The Good
Carry the Banner
There are 2 good football teams in the ACC. Florida State (8-1, 4-1) and Clemson (7-1, 4-1) are so far way the best teams in the ACC it isn’t even close. Yes I know NC State tripped up FSU at home, but the Wolfpack have proven themselves incapable of taking their team to a top 25 level.
This week Clemson toyed with Wake Forest in a sloppy but easy 42-13 win on the road.
Florida State cruised to a 48-7 over Duke in a game that was never in doubt, and the Blue Devils are a upper half ACC team.
The best thing that can happen for the ACC is that FSU and Clemson keep winning heading into instate rival games with South Carolina and Florida. It’s good for their program and good for the ACC; they show real separation from the rest of the struggling ACC.
Also FSU takes the lead in the Atlantic division race with the NC State loss. It would not be good for a 7-5 type Coastal Division team winning the ACC Championship. That would look terrible for the ACC to be represented in a BCS game by such a team.
Virginia Tech in large part has carried the ACC flag in recent years. In 2012, it’s Florida State’s and Clemson’s conference.
Gio Gio Gio!!
I think Giovani Bernard is making a strong case for being the best offensive player in the ACC. A couple of guys from Clemson might disagree, but certainly he’s on the short list of best ACC offensive players. His 74 yard punt return against NC State in the final seconds ended a 5 year losing streak to NC State. UNC improves to 6-3 (2-2). I think when all is said and done this will be Coastal Division’s best team this year.
No Quit
It’s seemed around this time we figured Boston College would just pack it in, and they a won a couple of games to end the season. This year BC was winless in the ACC, and again pretty much looked like they were finished. BC again didn’t show any quit on the season as they defeated Maryland 20-17 on a late TD pass by Chase Rettig. I doubt it saves Spaziani’s job, but at least for a day BC fans can feel good.
The Bad
Can’t take the next step…
Oh NC State how you tease us over and over. You come into the pre-season with plenty of pub, and lay an egg against Tennessee. You beat Florida State, and control your own destiny in the ACC Atlantic and promptly blow a 10 point 2nd half lead by giving up a last second punt return.
Are you kidding a punt return in the final seconds to lose to UNC? NC State was eyeing the top 25, a future showdown with Clemson, and could have firmly cemented themselves as an ACC contender. Nope just pretending….
Can’t take the next step part 2…
Look I understand Maryland was down their 4th string QB. It was a tough situation to throw Caleb Rowe into, but he performed admirably. He had Maryland in position for its 5th win and have that coveted bowl game in sight, but the normally solid Maryland defense gave up an 85 yard drive that effectively cost them the game. With 3 of their last 4 games against Clemson, at FSU, and at UNC next week’s home game against reeling Georgia Tech is an absolute must. Even a win there might not be enough after today’s loss.
Overwhelmed
With Wake Forest and Duke losing by a combined score 90 to 20 to FSU and Clemson it’s becoming clear just how much the rest of the ACC is beginning to trail the Noles and Tigers. Duke is one of only 3 bowl eligible ACC teams, and Wake Forest is a respectable 4-4 on the season. In particular Duke is not a lower tier ACC team and the Deacs are certainly ahead of Virginia and Boston College, and possibly Georgia Tech as well.
The Ugly
Welcome to the hotseat Paul
We’ll there is no way to sugar coat things after a 41-17 loss to BYU dropped the Jackets to 3-5. Missing a bowl game for the first time since 1996 seems like a virtual certainty. The Jackets were beaten senseless by a physical BYU team, and Tevin Washington was horrible at QB. CPJ won’t be fired this year. He’ll be in Atlanta next year but his seat is now getting really warm.
When you produce the worst Jacket team since 1994 after being at the school for 5 years, you wonder about the direction of the program. The real problem for CPJ is he’s not doing it on the recruiting end either, so don’t expect much talent to arrive. By the way Tevin Washington doesn’t need to play another down this year at QB.
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