Chris Mitch Pat
1. Clemson 1. Virginia Tech 1. Clemson
2. Georgia Tech 2. Georgia Tech 2. Virginia Tech
3. Virginia Tech 3. Clemson 3. Georgia Tech
4. Florida State 4. Florida State 4. Florida State
5. Miami 5. UVA 5. UVA
6. Wake Forest 6. Wake Forest 6. Miami
7. UVA 7. Miami 7. NC State
8. NC State 8. UNC 8. UNC
9. UNC 9. NC State 9. Wake Forest
10. Duke 10. Duke 10. Duke
11. Boston College 11. Boston College 11. Boston College
12. Maryland 12. Maryland 12. Maryland
Power Rankings
*-Bowl Eligible
Pat: Before we get started I have something to say about the top 3 teams in our Power Rankings. I like you guys’ style. Take over the conference, have the fans by the balls from week to week, and then when its time to compete with what news stations were anointing as the preconceived “game of the century”, what do you do? Do you face up against a nobody cross conference “rival” whose going to bruise you up long enough so that your post game therapy causes you to miss the “big game”? Uh-uh. Instead you take a week off and let the ACC peasantry clown around on a piece of Astroturf acting like they’re doing this thing called “College Football”? Well, yeah…. That, roast hotdogs and enjoy the damn game. I like your style…
1. Clemson (LW 1)(8-1)*
Mitch: Possibly the most talented offense in the ACC and incredibly explosive. But their defense struggles and that is what cost them against the Jackets. They could not get Georgia Tech off the field. They were the less complete team, in my opinion, so I have them at third. And I am sticking to my guns that Virginia Tech wins out and beats the Tigers in the ACC championship game. Second time is the charm for the Hokies.
Chris: Clemson opened up as a 19.5 favorite in the de facto Atlantic Division championship game against Wake Forest this weekend. This Clemson offense is more than capable of beating a Wake Forest team that plays up and down each weekend. The only thing that should make Clemson fans nervous is how does this team respond from the loss to Georgia Tech. The team was flying high on their 8 game winning streak but now after a loss how will the rebound. I don't expect them to play poorly but any slip in play could be cause for alarm over their remaining games.
2. Virginia Tech (LW 2)(8-1)*
Chris: I love Thursday night football games. I love Thursday night football games that are a big deal. I really love Thursday night football games that are a big deal in Blacksburg. Oh well, two out of three aint bad. The game between Virginia Tech and Georgia Tech has become one of, if not, the biggest game in the ACC regular season. Virginia Tech just played their two worst games of the season and are lucky to come out of both with a win. Virginia Tech cannot go down to Atlanta and play anywhere close to the way they played their last two games. I think Virginia Tech will win this Thursday but I'm a homer. I really do think this game could go either way. I'm officially nervous and excited.
Mitch: This may be a gamble because of Logan Thomas, but if he plays well, Virginia Tech plays well and almost certainly will win any game they play. However, he is the second most important quarterback on the field. I am picking Virginia Tech over Georgia Tech for this Thursday night because I think the Hokies will be prepared for the triple option, but more importantly, the Jackets have to throw in order to keep the defense honest. The Virginia Tech defensive backs will feast on Washington's passes. Washington is not a good passer and is prone to under throwing and making poor reads against aggressive secondaries.
3. Georgia Tech (LW 3)(7-2)*
Mitch: They are a good team with ball control whose best defense is ball control on the offense. Their triple option can also be quick strike, which is what makes it a threat at any point in the game. At the beginning of the year, I thought losing Nesbit could be a good thing for the Jackets because of the Ewing Theory. It is turning out so, but Washington struggles with passing more than he should and that is the Achilles' heel of this team.
Chris: I don't like to gloat (Just kidding I do) but I have been right about Georgia Tech all season. Their offense is tricky and will continue to beat teams just by controlling the ball for so long. Mark it down (and I will put it on our predictions page) whoever has the highest time of possession in the Virginia Tech-Georgia Tech game will win the game. You read it here first.
4. Florida State (LW 4)(6-3)*
Pat: The Seminoles are moving right along with the season. E.J. Manuel’s steady performances from week to week, along with the improvements the defense has made since the beginning of the season, it would be arguable to suggest they are approaching what we may have once expected them to be. Give them a hand, they’ve come a long way since bottoming out in Winston-Salem. Yet, the running game leaves much to be desired and, though it might not show up to hurt them too much for the remainder of the regular season, it might be something they’ll want heading into their bowl game. The test to see what improvements they’ve actually made so far will come when the Noles host their in-state rival Hurricanes on Saturday. Expect this game to be a good one as both teams are still competitive in their respective divisions.
Mitch: They are currently playing well against inferior opponents. I checked out last year's final rankings and the highest a 3 loss team was 11th with Alabama and the lowest was 23rd with Utah. So the Noles could win out against some underwhelming in state rivals and UVA who is surging, beat a cast off from the Big Ten in the Champs Sports bowl and finish 15th in the final rankings just in time for the media to rank us 12th for the next season because of our free fall this season. In other news we technically have three rivalry games in a row. Not sure which Miami team will show up but I don't think they have the depth to compete. It will be a game, but I think at this point in the season they could start to slow down.
5. UVA (LW Tied for 6th)(6-3)*
Mitch: I'm terrified of this team because they are surging in their play, London has the Cavs executing. Plus, for scheduling purposes, they are between our two biggest rivals, so it is a first class overlook game. And frankly, I don't want to give them back the Jefferson-Eppes Trophy. what is that you ask? It's not really a trophy and if it is no player from either team has ever run to the sideline and picked it up after a victory. But apparently Jefferson's nephew donated money to start the Florida State law program and we modeled our school after Jefferson's Monticello or something like that.
Pat: Where are these guys coming from? The on-again off-again play of Virginia has brought them to a point in the season where they must either make a claim as a new competitive program or fall by the wayside, yet again. Approaching the last three games of the season, the Wahoos stand at 3-2 in the division, one game out of 1st place. Up next, they have Duke at home, go to Florida State, and then finish at home against Virginia Tech. It should be said that the Cavaliers are just as capable of ‘winning out’ as they are ‘losing out’. Is there any chance we could see a Virginia-Virginia Tech rivalry game that actually means something this year?
6. Miami (LW Tied for 6th)(5-4)
Chris: Miami came out and beat Duke pretty handily last weekend, which is something Virginia Tech and Wake Forest didn't do. I mean both those teams won the game but by a combined total of 5 points. Jacory Harris has looked like an actual quarterback this season throwing for almost 1800 yards on 125-195 passing with 18 touchdowns to just four interceptions. That is a huge part of Miami's success this season. There is a lot of athleticism all across the field for Miami and they could win any game they play in for the rest of the season, that includes the game in Tallahassee against Florida State this weekend. I expect the Miami-FSU game to be a good one this weekend.
Mitch: Who will show up??? They lose to Maryland and Virginia Tech, thump UNC and Georgia Tech, then lose to UVA and beat Duke. Consideration should be taken that they did not have their full team at the beginning of the year, but this team is impossible to predict. I think Florida State beats them, but it could be a blow out or one of those 3 pointers I don't like to talk about. It's more likely a 10 point or more victory because I think our defense overwhelms them up front. But I'm not taking this game for granted in the slightest.
7. Wake Forest (LW 8)(5-4)
Mitch: This is the portion of the conference where teams are not really that good. I want to like Wake Forest because my wife went there and because they don't really have a place in the North Carolina school rivalry set up, but they also don't have a very good football team ... and yes, I am saying that in full recognition of them beating Florida State this year. I think it was their best game of the year and since then it is clear they are an average team in an average conference.
Pat: It’s funny to see the middle-of-the-pack ACC teams invert time and time again from the beginning to the end of the season. But, this year is an example with North Carolina and Wake Forest starting off quick and falling late (the two with a recent combination of 2-6 over the past 8 games) and Virginia, Florida State, and NC State making noise for themselves (11-2 over the past 13 games after making up the best of the worst mid-season). This is a simple testament to how flaky the teams in the ACC can be from year to year, minus Virginia Tech and arguably, Georgia Tech. Even so, Wake has the biggest game of the year coming up against Clemson and if they can win, by some luck left over after the Irish took it back to South Bend, they could be in a three way tie for 1st in the Atlantic division. Is that an indication of why we aren’t respected as a conference until November? No? They’re ninth in my poll, ninth! And they have a shot at it. This ain’t 2010 Big East basketball.
8. NC State (LW 10)(5-4)
Mitch: Good for you. the only thing that makes a season worth playing is beating rivals. I'm sure it was a sweet victory for the embattled Wolfpack.
Pat: The Wolfpack did exactly what they wanted to do against the Tarheels over the weekend. The offense was able to move the ball and control the field throughout the entire game, even up against a defense that doesn't get much respect because it, along with its offense, can be streaky. And in this one, the offense wasn’t streaky, they didn’t even leave a mark. Credit the Wolfpack defense with exerting their will, holding the Tarheels within their side of the field, for nearly the entire game.
9. UNC (LW 5)(6-4)*
Pat: This is not a shot at Everitt Withers, because as a fan, the guy hasn’t been so bad as a first year head coach, receiving a fractured program three weeks before the season began. But E-dubs, how do you let the buses take off on the 30 minute ride to Raleigh, without bringing your offense? I know LSU-Alabama was a big game, but were they getting the party set up during the State game? The Tarheels had a poor showing in Raleigh Saturday, if that didn’t tip you off. Honestly, it was a display that can be summarized in saying, both defenses played well, Renner had a freshman-type game in a hostile environment, and 70% of the Tarheels offensive plays took place within their own 20 yard line. Unfortunately, though many (myself included) don’t give the Pack much respect when it comes to the once upon a time rivalry. But give State credit, they prove year-in and year-out that they come to compete against the Tar Heels on the football field.
Chris: This is what I wrote about UNC last week: "This game surprised me and I think that's a fair analyses of Carolina's season. They've surprised me with their great play and poor play at different times this season. Maybe instead of criticizing UNC I should be criticizing the conference. This is a weird conference that only has one team that seems clearly better than the rest, Clemson, and even they lost this weekend. UNC can go as high as 4th in these power rankings and possibly as low as 8th depending on how they play. The thing is, they aren't the only team that falls into that category. ACC is a weird mess in the middle." I am cool with this write up again this week.
10. Duke (LW 9)(3-6)
Chris: Duke goes to Charlottesville this weekend to take on UVA, a team they have beat the past three seasons. Can Duke win this year? Absolutely. Duke played well against Wake Forest and Virginia Tech over the pass three weeks and if that team shows up against UVA they could win this game. That is to take nothing away from UVA, who is playing well in their own right. Duke's season is winding down but they could still make some noise down the stretch.
Mitch: I give up on you Duke... in real life. In NCAA12 life I'm waiting for your head coach to be fired so I leave my perennial top 5/National Championship offensive coordinator position and take the reigns at Duke, hopefully making them the Stanford of the East.
11. Boston College (LW 11)(2-7)
Chris: It is now time for your weekly Boston area weekend planner. People of Boston if you want something to do other than going down to Boston College and watching the varsity football team play against NC State's varsity football team at 3:30 on Saturday then boy do I have some great plans for you. The play adaptation of "Legally Blonde" is being performed at the North Shore Music Theatre through this weekend. The Saturday show begins at 2 pm and tickets run between $55-$45. If Boston College's poor play makes you sad then I have found an event right up your alley. Saturday night go down to the Cutler Majestic Theatre and see the Boston Comedy Festival Finale. Tickets run $25 to $35. Enjoy yourself this weekend people of Boston.
Pat: I’m done with you.
12. Maryland (LW 12)(2-7)
Pat: Boston College is done with you.
Chris: I wrote a post earlier this week ranking the coaches in the ACC by how likely it is that they could be fired this off-season (Read it here). I don't want to rehash my whole post about Randy Edsall but he took a 9-4 team last year and has coached them "up" to a 2-7 record currently. I know when a coach comes in things change around a program but Edsall has dug himself a deep, deep hole. My biggest problem with the Edsall era at Maryland is that the team plays worse each week. Look at Florida State, they struggled early in the season but seem to be playing much better now. You can attribute that to level of competition and a certain quarterback returning to the field but the whole team has improved. That's a sign of a good coaching staff, consistent improvement. The only thing consistent about Maryland is that they consistently get worse.
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