He laughs at your lack of faith in his offense.(AP via Daylife)
The week in ACC football seems like it needs another couple games, but it is indeed over and we know nothing. The conference is such a crap-shoot at this point. Best in Atlantic? (0-1 in ACC Clemson?) Best in Coastal? (Um, Richmond?) Who wins this thing? (a 7-8 overall, maybe 4 conference win team at this point) And on to the rankings…
FBS Division of the ACC
Rank (LW)….Team……………………..Record
1)..(1)..Miami Hurricanes………………………1-0(1-0 ACC)
Didn’t participate…playing Georgia Tech next Thursday.
2)..(3)…Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets…………..2-0(1-0 ACC)
How do you win a game–but seem like you have lost it? Ask the Yellow Jackets. The first quarter was a mix of coaching blunders on Clemson’s part and genius on GT’s, but from then on, Clemson had a grasp of that game. Good news for Georgia Tech–they probably will not face a team that will be able to disrupt their star Dwyer like Clemson did the rest of the season. Is it possible that Nesbitt has regressed with forward pass from last season to this one? That will have to improve or GT will struggle to finish off even more games this season.
3)…(2)…Virginia Tech Hokies…………………1-1(0-0 ACC)
Hokies score 52 points. It has to be encouraging for Gobbler Country/CGB/etc. to put up 600+ offensive yards and an astounding 444 rushing yards versus Marshall(where was that against Bama?). I guess they didn’t have to, but Taylor only threw the ball 16 times for 161 yards/2 TDs/1 INT. The Hokies must not be hiding that their passing game is less than improved and running the ball is where it’s at. Your the viewers’ guess is as good as mine on what this game means to the Nebraska game next week.
4)..(4)..Boston College Eagles………………….2-0(0-0 ACC)
They almost had it. So, ever so close to carrying the shutout streak into next week’s Clemson game, but gave up a score with 2:15 to go in their 34-7 victory over Kent State. Looks like the Tuggle/Shinskie QB sharing program will continue into the ACC season, but they combined for 3 passing TDs. BC seemed to be pushing development in the passing game–maybe they saw Clemson’s rushing defense Thursday night?
5)..(5)..Clemson Tigers………………1-1(0-1 ACC)
Admit it–you counted them out, down by 17, at the half. Who knew that the Tigers had 27 unanswered points in them, but now that we do–it makes them one to watch in the ACC this season. Redshirt freshman, in his first road start, Kyle Parker threw for 261 yards and 3 TDs while Clemson star C.J. Spiller accounted for 234 total yards and a TD. And yeah, they were screwed by the ACC officials, but it happens–next week is a big test at home versus Boston College.
6)..(6)..North Carolina Tar Heels………………………2-0(0-0 ACC)
It wasn’t exactly the “hey, we are ACC Coastal contenders too” kind of game for the Heels, but they won 12-10 on a holding call in endzone that induced a safety. If UConn can completely shut down UNC’s running game, it certainly does not bode well for their conference play. Oddest part of this game was when the Tar Heels’ leading receiver Pianalto would injure himself celebrating the game-tying TD–and had to be taken off the field in an air cast.
7)..(8)..Wake Forest Demon Deacons…1-1(0-0 ACC)
Stanford was awake enough to jump out to a 17-3 halftime lead, but apparently needed a nap in second to a 24-17 loss. Wake Forest played typical Grobe football with minimal mistakes and just enough offense to win. Wake QB Riley Skinner would throw for a TD and run the game-winning one in with only 2 seconds remaining for the Deacs. Got to give Wake Forest credit for strong scheduling(but they probably did not figure on Baylor and Stanford actually being good at the time of setting it up).
8)..(7)..Florida State Seminoles……………1-1(0-1 ACC)
In the ‘Noles game with FCS Jacksonville State–coming off the dazzling FSU-Miami game, J-ville State would lead for 37 minutes and 12 seconds. That’s right–the Jacksonville freakin’ State Gamecocks led for most of the game Saturday versus the once vaunted ‘Noles on Bobby Bowden Field. Attempting to reason this game out would blow my mind so I will just leave it at that.
9)..(9)..North Carolina State Wolfpack………….1-1(0-0 ACC)
Talk about the FCS team to pick on, NC State sure found a doozy. The Wolfpack would throw up 65 points(62 more than last week) and give up 34 total yards to the Racers of Murray State. What was nice to see is that Russell Wilson was efficient with a 15/21, 4 TD performance. Their cupcake diet continues with Gardner Webb next week.
10)..(NA)..Duke Blue Devils…………………………1-1(0-0 ACC)
The Blue Devils went on the road and defeated Army in a hard fought game that could have gone either way up to the 4th quarter. The difference would be a pair of Blue Devil CB Leon Wright INT returns for TDs in the last two minutes to increase the Duke lead to 35-13.
11)..(10)..Maryland Terrapins……………………1-1(0-0 ACC)
The CAA was just getting a little greedy here–but the Terps did stave off the Dukes by stopping them in OT and making a chip shot FG. Maryland QB Chris Turner threw the game-tying 27 yard TD in his 25/38, 236 passing yard game(also was second in rushing yards and added a rushing TD). For future reference, Maryland is stopping no one defensively this season in the ACC.
FCS Division of ACC(Until first ACC/FBS win, UVA has been relegated to the minors by OTB)
1)..(2)….Virginia Cavaliers…………………..0-2(0-0 ACC)
We knew that TCU would dominate Virginia, but it does not make it any easier to swallow for the conference. The Horned Frogs made UVA look like a little league offense. The ‘Hoos have no QB, and therefore, have no offense. TCU will look to continue their ACC dominance at Clemson in a couple weeks. (Insert Al Groh, hot-seat, other punchline here)
Been a sordid start for the ACC…agree/disagree with the rankings?…give me your thoughts…thanks!
Good poll, and I pretty much agree with the rankings.
I don’t know about putting Miami #1 yet… FSU scoring only 7 points on Jacksonville St late into the game, proved to me that their offense has issues. The nole offense dropped 34 on Miami. If Miami wins beats GT then they are number #1.
Georgia Tech looks like the ACC’s best team when their heads are in it. It’s all mental with them. Coaching is good, scheme is fine, they just need the killer instinct Paul Johnson has been preaching.
All About Sports,
Thanks for the comment, the poll is pretty fluid so Miami is up there because of their impressive ACC road victory. I thought about knocking them down because of how FSU looked Saturday, but GT needed to show me a little more to put them at no. 1. We will know who is the best in the conference next Thursday.
[...] State ranks 8th in the OTB Power Poll. I can’t say I disagree, although I don’t think Miami should be ahead of GT this week. [...]