Kansas/VTech

[Highlander]

Exciting game last night. I think that Beamer got outcoached, though. The best call of the night was Kansas audibling to a fake punt after VTech pulled all 10 guys in to go for the block, leaving Kansas's gunners wide open. That was a classic 'smart' play that made Tech look just plain stupid.

Neither team blocked very well, and turnovers were ultimately the difference in the game. We knew VTech's offense wasn't much to speak of, but I don't think anyone expected Kansas's defense to play as well as they did.

One thing I couldn't figure out was why Vtech abandoned the running game in the second half? They had incredible success running the ball in the second quarter to Ore, but seemed to think winning the ball on the ground was beneath them or something. It was very odd.

Also, it's sad that the best team in the ACC couldn't beat the third best team in the Big 12.

[billybreen]

Yeah, that was a really fun game. Kansas, WVU, and Michigan were three games I very much expected to go the other way.

[throatybeard]

The ACC is 2-6 in bowls. We're so fraudulent. And I think I saw something that said we're 1-7 in our last 8 BCS bowls.

[Duvall]

The ACC is 2-6 in bowls. We're so fraudulent.

Maybe, but weren't five of those losses by a touchdown or less? If Clemson wins in overtime and UVa doesn't blow a 14-point lead in the last two minutes, the ACC is a respectable 4-4. Sometimes it's not your year.

[Bob Green]

The ACC is 2-6 in bowls. We're so fraudulent. And I think I saw something that said we're 1-7 in our last 8 BCS bowls.

I don't find this suprising. We are a basketball conference.

[Olympic Fan]

I'm tired on people ripping on the ACC for its bowl performance. Yes, the ACC is having a lousy year -- although as Duvall said, two close games go the other way and we're 4-4 ...

So the ACC has a losing bowl record -- well, guess what, since 2001, every BCS conference has had at least one losing bowl year. Until this season, the ACC was the only major league to go .500 or better every year in this century.

One lousy year does not make ACC football fraudulent. It's a fact that historically, the ACC has the best bowl record of any conference (143-123-5 alltime, a 53.7 percentage) -- ahead of the No. 2 SEC (52.1 percent) and the No. 3 Pac 10 (51.9) and well ahead of the Big Ten (49.8), Big 12 (48.0)

If you only count recent years (before this one), the ACC's bowl record is even more impressive -- between 2001 and 2006, the ACC was 60.9 percent in bowl games -- again the best of any conference (Big East 58.6, SEC 58.1). That record was not compiled against a bunch of pasties -- the ACC was 22-12 against BCS schools and owned a winning bowl record in that span against every other BCS conference. The ACC's 5-4 record against the SEC included wins over Georgia, Florida, Auburn and Tennessee twice.

So if you want to rip the ACC for a lousy showing in bowls this year, fine -- the league deserves it. But don't try to turn that into evidence that the ACC is an inferior league.

[sandinmyshoes]

The good thing for Duke fans is that some slippage at the top of the conference might make it easier for Coach Cut to improve the program. This is probably true for UNC and NCSU as well. There is opportunity in these conference stumbles.