Olympic Fan
11-23-2007, 11:31 PM
I know it's Doug Gottlief's oft-stated opinion that the Pac 10 is the nation's No. 1 conference (he also likes the Big 12 and the SEC), but after Florida State's 14-point win at Florida, I should point out that:
1. The ACC is already a strong No. 1 in the RPI (with the Big East 2, the Pac 10 3).
2. The ACC has the best non-conference record (it was 40-7 going into tonight ... a couple of games are still going -- Virginia is beating Penn; but Virginia Tech is down six late against No. 23 Butler in Alaska; UNC plays very late).
I know that a lot of critics think those things are meaningless because so many of the opponents are patsies. To some extent that's true. However, the ACC has a significantly better record against the other BCS conferences than any other league. It now stands:
1. ACC 8-3 (with three wins on the road ... Virginia at Arizona; FSU at Florida; Clemson at Miss State; five wins on neutral courts -- none at home)
2. Pac 10 5-4
3. Big 12 5-5
4. Big 10 6-7
(tie) Big East 6-7
6. SEC 3-7
So far, our top rated team hasn't played another BCS team (UNC was supposed to meet Louisville in the Las Vegas final Sunday, but BYU upset Louisville from the mightly Big East, so unless ODU upsets UNC tonight -- setting up a UNC-Louisville matchup in the consolation game, the Heels will get their first BCS test at Ohio State Wednesday).
Okay, the ACC and Big Eleven have 11 games coming up next week. We'll check back in then.
But so far, you've gotta like the ACC's out-of-conference start. Now if Ga Tech can just get its act together ...
1. The ACC is already a strong No. 1 in the RPI (with the Big East 2, the Pac 10 3).
2. The ACC has the best non-conference record (it was 40-7 going into tonight ... a couple of games are still going -- Virginia is beating Penn; but Virginia Tech is down six late against No. 23 Butler in Alaska; UNC plays very late).
I know that a lot of critics think those things are meaningless because so many of the opponents are patsies. To some extent that's true. However, the ACC has a significantly better record against the other BCS conferences than any other league. It now stands:
1. ACC 8-3 (with three wins on the road ... Virginia at Arizona; FSU at Florida; Clemson at Miss State; five wins on neutral courts -- none at home)
2. Pac 10 5-4
3. Big 12 5-5
4. Big 10 6-7
(tie) Big East 6-7
6. SEC 3-7
So far, our top rated team hasn't played another BCS team (UNC was supposed to meet Louisville in the Las Vegas final Sunday, but BYU upset Louisville from the mightly Big East, so unless ODU upsets UNC tonight -- setting up a UNC-Louisville matchup in the consolation game, the Heels will get their first BCS test at Ohio State Wednesday).
Okay, the ACC and Big Eleven have 11 games coming up next week. We'll check back in then.
But so far, you've gotta like the ACC's out-of-conference start. Now if Ga Tech can just get its act together ...