Read poems and wear sweatshirts!
After a tumultuous regular season, we found out that the ACC sucks on the last weekend before the ACC Championship Game that lost a TON of luster this week. They still are good teams when they are on, but their losses to rivals are deflating for the teams and the conference and leave us with a ton of questions going into the ACC Championship. Regardless, should be a fun game between teams that usually keep it close. As for the rest, Virginia Tech just did work, Miami secured the ACC’s ownership of the Big East(I have no proof to back up this statement–just throwing it in here), NC State ruined UNC’s season, and the teams that lose a lot—lost.
Rank (LW)….Team……………………..Record
1)..(1)…Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets…………..10-2(7-1 ACC)
The result could not be any more shocking. They were rolling coming off a bye week and with 10 wins against a rival that they beat the previous season on the opponent’s home-field. GT’s defense was bad, real bad. Georgia pushed them around like they were an FCS squad. The offense was sufficient and suffered from lots of miscues which I feared could happen next week for them–and nothing has shown me any different right now. What little credibility the ACC had going with the Jackets went straight down the toilet here.
2)…(3)…Virginia Tech Hokies…………………9-3(6-2 ACC)
Ryan Williams, Hoo Slayer. He contributed to the Hokies first five TDs as he rushed for the first four and fumbled to a teammate for the 5th. He would have 183 rushing yards in the 42-13 Hokies win and they now have secured a spot in one of the ACC’s top bowls.
3)..(2)..Clemson Tigers………………8-4(6-2 ACC)
There is no other way to describe the 34-17 loss other than gut-wrenching to South Carolina, but Georgia Tech’s loss later in the night settled the odds and opened up so many possibilities for exposing weakness in the Jackets. Clemson could not move the ball at all as Spiller was contained after his NCAA record breaking 7th kickoff return for TD putting pressure on Clemson’s defense that was not sustainable to keeping SC off the scoreboard.
4)..(5)..Miami Hurricanes………………………9-3(5-3 ACC)
The Canes dominated from start to finish with a strong running game to defeat South Florida 31-10. Jacory Harris was efficient with 2 TDs, but not many yards as the Canes pounded the ball more on the Bulls. A Miami win and a UNC loss has made them a lock for atleast the Champ Sports in their topsy-turvy 9 win season.
5)..(4)..North Carolina Tar Heels………………………8-4(4-4 ACC)
Another painful rivalry game loss is here and it is really crippling to the Heels because they are now slip-sliding down the bowl ladder as an 8-4 team now. For North Carolina, they put up almost 500 yards, but had a FG blocked that would have given them the lead in the 4th quarter. For UNC, one loss really defines a season and their winning streak coming into this one has been voided.
6)..(6)..Boston College Eagles………………….8-4(5-3 ACC)
In an ugly game where neither broke 20 points, BC gave Montel Harris the ball 41 times(41!) and they would put up 19 points overall to edge the Terps. (Uncle) Dave Shinskie had a solid day with over 200 yards passing and 2 TDs in the win. Sid Vicious’ consecutive made kicks streak would be ended much to the odd chagrin of the ESPNU announcers who called this game. We all know the drill when it comes to BC and the bowls–yes, they will deserve a better bowl than they are going to get–no, it is not fair–but what can you do about it? I don’t know other than get a better reputation for traveling and/or win the ACC Championship Game.
7)..(7)..Florida State Seminoles……………6-6(4-4 ACC)
Vegas knows what they are talking about, eh? As 24 point dogs, Florida State would lose by 27 to Tim Tebow and the Gators on an emotional senior day. The Noles would not score a point against the Gators’ first team defense and the defense would just be made to look silly throughout the debacle. The half glass full part of this recap is that ESPN is saying Bowden might be ready to hand over the reigns at FSU.
8)..(9)..Wake Forest Demon Deacons…5-7(3-5 ACC)
Wake Forest beat Duke for its second most impressive victory this season to their increasingly good looking win over Stanford earlier at Grobe. Riley Skinner went out with a bang with 372 yards passing and 5 TDs. No bowl for the Deacs and a lot of questions will plague them going into next season–disappointing year overall.
9)..(11)..North Carolina State Wolfpack………….5-7(2-6 ACC)
He stepped up…and big. Russell Wilson played mistake-free football with all 4 Pack TDs on the strength of his arm in the 28-27 win. This is the kind of game you would expect from a Tom O’Brien-coached team with no turnovers and few penalties. No bowl is in the works, but spoiling a rival’s season is usually priceless this time of year.
10)..(8)..Duke Blue Devils…………………………5-7(3-5 ACC)
Duke’s move to the back of the rankings was completed with the 45-34 home loss to Wake. A season so promising at points was first thwarted by UNC and the rest was history. Losing Thad Lewis(387 yards passing and 3 TDs) will be tough next season, but Renfree had a lot of reps this season to be ready for next year.
11)..(10)….Virginia Cavaliers…………………..3-9(2-6 ACC)
Poetic ending? Virginia faced a tough schedule down the stretch and played hard in Groh’s last games as a Hoo, but they simply were not good enough for reasons that have piled up during Groh’s tenure as coach. I don’t know who out there can turn Virginia around, but from watching the ACC today, any team can take hold of this conference–just takes the right guy.
12)..(12)..Maryland Terrapins……………………2-10(1-7 ACC)
I never would have thought Maryland would have reached double digits in the record…wait, what? 10 losses? There are some positives coming out of this season as Robinson looks like a gem that could be refined into a dynamic QB for Friedgen’s Terps, but everything else is pretty bleak going into next season. Ah, well, you still have Torrey Smith and he had a great year.
Agree with the rankings? Think they’re wrong? Offer a comment…
I agree that both losses by Clemson and Georgia Tech exposed them and the ACC for what they are. Pretty good teams with obvious flaws playing in a bad football conference.
I was very disappointed in both teams. Both squads were manhandled upfront. Clemson can’t match UGA’s offensive line, and GT can’t match South Carolina defensively, so the results of today’s games won’t effect the championship game.
I still like GT, becuase Paul Johnson has never lost two games in a row at Georgia Tech. Very bad day for the ACC.
U-G-L-Y we aint got no alibi – that was ugly!
I don’t take too much away from rivalry games (other than the sickness to my stomach yesterday) and applying them to conferences. I mean, come on…it was just one year ago where the roles were reversed and Tech and Clemson pounded their rivals…did that mean the ACC was better than the SEC in ‘08?