The ACC: The Almost Competitive Conference?

TAMPA - 94 days, 15 hours until the kickoff of the fifth installment of the Dr. Pepper Atlantic Coast Conference Championship Game.

So now you're thinking, "Time out, did this guy really just tell me how many days are left until the ACC Championship game?"

Yes. Yes I did, and for good reason.

Over the last few months a lot of fans, media, coaches, and pundits around the college football landscape have already decided to call it a wrap for the ACC without a single snap being taken.

The conventional logic seems to be that there is no legitimate reason to follow a conference that did very little in 2008. These so-called experts have argued that this year, much like the last, has shown that the ACC is incapable of competing with power conferences like the SEC, Big 12, PAC-10, or even the Big Ten.

The media and the experts will note how the ACC finished with a 4-6 record last bowl season. They will tell you that they finished ninth out of 12 Conferences in bowl win percentage.

Then they will illustrate how the ACC had no legitimate front-runner for the National Championship. They'll even go so far as to say that these factors are of primary importance in determining whether a conference is worthy of national recognition.

They wouldn’t be wrong. Would they?

Well a picture is worth a thousand words, and painting the ACC as a sub-par conference may be nothing more than smoke and mirrors. It would seem to someone willing to dig deeper that it’s just an indication that there is a lot that has been overlooked. One thing is certain, the ACC Coaches and fans certainly know they are a lot better than they are billed.

Even ACC director Jon Swofford had a few words on the matter during ACC media week. "If you really step back and take a look at the conferences a year ago, top to bottom, we may have well been the deepest conference in the country. What we didn't have is a team or two involved in the national championship race.”

Ah yes, a National Champion contender. Well let’s look at that. At the start of last season, the ACC was rewarded only three ranked teams in the top 25, likewise so was the Big East, and USC...er, the PAC-10. 

Of the top ten teams representing each conference, the ACC was represented by Clemson at #9, West Virginia represented the Big East at #8, Ohio State was the Big Ten's lone top ten at #2, the PAC-1 had USC at #3, the Big 12 was fairly well represented with Oklahoma #4, Missouri #6, and the SEC had Auburn at #10, LSU at #7, Florida at #5 and Georgia at #1.

Talk about a stacked deck, right? Kind of hard not to make a National Championship Game when you have a third of your conference in the pre-season top ten.

The SEC had two teams in the top five, four in the top ten, and six in the top 25.

The Big 12 had one in team the top five, two in the top ten, and five in the top 15.

The Big Ten had one team in the top five, two in the top 15, and four in the top 25.

The PAC 10 had one team in the top five, two in the top 15, and three in the top 25.

So in 2008, the SEC had as many teams in the top 5 as most conferences had in the top 20. They had more teams in the top ten than most conferences had ranked They had more top 25 teams than any conference in the country.

Meanwhile, just one shy of the SEC, interestingly enough, the second most 'stacked' conference to start the preseason belongs to the Big 12. They had more teams in the top 15 than any other conference, at 5.

SEC - 6

Big 12 - 5

Big Ten - 4

Big East - 3

ACC - 3

By the season’s conclusion, heading into bowl week, the top ten of the pre-season looked not so surprisingly; very, very different.

ACC top ten selection, Clemson - Not Ranked

Big East top ten selection, West Virginia - Not Ranked

Big Ten top ten selection, Ohio State - #10

PAC-10 top ten selection, USC - #5

Big 12 top ten selections; Oklahoma, and Missouri - #2 and #25

SEC top ten selections; Auburn, LSU, Florida and Georgia - Not Ranked, Not Ranked, #1, and #16 respectively.

Now try to imagine the ACC with just one more top ten team in the pre-season. Maybe the ACC would be getting more nods than write-offs. Heck, it worked for the only two teams who had more than 1 team in the top ten this past pre-season. (The SEC and the Big 12.)

Wait a tick, could someone remind me again which 2 conferences were represented in the National Championship game this past year? Need a little help? They were the same 2 BCS conferences that received at-large bids as well. 

Yep. You guessed it.

The SEC and the Big 12.

There is no fault for any team, or series of teams, simply winning and making a National Championship game. It's not their fault right? Alabama was an upstart in 2008 and managed to climb 23 places all the way to number one before losing to Florida.

What may disillusion some people is that this was almost inevitable given the lopsided rankings, which littered the top of the polls with SEC and Big 12 teams. The point being - conference wins over Auburn, LSU, Tennessee and Georgia; Oklahoma, Missouri, and Texas, influenced the destiny of the teams in the SEC and Big 12 left standing at season’s end.

So now the average fan is saying, “Well if they beat a tenth ranked Auburn, and a seventh ranked LSU, then they must be a top ten team…”

Sound about right?

This isn't always accurate, but that's what people will argue. Sometimes a top ten team, is nothing more than a favorite. Favorites are overhyped all the time. The SEC in 2008 is a prime example of that. The problem with pre-season favoritism like that displayed toward the SEC and Big 12 is the message it sends fans, and coaches alike. People see year-in and year-out is that the 'SEC is simply the best,' they believe it blindly, and then wrap their heads around any angle that they can to hang on to it. They won’t know any better than to think this way, so long as there are lopsided polls favoring their conference. One team will undoubtedly emerge from the ‘difficult slate’ of that conferences' teams, and challenge for a National Title, and legitimately good conferences like the ACC will continue to lose the top recruits, and personnel to the likes of the Big 12 or the SEC.

In 2008, the SEC actually had to forfeit it's ninth bowl tie-in due to a lack of bowl eligible teams. The Papa John’s Bowl instead took Rutgers and fill-in ACC team NC State, the tenth bowl eligible team from the ACC. The Big 12 only took 7 teams bowling (including Oklahoma) meaning they had a vacancy as well, in the Texas Bowl. The bowl took fill-in Rice. 

So much for dominance.

It is also worth noting that the ACC in 2008, held a 6-4 record heading into bowl season against the SEC, and had a .500 or better record against every BCS conference heading into bowl season. No other conference can make that claim. 

Considering all of these pieces, it is hard to turn away from the fact that the ACC managed to do more with quite possibly less, (as it applies to starting rank) yet still exceeded pollsters' expectations. So why in 2009 are the sports gurus still dubbing the ACC as “the conference with no National Championship contender?” Well the answer is an easy one.

The conference is good, and pollsters don't care.

SEC fans have been saying it for years when they failed to produce a National Champion. "We're just that good. We beat each other up we're so good...blah blah blah." Well, eventually the pollsters took notice, and agreed. Once the ACC is given that same level of recognition, they too will be given more favorable consideration atop the polls, making each week an elimination game for the National Championship -- much like SEC and Big 12 in 2008.

It's not a fair system by any stretch, but it is what it is. If you can't beat 'em, join 'em. The ACC is on the cusp of replacing the SEC and Big 12 for the status of perrenial leader, and there are more than enough winning teams in the ACC to make that a reality.

Teams win when they are anchored by strong leaders, and traditionally, strong leaders are found at the quarterback position. Now in years’ past, the ACC has had a lot of young, inexperienced, and often over-pressured QBs trying to compete on a stage they simply weren’t ready for.

With the departure of players like Philip Rivers, Chris Weinke, Michael Vick, and Matt Ryan over the last 10 years – the landscape for the ACC has been somewhat bleak under center.

Well not in 2009. In 2009, the ACC has a lot of them, and these kids are good.

The starting Quarterbacks representing the ACC are no joke.

Take a look, and see for yourself.

Thaddaeus Lewis, Duke (Senior) – 2,171 Yards Passing, 15 Touchdowns, 6 Interceptions.

Riley Skinner, Wake Forest (Senior) – 2,347 Yards Passing, 13 Touchdowns, 7 Interceptions.

Russell Wilson, NC State (Sophomore) – 1,955 Yards Passing, 17 Touchdowns, 1 Interception.

Tyrod Taylor, Virginia Tech (Junior) – 1,036 Yards Passing, 738 Yards Rushing, 9 Touchdowns, 7 Interceptions.

Christian Ponder, Florida State (Junior) – 2,006 Yards Passing, 423 Yards Rushing, 18 Touchdowns, 13 Interceptions.

TJ Yates, North Carolina (Junior) – 1,168 Yards Passing, 11 Touchdowns, 4 Interceptions.

Josh Nesbitt, Georgia Tech (Junior) – 808 Yards Passing, 693 Yards Rushing, 9 Touchdowns, 5 Interceptions.

Jacory Harris, Miami, FL (Sophomore) – 1,195 Yards Passing, 12 Touchdowns, 7 Interceptions.

Chris Turner, Maryland (Senior) – 2,516 Yards Passing, 13 Touchdowns, 11 Interceptions.

Add to this list, 25 year old former Minor Leaguer, rookie David Shinskie, Boston College (Freshmen), and you have the kind of competent leaders needed to win games.

Not too bad for a conference that's 'not nearly as good as the SEC or the Big 12' right?

I'm sure any coach in the SEC not named Houston Nutt or Urban Meyer would be drooling at the prospect of having any one of those talented passers. Once 2009 is over, and Colt McCoy, Tim Tebow, and Sam Bradford are all gone, just look at how many talented Junior and Senior QBs will be in the ACC. Now look at the Big 12 and the SEC...not too pretty.

Granted, not every team in the ACC can be a 'national' contender, (see Virginia, Duke) but many pollsters may have overlooked a lot of strong, able and competitive ACC teams. Someone is bound to emerge from that talent pool to challenge for a top spot this season, and they may just do some damage to the other elite programs in the 'super conferences' along the way.

The first opportunities to do this will come on Thursday when NC State faces off at home against South Carolina in Carter Finley Stadium. Then on Saturday, ACC Champ Virginia Tech squares off against SEC runners-up Alabama in Atlanta.

The players on the Hokies and Wolfpack both know the implications of this weekend’s big contest. Regardless of injuries or suspensions, both games should have a stong viewing audience.

Even with all of the hype, Virginia Tech Head Coach Frank Beamer isn’t ready to admit how big this weekend's matchup is, at least not publicly. "It doesn't make your season either way, because you still have games to play."

We believe you coach. We really do.

Whether it does make the season for Virginia Tech or NC State, the fans of the Big Ten, Big Twelve, and even the SEC may want to pay attention this season. Starting this Thursday, whether they like it or not, they are about to find out what the ACC is made of.

It’s a new season, and the clock is ticking towards kickoff. Time is running out on the experts who have overlooked the ACC, and perhaps when December 5th arrives, the ‘Almost Competitive Conference’ will finally get to trade in their old moniker, for something more fitting.

The 'All Champions Conference.'

94 days 14 hours, and 15 minutes left...