ACC Fearless Predictions, Oct. 20

Previews and Predictions for the Week 8 ACC Games.

ACC
Atlantic Boston Coll | Clemson | Florida St | Maryland | NC State | Wake Forest
Coastal Duke | Georgia Tech | Miami | North Carolina | Virginia | Virginia Tech

ACC Fearless Predictions Sept. 1 | Sept. 8 | Sept. 15 | Sept. 22 | Sept. 29 
Oct. 6 | Oct. 13 | Oct. 27 | Nov. 3 | Nov. 10 | Nov. 17 | Nov. 24 | Dec. 1

How are the picks so far? SU: 43-15 ... ATS: 24-26-1

ACC Week 8 Predictions, Part 2

ACC Game of the Week

Miami (4-3) at Florida State (4-2) 3:30 EST, ABC, Saturday, October 20
Why to watch: Miami and Florida State still matters big time to the players, coaches, and fans of both schools.  Outside the Sunshine State?  Folks aren’t so interested when the two rivals have five combined losses and come into the game unranked for the first time since 1977.  Still, as always, the intensity will be high, the hitting vicious, and if his history is a good barometer, the outcome will be in doubt until the waning moments.  At least the game is being played in October rather than on Labor Day, so the quality of play, especially on offense, should be much higher than it was over the last three years.  The ‘Canes and ‘Noles have been mirror images of one another in 2007, strong on defense, inept on offense, and coming off three-point losses that knocked their conference marks down to 1-2.  The winner on Saturday afternoon gets bragging rights and a reprieve from being eliminated from the ACC race.  The loser will have work to do just to finish above .500 this season.
Why Miami might win: Florida State’s season-long problems on offense won’t be solved on Saturday against a Hurricane defense that’s allowing just 318 yards and 20 points a game.  If you’re going to dent the Miami D these days, it’s likely to be on the ground, but the Seminoles have been feeble running the ball, and won’t be able to take advantage.  Take out the UAB game, and the ‘Noles are averaging just 92 rushing yards a game, meaning it’ll be up to erratic QB Xavier Lee to deliver the best game of his career.  DE Calais Campbell and the sack-happy ‘Cane front four will overpower a sub par Florida State line, forcing Lee into game-changing mistakes.
Why Florida State might win: While both offenses are struggling, the Seminoles have the better defense, a speedy, physical group that’s capable of really making Miami look bad Saturday afternoon.  Last weekend, Georgia Tech provided a preview of what’ll happen at Doak Campbell, frustrating Kyle Wright with pressure and holding the ‘Canes to only 223 total yards.  The ‘Noles, which yield just 17 points a game, will offer a rerun, hunting down the young Miami backs with LBs Geno Hayes and Derek Nicholson, while getting a push up front from tackle Everette Brown and end Neefy Moffett.  Wright will be without one of his top receivers, Lance Leggett, and just isn’t good enough to one-up a secondary that’s picked off seven passes in the last four games.
Who to watch: If Florida State ever needed a breakout game from RB Antone Smith, it was this week against a Miami run defense that’s been gutted by North Carolina and Georgia Tech the last two games.  Smith has been saddled by an injured toe and poor blocking, but a visit from the ‘Canes could be just what the junior needs to reach 100 yards for the first time in 2007. He has all the tools, but for whatever reason, he hasn’t shown “it” yet. This needs to be the game he looks up to the part.
What will happen: Don’t expect this game to deviate far from the script, with neither team getting out of the blocks offensively or building a substantial lead.  The Florida State defense will lead the way, picking off Wright twice and giving the offense a short field to navigate.
CFN Prediction: Florida State 23 … Miami 16 ... Line: Florida State -6
Must See Rating: (5 Keeping Up with the Kardashians - 1 Ellen's dog plea) ... 3.5

ACC Saturday, Oct. 20

Central Michigan (4-2) at Clemson (4-3) 12:00 EST, ESPNU, Saturday, October 20
Why to watch: Okay, Clemson, where do you go from here?  After raising expectations and rising to No. 13 in the polls, the Tigers dropped back-to-back games to Georgia Tech and Virginia Tech to fall out of the Top 25, and likely out of the ACC Atlantic race.  They’ve got issues on the offensive line and special teams that had to be addressed and corrected during last week’s bye if the second half is to be more promising.  When Clemson scheduled Central Michigan as its homecoming opponent, the game may have looked like more of a lay-up than it does today.  Sparked by the heroics of multi-dimensional QB Dan LeFevour, the Chippewas have won three straight, looking like the class of the MAC for the second straight year.  Central Michigan is a different team than the one that got spanked by Kansas and Purdue earlier in the year, making it a legitimate threat to extend Clemson’s losing streak to three games.
Why Central Michigan might win: LeFevour has been LeFabulous over the last two games, accounting for 12 touchdowns and 857 yards in a couple of Chippewas wins.  He’s a rare game-changer from a non-BCS school that the Clemson coaching staff will be scheming to stop this week.  Central Michigan is balanced on offense, opportunistic on defense, and quickly recapturing the swagger that’ll be needed to beat the Tigers in Death Valley.
Why Clemson might win: At least for one week, you won’t know the Tiger offensive line is having problems this season.  Kansas and Purdue each ran for 246 yards on Central Michigan, which is also getting minimal pressure on opposing quarterbacks.  After being treated like caged animals the last two games, ace backs James Davis and C.J. Spiller are about to explode on the Chips, while QB Cullen Harper will get the time needed to isolate top target Aaron Kelly.  After failing twice this fall to stop big-boy offenses, the Chippewas will get exposed for a third time in 2007.
Who to watch: It’s one thing to riddle the defenses of Ball State and Army, but another task entirely for LeFevour to rip through Clemson, the top-ranked defense in the ACC.  Although LeFevour is very dangerous outside the pocket, he’s going to earn every yard against yard against a unit that features DT Phillip Merling and LB Nick Watkins, a couple of all-star candidates that’ll be monitoring No. 13’s every move.
What will happen: LeFevour is talented enough to keep this game competitive beyond halftime, but won’t be able to overcome the weak links in the Central Michigan defense.  Davis and Spiller will run wild, playing up to their potential for the first time in three weeks.
CFN Prediction: Clemson 38 … Central Michigan 23 ... Line: Clemson -17
Must See Rating: (5 Keeping Up with the Kardashians - 1 Ellen's dog plea) ... 2.5

Wake Forest (4-2) at Navy (4-2) 1:00 EST, CSTV
Why to watch: It looks as if Cinderella might have a sequel in 2007.  Written off after two close losses to Boston College and Nebraska, Wake Forest has stormed back with four straight wins, including a miraculous comeback to beat Maryland and last Thursday’s upset of Florida State.  At 4-2 and 3-1 in league play, the Demon Deacons remain very much alive in the ACC Atlantic with a second half schedule that’s free of any immovable objects.  While this week’s trip to Annapolis will have no impact on that chase, it could get Wake within a win of back-to-back bowl games for the first time in school history.  Navy, too, is inching toward another postseason game, and would love adding another ACC skin to the trophy case after beating Pittsburgh out of the Big East last Wednesday.  Since losing to Ball State, the Middies have won three games in-a-row, leaning on the finely-tuned triple-option to crank out more than 300 yards on the ground in each game.
Why Wake Forest might win: Yeah, there’s no way to stop the Navy running game, but the Deacons can slow it down with a disciplined run defense that’s allowing just 100 yards a game, including only 47 yards to the Seminoles last week.  Plus, head coach Jim Grobe is no stranger to the option, having run it in his days at Ohio.  On offense, Wake Forest will attack one of the nation’s worst defenses with a deep backfield of its own and an intermediate passing game that’s spearheaded by QB Riley Skinner.
Why Navy might win: The Midshipmen come in with a head of steam, courtesy of last week’s thrilling, double-overtime defeat of Pittsburgh.  Navy has been held below 30 points just once this season, and the running game is humming with QB Kaipo-Noa Kaheaku-Enhada playing the point and FBs Eric Kettani and Adam Ballard battering opposing defenses with their linebacker size.  The Middies best defense on Saturday will be a ball-control offense that’s only turned the ball over eight times all season.
Who to watch: While redshirt freshman Josh Adams has become the workhorse of the running game, Wake Forest turns to versatile WR Kenneth Moore when it needs to stretch a defense.  One of the program’s fastest players, Moore has been used on reverses and direct snaps, and is the Deacons’ most dangerous receiver and return man.  He’ll rip off at least two big plays against a Navy defense that doesn’t have the lateral quickness to keep him under wraps.
What will happen: While Wake Forest at Navy might sound like an uneventful game, it’ll actually wind up being pretty entertaining with both offenses cruising up and down the field.  The Deacons, however, will have the edge on defense, making key stops late that’ll escape the porous Middie D.
CFN Prediction: Wake Forest 38 … Navy 31  ... Line: Wake Forest -3
Must See Rating: (5 Keeping Up with the Kardashians - 1 Ellen's dog plea) ... 2.5

ACC Week 8 Predictions, Part 2