ACC Shit: Part 3, Predictions

The ACC will prove to be one of the hardest conferences to predict on a week to week basis. There is not clearly defined overloard that everyone must submit to. Virginia Tech looks to be the team to beat, but VATech acctually developing into the team to beat is dependant on Sean Glennon, improving markedly over last season when he was among the worst BCS QB’s in the country. It is possible, but the likely hood of that happening is still very much up in the air. But even with Virignia Tech as the prohibitive favorite, there is a very real chance that they could get to the ACC title game and get waxed by Flordia State, which would have a familiar ring to it. The Hookies are the favorites, but anything can happen. This is College Football afterall where the unexpected is to be expected. And this is the ACC where no team, except Duke, is every really out of any game. There are a couple of reasons for this. First, no one in this conference can play offense at a very high level. Last years highest rated offense was Clemson, and they are sure to take a step back, even with the prodigious talents of CJ Spiller and James Davis and the whispers of wildcat being used to capitalize upon their skill set. That does not erase the mostly new offensive line, and the inevitible misfires that having a first quarterback dictates. Clemson is the only team that will be close to having a top 25 offense, everyone else is offensivly challanged in some way shape or form. And everyone can play defense at a very, very high level. Last year five teams finnished the season in the top 25 for total defense, thats just as many as the SEC if you are keeping track. That brings up the proverbial chicken or the egg debate. Is it the lack of offense that inflates the defensive statistics, or is it the great defenses that punch a hole in a lot of teams offensive abilites. I am inclined to think that the defense’s kill the production of what prove to be some semi explosive offense’s. Granted all I have to go off of is a couple of bowl games. I don’t think that there is any conclusive wrong or right awnser. But the convergence of these to trends creates chaos, because every game will be a game untill the end. No one has the offensive firepower to pull themselves away from the pack. Expect lots of tight scores and hotly contested games that go down to the wire.

Standings

Atlantic

1. Florida State
2. Clemson
3. Boston College
4. Maryland
5. Wake Forrest
6. NC State

Coastal

1. Virginia Tech
2. Miami
3. Virginia
4. Georgia Tech
5. North Carolina
6. Duke

Conference Game of the Year – Florida State vs Virginia Tech – November 10

This is sure to be billed as a potential preview of the ACC title game, and it may very well be so, but that is dependant upon Virginia Tech winning this game. I suspect that Miami will be no more than one win behind VaTech, or even tied in the standings when this game takes place. The hookies can not afford a loss in this game with Miami coming to Blacksburg the next week. Miami has no fear of that place, which makes this game all the more crucial to the overall conference race. In the game its self it is hard to really try and guess what is going to happen. This is what we do know. Both teams are going to play fantastic defense, meaning that this game is going to be tight and it will more than likely turn on a key turnover. But interceptions abound based on the histories of Sean Glennon, Xavier Lee and/or Drew Weatherford in games vs ranked opponents, which both are likely to be, otherwise this would not be the game of the year. Unless one of the quarterbacks plays far above their means, there will be enough turnovers to off set each other. Both teams are nearly impossible to run on, esspecially the dual impact linebacker tandem of Xavier Adibi and Vince Hall, which have been the bane of my existance anytime I play the Hookies on NCAA Football for the past two seasons. So in the end the game will be in the hands of special teams. No team has had a more storied run of Special Teams failures than Florida State, and no team plays the special teams better than Frank Beamer. I think you know where I am going with this.

All Conference Team

QB: Matt Ryan, Boston College

RB: James Davis, Clemson

RB: Tashard Choice, Oklahoma

TE: Anthony Hill, North Carolina State

C: Steve Justice, Wake Forrest

G: Andrew Crumey, Maryland

G: Sergio Render, Virginia Tech

T: Barry Richardson, Clemson

T: Duane Brown, Virginia Tech

DE: Calias Campbell, Miami

DT: Paul Griffin, FSU

DT: DeMario Pressley, NC State

DE: Chirs Long, Virginia

LB: Phillip Wheeler, Georgia Tech

LB: Vince Hall, Virginia Tech

LB: Xavier Adibi, Virginia Tech

CB: DuJuan Tribble, Boston College

CB: Brandon Flowers, Virginia Tech

S: Kenny Phillips, Miami

S: Myron Rolle, Florida State

K: Sam Swank, Wake Forrest

P: Durrant Brooks, Georgia Tech

KR: Darrell Blackman, NC State

PR: Eddie Royal, Virginia Tech

Conference Notes

The best name in the conference is without a shadow of doubt, Macho Harris from Virginia Tech…Everyone is talking about the staff shakeups at Florida State, and rightfully so. But the best hire that no one is talking about is Georgia Tech bringing in John Bond from Northern Illinois, you know the guy behind the NIU running machine that cracked out Michael Turner and Garret Wolfe. Tashard Choice has to have a smile from ear to ear…There are plenty of hot seats around the ACC. My bet to get the Axe first, Ted Roof. That isn’t realy fair in the least since no one not named Steve Supurrier can ever, ever win there…Vince Oghobaase in addition to having an awsome name, and enormous NFL pottential also has to be the only defensive tackle in the country to wear a single digit number. He wears number three, a man after my own heart…I really hate to say never, but Wake Forrest will never win the ACC in Football again. Ever.