Further Reaction to UNC-UVA

So last week's game against UVA has come and gone, and 16-3 in favor of Virginia still looks like an anomaly. I mean, here is a team that hadn't won a game, had lost to three non-BCS opponents (albeit a good team in TCU) including one FCS school, but they still are able to come into Chapel Hill and beat Carolina for the 7th time out of 8?

Here's a startling statistic for all you Carolina fans: Butch Davis is 2-6 against major UNC rivals. He was absolutely crushed by Wake Forest in 2007 and by NC State last season, and lost by 13 points to a UVA team that hadn't won a game all season before they came to Chapel Hill. Getting good recruits is nice, but what good is it if you can't win on the field?

I think it's apparent that a change needs to be made. I'm sticking with Davis because of his track record in improving the quality of talent on the roster, which is something that Carolina desperately needs and has since Carl Torbush became the coach in 1998. But there is simply no reason for offensive coordinator John Shoop to remain in Chapel Hill past this season; he was unsuccessful with the Bears and Raiders in the NFL, and he has been an uncreative flop since his arrival at UNC. If Davis and Carolina continue to be committed to the pro-style offense (which I think is the right call), then they should look at coordinators who have success with those schemes when looking for their next OC, because I can assure you that Shoop's days are numbered in Chapel Hill.

Week 4 ACC Rankings

1. Virginia Tech (3-1, 1-0). Massive win against Miami, and Tech has rocketed back up into the top 10 in both polls. There is little doubt that they are still the class of the conference.

2. Georgia Tech (3-1, 2-1). Got past a ranked UNC team with ease, and proved that they can bounce back from a crushing loss. This team is for real, despite the injuries.

3. Miami (2-1, 2-1). Back to reality for the Canes, but this team still has a very bright future. If they can beat a weakened Oklahoma this week, Miami could be back - for good.

4. North Carolina State (3-1, 0-0). Battling back from a deficit is never easy, but NC State showed they were up to the challenge against Pitt. They have looked very good since their slop-fest against South Carolina.

5. Clemson (2-2, 1-1). TCU is a tough team, but Clemson looked ready for the challenge and played well enough to win. With Florida State reeling, it looks like the Atlantic Division is Clemson's to lose right now.

6. North Carolina (3-1, 0-1). Bitter pill to swallow last week after getting rocked by an angry Georgia Tech team. The Heels have the benefit of going up against UVA and FCS Georgia Southern back-to-back to get back on track.

7. Boston College (3-1, 1-1). Every time I want to count this team out, they prove me wrong. The Eagles introduced a little Wildcat formation last week, and pulled out a huge OT win against Wake Forest.

8. Florida State (2-2, 0-1). The Seminoles are really struggling this year, and it's surprising given the expectations preseason. Their next game against BC could be a season-defining moment for both teams.

9. Wake Forest (2-2, 0-1). No one expected the Deacs to compete this season, but they had a chance to prove the doubters wrong against BC and failed to capitalize. It could be a long year in Winston-Salem.

10. Dook (2-2, 0-0). The Blue Devils finished their out-of-conference schedule at .500, which isn't terrible. What is terrible is the fact that one of those losses came to FCS Richmond, and it won't get easier with the ACC schedule approaching.

11. Maryland (1-3, 0-0). The Terps lost again, this time to a mediocre Rutgers team that has looked at times completely lost on the football field. This could be the end of the Friedgen era in College Park.

12. Virginia (0-3, 0-0). Good news: the Cavs didn't lose last week. Bad news: Virginia had a bye week. If the 'Hoos can somehow find a way to beat UNC this week, then all hope may not be lost for the season. But I wouldn't hold my breath.

Ranking the ACC 3 Weeks In

With every ACC team (except Miami) having played 3 games, I think it's an opportune time to rank their performance thus far. I don't like preseason rankings because they mean basically nothing, so I think starting now is the way to go.

1. Miami (2-0). I have to say, before the year I was almost expecting Miami to go at best 2-2 in their first three games. Well it's still a little early to tell, but after a gut-check win over Florida State to open the season and a drubbing of Georgia Tech last Thursday night, the 'Canes look to be for real. They face a tough Virginia Tech team this week in a battle of the ACC's two best (looking) teams.

2. Virginia Tech (2-1). Big win against Nebraska this week for the Hokies as they continue to rebound from their opening season loss to Alabama. They crushed Marshall, and Saturday's win over the Cornhuskers helps put them back into the national title picture. Their matchup this week with Miami should prove to be the ACC game of the week.

3. Florida State (2-1). Allow me to solve the Seminole Identity Crisis of 2009: this is a VERY good football team. Losing a heart-breaker to Miami (which could have very easily been an FSU win in the final seconds) to open the season isn't the way you'd like to start, but the 'Noles have bounced back with two big wins, including a slaughter of early-season darling BYU. South Florida should be a good tune-up for the rest of the season for Coach Bowden and his team.

4. North Carolina (3-0). Sure, the Tar Heels are undefeated. Sure, they beat an under-appreciated UConn team and ground out a win against an emotional ECU team. But a team that returned 16 starters from last year needs to play like it, and the Heels have looked vulnerable over the last two weeks. They need to put it all together this week if they want to win in Atlanta against Georgia Tech.

5. Georgia Tech (2-1). This is a gut-check week for the Yellow Jackets. After their embarrassing loss to Miami, if they can't beat a slightly overrated UNC team at home their chances for an ACC title are essentially over - and it's not even October yet. The defense and offense need to make some adjustments if they are going to keep pushing for a BCS berth.

6. Clemson (2-1). This team has some great playmakers on both sides of the ball. I've been really impressed with DE Ricky Sapp this year, and RB C.J. Spiller is the ACC's most exciting player. But freshman QB Kyle Parker needs to cut down on the turnovers if the Tigers are going to have a chance at the Atlantic division title. TCU is a very good team that could give Clemson trouble this week.

7. Wake Forest (2-1). This team lost a tough game to open the season against Baylor, but bounced back against Stanford and easily defeated FCS power Elon last week. QB Riley Skinner is a 5th-year senior who needs to keep playing well, and the defense needs to continue to step up if the Demon Deacons are going to make noise this year. Boston College is up next, and I like the Deacs' chances in that game.

8. NC State (2-1). NC State hasn't really shown me a whole lot on offense this year, though QB Russell Wilson did set the NCAA record for most completions without an INT last week in the destruction of FCS opponent Gardner-Webb. Their defense has been very good, only giving up 33 points in three games. We'll see if the Wolfpack can get their first win against an FBS opponent this week when Pittsburgh comes to Raleigh.

9. Boston College (2-1). Boston College finally showed me what I expected them to show me this esason - without a proven quantity at QB, this team will struggle. The Eagles turned the ball over WAY too much against Clemson if they want a shot at a bowl game this year. Their tilt against Wake Forest might not be the best ACC matchup of the week, but it's vitally important for both teams moving forward in the division race.

10. Dook (1-2). What can you say about the Blue Devils last week? Kansas is just a better football team, and they showed it as they absolutely destroyed one of the worse teams in the ACC. Dook has shown some flashes this year (especially beating Army two weeks ago), and we know that the QB situation will be in flux all year as Thad Lewis and Sean Renfree continue to split time. NC Central will come to Wallace Wade this week, and Dook should win...unless NCCU plays like Richmond.

11. Maryland (1-2). This team was definitely lack-luster last week against Middle Tennessee State. The bigger picture shows that this Terrapins team is 0-2 against MTSU over the last two years. Now either MTSU is a good football team...or the Terps simply are not. I'm inclined to go with the latter. Rutgers comes to College Park and they haven't been impressive either by any stretch this year, but the Scarlet Knights could embarrass Maryland at home and begin the end of Ralph Friedgen at UMD.

12. Virginia (0-3). William and Mary. TCU. Southern Miss. No BCS-conference teams in that triumvirate. Only two FBS teams in that group. The way UVA looked against all three of them, it doesn't look like I would include them in that FBS group either. The fact that Al Groh still has a job as head coach in Charlottesville baffles me. They have a bye week to prepare for UNC and their ACC opener, and if they lose in Chapel Hill next week, it wouldn't shock me to see Groh's head roll in the immediate aftermath.

Reaction to NC State-South Carolina

As an ACC football fan (more specifically a UNC fan) I found tonight's game to be bittersweet. Bitter because an ACC team who was projected to compete for their division lost to a bottom-tier SEC team and failed to score a touchdown, but sweet because it was NC State. However, I think the fact that I'm more upset that the ACC lost is the more important point here. If the ACC is EVER going to be considered on par with the SEC, the Big XII, or even the Big Ten and the Pac-10 they are going to have to start winning games like this - and convincingly.

Here's the ACC schedule for Week 1:

Jacksonville State @ Georgia Tech
Northeastern @ Boston College
Baylor @ Wake Forest
Citadel @ North Carolina
Middle Tennessee State @ Clemson
William & Mary @ Virginia
Richmond @ Dook (yes, that's the correct spelling)
Alabama @ Virginia Tech (in Atlanta, GA)
Maryland @ California
Miami @ Florida State

In that schedule, three teams are playing BCS schools outside of the ACC - Wake Forest, Virginia Tech and Maryland. VT is not favored against Alabama (and I'd be willing to bet that the Hokies will lose that game) and Maryland is not favored against Cal (and Maryland will likely lose that game as well). Wake and Baylor is the only game that would likely be a toss-up in my opinion.

Basically - the ACC is having a hard time gaining national respect, and with a schedule like that (as well as outcomes like the NC State-South Carolina game tonight) they will continue to have a hard time showing the country that they belong as an elite BCS conference.

Less Than 1 Week

So I'm sitting at home watching high school football on ESPN, and I realize that the college football season isn't that far away. In fact, it's only 5 days until NC State opens the college football season against South Carolina. As a football fan, there is nothing better than having meaningful football on television again; sure, the NFL preseason is nice and high school football brings back memories of underage consumption in a gravel parking lot, but for the most part there is nothing like seeing two teams lay it all on the line on Saturdays and Sundays and try to get the win.

But leads me to an interesting question - which is better: college football or pro football? I think I'll make an argument for each in my next two entries, and then readdress it before Thursday's game. Until then, feel free to answer the question for yourself - college football or the NFL?