Comments on: ACC Now: Coastal Division Predictions

By: rbl

rbl — Fri, 18 Jul 2008 03:05:31 +0000

I’m as excited about Carolina as anytime in the recent past. The world we live in required we give Coach Davis a raise in the wake of a 4-8 season, but it was the correct move. I bought season tickets last year in anticipation of better days, and, of course, re-upped this year.

During this decade Carolina and Duke have been the least successful BCS football programs, and that’s putting it mildly. Northwestern has beaten Ohio State, and earned a Rose Bowl bid back in the 1990s. Kentucky defeated national champion LSU last season. Vanderbilt hasn’t had a lot of success, but they have played competitively against upper echelon SEC teams, whereas we haven’t done the same in a weaker ACC. I’m not familiar with the lower level Big 12 and Pac 12 teams, so we may have some competition for the lowest of the low out there.

There is absolutely no excuse for the disastrous results since Mack Brown, but I truly believe better days are ahead. I would take 7-5 in a heartbeat, although with a little luck we can stretch that out to maybe 8. As usual, Duke will be a tough, hard fought game, but I believe we win it. BC, Ga Tech, UConn, Rutgers, and ND are winnable, but could just as easily be losses. I believe we finally win at UVA, and the Terps look like a win to me. Our best effort, and a little luck, could give us the win over the Hokies. State will be tough, and Miami on the road may be a loss, with a bit of revenge playing out there. We catch a break by not playing Clemson, FSU, and – gasp! – WF. In order to have any success, we have to win a game outside NC this season.

By: Silent Sam

Silent Sam — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 02:48:52 +0000

It would be interesting to see what J.P.’s track record is re: predicting ACC football and/or basketball standings for the past several seasons. It seems that every season, the ACC media predict the standings and it seems they don’t do any better than a monkey pulling random numbered balls out of a box. We read all of the “experts’” predictions, then we never, ever hear how they did. By some odd chance, is there a reason we never heard how their predictions came out? OK, got that off my chest.

By: Born and Bred Ed

Born and Bred Ed — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 00:19:16 +0000

“Davis’ job is as far from danger as possible but there is pressure to prove he’s worth the renegotiated $2 million-plus salary.”

I would suggest that a record number of season tickets already being sold out before the middle of July is only one reason that he has already earned the renegotiated salary.

By: heeledsoul

heeledsoul — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 20:23:15 +0000

We should be much improved with returners stepping up and more freshmen studs coming in:

We beat Miami and Maryland last year at home. So we have a good chance even though their away games.

We lost to UVA by 2 pts last season. They don’t have that Long guy that absolutely killed us. We have a good chance again this year.

We lost to GaTech by 2 pts at their place. They have a new coaching staff; they lost their star RB Tashard Choice to the draft; and one of their main receivers James Johnson just quit the team. A win for us.

Pencil in dook as a win.

We barely lost to NC State last season at Raleigh. Big revenge game, which favors us at home.

Between Rutgers, UConn and Notre Dame, we should be able to at least get one win.

McNeese State is actually worrisome. They were #2 seed behind App St last year and we all know what ASU did to UMich in season opener. But let’s give the Tar Heels an edge here at home.

That’s 8 wins, even without considering our chances against VaTech and BC.

Please excuse my optimism but I’m going with a “conservative” 7-5 season and a bowl victory.

By: Wilf

Wilf — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 19:24:02 +0000

I just don’t see 8-4 happening, but I’m dadgum sure pulling for ‘em.

I didn’t realize Yates was out all spring. That’s gotta throw him off a bit. Hopefully he is recovered now and working out.