposed to be a middle of the road ACC team as is Baylor in the BIG XII and the Big 12 proved superior again.

UNC, BOSTON COLLEGE, and GEORGIA TECH all won their games by scores of 40-6, 54-0, and 37-17 respectively, but they were all against I-AA opponents. While these are obviously not marquee wins, at least these teams did their jobs and won openers against overmatched opponents.

DUKE 16, RICHMOND 24

Richmond is the defending FCS national champion and did return 16 starters, but this still should have been a win for the Blue Devils. The only bright spot for Duke was QB Thad Lewis, who threw for 350 yards and 2 TDs. Duke was awful on special teams, couldn't stop the run consistently at all, and could muster no running game of their own against a team they should have been bigger, faster, and stronger than (only 19 rushing yards). Any time a BCS conference has a team that loses to a FCS team it is a serious blow to the conference.

VIRGINIA 14, WILLIAM & MARY 27

This was by far the worst game of the weekend for the ACC. William and Mary is not even considered to be a good FCS team and was not predicted to have a good year in their own division. Virginia, while not supposed to have a good year, is still an ACC Division I-A football team and should NEVER NEVER NEVER lose to an FCS team, especially not one that probably won't even make the playoffs in their own division. Horrible loss for UVA as well as the ACC (and it really wasn't even all that close!) This is the type of game that will probably cost Al Groh his job.

CLEMSON 37, MID TENN. ST. 14

I wouldn't even write anything about this game as this was an easy opener for the Tigers, but unfortunately Clemson was the only team to beat another I-A football team this weekend. That is really pathetic when you read that statement (the ACC had more losses against FCS teams than it did wins against FBS teams). Even though Clemson won fairly easily, they still have a dicey quarterback situation and need to get that ironed out before ACC play rolls around (or maybe not when you look at the rest of the conference). At least the ACC got one win.

VIRGINIA TECH 24, ALABAMA 34

This game was not as close as the score. Alabama had 3x as many yards as Va. Tech and really controlled the game for the most part. Virginia Tech did play hard and Beamer always has his team prepared, but they were no match athletically for a quality SEC team. The ACC desperately needed this win or at least a great game and we did not even come close. Anyone watching that game could tell quickly who was the more superior team.

The ACC went 4-6 (CAL beat Maryland by 50 points in the other ACC game) on opening weekend and had two horrible losses and no quality wins. For a conference desperate for credibility this weekend was a disaster and the exact opposite of what the conference was looking for. Hopefully the rest of the year will be much better than this weekend or it won't be long before ACC fans will be asking, "how much longer until basketball season?"

ACC Football Preview #5: Wake Forest

I am an idiot. I know I am. Every year everyone, including me, picks Wake Forest to have an average year, finish about 4th or 5th in the division and maybe make a bowl game. Every year Wake Forest has good to great years and threatens to make the ACC Championship game. So this pick for them to be fifth in the Atlantic division and maybe make a bowl game is probably ridiculous.

OFFENSE

QBs: There is really nothing to write about here. Riley Skinner seems like he has been the QB at Wake for about a decade, as if this were an NFL franchise. He is extremely consistent, rarely makes the big mistake, and occasionally can win you a game as well. In his senior year I predict another good year for him, especially with Josh Adams back and fully healthy this year at the running back position to take some of the pressure off Skinner. Skinner does lose both of his top wide receiver targets from a year ago which could be a concern butalmost everyone else is back and Skinner simply usually finds a way in Grobe's system and I see no reason for that to be any different this season.

RBs: Wake has had some really good backs recently. Chris Barclay left as the all time leading rusher at Wake in 2006. Josh Adams had a great rookie year in 2007, nearly rushing for 1000 yards. Wake's running game was expected to be really good last year as Adams was back and considered one of the top backs in the ACC. Unfortunately he was injured for much of the year and could only play in spurts. Brandon Pendergrass filled in as the lead back last year after all of Adams' injuries and did a respectable job, leading the team with 528 and 5 TDs. This year should be a better year for the Deacons running game. Adams is back and fully healthy and had a great spring and fall camp. Pendergrass will provide a great 1-2 punch and the entire offensive line returns for them to run behind. A look for a potentially very big step up for the Wake Forest running game in 2o09.

WRs: Wake Forest had a very experienced receiving corps in 2008 and it was consistent. Some of the big play potential had graduated the year before (Kenny Moore) but the receivers still were consistent targets for Riley Skinner. The receivers are also used to run the ball in Grobe's offense and usually are successful when doing that. This year they lose their two starting receivers from a year ago (DJ Boldin and Chip Brinkman). This group will be less experienced but has some younger talent because Grobe does such a great job recruiting and redshirting players. Wake never seems to be very young at any position. This group probably will be slightly down from the year before, but not very much.

OL: Grobe usually does a good job of building solid offensive lines with which to run the ball in all of the creative ways that they do. Last year was a bit of an abberation from Wake as the offensive line was at times inconsistent, mostly due to their lack of experience. They had to replace four guys who had started multiple years and moved on in 2007. This year will be much different. The entire starting offensive line returns from last year and will be much more experienced. If they stay healthy this could be one of, if not the, best offensive line of the Grobe era which is saying something.

DEFENSE

DL: Grobe has played multiple defenses during his tenure at Wake, always trying to put a set on the field that plays to his defense personnel strengths of a given year. This year they might play five DL as this will be the strongest unit of their defense, which has lost a ton due to gradation this year. Three of the four starters from a year ago return and two of them will be seniors. DT Boo Robinson will get some votes for all-ACC. This will Wake's most experienced defensive front in quite a while and will have to carry the load if Wake is going to stop anybody becuase the rest of the defensive units will be replacing some serious talent.

LBs: uh-oh. Wake Forest, under Grobe, has been great at redshirting players and always having experience at every position. Not this year at linebacker. Gone are all three starters from a year ago (which just happened to be their top 3 tacklers as well). The major loss is LB Aaron Curry. He was simply a beast which is why he was a top 5 NFL pick in last April's NFL draft. He led the team in tackles with 105 with 13.5 of those being for loss. He made it very easy and covered a ton of field for the Deacons. They also lose number two tackler from last year in Stanley Arnoux who was a fourth round draft choice. The new linebackers will be upperclasmen (two juniors and a senior) and that may help some but this unit will obviously be much weaker than last year.

DBs: This unit will also be hurt this year by the departure of their top corner, maybe in school history, in Alphonso Smith. He left Wake last fall as the ACC's all-time interception leader and really shut down half the field for the Deacons most Saturdays. He was a second round draft choice in the NFL draft. They return one starter (CB Brandon Ghee) but other than that they will be breaking in three new starters this fall. They will, unlike the LBs, be young as well. The probable new starters will be two sophomores and one redshirt freshman. This unit will obviously be down a notch or two (like the LBs) with the loss of their top guy and two other starters.

OVERALL

Wake Forest, like I said earlier, always seems to surpass expectations under Grobe. This year will be tough to do that, especially defensively. They lose seven starters from a year ago, two of which that were the best in school history at their positions. They have the talent and experience on offense to score some more points this year and they will need to as the defense could be much worse. Wake will probably make a bowl game winning six or seven games but I do not see them getting past that mark this year.

ACC Football Preview #4: Boston College

Boston College has been solid if not spectacular every year for about the last decade. Tom O'Brien (now at NCSU) did a great job building a program with remarkable consistency. When he left, Jeff Jagodzinski took over and people predicted a drop-off. It did not happen however as they made the ACC Championship game both years under "Jags". He was forced out this offseason when he interviewed for an NFL job and told if he did that he would be fired. He is now the OC for the Tampa Bay Bucs and their new staff. Their great OC Steve Logan resigned after Jags left. Now Frank Sapziani takes over who has been the BC defensive coordinator the last 13 seasons.

OFFENSE

QBs: Everyone now knows the name Matt Ryan. He graduated two years ago as the school's third all-time passer and lit it up last year as a rookie for the Atlanta Falcons. Last year a huge dropoff was predicted in this position (obviously). While there was a dropoff, it was not as big as expected because Chris Crane came in, along with Dominique Davis, did a decent enough job to at least lead their team back to the ACC Championship game. Their numbers were way down but they managed the games well enough. This year Crane is gone and Davis returns. He can only improve with another years' experience but he will be in a new system with a new OC and have to learn a new set of plays. I predict a small increase in production.

RBs: Boston College has had a decent running game almost every year because they usually have quality o-line play. However, they have not had a 1000 yard rusher since 2003. That is mainly due to the fact that they had a couple of decent backs who split carries fairly easily. Last year looked to be a loss in the backfield as they lost their top 2 guys from the year before and did not have a lot returning. However, they got great production out of true frosh Montel Harris who finished with 900 yds. and 5 TDs. This year he returns for his sophomore year along with sophomore Josh Haden, who was highly touted out of high school. I predict for them to have more production running the football and for Harris to break the 1000 yard barrier for the Eagles.

WRs: Last year was a tough year for the receivers at BC because of inconsistent QB play at times. The leading receiver was Brandon Robinson with only 646 yds. and 3 TDs. This year he is gone but they do return two guys with starting experience in Justin Jarvis and Rich Gunnell. They are both seniors and should have decent years but there is usually a reason they haven't seen a ton of significant time before their senior years and that is because they usually don't have elite level talent. Losing Robinson hurts and I predict a slight dropoff in production this year from the receivers especially with the less than ideal situation at QB.

OL: BC was known for producing great OLs throughout O'Brien's tenure and most of those guys continued to play well under Jags. This should be another good year along the offensive front barring injuries as four starters return from the year before. This unit not only has experience but also has talent. Some people think Anthony Castonzo could be an all-time great by the time he is done. This should be a very bright spot for the Eagles this fall and should be their best overall offensive line in the past few years.

DEFENSE

DL: The Eagles DL last year was one of, if not the best DL in the ACC a year ago. Raji and Brace formed a formidable duo at both stopping the run and rushing the passer. This year they lose both of these guys (Raji a first round draft choice and Brace a second rounder). They do have three guys coming back that have had starting experience but will have a dip in production from last year losing those two top guys.

LBs: It was thought that this year would be a great year for the BC linebacking corps. They were returning Mark Herzlich who most think is the best LB in the ACC. They also were getting back Mike McLaughin, who had to sit out last year with an injury. Unfortuantely they received horrible news in the offseason that Herzlich had developed a rare cancer in his knees and his football career may be over (probably the least of his worries however). While football doesn't matter and his health is the first priority, it does seriously hurt the BC linebackers this fall. Losing a guy of his caliber is impossible to replace and they will probably use a couple of guys to try and fill some of the gap. McLaughin will be back and is a good player but BC will no longer have one of the best LB corps in the ACC as most thought.

DBs: BC looked as if it should have taken a dropoff in pass defense last year as they lost their first team All-American safety from the year before as well as one other starter but surprisingly had a better year than the year before. They allowed only 9 TD passes compared to 26 INTs. This was probably, at least partly, due to the great DL that provided a consistent pass rush and run stop that allowed a lot of long down and distances. Having a great D coordinator also helps. This year they have three starters returning from the year before and this should be another good secondary. However, they will have to do a better job of covering as they will not have near as much help from the front 7 as last year.

OVERALL

BC made a good hire in retaining Frank Spaziani and promoting him to head coach. This at least allows for some continuity within the program as he will now be the third head coach in the last four years. He has brought in his own staffof Gary Tranquill as OC (lots of experience) and Bill McGovern as DC (LB coach at BC the past 9 years). They have 14 starters returning which is nice but I don't see this as the same team of the past few years. They will win enough games to make a bowl but while Spaziani may be a slight upgrade at HC, I think both coordinators from last year were better. BC will probably win 7 or 8 games but will not be a major player in the ACC race this year.

ACC Football Preview #3: NC State

NC State is in their third year under Tom O'Brien and are starting to see the fruits of their patience under O'Brien. This certainly looks to be their best team during this three year tenure and one that could compete, with a couple of breaks, for the ACC Atlantic division title.

OFFENSE

QBs: Since Philip Rivers, NCSU has been plagued by mediocre quarterback play. It appeared that was going to be the case last year as well as Russell Wilson was not impressive in the opener, got knocked out of the game, and missed parts of the next few with injuries. At mid season however, Wilson started to light it up and finished the year as the best quarterback in the ACC. He won Offensive rookie of the year as a redshirt freshman with an amazing 17-1 TD/INT ratio. He threw for 1955 yards and ran for 388 more. The most impressive thing about Wilson, besides his amazing arm strength, are his great intelligence and instincts. He never throws interceptions forcing passes (many times throwing the ball out of bounds if nothing is there) and can make plays and keep plays alive with his legs. If he stays healthy he will be my pick for ACC POY and should have a great sophomore season. His athleticism and intelligence are a dangerous combination. Mike Glennon will back Wilson up and was a top 3 QB recruit coming out of high school 2 years ago. If Wilson does get banged up (which is likely with the style he plays) NCSU fans should feel much more confident with Glennon in the back-up role, especially if he lives up to his high school hype.

RBs: NC State is looking to build a solid running game year in and year out as O'Brien is known for developing great offensive lines which allow you to run the ball. Last year the running game showed promise at times but was hampered by injuries (as it seemed every unit was last year). Andre Brown led with 767 yds. and 7 TDs and he is now in the NFL. Jamelle Eugene returns and was #2 last year with 442. Adding improvement to the backfield will be rFr Brandon Barnes, a top 10 high school recruit a year ago. He boasts great speed. Curtis Underwood also has impressed. Toney Baker also returns as a sixth year senior who has battled injuries much of his career after being a decorated high school recruit. If he can produce at a relatively high level to go with Eugene and Barnes, NCSU could have a very good year running the football.

WR: NC State had a speedy receiving corps a year ago but a very young one that was plagued with drop passes. Owen Spencer returns and is a great deep threat (22.3 yds. per catch last year) but he struggled the most with dropped passes a year ago. If this is corrected he could be primed for a big year. Jarvis Williams also returns and was the #2 receiver a year ago with 432 and 4 TDs. TJ Graham is another speedster that, with improved route running skills, could be a great third option. George Bryan is a wonderful TE prospect entering his sophomore season and gives Wilson another solid, reliable option to distribute the ball to. This unit should be much better this season with another year of experience for them as well as Russell Wilson.

OL: This is what O'Brien has always been known for. He almost always has a very good OL that produces NFL talent. He has done a lot of mix and match and position switching to get the right personnel along the OL in his first 2 years and this year looks like it could be the year where the OL breaks out. They return 3 starters from last years unit and the two new guys will both most likely be seniors. This unit should continue to improve under O'Brien from a year ago and they will have another year of experience. This will be an "old" offensive line with four seniors and one junior most likely starting.

DEFENSE:

DL: NC State has had some great defensive linemen come through the program recently (Mario Williams, Manny Lawson, Tank Tyler, DeMario Pressley). All of those guys now play on Sundays. Last years DL was inconsistent at times and pretty good at others. This unit was banged up for much of the year as well which did not help. This year they return three starters in Willie Young, Alan-Michael Cash, and Shea McKeen. Young is explosive and a great playmaker while DT Cash is their most consistent DL and a solid down to down guy. This will undoubtedly be the best DL since O'Brien's arrival and if Young has a consistent year he could be a first or second round pick next NFL draft.

LB: This was a concern last year for the Wolfpack but ended up being a strength. Nate Irving had a great year and was spectacular at times, setting the school record for INTS for an LB with four. Ray Michel led the team in tackles with 85. This year all three starters would have been returning (basically with Dwayne Maddox playing a big role last year and starting this year) but unfortunately Irving was hurt in a car accident over the summer and probably won't play this season. However, NC State will get help from Terrell Manning, a top 15 LB recruit from last year that redshirted due to injury. If he lives up to his billing NC State should have a very good LB corps but the probable loss of Irving is huge.

CB: When O'Brien took over the defensive backfield switched from a predominately man scheme to more zone. This obviously led to some difficulty with adjustments and NC State struggled at times against the pass last year. This unit also had injury issues last year. This year should be a better year for the secondary as five guys who started games last year return and all have another year of experience. I look for at least some improvement over a year ago.

OVERALL

NC State should be a much improved team on the field and record wise this coming season. O'Brien is a great head coach that gets the most out of his teams and his teams rarely beat themselves. Wilson is a potential star and should provide consistent point production. The defense will miss Irving but still should be better overall than a year ago where some games sputtered at times.

NC State has a tough schedule, both in conference and out, but I see this team at least getting 7 wins, possibly 8, with a bowl game to come. If Wilson is healthy all season and the OL and RBs stay healthy this team could definitely get to nine wins. I really like Wilson's game management skills and think he is the best QB in the ACC. Any time you have the best QB in your conference you are going to have a chance to win a lot of games. Like I said, with a couple of breaks and an upset somewhere along the way, I can see NC State being a prime contender in the Atlantic division race.

ACC Football Preview #2: Clemson

To be completely honest, I really am torn in this division. Clemson, Boston College, and North Carolina State all could have been picked second for different reasons. I chose Clemson because, of the three, they have the most returning starters.

OFFENSE:

QBs: Clemson, at least recently, has a good history of solid quarterback play. Charlie Whitehurst, Will Proctor, and most recently Cullen Harper all had great seasons while at Clemson (Whitehurst had a few). Last year, however, with the coaching change and turmoil within the team the QB play was not nearly as good. Harper started the year (obviously, as he was the preseason ACC POY) but was hurt. Willy Korn, a highly decorated recruit, entered and played well at times but he was also injured. Harper and Korn kind of flip-flopped the rest of the year with marginal success at best. This year the clear starter should be Korn. He will have all the first team reps and if he lives up to his high billing Clemson should have improved numbers from their QB this year.

RBs: The Tigers have had maybe their best backfield tandem in school history running the ball the past few years with James Davis and speedster C.J. Spiller. These guys together create a nightmare attack for defenses. Last year, injuries and the coaching shake-ups caused their numbers to dip from 2007 but they still combined for 1380 yards and 18 TDs. Spiller also had 436 receiving with 3 TDs. This year they do lose Davis, who has been a great back the past four years. However, with Spiller back and Jamie Harper returning for his second year (showed great promise in year one) the Tigers will probably improve upon last years' injury riddled numbers.

WRs: Great things were expected from Clemson receivers in '08 but they did not deliver as expected. Kelly, Ford, and Grisham had OK years but nothing eye-popping by any means. This year they lose Kelly (all-time REC leader) and Grisham. They do add the #13 WR from last years high school class, Bryce McNeal. Even though last years numbers were down from expected, they will still probably be better than this years. The Clemson receivers, while talented, are very young in 2009 and will need some time to mature.

OL: Last year everyone looked at Clemson's skill guys and figured a great year was in store. Everyone forgot how young their o-line was going to be as they lost four starters from the previous year. Their talent and experience obviously slipped and it showed in the rushing numbers (esp. with 2 great RBs) and sack totals. This year, however, they return all five starters from last year making this a much more experienced and older OL. They go from one of the youngest lines in the conference to one of the most seasoned. This unit should be MUCH better than last years. This unit is also littered with highly rated recruits from the previous few years.

DEFENSE:

DL: With the way Clemson recruits athletes year in and year out, their DL is always explosive, talented, and usually very good. This year should be no different. They return three starters from their 2008 unit that was solid, but not spectacular. Da'Quan Bowers will be a year older and should live up to his #1 DE recruit ranking from 2008. The only loss this year along the DL is Dorell Scott, and while he was talented, Clemson has recruited well enough to make him at least somewhat replaceable. They add #5 ranked DE Malliciah Goodman in recruiting this year. This unit should be much better against the run and overall a better DL than a year ago.

LBs: Clemson struggled against the run last year more than expected and that was probably primarily due to their lack of experience at LB. They lost their top 2 LBs from 2007 and it showed at times last year. This unit was also hit by the injury bug multiple times last year. This years' LB corps should be much better. They lose no one from last year so this unit should be much better and more experienced.

DBs: 2008 was a good year for the Tiger secondary. They were very experienced and had two guys (Michael Hamlin and Chris Clemons) who were drafted and will now be playing on Sundays. While Clemson will undoubtedly miss those two guys, this secondary should be almost as good (maybe down just a little bit). They return both corners and get safety DeAndre McDaniel back from playing LB a year ago due to injuries there. Clemson will have another solid secondary because they always seem to have speed in the defensive backfield.

OVERALL

Clemson will be entering their first year as Dabo Swinney being the head coach. He finished 2008 after the firing of Tommy Bowden and did a decent job, going 4-3. Some Clemson fans wanted the Tigers to do a national coaching search and bring in a bigger name to get them to that next level they always seem to be so close to. The AD loved Swinney however and named him the head guy. Swinney no doubt brings energy, charisma, and passion to the sidelines and seems to be someone that will do a great job with motivation. The question remains as to what kind of head coach he will be. Those things can only take you so far. Clemson has a lot of talent for Swinney and his staff to work with. If Swinney proves to be a good HC then Clemson could have a big year. I could easily see them in the ACC championship game but I have a hard time picking a first year HC to make it there, especially when FSU should be much improved this year. Nevertheless, this will be a great barometer for Swinney and Clemson fans as they do have quite a bit of returning and young talent and should be very competitive this fall.

ACC Football Preview #1: Florida State

I am going to start with the Atlantic Division and go with my pick to win that division, then my pick for number two in the division and so on and then go to the Coastal. So, my pick to win the Atlantic division and make the ACC title game is Florida State.

OFFENSE

QBs: This position has probably plagued FSU the most recently in their fall from the best team in college football to a decent team at best the past few years. Drew Weatherford was the starter the three previous years before last year when Christian Ponder was chosen by second year OC Jimbo Fisher as the starting quarterback. The switch proved to be a good one as FSU went from 21.8 PPG (their worst since 1981) to 33.4 PPG last year. Ponder was a big reason why. He is mobile, athletic, has a good arm, and most of all seems to be a very smart QB. EJ Manuel, a top 5 QB recruit from last year, will be the back-up to Ponder even though he missed the spring due to injury. I look for more improvement from Ponder as he enters his second year as the starter under Fisher's schemes and should be one of the top three or four QB's in the ACC this year.

RBs: FSU has produced some great talent at the RB position under Bobby Bowden. It is hard to believe that they have not had a guy go for 1000 yards since 1996 when Warrick Dunn accomplished the feat. Last year senior Antone Smith was the solid #1 RB for the team and had a good year, rushing for 792 yds. and 15 TDs. Jermaine Thomas was the #2 guy and rushed for 482 and 3 TDs. Ponder was actually third on the rushing list with 423 and 4 TDs. This year Thomas looks to be the lead guy and should have a good year as FSU's o-line continues to improve under Rick Trickett. They will probably continue their streak of no 1000 yard rushers however as they lose their top rusher from a year ago and Thomas is still young.

WRs: WR has always been a strength for the Seminoles as they always are able to recruit great speed. Last year they were hurt early in the year by suspensions that carried over from last years academic cheating scandal. Greg Carr (6'6") graduated last year and Corey Surrency lost his NCAA appeal for another year of eligibility. This unit has a lot of decent young talent that was young last year and should improve. This should be a decent year for FSU's receivers but this will not be an overwhelming group.

OL: If QB wasn't FSU's biggest problem recently then the offensive line definitely was. Bowden hired Rick Trickett, considered one of the best OL coaches in the country, away from West Virginia three years ago with the hopes of correcting these problems. It has been a slower process than what some Seminole fans have wanted but the results are starting to show. Last year FSU had one of the youngest lines in the country, starting 3 freshman and 2 sophomores (almost unheard of in major college football). The line struggled at times but really showed flashes down the stretch last year picking up Trickett's zone blocking schemes. The great news is that this should be FSU's best o-line in many years as all five starters return. They will still be on the young side, now with 2 juniors and 3 sophomores, but all the playing experience from a year ago should nullify some of that. This should be one of the top offensive lines in the ACC and should be FSU's best in some time.

DEFENSE

DL: FSU seems to produce NFL defensive linemen and LB's almost at will. FSU, with Mickey Andrews at the helm, always has a good rush defense. FSU had an uncharacteristic year against the run last year, allowing 133 YPG but they did record 39 sacks. This year they lose Everette Brown, the second round draft choice of the Carolina Panthers, and Neefy Moffett who had 5.5 sacks last year. They do however, as usual, bring in top notch talent with the #1 ranked DL in the country Jacobbi McDaniel and the #1 Junior College DL Markus White. FSU will have another good d-line that might not record as many sacks but should be better against the run.

LBs: Florida State always has big, fast, really good linebackers. That is just the advantage of having a great defense that produces NFL talent, good recruiters, and being in located in the state of Florida. This year they do have to replace their top 2 tacklers from a year ago (Derek Nicholson and Toodrick Verdell) but they always seem to replace talent with talent. This years LB corps will be inexperienced but FSU has done a great job recruiting LBs the past few years and this group will be lightning fast and very talented, albeit young.

DBs: Again, as it seems like is written in every position group defensively, FSU is always loaded with speed and athletes in the secondary. They usually have a very strong pass defense, sometimes simply because their front seven is so good they get good pressure on opposing QBs. They slipped a little last year because they struggled against the run, often playing now departed safety Myron Rolle closer to the line of scrimmage. In addition to losing Rolle this year they lose two of their better cover corners in Tony Carter and Michael Ray Garvin. They also lose FS Darius McClure. This unit returns just two starters this year (Patrick Robinson and Jamie Robinson) but should be pretty good. They replace the departing upperclassmen with younger speed and I think this years DBs could actually have a better year than the experienced group from a year ago.

OVERALL

FSU has been struggling the past few seasons in trying to return to their glory days of the 1990s. I think they are almost back. This years team looks solid across the board with a couple of potentially scary spots (depth at WR and young LB) but the guys projected to start are extremely talented as FSU has done a better job recruiting the past couple of years. FSU now has a team that resembles some of those 1990s teams with tons of speed and good line play on both sides of the ball. I predict for FSU to have their first double digit win season since 2003 and to not only play in the ACC title game but to win the ACC. FSU does have a very tough schedule with BYU, South Florida, and Florida on the non-conference schedule but I see FSU as a team on the rise and one ready for at least somewhat of a breakout year for them.

Pretty Impressive

This video is pretty impressive. Some MMA guy jumps out of a swimming pool (in 3 feet of water depth) without using his hands. Just thought I would pass this along as it has nothing to do with ACC sports

http://sports.yahoo.com/mma/blog/cagewriter/post/B-J-Penn-is-the-best-athlete-in-MMA-?urn=mma,177359

Good article on Scout.com

Just saw a good article on www.scout.com's front page about the upcoming ACC football season. It gives five thoughts on the ACC this upcoming year. The ACC should be competitive this year with many good teams, but probably not a national title contender this year.

http://cfn.scout.com/2/879556.html

ACC Football Preview

Starting on Monday, I will do an ACC football preview for each team heading into the 2009-2010 football year. It is hard to believe, and exciting, that football season is less than two months away. This should be a very competitive year in the ACC as many teams appear to be moving in the right direction.

Coach K to Coach USA Basketball through 2012

It was announced yesterday that Mike Krzyzewski, head coach at Duke, has decided to stay on with Team USA and USA basketball through the 2012 Olympics in London. This is great news for the national team as it means great cohesion throughout this stretch as the U.S. continues to try and re-assert its world dominance in basketball. The question is, is this a good thing for Duke basketball?

Anyone can notice that Duke, currently, is not the program that they were ten years ago. Duke has not been to a final four since 2004. They have not been past the sweet sixteen since that time either. They have won three ACC championships but really have not done anything on the national scene (2005 and 2006 were good years that saw Duke ranked in the top 2 and often number one at many times). The real "decline" has been the past three years, coincidentally (or not) with Coach K's first commitment to USA basketball. In 2007, Duke had its worst season since the mid 1990's, going 22-11 and losing in the first round of the NCAA tournament to VCU. In 2008, Duke had a better year, gaining a number 2 seed in the NCAA tournament but lost in the second round to West Virginia after beating Belmont by one point on a last second lay-up by Gerald Henderson (now a Charlotte Bobcat). Duke improved again in 2009, winning the ACC tournament and getting another #2 seed in the NCAA tourney. However, Duke still was not the Duke of old. They got beat by 100 at Clemson earlier in the year and lost to Villanova in the sweet 16 by 23.

Did Coach K's commitment to USA basketball hurt the Duke basketball program? By simply looking at the numbers it would be hard to argue anything other than it obviously did. Duke, from 1986 to 2004, could guarantee every recruit that came to Duke they would probably get to go to a final four during their four years at Duke, and most likely multiple final fours. Not anymore. They have won just won ACC tournament the last three years (which is definitely not bad) but not near the pace they were on before K's commitment to team USA.

Taking numbers as the only basis for comparison would not be doing the situation justice. What Krzyzewski says himself has to count for something. He has sworn since day one that this has not hurt Duke in any way but rather it has helped Duke because it has made him a much better coach. He states he has learned a great deal from the assistant coaches he has been working with, the elite players he had the opportunity to coach, and the international game. He also has sworn it has not hurt Duke's recruiting.

I agree with him on all points minus one. I believe it has hurt Duke's recruiting. There is a reason Duke's program is not currently an ELITE national program. They don't have the players they used to have. Coach K is a hall of famer and has done some incredible coaching jobs during his great career at Duke, but he can only do so much when the players on the other team are that much better than his. Just go back and watch the Villanova game. Duke was severely out classed at every position minus two (Henderson and Singler). Duke simply does not currently have elite level talent. When Duke would usually be out heavily recruiting during the summer, except for the dead periods, they are not. K took his whole staff with him on the team USA ride. They learned a great deal as coaches, but could not form the relationships with high school juniors and seniors that were necessary to get the elite level high school talent to sign.

If you look at Duke's recruiting in 2010, they look to be loading up again. They already have commitments from three players, two of which are considered immediate impact guys in Andre Dawkins and Josh Hairston. Most feel they are in good spots with Harrison Barnes (the #1 player in 2010), Kyrie Irving (5 * PG), and Ray McCallum (5 * PG). They also have offered Roscoe Smith (4 * SF) who appears to now be very interested. K has stated that 2010 needs to be a monster class and it is shaping up to be one. Duke, if this class pans out, will be back in the final four before you know it.

Will this new commitment hurt Duke's recruiting in 2011 and 2012? Most feel that Duke has made great strides with guys in 2011 they are targeting. These also will probably be smaller classes if the 2010 class is what they are hoping. Many think Coach K will now also have a much better idea of his schedule. Will it hurt Duke's recruiting in the next few years? I don't know. If Coach K thinks it won't then you have to think he knows something. Either way it is great news for USA basketball and in the long run I think at least decent news for Duke basketball.

Congrats to Lucas Glover

Lucas Glover won the US Open at soggy Bethpage on Monday by two shots over a group of golfers that included Phil Mickelson, David Duval, and 3rd round leader Ricky Barnes (who blew up with a 76 on Monday).

Lucas is a product of Clemson University and currently ranked the number 71 golfer in the world. This is his second tour title and first major championship. Even though he shot a +3 73 in the final round, no one was able to make a sustained charge. Mickelson and Duval got close but would give strokes away down the stretch with bogeys.

UNC and UVA ousted - the streak continues

Both North Carolina and Virginia were knocked out of the NCAA college world series on consecutive nights. Virginia fell to Arkansas in extra innings, but this season must be looked at as a success for the Cavaliers. They won the ACC tournament, made the college world series when not that much was expected, and had a nice run in Omaha. A top six finish nationally is definitely something for them to build upon in the coming years.

North Carolina was knocked out the next night by Arizona St., who ended up beating the Heels twice to knock them out of the college world series. UNC was in control early, but then a grand slam to tie the game really took the wind out of Carolina, who fell apart down the stretch. UNC, once again, had a great year and made the college world series for the fourth straight year. However, once again, were not able to bring home a title. Carolina baseball is starting to look like the Buffalo Bills. If Mike Fox continues to bring the talent in that he has in recent years UNC will have more opportunities.

Since UNC and UVA are now out of the college world series, a remarkable statistic continues. There has not been a college world series champion from the Atlantic Coast Conference since 1955. I find that to be an unbelievable stat. Considering that the ACC is many times considered to be the best baseball conference in America and so many traditional powers (FSU, Clemson, UNC, Georgia Tech, Miami) play in this conference, it is almost unbelievable that no team since Wake Forest in 1955 has won the national championship. Maybe next year ACC.

UNC and UVA still alive at CWS; both in losers bracket

UNC and UVA both lost their openers in Omaha but both won game twos to avoid being sent home. UNC lost to Arizona St. in a great game if you like pitching battles. They were tied 1-1 after nine innings with ASU taking it in extras. Virginia lost to LSU in their opener 9-5 but rebounded to knock out Cal State Fullerton to remain alive.

Next up for UNC is Arizona St. again, this time in a loser leave town match. Arizona St. lost to Texas last night to put themselves in the losers bracket. I would predict UNC to win this re-match and move on. It is hard to beat a team as quality as UNC two times in a row and I think UNC has the edge in the pitching match-up.

Virginia plays Arkansas. Arkansas was beaten by LSU after Virginia was to find themselves in the losers bracket. UVA has made a great run this year, their best in school history, but I expect it to end here. Arkansas is the more experienced and at this stage talented ball club and I expect them to move on to get a re-match with LSU.

UNC and VIrginia advance to College World Series

North Carolina has advanced to the college world series for the fourth straight year after sweeping East Carolina in their best of three game series on Sunday. After easily winning game one, the Heels made it look routine again in winning game two 9-3. Dustin Akley hit a three run homer for the Heels in what figures to be his last year of college as he is likely a top 5 pick in the upcoming baseball draft on Tuesday.

The question for the Heels this year is can they actually close the deal and win a national championship? This is their fourth straight trip to the college world series and in two of those years they have made the championship series. They have not been able to close the deal in either of those other opportunities. This year could be their best chance as they were the preseason number one team and have been in the top 5 all year long.

Virginia was the second ACC team to qualify for the 2009 college world series, winning a tough three game series against Ole Miss on the road. This is Virginia's first trip to the college world series in school history. After dropping game one in extra innings, the Cavaliers won games two and three 4-3 and 5-1.

The question for Virginia will be how content they are to simply be in the field. This is their first trip in school history, much less for this group of players. Virginia has been one of the hotter teams in the country lately, winning the ACC tournament in a loaded field and now winning a three game super regional as the road team. Virginia could probably make a deep run as long as they play to win and are not just content with making the college world series.

ACC teams busy in baseball super regionals

Four ACC teams made it through the regional round of the NCAA college baseball tournament and are now in the super regionals starting this weekend. North Carolina, Clemson, Florida State, and Virginia all have tough series ahead of them if they want to qualify for Omaha.

Virginia is playing Ole Miss and the series is at Ole Miss. Usually, the home team is going to have a decided advantage playing in just a three game series. Virginia has a lot of young guys playing major roles as a freshman will probably start for them in game one at pitcher. Ole Miss should have the upper hand.

Update: Ole Miss won game one with a home run in the 12th inning to take a 1-0 series lead. Virginia played a great game but could not come up with enough runs. Game two tomorrow.

Update2: Virginia stayed alive on Saturday, beating Ole Miss 4-3 to push the series to the third and final game. Game 3 will be on Sunday.

Florida State is playing Arkansas but the Seminoles are the home team in their regional. Again, FSU should have the advantage in a short series like this being the home team. FSU is also coming off one of the most impressive performances in CBB history with a 37-6 win over Ohio St. to win their regional. Yes, that score is correct; 37-6 in a baseball game. For Ohio St. I quote Dan Hawkins: "this ain't intramurals brother".

Update: FSU dropped game one to the Razorbacks Friday 7-2. Starting pitcher Mike Bolsinger threw five shutout innings for Arkansas in the win.

Update2: FSU was swept away by Arkansas on Saturday, losing game 2 9-8. FSU was swept at home which does not happen all that often. There are now three teams left with a shot at Omaha from the ACC.

North Carolina plays in-state rival East Carolina in a 3 game series starting Saturday at UNC. UNC has made the college world series the last three years and look for them to do it again this year. UNC is one of the most talented teams in the country, and while ECU is good, it would take near perfect efforts for ECU to take 2 of 3 from the Heels.

Update: The Heels easily won game one of their super regional as the home team, beating ECU 10-1 on Saturday. Game two is on Sunday and I predict the sweep from Carolina.

Clemson will take on Arizona St. at Arizona St. starting Saturday. Clemson is one of the most consistent baseball programs in the country but is on the road. I look for Clemson to win this thing in three games and pull the minor upset. Arizona St. had a great year however and obviously it would not surprise me to see them advance to the college world series either.

Update: Clemson played well for a while in Tempe on Saturday, but eventually fell to Arizona St. 7-4 in game one of their best of three super regional series. Game two will be on Sunday and Clemson is now in a must win two in a row situation.

Tim Tebow

This has nothing to do with ACC sports, but since it is a slow time of the year for college athletics (will have a post on ACC baseball tournament shortly) I thought I would post this.

Tim Tebow is one of the most successful and accomplished quarterbacks in the history of college football. Guys this good usually don't stick around this long, but Tebow is not your ordinary guy. He loves college football, his university, and wanted to come back for his senior year to try and win his third national championship in four years. Florida will be the odds on favorite again this year as they return every starter on defense from a season ago, not to mention Tebow and their stable of running backs.

Another reason Tebow may have come back for his senior season is because many scouts at the NFL level told him and Urban Meyer that he wasn't ready for the NFL, at least not if he wanted to play quarterback. They did not like his throwing motion (kind of a side-armed 3/4 release), his footwork (it is not traditional as many times he is scrambling out of the pocket), or the fact that he has never taken a snap under center at the college level, or the high school level for that matter. Many projected him as an "H-back" in the NFL and someone who could at times run the "wildcat" offense that many NFL teams are using on some level now.

With the departure of his offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach Dan Mullen (left to take the head coaching job at Mississippi), Meyer hired Scott Loeffler. Loeffler was on Michigan's staff from 2002 to 2007 where he worked with quarterbacks such as Tom Brady, Brian Griese, and Chad Henne, all of which now play on NFL squads. Loeffler spent '08 as the QB coach for the Detroit Lions.

Below I have pasted a link to an article on espn.com talking about Tebow's offseason changes
and what to look for from him this fall. I personally think he will make a great NFL player due to his work ethic and desire. He simply will not let himself fail. I really enjoy watching Tim Tebow play and can't wait to see what he looks like this fall.

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/columns/story?columnist=schlabach_mark&id=4178702

Wall picks Kentucky

It was announced today that John Wall has decided to play most likely his only year of college basketball for John Calipari and the Kentucky Wildcats. Duke and Miami were his second and third choices.

It is stated on espn.com that Wall actually gave an informal commitment to Miami last week shortly after his visit but decided more recently to play for Kentucky. Calipari had the longest standing relationship with Wall as he was recruiting him at Memphis as well before leaving for the Wildcats. Wall stated that Calipari was the main factor in choosing Kentucky. He likes Calipari's offense and how much of it runs through the point guard.

Wall now makes Kentucky one of, if not the, favorite going into the next college basketball season. A line-up of Wall, Jodie Meeks, DeMarcus Cousins, and Patrick Patterson will most certainly be one of the best in the country.

If Wall had committed to Duke it would have instantly made them one of the two or three best teams in the country going into next year (even without Gerald Henderson). Duke will now be extremely thin in the backcourt with only three guards (Smith, Scheyer, and Williams). Had he gone to Miami it would have made them an ACC contender for sure and given them some real credibility on the recruiting trail for future years.