Preview 2008 Part I: The ACC, Where a Bowl Game in Boise Sounds Mighty Appealing

If the SAT still had analogies, we could write this one:

Nuclear Bomb : Cockroach :: the 2007-2008 College Football Season : the BCS.

Last season did everything to kill it.  At first, it was thrilling - then it got crazy - then it got absurd.  Seven teams ranked #2 lost.  Four times the #1 ranked team lost.  One team lost twice as #1 ... and that team ended up winning the National Championship. 

It gets even better:  Had Hawaii lost in their regular season finale to Washington, the BCS might have had to seriously consider including another team from the ACC, such as Boston College (who ended up in the Champs Sports Bowl - how's that for a fall from grace) or Clemson or even Virginia, which would have been the height of absurdity.  Kansas got into the BCS - despite having lost to Missouri and being ranked below them (never mind the Manginos' win over Virginia Tech in the Orange Bowl - after all, all VA Tech had to do was win the ACC).  Ohio State looked on with giddiness like a golfer sitting in the clubhouse at the US Open, watching contenders drop like flies around him, and backed into yet another title game berth - and got outclassed in yet another title game. 

And, amidst all this chaos, the Rose Bowl lorded its tradition over the whole proceedings, insisting on a mismatch (sorry, Zookers, you knew it was too) between a motivated USC team and a plucky but overmatched Illinois team, eschewing a USC / Georgia clash of titans - the two teams playing the best football at the end of last year.  (I'm not saying either USC or Georgia deserved to be in the National Title game - Ohio State did what they had to do and benefitted from ending the season 3 weeks before everyone else, and LSU ... well, they won the thing, so it couldn't have been all bad - but come on Pasadena - USC/UGA would have been one hell of an undercard.)  It was a scenario worse than having a team in the National Championship who lost their conference championship game (Oklahoma - '03).  It was even worse than having a team in the National Championship who did not even win their division in conference (Nebraska - '01).

At least the BCS didn't find a way to develop a convenient case of dyslexia and put Notre Dame in the BCS (I swear they're 9-3!).  I'm a Domer of some sort - I'd like to think I'm a rational one ... or maybe I'm just getting jaded.

Let's not even get started on the games themselves, which were duds, by and large, save for the Orange Bowl - which was still more strange than thrilling.

And the BCS not only still is around, but it's guaranteed, for all intents and purposes, until 2011.  It's a cockroach - a big, money-making, controversy-continuing cockroach - so we might as well learn to live with it - or, start paying attention to the FCS a little more.  More on that later, but let's start with the so-called "big boys." (I went to a FCS / I-AA school, so my sympathies lie there!)

***

Let's talk first about the ACC, who is close to replacing the Big East as the red-headed stepchild of the BCS conferences.  The power-players of the past are struggling, the new blood in the ACC is succeeding in conference but not making a dent nationally, and Duke is still, well, Duke.  This year will be no better - in fact, it could actually be worse.  The higher-ups can only hope that it's always darkest before dawn, but this year looks like football on Tobacco Road and throughout the ACC will be a pleasant diversion until it's time to hit the hardwood again.

ATLANTIC DIVISON

BOSTON COLLEGE
- Coach Jeff Jagodzinski looked like a pretty good hire after just one year, but Matt Ryan is gone, and life in the year after your star QB leaves can be a little less than pleasant (ask Charlie Weis).  This year will show whether Coach Jags and his staff were simply beneficiaries of a full cupboard or if they molded and shaped Tom O'Brien's team into something more.  They've lost a lot, but do get back Brian Toal on D (and first-and-Toal package).  The defense will have to shoulder a lot of the load as the offense gets its feet wet with a new trigger man; QB Chris Crane looks like the frontrunner after spring ball.

Notable games:
* 18 October: vs. Virginia Tech - the Hokies will be amped up for revenge, and both they and the Eagles will be coming off bye weeks
* 1 November: vs. Clemson - it's been classic the last couple years
* 15 November: @ Florida St. - boy, what BC would give to play that one again; we all knew a game like this was coming for the Eagles - but, in retrospect, they really stunk up the joint at home

Trap games:
* 4 October: @ NC State - HUGE landmine game.  Tom O'Brien and the Wolfpack may have their ducks in a row on offense by then.
* 25 October: @ North Carolina - trap game (in between playing VA Tech and Clemson)
* 22 November: @ Wake Forest - BC beat the Deacs last year, but BC plays their last seven games in seven successive weeks; this is the 6th game, and Wake will be good this year.

- Prediction: Expect a step back and a stumble down the stretch - 7 games in 7 weeks might be asking a bit much from a younger team.  They'll go bowling again - simply in virtue of being BC, and a 4-0 start might generate some buzz, but things will not be easy towards the end of the year.
BOSTON COLLEGE RECORD: 8-4 (4-4)

CLEMSON
- Is THIS the year that Tommy Bowden comes through with a title?  They were tantalizingly close last year, but lost to BC late in the game late in the year.  QB Cullen Harper stepped it up last year, pitching 27 TDs, and both James Davis and C.J. Spiller return to make for a two-headed monster at RB.  They have talent at WR as well with Aaron Kelly.  The D loses Philip Merling to the NFL, so it will be interesting to see how they compensate on the D-line.  This team, though, has the talent to win the Atlantic.

Notable games:

* 30 August: vs. Alabama (@ Atlanta, GA) - talk about a fun season opener; two good ole programs from the South with two high profile coaches; it's a good matchup
* 9 October: @ Wake Forest - the Tigers have had the Deacs' number even when Wake's been good; this road game on a Thursday night should be a real tester.
* 1 November: @ Boston College - revenge will be on the Tigers' minds; they have an off week to prepare for this too.

Trap games:
* 27 September: vs. Maryland - after winning the play-in rounds of the South Carolina Invitational against The Citadel and South Carolina State (which sandwich a game against NC State), the Tigers take on the Terps prior to their Thursday night throwdown with Wake; this game has the potential to be a lookahead trap for Clemson
* 8 November: @ Florida State - Bowden Bowl #... oh, I don't know - I stopped caring a long time ago.  Nevertheless, the Tigers best not be complacent after a win at BC (or be despondent after a loss) because the division title may still hang in the balance when these two teams meet.
* 15 November: vs. Duke - come on; you all know that every year Duke shows up against at least one opponent and finds a way to throw a huge scare into them.  With Coach David Cutcliffe, the Devils should be improved anyway.  Plus, the Tigers may feel that the worst is behind them starting with this game.

- Prediction: The horses on offense are there - provided they can split carries between Spiller and Davis effectively and Harper plays just as well as he did last year.  Keep an eye on the O-line; last year, they struggled against an aggressive defensive fronts from GA Tech and VA Tech.  If the defense shows up, they'll have a great chance to win the Atlantic.
CLEMSON RECORD: 10-2 (6-2)

FLORIDA STATE
- How the mighty have fallen.  The offense that was so vaunted for so long has struggled to get anything right over the past several years, and, if the spring game is any indication, that trend should continue this year (though QB Drew Weatherford did sit it out).  Jimbo Fisher, the head coach designate after Bobby Bowden bows out, could not work his magic with this bunch, and the O will struggle again unless Weatherford finally takes the reins of this team and utilizes Preston Parker to his fullest potential - at least after Parker serves his suspension.  Mickey Andrews' D will again be on the spot to keep the 'Noles in games.

Notable games:
* 20 September: vs. Wake Forest - 30-0.  Don't think the 'Noles have forgotten.
* 4 October: @ Miami (FL) - this could be ugly again this year - except for the fact that it will be in Dolphins' Stadium, if that's any consolation.
* 8 November: vs. Clemson - see above.
* 15 November: vs. Boston College - 27-17.  Don't think the Eagles have forgotten.

Trap games:
* 27 September: vs. Colorado (@ Jacksonville) - The Buffs should be improved this year; in between big ones against Wake and Miami
* 1 November: @ Georgia Tech - based on early reports, I have dire predictions for the Ramblin' Wreck, but by this point they might have gotten the option down enough to give FSU fits.
* 22 November: @ Maryland - the Terps have had a tendency to beat decent conference teams at home late in the season - see BC last year and FSU a year before that (I think).  Maryland might be fighting for a bowl berth, and FSU will too - but may have their eyes on UF the next week.

- Prediction: Defense wins championships.  Just keep telling yourselves that, 'Noles fans.  I think Drew Weatherford will have at least a few glimmers in this season - it won't be all bad, but they're just not that good.  It looks like it will be a very uneven year for FSU.
FLORIDA STATE RECORD: 6-6 (3-5)

MARYLAND
- Click.  Clack.  Hear that?  Don't worry if you don't - it's getting fainter as the years go by.  Those are the echoes of when Ralph Friedgen was the mastermind that propelled Maryland into college football's elite.  Now, they've been mired in mediocrity for several years and the pressure's on to produce in a big way.  Last year was particularly vexing, with two wins over top 10 opponents, but losses against North Carolina and Florida State.  With the ACC down, it would appear that UMD could be a sleeper, but inconsistent QB play has plagued this team for a long while.  With Josh Portis's status in the air, it's not clear things will get too much better this year, though Jordan Steffy and Chris Turner return with experience.  At least there's the running game.  As for the D, they'll have to replace Erin Henderson, but have also switched to a 3-3-5 stack D.

Notable games:
* 13 September: vs. California - this is a very odd matchup, but intriguing in its own right; the Bears are traveling across the country for this one, and it'll be their third game in three weeks at the outset - with tough ones against Michigan St. and at Wazzu preceding.
* 4 October: @ Virginia - the Cardiac Cavs stole one against UMD last year, 18-17, and don't think the Terps won't be looking for some revenge.
* 18 October: vs. Wake Forest - last year, the Terps led 24-7 late in the 3rd, and ended up losing 31-24 in OT.  They won't want that to happen again.
* 22 November: vs. Florida State - see above; UMD should come up with a good game at the end of the year to nail down a bowl berth.

Trap games:
* 6 September: @ Middle Tennessee - traveling to a Sun Belt school to play a game is fair play - and kudos to UMD for holding up that part of the home and home - but it's a sneaky game; Joe Craddock and the Blue Raiders can put some points up - see the Louisville game in Murfreesboro last year
* 15 November: vs. North Carolina - Terps lost to the Heels last year, and Butch Davis's team won't be down for much longer so long as he's in tow.  Maybe they'll look for a road win to springboard for next year.

- Prediction: They have to hold serve at home.  With Cal traveling across the country and winnable games around that (Delaware, @ MTSU, Eastern Michigan), a 4-0 start is definitely within reach for the Terps; the bye week before the Wake game at home gives them a shot in that game (plus, they shoud've beaten Wake last year).  If they do that and steal 2/4 conference road games (Clemson, UVA, VA Tech, BC), it'll be a step in the right direction.  I don't think it'll happen, but expect another bowl game.
MARYLAND RECORD: 7-5 (3-5)

NC STATE
- Tom O'Brien made a curious move when he took the NC State job - in the same division of the same conference as his former employer, Boston College.  Last year, his young Pack took their lumps, but also showed some signs of growth late in the year until they ran out of gas against Wake and UMD.  This year, they have a very interesting slate of games that provides an opportunity to catch some teams sleeping and snag a road game or two.  Bottom line, they need a QB to emerge and their RBs to be healthy to move the offense.  Defense has to be improved as well.

Notable games:
* 28 August: @ South Carolina - a very intriguing coaching matchup between O'Brien and the ole Ballcoach.  This game should set the tone for both these teams' seasons.
* 4 September: vs. Boston College - NCSU should have its offense straightened out (barring injury of course) to give BC a run at home; the atmosphere is sure to be intense and BC's young team will be challenged
* 29 November: vs. Miami (FL) - this one could be for a bowl game.  In last year's elimination game, UMD whitewashed them 37-0; NCSU won't go down without a fight this year.

Trap games:
* 6 September: vs. William and Mary - can you tell where I went to undergrad?  Last time the Tribe were in the state of North Carolina for a football game, they gave UNC a run for their money before losing 49-38.  I dunno.  Maybe the Pack will be looking ahead to Clemson?
* 20 September: vs. East Carolina - the Pirates from Greenville have a knack for playing in-state foes well; they beat UNC last year, and upset NC State at Carter-Finley in '06.
* 8 November: @ Duke - Wallace Wade Stadium might actually have a pulse if Duke has 3 wins by this point, which I feel is a distinct possibility.

- Prediction: I think NC State came along nicely around the end of the year (though, again, they ran out of gas).  One of the quarterbacks (Evans?  Beck?) has to establish himself, and the RBs have to become healthy.  However, Tom O'Brien is good for, if nothing else, getting a team to the postseason.  I'll give him a mulligan for entering a bad situation last year, but he's got things going in the right direction, I think.  They'll take the last game against Miami (FL) and Boise will look like a fantastic place to spend the holidays. 
NC STATE RECORD: 6-6 (4-4)

WAKE FOREST
- What will it take for Wake Forest to get respect?  Another ACC title?  A Heisman trophy for Riley Skinner?  A national championship?  Let's not get too crazy here, but face the facts: Wake Forest is legit, and this year they're going to be good.  Jim Grobe's gimmicky offense requires a week of special preparation for opposing defenses, and that can dull a team's overall concentration.  To boot, they've got a good QB to run the system in Riley Skinner - Bret Hodges, his backup, has good experience as well.  The defense has its problems at times, but often comes up with enough to let the O take care of the rest; it performed well in the spring game.  The offensive and defensive lines are in need of improvement, and they need to replace some talent at WR, but the schedule is there for Wake to make another run at a BCS berth.

Notable games:
* 30 August: @ Baylor - the Art Briles era begins on the Brazos with a game against Wake Forest in what should be an entertaining tilt; Wake needs to avoid a slow start like they had last year if they want to return to the BCS, and this will be a firm test for them
* 20 September: @ Florida State - two defeats later, you think FSU respects Wake?  Yeah, I think so.  Are they pissed?  Yeah, I think so too.
* 9 October: vs. Clemson - in their ACC title season, Clemson was one team that tripped them up.  Last year, the Tigers pasted the Deacs 44-10 in Death Valley.  This one could be a tiebreaker for the Atlantic title.

Trap games:
* 6 September: vs. Ole Miss - when Houston Nutt took the job in Oxford, for the first time in 3 years the Rebels got a football coach who kinda knows what he's doing (sorry, Coach O, stick to ripping your shirt off).  The team's not that talented, but the cupboard isn't totally bare.  This is another interesting interconference matchup, and Wake could be looking ahead to FSU.
* 27 September: vs. Navy - the Mids have a new coach, but the same offense; it'll be interesting to see how they adjust, but they too have an offense that takes significant preparation time; lookahead game here (Clemson comes up next a week and a half later)
* 25 October: @ Miami (FL) - It will be interesting to see how these teams react to being on diametrically opposite tracks as compared to the '80s and '90s.  Will this game be a wake-up call to the 'Canes?  I have a feeling Wake will slip up in this game.
* 1 November: vs. Duke - as a reminder to the world that we're still talking about Wake Forest here, somehow the Demon Deacons have had problems with their fellow bedeviled friends in Durham.  In '06, they beat FSU on the road by 30, but Duke at home by 1 - and it was a fortuitous win at that.  Does Duke just have Wake's number?

- Prediction: The non-conference schedule (@ Baylor, Ole Miss, Navy, Vanderbilt) is manageable, especially with catching the first two in the first couple weeks.  The conference schedule is also relatively kind: road trips to FSU, UMD, Miami, and NC State.  I think that Jim Grobe is an excellent coach - he does more with what appears to be less than many other coaches in the country.  With the Atlantic division down besides Clemson and the Tigers coming to Winston-Salem, I predict that the Deacs will go to Jacksonville once again - and somehow we'll all be surprised again when it happens.
WAKE FOREST RECORD: 10-2 (6-2)

COASTAL DIVISION

DUKE
- It's Duke.  What more can you say?  Let's not make the academics argument - if Stanford and Northwestern can experience turnarounds, Vanderbilt can be modestly competitive in the SEC, and Wake Forest can be successful in ACC itself, why can't Duke?  To answer that would take much more knowledge than I have, but I think they've taken a step in the right direction by hiring a good coach in David Cutcliffe.  He's a proven winner and a good offensive mind who got run out of Oxford, MS prematurely.  Does he have talent to work with this year?  Zack Asack and Thaddeus Lewis are not terrible at QB, but one has to assert himself and take that position.  They have a ton of returning starters overall, and every year that's the case some people think that the experience will parlay into a few more wins.  Likely not, especially with a new system, but I think there will be a flash of hope somewhere in this season.

Notable games
* 6 September: vs. Northwestern - somehow Duke beat N'W last year in Evanston; if the Blue Devils can pull themselves together and get a win here, they could get that much needed confidence to maybe steal a game or two down the road.
* 4 October: @ Georgia Tech - it's going to take baby steps so talking about in conference road wins is a little highfalutin, but I think this may be Duke's best opportunity to get one
* 29 November: vs. North Carolina - tough loss to the Heels last year, and this comes after a brutal stretch of 4 road games in 5 weeks.  This is important as a springboard game and as a rivalry game (since I feel UNC won't be down for much longer, both teams will be looking to start next year off right).

Trap games:
* 30 August: vs. James Madison - I know JMU's an FCS school, but when you're Duke, you can't take anyone lightly.  Especially when you lost to another school in their conference a couple years ago (Richmond).  They are talented (as I have had the unfortunate privelege to watch, as they've trodden over my beloved Tribe), so it will take a team effort for one Duke to overcome the Dukes.  Yeah - not pulling that pun out again ...
* 13 September: vs. Navy - can you really have trap games when you're at the bottom of the league?  Nevertheless, if they handle JMU and repeat their feat against N'W, a win here could send them to 3-0.  They'd best not overlook this, especially with an off week ahead to evaluate how the transition is going.

- Prediction: Four home games to start the year against some winnable opponents: the chances are minute, but just maybe Duke could be 4-0.  Now, the realistic best case scenario would be 3-1, but I'll take them at 2-2.  After that, it will be rough - but they will throw a major scare into some teams they play.  In the end, I'll give them an upset over UNC to have bookend wins.  The possibility exists for 6-6, but that's just asking too much right now.
DUKE RECORD: 3-9 (2-6)

GEORGIA TECH
- "Take no" Chan"ces" Gailey is gone.  In comes former Georgia Southern and Navy mastermind Paul Johnson and the option offense to turn around the Yellow Jackets ... or at least beat UGA for once.  A well-run option offense is like watching a well-oiled, fine tuned car.  Unfortunately, based on the spring game, this Ramblin' Wreck resembles, well, a rambling wreck of a car on O.  Johnson's offense will not be easy to adjust to, whether he adopts a full option attack or a modified spread option attack, and there is going to be plenty of youth on the field.  Lost in this shuffle is the loss of Jon Tenuta at D-coordinator.  Without him AND with the turnover (and turnovers) on offense, it's going to be a very rough year for GA Tech.

Notable games:
13 September: @ Virginia Tech - talk about out of the frying pan, into the fire; GT gets a layup against suddenly dangerous Jacksonville State with new QB Ryan Perriloux, then they're on the road against BC and VT.  Their performance in this game will be the first huge test for Johnson's offense.  If VT hasn't gotten untracked on offense yet, it's a game the Hokies could overlook and lose.
25 October: vs. Virginia - the Cavs were heartstoppers last year; however, I expect a slight step back this year - especially with losing Chris Long in the draft.  Perhaps Tech will have worked out some of the kinks by now.  Perhaps they will have illusions of bowl eligibility and play their tails off for this one.
29 November: @ Georgia - by now, with the season likely in the tank, either the O will have nothing to lose or nothing to play for.  I'll bank on the former and say that maybe, just maybe, they'll create a problem or two for the Dawgs.

Trap games:
20 September: vs. Mississippi St.: This game might set offensive football back a century.  After what should be brutal outings against BC and VT on the road, Tech could be bruised and beaten up - and then they get to face a punishing and physical Mississippi St. team.  On offense, these Bulldogs are toothless, so expect a glorified baseball score here.
4 October: vs. Duke - you want to get on the wrong side of your fans really quickly?  Lose to Duke and see what happens.

- Prediction: I just can't see this year going well for Georgia Tech.  It's a totally new offense (which has caused some defections from the team already) that struggled in the spring and they've lost a world-class defensive coordinator.  Not to mention losing P Durant Brooks, who could have been a field position savior.  The option (or some variant thereof), when not run well, can be disastrous, and I expect the Jackets to take their lumps this year.  Winning at GT is different than winning at Georgia Southern or Navy, so the pressure's on.  It's an interesting situation and Johnson is a good but interesting hire, so he will be judged for the state of affairs 4-5 years in, rather than right away.
GEORGIA TECH RECORD: 3-9 (1-7)

MIAMI (FL)
- After their last game in the Orange Bowl, I'm sure the 'Canes, even for all the memories therein, would have been glad to see the joint blown up.  Of all the nights for them to come inspired to play (and against, of all teams, UVA, who couldn't win a game unless it came down to the wire), they laid an egg on the field and on the scoreboard.  That 48-0 whitewashing showed just how far Miami had fallen.  Randy Shannon's working from the ground up, trying to keep the homegrown talent and rebuild this program brick by brick.  You can still sell a lot just on the name 'Miami' alone.  Offensively, look for the Canes to lean hard on RB Graig Cooper, while hoping for QB Robert Marve to mature in a hurry.  On D, they've lost a lot, but they are talented enough (and perhaps will feel the pressure) to keep this team in games.

Notable games:
* 6 September: @ Florida - Miami will have played one game (vs. Charleston Southern) before taking on the mighty Gators.  They have to put forward at least a respectable showing in this one to set the tone for the rest of the season.  If they fail miserably, it will be another long year.  If they at least show up and play hard, they might use it (in spite of it being a near certain loss) as a stepping stone.
* 4 October: vs. Florida St. - a fierce rivalry, the outcome of this game could dictate how this season will go for either team.  It will be interesting to see where these teams go after it.
* 25 October: vs. Wake Forest - I have a strange feeling that Miami will show up and be fired up for this one.  They'll start to get the message when they look at the standings and see Wake on top and them near the middle or bottom.
* 1 November: @ Virginia - Miami, pop in a copy of that 48-0 loss and see if you don't get amped up to take this game.
* 13 November: vs. Virginia Tech - they have a great chance to pick off the Hokies; I can see this one as an upset for sure.

Trap games:
* 27 September: @ North Carolina - Butch Davis also has a reclamation project going on in Chapel Hill.  A road win for his team could be a giant step forward.  Look for them to come out fired up.  Miami will have just finished a tough two game stretch @ Florida and @ Texas A&M, so they could be tired ... and looking ahead to FSU.
* 11 October: vs. Central Florida - the Knights might not be as good as last year, but they're no pushovers.  This intriguing intrastate battle comes after FSU - and could be a more entertaining game than the aforementioned rivalry game.
* 20 November: @ Georgia Tech - maybe the Jackets will have figured out the option well enough to win?  Maybe Miami will be on the verge of bowl eligibility and be walking on broken glass trying not to get cut?

- Prediction: If Marve steps up at QB and the D plays up to its talent level (slightly beyond would be nice too), there are plenty of winnable games out there.  Their schedule, coupled with the weakness of the ACC, is very kind.  In fact, I think they'll have a record that surprisingly good.  There's much to be done to improve, but this year will be a step forward.  If they survive the @ UF and @ TAMU road double and sweep that 3 game homestand right afterward (UNC, FSU, UCF), they'll be sitting pretty with Duke and GT left on the road.  I'll go out on a limb here and say they pick off BOTH Wake and VT at home.  Miami will be back in a bowl, and they'll be working their way back towards relevance in the ACC.  Then, they can worry about prominence.
MIAMI RECORD: 8-4 (6-2)

NORTH CAROLINA
- Butch Davis came closer than you think to a bowl last year.  Road losses against NC State and Georgia Tech by a total of 6 points late in the year sunk his chances, not to mention the close losses to East Carolina, UVA, VA Tech, and South Carolina earlier.  They just couldn't seal the deal last year- but the foundations are being laid for a very solid program.  This could be a surprisingly good year for UNC.  The offense has some playmakers, especially at RB.  The D has some good young talent as well.  The schedule is not that bad with the toughest opponents coming to Kenan.  Oh, and Butch Davis is yelling "Wooo pig sooie!"  (Besides, it's much more fun to see college football's smarmier and more squirrely equivalent of Larry Brown doing it.)

Notable games:
* 11 September: @ Rutgers - RU has been strong, but without Ray Rice, can QB Mike Teel carry this team?  It's early in the season, so the Knights might be tentative enough for UNC to sneak into the Birthplace and come away with a win.
* 25 October: vs. Boston College - UNC might be peaking around this time, especially if they sweep UConn and ND and upset UVA in C'ville.  Look for a tight battle here.
* 22 November: vs. NC State - UNC lost this game by 5, their last drive in the dying seconds ending at the NCSU 7 yard line.  This one could be for bowl eligibility - perhaps for both schools.

Trap games:
* 4 October: vs. Connecticut - UConn had a solid year last year, and Randy Edsall has made the Huskies into a pretty good Big East program.  With Notre Dame coming to town the next week, UNC had better not sleep on these guys.  It may be a close game - and the Heels need all the confidence they can muster in these tight ones.
* 15 November: @ Maryland - this is a winnable road game for UNC.  Both teams figure to be around .500 and scrapping for bowl bids.  UNC might have more talent than UMD, but it'll be interesting to see how this one plays out.
29 November: @ Duke - Duke always has a little extra motivation for UNC.  If they can spoil the Heels' holiday plans, by all means they will do their best to do so.

- Prediction: Lots of talent and a great coach - but this team has to mature and learn how to win tight games.  I think they'll be near the top of the ACC soon, and this year the schedule is kind enough to afford them a chance to make perhaps a premature leap forward.  I think they'll likely slip up somewhere they shouldn't and succeed someplace they shouldn't.  All in all, .500 probably means you're bowling, so they'll likely be playing in December.
NORTH CAROLINA RECORD: 6-6 (3-5)

VIRGINIA
- Last year, there was no team in the country that had a thinner margin between 9-3 and 3-9 than UVA.  They ended up with wins in all those games, could have beaten NC State for a 10th win and an ACC title game berth, and really should have beaten Texas Tech in the Gator Bowl, but for a stunning 4th quarter collapse.  All told, 9-4 was a massive overachievement.  As such, expect a massive dropoff.  Maybe it's just fate, or maybe it'd just be too taxing to ask for much more from Al Groh and his coaching staff, but the likelihood of living such a charmed existence for two years in a row is slim.  The end of that Gator Bowl was devastating - and perhaps it wrecked more than just the end of the year for the Cavs.  I have a strange feeling it bodes ill for this season too.  Is QB Jameel Sewell the man, or will Peter Lalich atone for his turnover late against TTU?  How will the offense perform overall?  Will the D be good without Chris Long?

Notable games:
* 30 August: vs. Southern Cal - the Trojans has some questions on offense as well.  There's just one thing: they're USC.  Their "issues" on offense anyone would pay an arm and a leg to have.  Which 5-star recruit should we start at QB?  They have the talent to outclass UVA - even in what should be a raucous atmosphere in C'ville.
18 October: vs. North Carolina - their 22-20 win over the Heels set the tone for the rest of the year.  UNC's talented and will be looking for revenge - and a similar tone-setting win.
22 November: vs. Clemson - the only opportunity the Cavs have to entertain one of the ACC's "elite" teams in Scott Stadium, it'll be senior day and they'll be coming off a bye week.  Clemson's been known to be unable to close the deal in the division, so their nerves may be frayed for this one.  The Cavs might need this one to nail down a bowl bid.

Trap games:
* 13 September: @ Connecticut - Huskies aren't that bad.  Playing at UConn will be tough.
* 27 September: @ Duke - The Blue Devils always play tough, and this is the worst kind of game to have after a bye week, if you're UVA - a team that you expect to beat and won't be that motivated to play on the road in a 1/3 full stadium (at best).  It'll feel like you're taking two weeks off, and Duke may make them pay.
* 11 October: vs. East Carolina - ask VA Tech and UNC how good ECU can be.  This will be no walk in the park.
* 25 October: @ Georgia Tech - yeah, I know I've said it before - GT will struggle, but road games are not the easiest to win in any league.  If UVA's reeling at all, a game like this could either boost their confidence ever so slightly or shatter it.

- Prediction: The odds are UVA won't win as many games (much less close ones) as they did last year.  Fate might have it that they will actually tank.  I think they've got enough issues on offense, even with Cedric Peerman and Kevin Ogletree back, to be held back.  The D will be good, it appears, and I'm not saying they're incapable of a good year.  I'm just skeptical of them being able to put it together for two years in a row.  It just doesn't work out that way, usually.  Last year had too much of a charmed feel to it.
VIRGINIA RECORD: 6-6 (4-4)

VIRGINIA TECH
- Last year especially, the Hokies had a lot more to play for than just themselves.  Carrying the weight of a still grieving campus on their shoulders, the Hokies came one Matt Ryan prayer of a pass away from going unbeaten in conference play - and possibly, should they have then been able to beat BC again, a National Title ame berth.  They made their living on the defensive side of the ball, and that should be the case again this year.  Offensively, Tyrod Taylor and Sean Glennon will be pulling double duty at QB again, likely, though Taylor did not look good in the spring game.  The jury's still out on whether or not this particular two QB system will work, and they need to make sure they establish a solid running game, but they're the best this league has to offer.  If they have solid QB play, however they get it, they'll be the team to beat.

Notable games:
* 27 September: @ Nebraska - these teams met in the Orange Bowl back when VT was just getting its feet wet as a national power; the Hokies got thumped, 41-21, but this year things should be different.  Nebraska's been down, though they're not as sorry as some might make them out to be.  VT's the more established team in recent years, so they should be favored, but never count out the Huskers in Lincoln - especially if Bo Pellini has that D humming.  Last time the Hokies had a huge OOC road game was against LSU last year - and we all saw what happened there.
* 18 October: @ Boston College - this is in the middle of a brutal stretch of 4 road games in 6 weeks (5 games; one off week) for VT.  This is a huge revenge game, and that should propel the Hokies against a good but diminished BC squad.
* 13 November: @ Miami (FL) - an old Big East rivalry renewed in the ACC, this Thursday night tilt will be full of passion I am sure.  With Duke and UVA upcoming at home, the Hokies will look at this as their last hurdle to an ACC Coastal title.

Trap games:
* 30 August: @ East Carolina (in Charlotte, NC) - it's too bad they're not in Dowdy-Ficklen, because it really would be a huge trap; nevertheless, we saw how valiantly ECU fought last year amidst the emotions of the season opener last year.  They're not a bad team at all and are challenging themselves against all manner of ACC opposition.  They have the wherewithal to pick off at least one of them; why not VT?
* 20 September: @ North Carolina - lookahead game to Nebraska the next week; UNC's talented enough to make this one interesting.  Last year's game was closer than Tech would like.
* 25 October: @ Florida State - at the end of this brutal stretch of road games, they get FSU on the road.  How will they hold up in Doak Walker?  Will FSU have found an offense by then?

- Prediction: The schedule does VT no favors, but this team's good enough (and the ACC is down enough) for them to be able to fight through all their road games.  I expect many of their games to be close, and there could be an upset somewhere along the way, but if Taylor and Glennon are managing the team well, the Hokies are clearly the class of the ACC Coastal - and possibly the league.
VIRGINIA TECH RECORD: 10-2 (7-1)

ACC Atlantic
1. Wake Forest 10-2 (6-2)
2. Clemson 10-2 (6-2)
3. Boston College 8-4 (4-4)
4. NC State 6-6 (4-4)
5. Maryland 7-5 (3-5)
6. Florida State 6-6 (3-5)

ACC Coastal
1. Virginia Tech 10-2 (7-1)
2. Miami (FL) 8-4 (6-2)
3. Virginia 6-6 (4-4)
4. North Carolina 6-6 (3-5)
5. Duke 3-9 (2-6)
6. Georgia Tech 3-9 (1-7)

ACC Championship Game: Virginia Tech def. Wake Forest - I love the Deacs, but I think Tech's D will be too much for them.

Next Preview: The Big East - Will the acrimony around Coach Rod help or hurt West Virginia this year?  Is Pitt finally for real under Coach Wanny?  Can Mike Teel and his talented WR's lead Rutgers without Ray Rice?  Will anyone give any respect to Cincinnati?  All these questions (hopefully) answered and much more soon.