The ACC: Week One

[Olympic Fan]

There are 13 games on tap for ACC teams this weekend -- three Thursday night, one Friday night, eight on Saturday and one Monday night.

Many of them are essentially exhibitions (including NCCU at Duke), but several are significant.

I think the three matchups between strong ACC programs and traditional SEC powers will go a long way towards determining the national perception of the ACC this season. We get:

North Carolina-Georgia in Atlanta (Saturday, 5:30 p.m., ESPN)

Clemson at Auburn (Saturday, 9 p.m. ESPN)

Florida State-Ole Miss in Orlando (Monday, 9 p.m., ESPN).

I also think the Boston College-Georgia Tech matchup in Dublin, Ireland (Saturday, 7:30 a.m., ESPN2) is significant. Both teams had disastrous 2015 seasons, but both have a ton of experience back. Last year, BC was No. 1 in the nation in total offense (No. 2 in rushing offense). Georgia Tech still runs the most dangerous option in college football with senior QB Justin Thomas and about a million good backs -- so many that Marcus Marshall and Clinton Lynch, who averaged 7.6 and 9.5 yards a carry respectively last year as true freshmen will be backups to a pair of new freshmen runners.

Seven Teams meet FCS opponents:
William & Mary at NC State (Thursday night, 7:30 p.m.)
Colgate at Syracuse (Friday, 7 p.m.)
Liberty at Virginia Tech (Saturday, 12:30 p.m., ACC Network)
Villanova at Pitt (Saturday, 1:30 p.m.)
Richmond at Virginia (Saturday, 3:30 p.m.)
NCCU at Duke (Saturday, 6 p.m.)
Florida A&M at Miami (Saturday, 6 p.m.)

Two teams face lower-level FBS teams:
Tulane at Wake Forest (Thursday, 7 p.m.)
Charlotte at Louisville (Thursday, 7 p.m.)

Note: If no TV listed, then the game is only available on the ACC Net Extra package.

It would be a major disappointment for the league to lose to an FCS (or one of the two lower FBS) opponents.

Personally, I'll be pulling for all the ACC teams except one (and I doubt I have to explain to the readers of this board why I can't pull for the Cheaters). If FSU and Clemson can win, it will more than offset the negative publicity of the Cheaters going down. It would also keep alive the hopes of putting two ACC teams into the playoffs.

[DU82]

I also think the Boston College-Georgia Tech matchup in Dublin, Ireland (Saturday, 7:30 a.m., ESPN2) is significant. Both teams had disastrous 2015 seasons, but both have a ton of experience back. Last year, BC was No. 1 in the nation in total offense (No. 2 in rushing offense).

You meant BC was the top rated DEFENSE.

[Olympic Fan]

You meant BC was the top rated DEFENSE.

Duh! You are right -- that's what I meant. Mea culpa.
BTW: They have eight starters returning off that defense.

[devildeac]

Duh! You are right -- that's what I meant. Mea culpa.
BTW: They have eight starters returning off that defense.

Yea, but we have one of their coaches now.

[Bob Green]

Note: If no TV listed, then the game is only available on the ACC Net Extra package.

What exactly is this? TV channel? ESPN3 on steroids?

[Olympic Fan]

What exactly is this? TV channel? ESPN3 on steroids?

I think so ... you get it with the WatchESPN app or streaming on WatchESPN.com:

http://www.espn.com/watchespn/index/...port/football/

It's LIKE ESPN3, but not quite the same thing.

[Bob Green]

I think so ... you get it with the WatchESPN app or streaming on WatchESPN.com:

http://www.espn.com/watchespn/index/...port/football/

It's LIKE ESPN3, but not quite the same thing.

I plan on watching the Wake Forest game at 7 pm tonight so I've got four hours to figure it out. Thanks!

[cato]

Can you please tag these posts FB?

In all seriousness, thank you for taking the time to preview the week. I am more excited about Duke and ACC football than I ever have been, and for that I thank the Duke admin, Coach Cut and the dedicated football fans on this board. Keep all the discussion coming. I will be reading it all, without much to add.

Other than the basics: Go Duke!

[Bob Green]

Can you please tag these posts FB?

September: Football
Cops: Doughnut Shop
Peanut Butter: Jelly

[cato]

September: Football
Cops: Doughnut Shop
Peanut Butter: Jelly

Duke: Winning*

I find myself both much more engaged with DBR and Duke Football because of the fall focus around here. Living in San Diego, I would not follow the program 1/1000 as closely without people like you, Olympic Fan and others.

*Still a bit aspirational in FB, but we are on our way.

[Bob Green]

I'm scouting Wake Forest...

Halftime: Wake 7, Tulane 3

Demon Deacons playing two QBs not only alternating series but alternating plays in the same series. My takeaway from the 1st half is Wake Forest offensive line is less than impressive. Tulane field goal the result of a "roughing the punter" penalty on Wake Forest.

Lots of football left to play in this one.

[Olympic Fan]

I'm scouting Wake Forest...

Halftime: Wake 7, Tulane 3

Demon Deacons playing two QBs not only alternating series but alternating plays in the same series. My takeaway from the 1st half is Wake Forest offensive line is less than impressive. Tulane field goal the result of a "roughing the punter" penalty on Wake Forest.

Lots of football left to play in this one.

Wake's defense is dominating an absolutely inept Tulane offense. The Green Wake simply can't -- or won't throw the ball -- and their running game (mostly a stacked pistol) is very low on deception.

[Olympic Fan]

ACC starts 3-0 ... with Louisville's 70-14 victory over Charlotte headlining the night. N.C. State scores 48 to beat W&M.

The real surprise was Wake Forest's 7-3 victory over an awful Tulane team.

The Deacs had little offense and absolutely could not run the ball. Their defense looked very good, but to me it looked more like an inept Tulane offense.

We'll see next week. They say teams improve a lot between the first and second weeks -- I'd be very, VERY happy if we get to see the same Wake team I watched tonight.

[IsInTheDetails]

Wake pulled off an impressive feat - totaling only 175 yards of offense, 10 first downs, and 25 minutes TOP...without turning the ball over a single time.

Tulane's offense was inept to the tune of 280 total yards...which was 105 more than Wake.

I hope that's the same team we face in 9 days.

[Bob Green]

We'll see next week. They say teams improve a lot between the first and second weeks -- I'd be very, VERY happy if we get to see the same Wake team I watched tonight.

I hope that's the same team we face in 9 days.

I quit watching with a couple of minutes left in the 3rd quarter. Wake Forest looked horrible on offense. Nothing I saw last night raises concern for next Saturday. Duke is bigger and more talented than Tulane. If, always a big if, we play up to our capability we will win the game.

The one question I come away with is will WF make a quarterback decision or keep rotating both guys? Neither was impressive but Hinton did score the TD.

[PackMan97]

Aside from W&M's first drive of each half, NC State looked really good. Something they hadn't done in recent years in their tuneups.

262 yards passing on 23/30. Starter, Ryan Finely was 17/21 for 174 and 2 TDs but backup Jalan McClendon played quite a bit as well. He was 6/9 for 88 and a INT. 11 different players caught a pass with Jaylen Samuels leading the bunch with 5 catches and a TD.
259 yards rushing with Matt Dayes leading with 138 yards and 2 TD.

State's defense yielded only 168 yards total with a mere 62 coming on the ground. W&M's first drive of the game was 75 yard and their first drive of the second half was 65 yards, leaving a grand total of 28 yards for the rest of the Tribes drives.

[AustinDevil]

Aside from W&M's first drive of each half, NC State looked really good. Something they hadn't done in recent years in their tuneups.

262 yards passing on 23/30. Starter, Ryan Finely was 17/21 for 174 and 2 TDs but backup Jalan McClendon played quite a bit as well. He was 6/9 for 88 and a INT. 11 different players caught a pass with Jaylen Samuels leading the bunch with 5 catches and a TD.
259 yards rushing with Matt Dayes leading with 138 yards and 2 TD.

State's defense yielded only 168 yards total with a mere 62 coming on the ground. W&M's first drive of the game was 75 yard and their first drive of the second half was 65 yards, leaving a grand total of 28 yards for the rest of the Tribes drives.

State looked really good, I agree. And William & Mary is not a pushover; they beat UVa in Charlottesville in 2009 and their FBS games since then have included a six-point loss at UVa, a seven-point loss at West Virginia, a one-point loss at Maryland, and a four-point loss at UNC.

[Bob Green]

The Boston College/Georgia Tech game being played in Dublin is live on ESPN2. I'm watching a little before packing up the family car for the trip to Durham.

[devildeac]

Go:

Uga_VI.jpg

[Tripping William]

GaTech and BC coming down to the wire.