a quick peek at the ACC

Last night while I was supposed to be watching NYC Prep and Paris Hilton's BFF (I need some bullet points for the MWER. I don't enjoy these shows, I do this stuff for YOU!), Paul Mac called me and wanted to break down the ACC. Hey, that's what radio partners do sometimes. At times it is necessary to sacrifice Bravo and MTV for a little college football breakdown. ANd he knows I'll ALWAYS talk CFB.

Here is a quick recap of our conversation though in terms of the ACC and how we see it for 2009.

We both have VaTech winning the conference and we both agree that VaTech will get stomped by Alabama to open up the season. However we differ in how they will get to FSU. I say VaTech loses to Bama but runs the table to get to the ACCCG. PMac thinks that VaTech stumbles into the game at 9-3.
I think that FSU will be better than Paul thinks they will be. I know FSU lost some defenders and some wideouts but Christian Ponder is back and you'd think that Jimbo would have molded this guy into AT LEAST Matt Flynn, right?

If I had to put an underrated team out there right now, it would be NC State. I know that EVERYONE has them as underrated, but with Russell Wilson at CUBE and Tom O'Brien as the coach, this team WILL get it turned around and in a hurry. I think they knock off SoCar early and get some of grandma's MO. Paul Mac has RW as the best QB in the conference, but I think that Wake Forest's Riley Skinner might have something to say about that. And UVa has Jameel Sewell coming back from exile, which could help Al Groh hold onto his job for one more season.

We disagree on Tyrod Taylor in that I think that he is JUST what VaTech needs while Paul Mac thinks he is a shite QB. That may be true, but he is fine for what they do.
We also disagree on UNC. I think that while TJ Yates will be solid, they lost too many of his weapons. P Mac disagrees, but he is a UNC homer.
Maryland and BC, yesh; Duke let's not get started.

Two other places we agree....The first is Georgia Tech. We both think that it is crazy for the Techsters to HONESTLY think that GT will run the table. First of all, YOU WILL LOSE (thanks, Jerry McGuire) to Georgia this season. Suck it. The 45-42 score last season, you are welcome. And you clearly don't know how to celebrate a win with class as you tried to rip apart our hedges. I know you haven't been there in eight years, but come on. Back to 2009. While your offense will be more advanced, it will NEED TO BE. The defense lost the front four. Morgan Burnett is good (see my Top 50 players list) but he cannot play four positions in the defensive secondary. The offense MUST score every time down because I think the defense gives up 30+ points per contest. You saw what an "average" offense did in the final game of the regular season to the defense last season and that was WITH Michael Johnson out there. I would be scared of my defense and hope that my ball control offense can keep them off of the field.
But Tech WILL have Dwyer out there as well as three other backs that could win All-ACC too. Josh Nesbitt, if he can overcome his tickle pile injury, should be the starter and he'll have BeBe Thomas and Stephen "I wanted to go to Tech all along and never considered UGA...because they told me Marlon Brown was in" Hill to throw to. Hey, COOL those guys can divy up the 6 passes per game. YEAH!
Paul went to the schedule to look at Tech's chances and he came up with at least one loss in the UNC/@MissState/@FSU/VaTech run. I count two or three (at Miss State will be tough because going on the road is ALWAYS tough in an SEC environment, at FSU because has Tech EVER won there? and VaTech-why WOULDN'T the Hokies win?). Follow that up with a trip to Charlottesville where Tech hasn't won since 1991 and then traveling to Vandy (a probable win, but will be harder than they think). Duke is a gimmie and then Tech's ego will take a hit when Georgia comes to "Historic Grant Field" Come on guys. Tech HAS to consider itself lucky it won the game last season. Nine things had to go right and all nine did. Way to win the lotto! I think the Tech team goes 7-5 with coin flip wins over Clemson, Wake, Miami, and Vandy. You might get there Yellow Jackets, but it won't be this season.

And the other thing Paul Mac and I agree on.....Klimpsen won't be good this year either. But they'll make it to the Champs Sports Bowl! The Dabo Sweeney Era is REALLY catching on! GO CJ SPILLER!