ACC STANDINGS
All the previewing and prognosticating that I’ve done this summer has all led to this point: the prediction of the preseason ACC standings.
If I picked your team to tumble down the standings, tough potatoes. Chances are, I’m right. Sell your season tickets, and take up golf. After all, if you’re not at the stadium for the embarrassing losses, you can’t be seen leaving early! (Basketball season’s right around the corner anyway, right?)
If you think I’m just a clueless, “arrogant” homer Tar Heel, take a closer look at my predictions…
These predictions come from my gut, but they’re informed by many, many hours of watching, listening, and reading about ACC football.
Boston College 4-8 (1-7)
Northeastern W 26-7
Kent State W 27-10
@Clemson L 10-30
Wake Forest L 16-23
Florida State L 13-34
@ Virginia Tech L 6-27
NC State L 24-30
@ Notre Dame L 16-26
Central Mich. W 28-24
@ Virginia W 17-13
North Carolina L 10-24
@ Maryland L 23-31
Clemson 8-4 (6-2)
MTSU W 38-12
@ Georgia Tech W 24-23
Boston College W 30-10
Texas Christian L 17-20
@ Maryland W 26-14
Wake Forest W 27-17
@ Miami L 14-21
Coastal Carolina W 52-6
Florida State L 27-20
@ NCSU W 38-22
Virginia W 30-18
@ South Car. L 21-20
Duke 4-8 (1-7)
Richmond W 16-10
@ Army W 28-13
@ Kansas L 21-38
NC Central W 37-11
Virginia Tech L 6-34
@ NC State L 21-31
Maryland L 21-27
@ Virginia L 20-23
@ North Carolina L 13-30
Georgia Tech L 7-20
@ Miami L 17-26
Wake Forest W 23-14
Florida State 9-3 (6-2)
Miami W 21-10
Jax. State W 49-0
@ BYU W 31-28
South Florida W 24-20
@ BC W 34-13
Georgia Tech L 26-18
@ North Carolina L 24-13
NC State W 35-23
@ Clemson W 27-20
@ Wake Forest W 16-9
Maryland W 26-16
@ Florida L 42-10
Georgia Tech 9-3 (5-3)
Jax. State W 45-17
Clemson L 23-24
@ Miami W 23-22
North Carolina L 13-26
@ Miss. State W 33-7
@ FSU W 26-18
Virginia Tech L 10-14
@ Virginia W 28-25
@ Vandy W 34-9
Wake Forest W 20-10
@ Duke W 20-7
Georgia W 28-17
Maryland 6-6 (3-5)
@ California L 23-41
JMU W 33-23
Mid. Tenn. St W 28-10
Rutgers W 21-16
Clemson L 14-26
@ Wake L 20-30
Virginia W 36-21
@ Duke W 27-21
@ NCSU L 26-30
Virginia Tech L 9-24
@ Florida State L 16-26
Boston College W 31-23
Miami 6-6 (4-4)
@ Florida State L 10-21
Georgia Tech L 22-23
@ Virginia Tech L 10-19
Oklahoma L 16-35
Florida A&M W 48-0
@ UCF W 31-6
Clemson W 21-14
@ Wake Forest W 26-13
Virginia W 20-12
@ North Carolina L 10-20
Duke W 26-17
@ South Florida L 23-27
North Carolina 10-2 (6-2)
Citadel W 37-9
@ UConn W 23-6
East Carolina W 22-17
@ Georgia Tech W 26-13
Virginia W 30-17
Ga. Southern W 42-0
Florida State W 24-13
@ Virginia Tech L 23-13
Duke W 36-20
Miami W 16-7
@ Boston College W 23-17
@ NCState L 26-20
NC State 7-5 (5-3)
South Carolina L 12-17
Murray State W 41-10
Gardner-Webb W 37-13
Pittsburgh L 14-21
@ Wake Forest W 21-20
Duke W 31-21
Boston College W 30-24
@ Florida State L 23-35
Maryland W 30-26
Clemson L 22-38
@ Virginia Tech L 9-22
North Carolina W 26-20
Virginia 3-9 (1-7)
William and Mary W 35-17
Tex. Christian L 10-23
@ South. Miss. L 27-41
@ North Carolina L 17-30
Indiana W 34-24
@ Maryland L 21-36
Georgia Tech L 25-28
Duke W 23-20
@ Miami L 12-20
Boston College L 13-17
@ Clemson L 18-30
Virginia Tech L 3-24
Virginia Tech 11-1 (8-0)
Alabama L 10-13
Marshall W 40-7
Nebraska W 26-14
Miami W 19-10
@ Duke W 34-6
Boston College W 27-6
@ Georgia Tech W 14-10
North Carolina W 23-13
@ East Carolina W 31-21
@ Maryland W 24-9
NCState W 22-9
@ Virginia W 24-3
Wake Forest 5-7 (2-6)
Baylor L 34-28
Stanford W 23-12
Elon W 43-14
@Boston College W 23-16
NC State L 20-21
Maryland W 30-20
@ Clemson L 17-27
@ Navy W 35-23
Miami L 13-26
@ Ga. Tech L 10-20
Florida State L 9-16
@ Duke L 14-23
OFFICIAL PREDICTION OF STANDINGS
Atlantic Division Standings
|
Team |
Wins |
Losses |
|
Florida State (10-3) |
6 |
2 |
|
Clemson (8-4) |
6 |
2 |
|
NC State (7-5) |
5 |
3 |
|
Maryland (6-6) |
3 |
5 |
|
Wake Forest (5-7) |
2 |
6 |
|
Boston College (4-8) |
1 |
7 |
Coastal Division Standings
|
Team |
Wins |
Losses |
|
Virginia Tech (11-2) |
8 |
0 |
|
North Carolina (10-2) |
6 |
2 |
|
Georgia Tech (9-3) |
5 |
3 |
|
Miami (6-6) |
4 |
4 |
|
Virginia (3-9) |
1 |
7 |
|
Duke (4-8) |
1 |
7 |
ACC Championship Game:
Florida State 21-Virginia Tech 16
Notes on this year’s ACC predictions:
1) Coasting in the Coastal: As expected, the Coastal Division will be a lot stronger than the Atlantic Division. Virginia Tech will be the dominant team missing in the 2008 ACC, while North Carolina and Georgia Tech will both contend for New Year’s bowl games. On the other hand, the Atlantic Division will have a down year. Like the Coastal, they might just send 3-4 teams to bowls; however, the bowls Atlantic teams will be attending will be on blue fields and obscure TV networks.
2) Where’s the mediocrity? In 2008, the ACC sent 10 teams to bowls, but none of them were threats at a National Title. In 2009, the ACC will be a lot more top-heavy, sending 7 teams to much better bowl destinations.
3) Just bein’ frank: Frank Spaziano’s BC team will be terrible after the losses of BJ Raji, Ron Brace, and Mark Herzlich. Dave Shinskie will not be the answer at quarterback—in his quest for anyone who can throw a pass, Spaziano and Doug Flutie will petition the NCAA for a 5th year of eligibility.
4) Spread Thin: Gregg Brandon’s offensive spread experiment will be 4-5 fries short of an Offensive Happy Meal in Charlottesville. Al Groh will try to save his job in January by quoting his NFL résumé, but UVa AD Craig Littlepage will sting him with a touch of Jefferson: “Don’t talk about what you have done or what you are going to do”—Yes, Al—that includes that “touted” recruiting class that’s coming in next fall to save the program…
5) Bowden Bashes: Florida State has another strong season while Miami falters again—Randy Shannon moves to the hot seat while Bobby Bowden moves a little bit closer to catching Joe Paterno.
