Friday, October 26, 2007

Rooting guide

Despite my burning desire to write about what we need to happen to LSU, Oklahoma and Tim Tebow, I am going to keep the rooting guide exclusively ACC. IF we navigate our future landmines, then I may start talking about all of those teams in other conferences. Here is who I want to win this weekend.

Wake Forest vs North Carolina. We need Wake to lose. They are still hovering in the division standings.


Clemson vs Maryland. We play them both. Both already have two conference losses. In my opinion Clemson's remaining conference schedule is easier so I would like to see them pick up another L here.


Virginia vs. NC State. NC State is in our division and would be eliminated officially with this loss. Go UVA.


Duke vs Florida State. I don't think it will happen, but it would be nice to see the Dukies win.



I may post sporadically this weekend. Not sure when I'll have the grades and viewing thoughts up. Hopefully Saturday but it could take until Sunday.

18 comments:

Eagle in Brighton said...

A Wake L is all that matters. Their remaining conference schedule is weak (no VT) and having already played them, we need external help to alter their destiny.

eagleinexile said...

I do not think we are going to need a Wake L to win the Atlantic. I am not trying to get ahead of myself, but when VTECH throws the kitchen sink at you on Thursday night and you survive, you come away with a tremndous confidence boost. Add to that, that BC's O is now back to playing fast teams after 4 weeks of slow ones, and I think they are ready for FSU.
One game at a time, and we will win the ACC. I just hope that the hype does not get to them. I think that was a reason they came out flat last night.

eagle1331 said...

Nice shoutout on fanblogs.com today - great work bill

Eagle in Brighton said...

Don't get me wrong, I think we match up well in all of our next 4 games, I'd just prefer as much cushion as possible.

I don't know if it was the hype, as much as the horrendous conditions (torrential rain)that effected out poor start.

The team should be fine at home v. FSU (huge night game) and away at Clemson (great environment=focus), so I'm more worried about Maryland (away, let down game, etc.) or Miami (potentially undefeated season being played up, inflated egos?, and most of the student section home for the Thanksgiving holiday).

Matt said...

From an overly confident optimistic perspective, how about wanting some of the teams we have beat to win so that the wins look better when all is said and done on the computer rankings? NC State over Virginia for instance would be nice, I dont think NC State has any reasonable chance to take the division from us so if they beat a good team wouldn't that help us?

Stephen said...

Well you also want to think about who we would want to face in the ACC championship game that we hope to be playing in. Would you rather play Virginia or VTech? I think UVA, but I also think that if we got another shot at VTech in dry conditions we would beat them more convincingly. You never really want to think about picking your poison though, so I guess BC should just worry about winning and let the chips fall where they may.

eagleinexile said...

Eagle in Btighton/matthew:
You both bring up excellent points. Some cushion would be nice despite that we match up well the last 4 games, and having the teams on our schedule gain some strength would be good for computers and pollsters.
However, I side with EIB on this one, and here's why. The computers are fu%$ing crazy. BC was hated by the computers until South Florida and South Carolina lost, BC was idle and all of sudden we're number 1 in the computers. I say forget the computers, because if BC goes undefeated then they will not have to worry about SOS or the computers. SOS helps teams in the SEC as the pollsters and the computers believe that they are the only people who schedule tough games. I'd like to see Kentucky's pathetic defense go into Lane Stadium on a Thursday and do what BC's did. Also, BC's opponents winning games are not going to sway any pollsters to BC's side. People like Craig James (although its criminal that he gets an AP ballot) are swayed only by BC winning. Our previous beaten teams could win out, and they would not care. Voters are either BC haters (like Chris Fowler), BC likers (like Mel Kiper) or they are on the fence (James,Korso,et al.). So, to make a long story longer, I'll take some cushion and an ACC Crown please.

flutie22phelan20 said...

I'm wondering if somebody could explain to me why Oregon is widely regarded as being so good.

So, let me get this straight...their big win was beating Michigan in the second week of the season.

And they're other big win...wait...oh, it was actually a close loss, to a Cal team that now has two other losses.

Hmmm, yet, I must have read about 30 times today...if BC has to play Okla, LSU, or Oregon, watch-out, they'll get killed.

I'm not saying we're better than LSU which we're not. But in those conditions last night, at VaTech, I would have taken them over any team in the country other than LSU.

Eagle in Brighton said...

EIE- that's a good point in terms of strength of schedule: our marginal benefit is much greater by having a fellow Atlantic team lose (benefit of overall record) than a Coastal team win (benefit of SOS).

Not to sound contradictory, but I actually am ambivalent toward who we could (potentially) play in the ACC championship (predicated on four more solid performances, mind you). UVA would be the far weaker opponent (they looked mediocre at best the two games I've caught this year), but it would be nice to go through the best (VT) en route to a major bowl.

Eagle in Brighton said...

Btw, don't sleep on UNC in their game v. Wake; Butch Davis' kids gave South Carolina all they could handle two weeks ago. They're a much better squad than their record indicates.

eagleinexile said...

Concur about UNC, anytime you beat Miami, your team is not all bad.

BCMike said...

I disagree about Wake. If we're going to go where all of us WANT to go, wins over ranked teams MATTER.

Wake wins this week, they're likely ranked. That's good for BC.

Big Jack Krack said...

It just struck me that we should not forget Brian Toal and BJ Raji during this special season.

I'll bet that those two players are quite disappointed not to be sharing in this special season.

I think I heard that Brian challenges the offense by working out on the Scout Team, but I don't really know. Obviously I hope they both come back. I don't know if B.J. is allowed to practice with the team.

Big Jack Krack said...

and Ryan Poles - who else am I forgetting.

These guys are huge players for this team, even though they can no longer play this year. I guess Poles' career is over - so unfortunate.

PantsB said...

I think it depends on your ambition.

You can either go for the ACC championship, in which case you root against your division-mates, or you can go for the Mythical National Championship, and root for a better resume so thats its tougher to deny an unbeaten BC a shot.

Deacon Drake said...

Why root for NC St this week? Even if they win, they still suck. If UVA wins and we get a shot at them in the ACC Champ game, that would be a better game to hold off LSU or ASU or Kansas in the BCS standings. It makes more sense to root for the better teams in the other division to win to raise the profile of the conference.

Stephen said...

The Heisman promotion has begun:

www.mattyice.com

Boyd said...

We want Wake to lose. If we win out, we go to the MNC. The victories will be against name teams (foolishly impressing voters) and the computers already like us.

If we lose any game, no MNC shot for us. At that point, we want to be sure to win the ACC to go to a BC bowl. Wake is our biggest threat.