Is the ACC better than we thought they were?
A legitimate question, especially when you are evaluating the performance of the conference against non-league teams. The prevailing wisdom to start the season was the ACC was the worst of the BCS conferences. However events since then have transpired to perhaps alter that theory.
Week | All Non-ACC | I-A Non-ACC | Versus Ranked |
1 | 7-4 | 2-4 | 0-2 |
2 | 6-3 | 1-3 | 0-1 |
3 | 4-1 | 3-1 | 1-0 |
4 | 6-0 | 5-0 | 1-0 |
TOTAL | 23-8 | 11-8 | 2-3 |
So after going 0-3 against the Top 25 in the first two weeks the ACC has clocked a pair of wins over ranked teams since. Two of the ranked team losses came against then #3 USC and #5 Florida. The other was Clemson's rather embrassing misadventure at the Georgia Dome. The two wins are Maryland suprising Cal and NCSU getting the drop on ECU. Not the most impressive of wins of ranked teams but the league will take them. The point is, on the surface, the ACC looks better now than it did two weeks ago. The Big East is looking paltry at best and the Pac 10 was also looking like USC and everyone else that is until last night when Oregon State shocked the Trojans.
Now we arrive at Week #5 with five more non-conference matchups on the schedule. NCSU at #13 South Florida, Virginia Tech at Nebraska, Navy at Wake Forest and FSU vs Colorado. A clean sweep here would be nice but I do not think NCSU can take down the Bulls. 3-1 would look pretty good, especially considering Colorado is 3-0 as is Nebraska which means both of those teams are sitting just outside the Top 25. BC should easily handle Rhode Island. The ACC needs to represent this weekend in these games.
On the other side of the docket there are three conference games. UNC will have it's Coastal Division winning chances determined at Miami, Duke is a touchdown favorite versus Virginia. Yes you read that correctly. Maryland and Clemson tangle in what has become an interesting matchup ever since Maryland pull the rug out from under the Tigers two years ago.
Good times all around and if all goes well, the ACC might look even better come Sunday.
Predictions
Duke 21 Virginia 3
Clemson 24 Maryland 15
Miami 21 UNC 14
BC 35 RI 13
Colorado 26 FSU 20
Wake 41 Navy 24
USF 30 NCSU 10
VT 20 Nebraska 13
Record Last Week: 6-2
Record This Season: 28-8