Trap Games for Each #ACC Atlantic Division Football Team

Good evening, Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) sports fans.

We are missing college football.  So much so that I’m watching the Canadian Football League when broadcasted on the mothership of ESPN.

So I figured it would be time to look at the 2018 college football season trap games for each ACC Atlantic Division team.  We already blogged about the ACC Coastal Division trap games here.

Urban Dictionary defines a trap game as:

a game played against an opponent generally deemed to be easy to defeat. As a result a person or team may not prepare as thoroughly as they would for a formidable opponent. Often this attitude and its attendant lack of preparation lead to a loss.

Without further ado, here are the trap games for each ACC Atlantic Division football team (I’m a bit bias, but I think the Atlantic Division is the best division in FBS – it’s right up there with the Big 10 East):

1. Boston College – We start out with Boston College, who has the most experienced football team in the ACC.  I looked over their roster and they return ten starters on offense (including a mammoth offensive line) and seven on defense.  The Eagles closed the 2017 season going 5-1 in their last six games, including some nice wins over Louisville and Florida State.  It’s no secret what Boston College wants to do – they want to run Heisman trophy candidate, AJ Dillon, like a bowling ball on every play.  Many think that the Eagles could be this year’s NC State – the team that breaks out of the middle of the pack in the ACC. Boston College, however, has a very precarious road game on September 13, 2018; a Thursday night matchup vs. Wake Forest.  Dave Clawson has his best team at Wake Forest; one that he has been building for years. Boston College can’t take this game lightly.
2. Clemson – Unless you are a hater from the SEC, Clemson is pretty much on everyone’s short list as a team who is in the picture for the national title game.  The Tigers have pretty much are every team’s big game every week – that’s what happens when you have the success that Clemson has had over the last few years.  On November 10, 2018, Clemson has a very tricky road trip to Boston College. Last year, the game between Boston College and Clemson was tied after three quarters; the Tigers finally wore down the Eagles in the fourth quarter.  This year, Clemson has a huge game vs. Florida State on November 17, 2018. I think Clemson will likely defeat Boston College – but the Tigers can’t look ahead to the Seminoles. The Eagles are an experienced team that will be ready for Clemson.
3. Florida State – On October 27, 2018, the Seminoles will host Clemson.  This is likely going to be a primetime matchup on ABC – it will likely be the 8 PM EST.  You know the Florida State football team and their fans will be amped for this game. They will be extra fired up in Tallahassee.  On November 10, 2018, Florida State travels to Notre Dame in what will also likely be a primetime matchup on NBC. Sandwiched between this game is a perilous matchup with NC State.  @TalkinACCSports has NC State’s Ryan Finley as the top QB in the ACC.  The temptation to look ahead to Notre Dame is a factor here for me in rating the game with NC State as a trap game.  NC State has shown that they can win a game that people don’t expect to happen.
4. NC State – NC State plays Boston College, who we’ve already discussed in depth above.   You’re going to notice a common theme here – I think Boston College has an opportunity to be a 8 or 9 win team this year – and the Wolfpack have to replace a lot of starters on the defensive line.  This isn’t a good combination when you’re playing a team that has a mammoth offensive line like Boston College (and you already know that the Eagles are going to run the Dillon train the entire game in Raleigh).  On top of that, NC State has to go to Clemson the following week – and there’s always that temptation to look ahead. The problem is, if the Wolfpack looks ahead, then they might get run over by AJ Dillon.
5. Wake Forest – Life in the Atlantic Division – yeesh!!  The Demon Deacons play a big game vs. NC State on Thursday night – it’s a huge in state game for both teams on November 8, 2018 in Raleigh.  But before that on November 3, 2018, Wake Forest plays Syracuse – and @TalkinACCSports has Orange QB Eric Dunge as the #2 QB in the ACC.  This is a game where you are likely going see a lot of points scored by both teams – but you might see a lot of Deacons thinking about Old North State rival, NC State.
6. Syracuse – You look at Syracuse schedule and you see a team that needs to get every win it is supposed to win to get to bowl eligibility.  That means winning the games you are favored to win. However, Syracuse doesn’t always come out of the game well when it opens the season in non-conference play.  The Orange go on the road to Kalamazoo, Michigan to play Western Michigan in the opener for both teams;  SB Nation’s Bill Connelly gives the Broncos a 48% chance to win this game.  Watch this game closely because the Orange need to win this game if they want to make a bowl game.
7. Louisville – Let’s be brutally honest here:  The Cardinals really haven’t played that well vs. Virginia in ACC play.  While Louisville has been the winning side in 3 of 4 games in the crossover division series vs. Virginia, their wins haven’t really been all that convincing (in an instance or two, some last minute heroics were required by Lamar Jackson – and he’s a pro football player now).  This year, the Cardinals go on the road to Virginia – and play Florida State the next week at Papa Johns in Louisville. I’m not sold that Louisville will have their full attention on Virginia.

And that’s it – what are your trap games?

And now you can rock the night.

Make sure you follow the All Sports Discussion Twitter account at @AllSportsDACC and please like our Facebook Page