Jdogg's ACC Rundown: Week 3

Hello ACC fans! Welcome to Jdogg's ACC Rundown. I am new to this site but a die hard ACC football fan. I am not an expert by any means, but I have grown up and lived in the heart of ACC country (Raleigh, NC; Florida; Charleston, SC) my entire life. Although I do believe the SEC is the most competitive and best conference from top to bottom, my heart is in ACC football.

Each week I will take a look at each of the teams in the ACC and give my thoughts and predictions. I will also use a confidence scale (in parenthesis), with 10 being for sure wins in my mind, and 1 is a toss-up. Any feedback and/or predictions are welcome, especially this first week. Enjoy!

North Carolina @ Rutgers     Thur. 7:30PM ESPN

This should definitely be a game worth watching. UNC beat McNeese St. last week by only 8 points. Rutgers lost to a good Fresno St. team last week 24-7.

There is no reason UNC shouldn't have won by more than 8 against McNeese St. Some said this was the year that Butch Davis would get the program back on track, but I don't see that happening this year. I see them going 6-6 at best even with a mediocre schedule.

Prediction: Rutgers 24  UNC 17  (7) 

California @ Maryland     Sat. 12:00PM ESPN

Blowout. This is the word some will use to describe this game. Cal is coming off a huge win against Wash. St. in which they dropped 66 points. Maryland on the other hand, embarrassed the ACC with a 24-14 loss to Middle Tenn.

Friedgen better get his team on track or this could be another rout by Cal. I have to think that he will have them better prepared than last week. I still gotta go with the favorites in this one.

Prediction: Cal 31  Maryland 9  (9)

Navy @ Duke     Sat. 12:00PM ESPNU

Duke comes in at 1-1 but had a good shot at beating Northwestern last week before they showed the Duke of old. I still think that Duke will go win-less in the ACC but lucky for them they have one more chance at victory before the conference schedule begins. Navy leads the NCAA in rushing but is almost dead last in passing. I gotta go against the ACC again in this one.

Prediction:  Navy 27  Duke 16  (7)

Virginia @ Connecticut     Sat. 7:30PM ESPNU 

After getting blown out by top ranked USC in the opening game, UVA shut out Richmond 16-0 last week. It took UConn OT to edge out Temple 12-6. Look for this one to be a turnover plagued affair as both qb's combine for 0 TD's and 7 INT's so far this season. If UVA can't stop UConn's running game they could be in for a long day.  

Prediction:  UConn 20  Virginia 17  (5)

N.C. State @ Clemson     Sat. 12:00PM Raycom

This is the beginning of a tough 3 weeks ahead for the Wolfpack. After the Tigers they will face (14) East Carolina and (19) S. Florida at home. The good news for the pack is that starting QB Russell Wilson will be back in the lineup. The bad news....both TE's will be out with injuries, along with 2 of the pack's 3 solid RB's. Clemson's O-Line has not played well and neither has their defense. I still think they will take care of the pack in this one at home.

Prediction:  Clemson 31  N.C. State 13  (8)

Georgia Tech @ Virginia Tech (Game of the Week)     Sat. 3:30PM ABC Regional

With the return of Tyrod Taylor for VT, this should be a running showcase between the 2 QB's. I really like the running game of GT with Josh Nesbitt and Jonathan Dwyer. This should be a close game in which the special teams and defense could win it for either team. I'm going to have to give the slight edge to GT because of their solid running game.

Prediction:  Georgia Tech 21  Virginia Tech  16  (2)

Chattanooga @ Florida State     Sat. 3:45PM ESPNU

After blowing out an under matched Western Carolina team 69-0 last week, I see much of the same for FSU.

Prediction:  Florida State 48  Chattanooga 6  (10)

Bye Teams:  (20)Wake Forest, Boston College, Miami