Now that the season has started, let's start talking ACC football.

5-2 on Saturday with the only losses from perennial cellar dwellers Duke and Wake Forest.

Georgia Tech 23 - Auburn 14
Clemson 25 - Texas A&M 24
Maryland 23 - Navy 20
Virginia 31 - Western Michigan 19

and our newest member:

Boston College 20 - BYU 3

The other two games this weekend are conference matchups: VaTech at NCState and Miami at FSU.

ESPN kept promoting the UM/FSU game as the game of the year for the ACC. I disagree. VaTech/Miami will be the game with the most significance this season. I'm an FSU grad and I think we're overrated.

As we head to our first conference championship let's take a look at the divisions.

Atlantic Division: BC, Clemson, Duke, FSU, GaTech, Maryland

BC is the sexy pick to win the division in their first season, but after Clemson and GaTech picked up huge wins in week 1, this will be a tough season as they all try to dethrone FSU, the media pick to win the division.

Coastal Division: Miami, NC, NCState, Virginia, VaTech, Wake Forest

The TarHeels upset Miami last year, so anything is possible. You have to think that Miami/VaTech will be for the division title, but NCState could make a big statement with a win in week 1 over the Hokies.

My pick for the ACC Championship Game: Virginia Tech over whichever team makes it out of the Atlantic Division.

Jim

Miami/FSU should be an exciting game. It looks like the ACC is going to provide a lot of interesting matchups with both Clemson and GaTech winning yesterday. VaTech shouldnt be handed the conference championship so quickly. Bikejock are you going to the game on Monday? Look for me on the field. We leave tomorrow morning.

Wish I could go, but won't be able to. With the new gas price hike, it'd cost me more in gas than for a game ticket up there. I can go to all four UCF games here for what I'd spend going to that one game. Hopefully gas prices will drop before FSU Homecoming weekend.

Hope you have a fun time and get to enjoy some Tallahassee hospitality - well at least the kind I was accustomed to. Club Park Avenue seems to be closed now, but there's a new bar just west of the stadium called Club Jade, and Brothers is still open. The bars in Tally don't really care if you're from an evil empire. At least they didn't back when I was there.

When you raise a drink in a victory toast, drink one for me as well!

Jim

The whole ACC should be interesting this year. I think with the exception of Duke and Wake, any team can beat any other team on any given day. It hasn't been like this in a while.

Growing up in NJ, and attending a school without a football program, I was never a big fan of college football as I just stuck to the NFL.

However, now that I'm a graduate student attending Virginia Tech, I figure I better start learning the ropes of college ball.

I went this weekend down to Raleigh to meet a friend who had tickets to the VT/NC State game. What a vast difference in atmosphere than any sporting event I've ever been to!!

I've seen the Mets on the road in pretty tough places to be a visitor (St. Louis, Philly, the Bronx), and I've never heard the type of stuff I heard wearing a VT shirt and shorts around Raleigh. The fans are so rabid about college football it's amazing. I entered the student lottery to try and get a ticket to the home game here against Ohio on the 17th---hopefully a game in Blacksburg will give me a friendlier experience!

With hearing about how competitive the ACC will be this year, I hope that VT will be a major success!

Josh

C'mon Duke ... erm, VMI is winnable and ... *scratches head*, possibly Wake ... on an EXTREMELY good day. *shrug*

Nick (Future Duke student, *bows head in shame*)

All Duke students, past, present and future, should bow their heads in shame. But let's talk about football, not basketball. :-)

At least by the end of the 3rd quarter FSU is looking better than Miami. I think, fear and dread, that Florida State is back. eek!

Props to the Noles for pulling out that ugly ass win. I just feel bad for Olsen, he played like a freaking stud.

EDIT: ROFL @ Miami's o-line

[ September 05, 2005, 08:52 PM: Message edited by: igortvi ]

OH MY GOD!

1st and goal on the 2... I gave up the game right then. How does Miami NOT score with a 1st and goal on the 2?

UGLY, UGLY, UGLY!

And I'm not talking about the Gators colors. I'm talking offense. Neither team was particularly impressive with the ball.

Miami had 305 yards but only one touchdown. And.... And.... And..... THREE MISSED FIELD GOALS ATTEMPTS!!

Wide Right This, Canes.

Now I'm not claiming this was a stellar performance by FSU's offense. Hell, they only gained 180 yards! Their longest drive was just 45 yards. But the defense stayed in there, and only that last near-fatal drive gave it all to keep the Canes out of the end zone.

Having the game basically end on a botched field goal by Miami does not erase the memories of "Wide Right", but it does put them to rest at least for a year.

I still think VaTech is the best team in the ACC, and NCState may be second best. Don't you think their licking their chops for Miami now?

FSU certainly has some work to do on offense, but the defense was reminiscent of the 90's.

Jim

I don't think you have anything to worry about. But hopefully we'll see you in Jacksonville in December.

Jim

Exactly.

Anyone who writes off NC State would be sorely mistaken. Their D is stout, but the O certainly needs some work. They have an L, but with 7 conf games left they could claw their way back into this thing. Even in defeat, I was impressed with their performance.

JAIMEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

We missed you darlin'. I was about to return the favor and set up a search and rescue thread for you.

Smooches,

Jim

[ September 05, 2005, 10:50 PM: Message edited by: BikeJocks ]

Maybe you all have discussed this previously, but I was wondering why the NCAA hasn't banned the name "Hurricanes" as offensive.

All of you realize, of course, that 5 years from now fans outside of the ACC won't be able to tell you which teams are in which ACC division.

Wow. You mixed up some of your teams. Georgia Tech and Duke are in the Coastal.

NC State and Wake Forest are Atlantic.

http://theacc.collegesports.com/genrel/101804aaa.html

Could somebody get the waiter's attention. I ordered my crow some time ago and I'm still waiting. eek!

It is kinda ironic that F$U finally wins one on a kicking fiasco by Miami for a change. Oh well, if you have to lose, it's best to lose early. Right, Tiggee? wink

Onward and upward . . .

GO CANES!

P.S. to GJ--still got six in a row on your chumps though!

And VT comes through with a really tough and gutty win. I thought I was going to die a slow death with that last NCSt drive as time was running out.

My apologies to KWG, it is my fault Miami lost, I was finally rooting for them to win. Them and Pitt. I am a bad luck charm.

Most years the first week causes folks to develop a better idea of who the frontrunner is in a conference. I actually expected to see someone, anyone, step forward and look like a monster to be feared.

Instead, the ACC looks more convoluted. It's early still, but I think the parity within the conference has increased since last year.

Usually, when a conference has this much parity, the eventual winner reaches the top via a couple of games with a miraculous lucky break. Perhaps an INT late in the 4th Q. Or a fumble inside the 5 that leads to a go-ahead TD late in the game. Or a potential winning FG that bounces off the upright to save the team that was on the ropes.

Within the next four weeks, I think we will see an improbable victory under those circumstances. If that same team manages to get a 2nd "gift" win, then that's the team I'd expect to win the ACC this year.

So who's going to be the luckiest team in 2005?
Your thoughts?

Eek. Shoddy research on my part. I looked at the front page of the ACC website and it has the teams listed in two columns and I figured they were listed in divisions - nope, they're listed alphabetically.

So here we go officially:

Atlantic -- Coastal

Maryland -- Virginia
Clemson -- Georgia Tech
NC State -- North Carolina
Wake Forest -- Duke
Boston College -- Virginia Tech
Florida State -- Miami

Teams are listed directly across from their "primary crossover" team. They play all teams in their division and their primary each year, and two rotating opponents from the other division.

This changes my assessment for the season only slightly. This past saturday's VaTech/NCSt game could have been a preview of the ACC Championship game. But I still the Hokies will win it all.

Jim

[ September 07, 2005, 10:17 AM: Message edited by: BikeJocks ]

You are cordially invited to root for the Gaytors for the rest of the season. wink

Jim

Ironic? It's friggin' SWEET! Plus your offensive line allowed NINE sacks. One commentator on SunSports called them a "turnstile". VaTech is going to slaughter the Canes if that isn't fixed.

Jim

Smooches back atcha. I'm ok, but just haven't been on line as much for a buncha reasons. I'll call ya and fill you in.

Clemson's fourth quarter rally should move them up in the polls pretty good, but Maryland almost pulled off the big upset.

Reggie Ball of Georgia Tech had a record day for GaTech, but UNC kept it close. Down by one touchdown, they threw two interceptions on their last two drives. You ain't gonna win that way!

FSU's offense seemed to have woken up against The Citadel with 52 points in the second half. But it was The Citadel and Boston College is surely looking to win their first ACC game by upending the Noles. But the FSU defense did their job by allowing just 91 total yards. Citadel's only scores were off turnovers.

BC looked good in their win over Army, but it was Army and FSU is surely looking to their defense to give BC a rude welcome into the ACC.

VaTech hammered Duke. (duh!)

Nebraska hammered Wake Forest. (duh, the sequel!)

Big games next week:

FSU at BC
Miami at Clemson

Jim

This lightly regarded team from Clemson is quietly going about its business. I like this crew - gutty come from behind road win yesterday.
I didn't call them a "darkhorse" at the beginning of the year, but they've now taken on that role for me personally.

I really think Clemson can win its division (the Atlantic). Think about who they're up against:
They've already beaten MD.
FSU looks awful!
BC is still an unknown quantity.
Wake is 0-2.
NC State may be Clemson's toughest divisional game.

The next 2 weeks will determine Clemson's season: Home games against Miami and Boston College.

Can't wait to watch "Choker" lose to another Bowden.

GO TIGERS!!

Stinger, that's why your picks suck. You're supposed to pick the winner of each game.

I'm not even sure he's a Bowden anyway--he doesn't have the right shape. eek!

Well if you have that many kids, some of them are bound to turn out differently.

Who's taking Clemson over Miami this weekend? Anyone?

Maybe you forgot last year in your old age. Or maybe it was such a crushing blow that you have chosen to forget it.

Reminder...24-17. Only 1 team has won it's debut at Death Valley. Prepare for yout 0-2 start.

What happened to the old ACC? Boston College and Virginia Tech? :confused: When did they get added to the mix? I've been away from college football for far too long.

Good Grief! Bet you're still picking Nebraska to win the Big 8 and BYU to win the WAC!

Jim

p.s. - you do know that Penn State isn't an independent anymore, do you?

... or that Notre Dame will win another national championship!

Yeah, I kinda drifted away from college football since I don't get to see Clemson or S.Carolina play anymore. Being preoccupied with school, work, bf, and other sports interest, college football was the sport I had to let go of.

I hear both teams will be on TV this weekend. I'm looking forward to it.

It's a good thing you're pretty. wink

GO CANES!

Miami has lost the only game they will lose this year!!

Go Canes!

The Canes are lookin good (and I'm not just talkin about cute Kyle Wright, either wink ) but their Nov 5th game in Blacksburg should be quite a battle....that's the only opponent I can see even playing Miami close the rest of the way (certainly not USF, Duke, UNC or Wake), especially since they only have 3 road games left -- and the game at Temple is gonna be UGLY....after the Owls have been outscored by Arizona State, Wisconsin and Toledo by a combined 170-33 the point spread against the Canes should probably be around 80.

Of course, once the regular season is over and the conference championship/bowl games begin the quality of their opposition will be MUCH different.

~Joe

Now that's just delusional...I thought you knew better than this, azairforce. The Canes may very well lose 3 games this year, and are a good fit for 2 losses at a minimum.

We will see AU : )
i agree on Kyle Gamecock thats one sexy QB : )

Go Canes!!!

Well there is no way that Miami will be winning on Nov 5th at VT. Having experienced my first game this year at Lane Stadium on Saturday, I'll be surprised if VT ever loses a game at home!

Josh

Josh
be prepared to be very surprised this year then!!
The Canes will beat the Hokies!!

Put.

Down.

The.

Crack.

Pipe.

This from a UCF fan???

some people just don't understand KWG. After the CANES kick that hokie ass we will just have to remind bike about his comment : )

GO CANES

Already got that on my to-do list, AZ. Heading up to Miami tomorrow for the Colorado game on Saturday. Looking forward to kicking some Buffalo butt.

GO CANES!

Dear Nora Desmond...

Yes, I'm ready for my close-up now.

p.s. sent you a pm.