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Bob Green
11-28-2014, 04:55 PM
The ACC has nine bowl eligible teams* with the winner of tonight's Virginia at Virginia Tech game becoming the tenth. Mike London survived spending the season on the Hot Seat and will return as Virginia's head coach in 2015. I like the Cavaliers over the Hokies. The conference could qualify team number 11 when five win Pittsburgh travels to Miami Saturday night. Here are the games:

Virginia at Virginia Tech (Friday at 8 pm)
Georgia Tech* at Georgia (12:00)
Kentucky at Louisville* (12:00)
South Carolina at Clemson* (12:00)
Syracuse at Boston College* (12:30)
N.C. State* at North Carolina* (12:30)
Florida at Florida State* (3:30)
Wake Forest at Duke* (7:00)
Pittsburgh at Miami* (7:00)

Week 14 has arrived! Let's talk some ACC football. Duke needs to beat Wake Forest for win number nine to secure their position as a Tier 1 bowl team. Unless something bizarre happens, Duke should end up in one of the following five bowl games: TaxSlayer, Music City, Sun, Belk or Pinstripe.

OldPhiKap
11-28-2014, 05:08 PM
The ACC has nine bowl eligible teams* with the winner of tonight's Virginia at Virginia Tech game becoming the tenth. Mike London survived spending the season on the Hot Seat and will return as Virginia's head coach in 2015. I like the Cavaliers over the Hokies. The conference could qualify team number 11 when five win Pittsburgh travels to Miami Saturday night. Here are the games:

Virginia at Virginia Tech (Friday at 8 pm)
Georgia Tech* at Georgia (12:00)
Kentucky at Louisville* (12:00)
South Carolina at Clemson* (12:00)
Syracuse at Boston College* (12:30)
N.C. State* at North Carolina* (12:30)
Florida at Florida State* (3:30)
Wake Forest at Duke* (7:00)
Pittsburgh at Miami* (7:00)

Week 14 has arrived! Let's talk some ACC football. Duke needs to beat Wake Forest for win number nine to secure their position as a Tier 1 bowl team. Unless something bizarre happens, Duke should end up in one of the following five bowl games: TaxSlayer, Music City, Sun, Belk or Pinstripe.

I guess a VT win looks better for us (all three losses to date are to bowl teams) but not sure I can do that frankly.

Good luck to the team's with SEC rivals; Louisville should win but the Dawgs should smash GT. Clemson, well -- tell me who is QB and I will have a better picture (but always root for Spurrier in this one anyway).

State-Carolina should be a fun game. Go Pack!

4545

devildeac
11-28-2014, 06:29 PM
I guess a VT win looks better for us (all three losses to date are to bowl teams) but not sure I can do that frankly.

Good luck to the team's with SEC rivals; Louisville should win but the Dawgs should smash GT. Clemson, well -- tell me who is QB and I will have a better picture (but always root for Spurrier in this one anyway).

State-Carolina should be a fun game. Go Pack!

4545

That Statefish is gonna get sick eating garbage like that:rolleyes:.

Olympic Fan
11-29-2014, 12:13 AM
Wow,
Great finish to VPI-UVa ... Hokies become bowl eligible with the 24-20 win. Cavs get to go home and celebrate another bowl-less season under Mike London, who just got a contract extension. I said it before and I'll say it again: the rest of the ACC should send Littlepage their thanks for holding on to London. That program -- with all the money they've poured into it -- would be dangerous with a better coach.

Wander
11-29-2014, 09:59 AM
Ah yes, the annual "guys, THIS is the year the ACC is really good and is going to win most of the games against SEC rivals, oh wait, never mind" day is one of my favorite days in college football. Hopefully the trend will affect FSU this year and cause them to lose to Florida. God those guys are getting annoying.

Mtn.Devil.91.92.01.10.15
11-29-2014, 11:47 AM
Ah yes, the annual "guys, THIS is the year the ACC is really good and is going to win most of the games against SEC rivals, oh wait, never mind" day is one of my favorite days in college football. Hopefully the trend will affect FSU this year and cause them to lose to Florida. God those guys are getting annoying.

I would be fine if FSU lost their last 3 games

Olympic Fan
11-29-2014, 12:16 PM
Not me ... pulling hard for the 'Noles.

Better for the ACC and better for Duke (helps our bowl placement if they make the playoffs).

Actually, it helps our bowl placement if the ACC loses every other SEC matchup, except for the FSU-Florida game. But it helps the perception of the league if the ACC does well and in the long run that helps us.

I feel good about FSU-Florida and Louisville-Kentucky. I have to favor Georgia, even though Ga Tech has a chance. The Clemson-South Carolina game comes down to Sashawn Watson. If he's healthy and near the top of his game, the Tigers win ... if it's Cole Stoudt at QB, the Gamecocks coast.

I'd love a 3-1 ACC win, but I'd be happy with a 2-2 split.

Duvall
11-29-2014, 12:59 PM
Louisville down to its 3rd-string QB, at least for now.

...who promptly throws a 45-yd touchdown. Okay then.

Olympic Fan
11-29-2014, 01:35 PM
So I'm clicking around, feeling pretty good. Louisville has rallied from a 13-0 deficit to take the 14-13 lead on Kentucky behind their third-string, true freshman QB. Watson has Clemson in total control up 21-7 on the Gamecocks late in the half. And, as a bonus, NC State is whipping the Cheats, 14-0.

I switch over and watch Georgia Tech tie up Georgia 7-all just before halftime. Then I switch back to Clemson-SC and I see the Tigers have the ball just inside South Carolina territory late in the half, driving for another score ...

... but, wait, who is that at QB? Watson out and Cole "Disaster waiting to happen" Stoudt back in. The second play I see, he drops back -- no pressure -- and throws the ball right at a SC defender for an interception, returned into Clemson territory.

I can't watch any more. If Stoudt has to finish the game at QB, the Tigers are dead meat. Absolutely, positively the worst QB playing for a respectable team. The third string Louisville guy is better.

Wander
11-29-2014, 02:31 PM
Watson is really racking up "passing" yards on these Clemson handoffs.

Wander
11-29-2014, 03:07 PM
Georgia Tech just had the weirdest "onside kick" of all time.

devildeac
11-29-2014, 03:21 PM
I wonder if Orange County will become Red County in an hour or so with a little "over-spraying" perhaps. ;)

Duvall
11-29-2014, 03:34 PM
Clemson wins, GTU wins, Louisville leading late.

Olympic Fan
11-29-2014, 03:59 PM
Awesome 3-0 start vs. SEC -- Clemson crushes South Carolina (thank goodness Watson came back!); Louisville wins a shootout with Kentucky and Georgia Tech pulls out a simply incredible victory over Georgia. Read the game story -- its simply unbelievable.

As a bonus, NC State stomps the Cheats.

Now, just need FSU to take care of business. So far, business as usual -- Winston has thrown two interceptions in the first five minutes.

That leaves Georgia Tech at 10-2 and Clemson at 9-3 ... both will be ranked in next week's poll. Pretty sure they split the Orange and Russell Bowls.

That leaves Louisville and Duke in the second tier (Sun, Belk, Pinstripe and Music City) .,.. with Miami and Notre Dame, I'm guessing.

Wander
11-29-2014, 04:08 PM
Well, two of the games did feature:

the 3rd best ACC team playing against the SEC's 11th best team, at home
the 4th best ACC team playing against the SEC's 13th best team, at home

So, I'm not sure how much that really says about the ACC. That being said, GT's victory on the road at UGA is really impressive in what was an overall weird game, and obviously if FSU beats UF, you still have to call it an extremely successful day for the conference, as we all should know by now that the "should-wins" are by no means guaranteed here. So good work, ACC.

Edit: And it's great that Duke will finish the season with a win over a ranked (potentially highly ranked) team!

Duvall
11-29-2014, 04:16 PM
Awesome 3-0 start vs. SEC -- Clemson crushes South Carolina (thank goodness Watson came back!); Louisville wins a shootout with Kentucky and Georgia Tech pulls out a simply incredible victory over Georgia. Read the game story -- its simply unbelievable.

As a bonus, NC State stomps the Cheats.

Now, just need FSU to take care of business. So far, business as usual -- Winston has thrown two interceptions in the first five minutes.

That leaves Georgia Tech at 10-2 and Clemson at 9-3 ... both will be ranked in next week's poll. Pretty sure they split the Orange and Russell Bowls.

That leaves Louisville and Duke in the second tier (Sun, Belk, Pinstripe and Music City) .,.. with Miami and Notre Dame, I'm guessing.

Well, unless one of the bowls on that tier takes someone like NC State over Duke, because bowls don't need reasons.

Wander
11-29-2014, 04:19 PM
Well, unless one of the bowls on that tier takes someone like NC State over Duke, because bowls don't need reasons.

Is the rule about not being to jump teams with 2 more wins not in effect anymore?

Duvall
11-29-2014, 04:22 PM
Is the rule about not being to jump teams with 2 more wins not in effect anymore?

It is not, except with respect to Notre Dame.

sagegrouse
11-29-2014, 04:26 PM
Well, two of the games did feature:

the 3rd best ACC team playing against the SEC's 11th best team, at home
the 4th best ACC team playing against the SEC's 13th best team, at home

So, I'm not sure how much that really says about the ACC. That being said, GT's victory on the road at UGA is really impressive in what was an overall weird game, and obviously if FSU beats UF, you still have to call it an extremely successful day for the conference, as we all should know by now that the "should-wins" are by no means guaranteed here. So good work, ACC.

Edit: And it's great that Duke will finish the season with a win over a ranked (potentially highly ranked) team!

Point number 1. Hey, Wander, I am tempted to say, .... But I won't this time.

Point number 2. Georgia-Georgia Tech is clearly one of the best five games of the season, and it may be the best. I mean, with a four-point lead and the ball and driving for a score, how could GT lose? Well -- a stupid fumble by the dopey QB Justin Thomas, who threw for only 64 yards all day. After a goal-line stand by GT failed, how could Georgia lose with a 3-point lead and 18 seconds left? Well, a stupid pooch kickoff giving up the ball on the GT 40 and then letting the aforementioned dopey QB scramble for 24. Well, still, how could they lose with five seconds left? Well, GT could nail a 53-yard field goal. Georgia Tech drives for a quick TD. How could GT lose? Well, it could have an extra point blocked. Georgia is driving for a score, and how can the Dawgs lose? Well, throw into a well-designed coverage for an interception.

ice-9
11-29-2014, 09:03 PM
So, I'm not sure how much that really says about the ACC.

Maybe that the ACC is better than perceived? That the SEC isn't as great as it is hyped to be?

arnie
11-29-2014, 09:35 PM
Maybe that the ACC is better than perceived? That the SEC isn't as great as it is hyped to be?

Of course SEC is saying we just beat up on the East. But if West doesn't have many good OOC wins and East teams are bad, what can West teams crow about?

ice-9
11-29-2014, 09:40 PM
Of course SEC is saying we just beat up on the East. But if West doesn't have many good OOC wins and East teams are bad, what can West teams crow about?

Exactly Arnie, exactly.

Wander
11-29-2014, 10:16 PM
Who's been hyping the SEC East this year? If you've encountered such people, I completely agree with you guys that they're full of it. The SEC East is an ordinary division. Good but not great, and in my opinion no better than either ACC division.

The SEC West is not just by far the best division this season. It's almost certainly, without hyperbole, the best division ever (of course, let's wait until after the bowls to say this for sure, but it's a pretty safe bet right now). Anyone resisting this is robbing themselves of a chance to appreciate some amazing games this year and some really cool history.

Anyway, the ACC did really well today, and they deserve some bragging rights, even with the caveat I listed above. Sorry if it seemed like I was spoiling the party - aside from FSU, who I'm just sick of, I enjoyed seeing it too. I don't know what the overall record is vs other power 5 conferences right now, but I imagine it's pretty good at this point.

arnie
11-29-2014, 11:06 PM
Who's been hyping the SEC East this year? If you've encountered such people, I completely agree with you guys that they're full of it. The SEC East is an ordinary division. Good but not great, and in my opinion no better than either ACC division.

The SEC West is not just by far the best division this season. It's almost certainly, without hyperbole, the best division ever (of course, let's wait until after the bowls to say this for sure, but it's a pretty safe bet right now). Anyone resisting this is robbing themselves of a chance to appreciate some amazing games this year and some really cool history.

Anyway, the ACC did really well today, and they deserve some bragging rights, even with the caveat I listed above. Sorry if it seemed like I was spoiling the party - aside from FSU, who I'm just sick of, I enjoyed seeing it too. I don't know what the overall record is vs other power 5 conferences right now, but I imagine it's pretty good at this point.
Ok, I'll bite on this. My point is the following- the SEC East is not very good; similar to middle of road ACC teams. The SEC West plays a few SEC East teams (who aren't very strong), round robin among themselves and then a grand total of 4 games against Power 5 conference opponents. Yes 2 wins were impressive (Wisconsin and Kansas State). But there just aren't that many data points with the 7 SEC West teams collectively playing weak OOC schedules. I think the West is very good, but not sure they've proven themselves as best in football history.

sagegrouse
11-29-2014, 11:18 PM
Ok, I'll bite on this. My point is the following- the SEC East is not very good; similar to middle of road ACC teams. The SEC West plays a few SEC East teams (who aren't very strong), round robin among themselves and then a grand total of 4 games against Power 5 conference opponents. Yes 2 wins were impressive (Wisconsin and Kansas State). But there just aren't that many data points with the 7 SEC West teams collectively playing weak OOC schedules. I think the West is very good, but not sure they've proven themselves as best in football history.

I heard an interesting number yesterday. Arkansas, the team with the worst record in the SEC West was a 2.5 point favorite AT Mizzou, which was leading the SEC East.

HK Dukie
11-29-2014, 11:37 PM
I heard an interesting number yesterday. Arkansas, the team with the worst record in the SEC West was a 2.5 point favorite AT Mizzou, which was leading the SEC East.

And who won that game? :)

So your ALL taking the SEC West? (in Chris Berman's deep Sunday voice)..... I agree with one commentator from above that there just are not that many datapoints to prove SEC West is the best division/conference ever. Let's see these OOC bowl games and decide then.

Two interesting ACC notes....

4-0 vs SEC this week
7-7 ACC Coastal vs ACC Atlantic this year

Duke finished in sole possession of 2nd place in a tough ACC Coastal (with no bad teams) and was a missed chippie field goal from the ACC title game (and a different Pitt chippie from 4-4). The ACC deserves some more respect and I am looking forward to bowl season so the rest of the country can find out.

Wander
11-29-2014, 11:48 PM
Ok, I'll bite on this. My point is the following- the SEC East is not very good; similar to middle of road ACC teams. The SEC West plays a few SEC East teams (who aren't very strong), round robin among themselves and then a grand total of 4 games against Power 5 conference opponents. Yes 2 wins were impressive (Wisconsin and Kansas State). But there just aren't that many data points with the 7 SEC West teams collectively playing weak OOC schedules. I think the West is very good, but not sure they've proven themselves as best in football history.

If I was God of College Football, I would immediately ban all games with 1-AA opponents. Unfortunately for everyone, I am not, and we're stuck in a world where college football as a whole just doesn't have a lot of data points.

Here's an example: the Big 12 is widely considered to be a good conference, right? Apply your same logic to the Big 12. The single best non-conference win is TCU's home win over Minnesota, a team that may not be ranked tomorrow. I'll let you decide what the second and third best non-conference wins are, because I can't figure it out. Maybe I'm missing an obvious one. And that's a 10 team conference vs a 7 team division.

The Pac-12 South is probably the second best division in the country this season. The division's best non-conference win is against Notre Dame. The division's second best non-conference win is... also against Notre Dame. Yawn.

Funny enough, I think the only division that can compete with the SEC West's trio of wins away from home of Kansas State, Wisconsin, and Boise State is... the ACC Coastal! But we also have a ton of non-conference losses, including to Akron and Iowa (thanks, Pitt).

Olympic Fan
11-30-2014, 01:17 AM
If I was God of College Football, I would immediately ban all games with 1-AA opponents. Unfortunately for everyone, I am not, and we're stuck in a world where college football as a whole just doesn't have a lot of data points.

Here's an example: the Big 12 is widely considered to be a good conference, right? Apply your same logic to the Big 12. The single best non-conference win is TCU's home win over Minnesota, a team that may not be ranked tomorrow. I'll let you decide what the second and third best non-conference wins are, because I can't figure it out. Maybe I'm missing an obvious one. And that's a 10 team conference vs a 7 team division.

The Pac-12 South is probably the second best division in the country this season. The division's best non-conference win is against Notre Dame. The division's second best non-conference win is... also against Notre Dame. Yawn.

Funny enough, I think the only division that can compete with the SEC West's trio of wins away from home of Kansas State, Wisconsin, and Boise State is... the ACC Coastal! But we also have a ton of non-conference losses, including to Akron and Iowa (thanks, Pitt).

And what are ACC's best OOC wins?

Let's see ...

Start with Virginia Tech -- a middle of the road Coastal team -- winning at Ohio State, the best team in the Big Ten

Then we have Boston College -- a middle of the road Atlantic team -- beating Southern Cal.

We have Georgia Tech of the Coastal beating Georgia (not long after Georgia crushed Auburn)

We have Florida State and Louisville of the Atlantic beating Notre Dame.

You also Clemson of the Atlantic crushing South Carolina.

I think that stacks up pretty good to the other Power Five conferences OOC

The ACC finished 8-5 against the other Power Five conferences, including 4-1 vs. the SEC and 2-0 vs. the Big 12.

the league deserves some respect

ice-9
11-30-2014, 01:29 AM
And what are ACC's best OOC wins?

Let's see ...

Start with Virginia Tech -- a middle of the road Coastal team -- winning at Ohio State, the best team in the Big Ten

Then we have Boston College -- a middle of the road Atlantic team -- beating Southern Cal.

We have Georgia Tech of the Coastal beating Georgia (not long after Georgia crushed Auburn)

We have Florida State and Louisville of the Atlantic beating Notre Dame.

You also Clemson of the Atlantic crushing South Carolina.

I think that stacks up pretty good to the other Power Five conferences OOC

The ACC finished 8-5 against the other Power Five conferences, including 4-1 vs. the SEC and 2-0 vs. the Big 12.

the league deserves some respect

Exactly. It's not just about bragging rights. FSU is undefeated in a pretty good ACC and beat several traditional powers out of conference, but is still only #3 in the CFP. That doesn't seem right.

Plus, we need FSU to go to the CFP so Duke can get a better bowl.

HK Dukie
11-30-2014, 08:10 AM
The ACC finished 8-5 against the other Power Five conferences, including 4-1 vs. the SEC and 2-0 vs. the Big 12.

the league deserves some respect

You nailed it. When is this going to be a story in the main stream media?

Maybe the ESPN ACC blog will pick up on this. It's probably #2 of the power 5 in terms of OOC records. Can someone check this? It might be #1 or tied for #1.

Mtn.Devil.91.92.01.10.15
11-30-2014, 08:14 AM
Maybe that the ACC is better than perceived? That the SEC isn't as great as it is hyped to be?

At the end of the day, fair or not, the ACC will be judged this year by FSU. If Tech knocks them off, the ACC was weak. If FSU loses in the playoff, the ACC was weak. If FSU wins and our bowl games come up big, we stand a chance at respect.

We live in the era of the SEC, like it or not. The narrative that monopolizes the media is that the only real football happens there.

Interesting to see if/when they are shut out of the playoff, if that narrative changes.

hudlow
11-30-2014, 09:15 AM
Off topic....but I believe Maryland found "their rival" yesterday.

devildeac
11-30-2014, 09:39 AM
Off topic....but I believe Maryland found "their rival" yesterday.

O, good golly, now what? Another tussle during warm-ups and no hand shake before the coin toss? Or did they riot in college park before, during and after the game? Wait, I thought PSU was their decades long rival now that they're about 2-34 against them. :rolleyes:

davekay1971
11-30-2014, 09:49 AM
O, good golly, now what? Another tussle during warm-ups and no hand shake before the coin toss? Or did they riot in college park before, during and after the game? Wait, I thought PSU was their decades long rival now that they're about 2-34 against them. :rolleyes:

Nah, Maryland just gakked away a huge lead, therefore they were robbed by the refs. After all, Billy Packer mentioned in the first quarter that Rutgers was getting a lot of the calls after both teams had been called for 2 penalties.

Unfortunately, Rutgers doesn't qualify for Maryland's natural rival. That has to be a program that Maryland has no chance of catching. I'm waiting for them to announce that Ohio State is their natural football rival, then launch unrelenting hate at the Buckeye's confused fans, who will scratch their heads and try to explain "but we already have a better rival".

Maryland's is a fan-base that combines Don Quixote's penchant for windmills with a rabid skunk's personality.

devildeac
11-30-2014, 12:48 PM
Nah, Maryland just gakked away a huge lead, therefore they were robbed by the refs. After all, Billy Packer mentioned in the first quarter that Rutgers was getting a lot of the calls after both teams had been called for 2 penalties.

Unfortunately, Rutgers doesn't qualify for Maryland's natural rival. That has to be a program that Maryland has no chance of catching. I'm waiting for them to announce that Ohio State is their natural football rival, then launch unrelenting hate at the Buckeye's confused fans, who will scratch their heads and try to explain "but we already have a better rival".

Maryland's is a fan-base that combines Don Quixote's penchant for windmills with a rabid skunk's personality.

Hmmm, the Ohio State Buckeyes. I'm sure some demented md fans could come up with some perverted chants and/or t-shirts with a slight variation on tOSU nickname:rolleyes:.