Boston College (7-0) at Virginia
Tech (6-1)
7:30, ESPN
Why to watch: Overrated.
A product of the schedule. Not
really the second best
team in the country. Boston
College has heard it all over
the past few weeks from a
skeptical public that’s still
waiting for that statement win
to validate a No. 2 ranking in
the BCS. This Thursday’s trip
to Blacksburg is an opportunity
for the Eagles, who are about to
play their most important game
since Doug Flutie was in
Chestnut Hill, to show a
national audience that it’s for
real. With a win, Boston
College remains in the national
title hunt, becomes the clear
front-runner to win the ACC, and
likely provides a boost to QB
Matt Ryan’s surging Heisman
campaign. Yeah, this game is
that important. Virginia Tech
is being treated like an
afterthought, but it has just as
much to play for. Courtesy of
five straight wins, the Hokies
remain unbeaten in league play,
making the LSU debacle from Week
2 more of a distant memory with
each passing Saturday. By
beating Boston College on
Thursday, Tech will be exactly
where it was expected to be
after eight games, sitting in
the ACC driver’s seat with just
four games remaining. Is it
possible for Tech to still be in
the national title chase even
with the debacle in Death Valley
still fresh in the minds of the
pollsters? If it blasts the No.
2 team in the nation, yeah.
Why Boston College might win:
Will it be Sean Glennon or the
injured Tyrod Taylor taking
snaps for Virginia Tech? Will
it matter? The Hokies have been
sporadic all year on offense,
averaging a league-low 298 yards
a game, while struggling to find
anything consistent to count
on. Things won’t get any easier
this week versus an Eagle D that
leads the country in run
defense, and is second overall
in turnover margin. If Boston
College stops RB Branden Ore,
like so many other teams have
done this season, Tech may be
relying on its defense and
special teams to put points on
the board. In Ryan, the Eagles
have a polished pocket passer
that will be leading the ACC’s
top air attack. It’s possible BC
can put up points on the board
early that Tech won’t be able to
match. The BC defense really is
that good.
Why Virginia Tech might win:
After messing around with Army,
Massachusetts, Bowling Green,
and Notre Dame over the last
month, is Boston College ready
for a hostile environment and a
major step up in competition?
It’s been a long time since the
Eagles were physically tested,
and the Hokies have the best
combination of size and speed BC
has seen since dealing with
Georgia Tech. Since the loss in
Baton Rouge, Tech has been
sensational on defense, shutting
down running lanes, picking off
passes, and collapsing pockets
better than any team in the
ACC. The defense, which is a
step quicker than Boston College
in every area of the field,
could frustrate Ryan and
neutralize a pedestrian group of
Eagle receivers. The linebackers
are lightning quick and won’t
have too many problems with the
improved BC running attack.
Who to watch: Even if
Virginia Tech struggles on
offense, a pair of old reliables,
the defense and special teams
will be there to pick up the
slack. Eddie Royal is a home
run hitter on the punt return
team, averaging an ACC-best 18.5
yards a return, while taking a
pair back for touchdowns this
season. Ryan is going to feel
the heat all night from Hokie DE
Chris Ellis and LB Xavier Adibi,
and is not above making bad
reads or costly mistakes when he
tries to press too much. Three
of six interceptions this season
have been returned for
touchdowns.
What will happen: A
Thursday night game in
Blacksburg with a national TV
audience on board is Virginia
Tech’s domain. The Hokies will
control the tempo—and the
crowd—by attacking a Boston
College offense that’ll have no
answers for their speed or
intensity.
CFN Prediction:
Virginia
Tech 27 … Boston College
23 ...
Line: Virginia Tech -3
Must See Rating: (5
America's Most Smartest Model -
1 Marie Osmond on DTWS) ...
4.5 |
|
North Carolina (2-5) at Wake
Forest (5-2)
12:00 PM GamePlan
Why to Watch: Ever since
it staggered from the gates 0-2,
Wake has been reminding everyone
why it won the ACC last year.
The Deacons have won five
straight and continue to play
the type of disciplined, team
ball that made it the scourge of
the ACC in ’06. Wake doesn’t
overwhelm anybody, but it does
outscheme teams with its
complicated attack, doesn’t hurt
itself with turnovers or too
many penalties and is active and
productive behind the line
defensively. Although North
Carolina has not had too much of
a payoff this season, its
near-miss against South Carolina
two weeks ago and its triumph
over Miami the week before that
proves it to be a formidable
opponent for anyone,
particularly at home. The Tar
Heels are playing solid defense
and are becoming more balanced
offensively thanks to the
emergence of freshman running
back Anthony Elzy.
Why North Carolina Might Win:
The Tar Heels have suffered four
of their five losses by seven or
fewer points, and appears good
enough to be in every game until
the end. QB T.J. Yates was
22-of-42 for 285 yards and a
score against South Carolina, as
he continues to progress and
improve, playing like a passer
to build the offense around for
the next three years.
Defensively, the Tar Heels will
bring pressure from Hilee Taylor
and an aggressive run defense
that’s making plays in the
backfield without a problem.
Taylor has cranked out seven
sacks and 10.5 tackles for loss,
while senior LB Durell Mapp has
already made 76 tackles. These
two should be able to keep the
Demon Deacon running game in
check.
Why Wake Forest Might Win:
Last week’s win over Navy showed
just how dangerous the Deacons
can be. They were productive in
all offensive areas, getting 131
yards rushing from redshirt
freshman Josh Adams and 213
yards passing and two scores
from Riley Skinner, who
completed 15 throws to Kenneth
Moore. That balance should prove
difficult for UNC to handle,
especially since Wake doesn’t
allow too many enemy defenders
near Skinner, allowing just
seven sacks on the year. The
Deacon pass defense will give up
yards, but it doesn’t allow
opposing QBs to be too
efficient. Like North Carolina,
Wake also brings the heat
averaging 2.6 sacks per game.
Who to Watch: Elzy may
have had only 23 rushing yards
against South Carolina, but he
put up 74 against Virginia Tech
two weeks before and 95 on
Miami. Powerful and fast, he
could become a regular big-time
producer who takes the pressure
off Yates and provides a little
bit of balance. For Wake Forest,
getting Moore going gets the
offense going. The performance
against Navy wasn’t a shocker,
considering he started off the
year with 15 catches for 126
yards and a score against BC,
and caught 11 passes for 100
yards on Duke. Now he has to be
consistent from game to game.
What Will Happen:
North Carolina will keep this
close, but Wake has too many
ways to win. The Demon Deacons
will continue to show that
they’re really that good.
CFN Prediction:
Wake
Forest 27 … North
Carolina 16
...
Line: Wake Forest -6
Must See Rating: (5
America's Most Smartest Model -
1 Marie Osmond on DTWS) ...
2.5
Clemson (5-2) at Maryland (4-3)
3:30 EST, ABC
Why to watch: Was
Clemson’s 70-14 thumping of
Central Michigan last Saturday
an indication that its over a
two-game losing streak and about
to go on a second-half roll, or
did it just go against a lousy
defense? It might be a little of
both. Clemson needed to address
issues along the offensive line
and on special teams, but
slapping around a MAC team did
little more than pad the
numbers. With a win over
Maryland, however, the Tigers
can exhale a bit, while
maintaining a longshot hope of
winning the ACC Atlantic. The
Terps will be looking to recover
from a bitter, one-point loss to
Virginia that makes this week’s
home game a borderline must-win
for bowl eligibility. It’s been
an up-and-down year for the
Terps, who’ve had to endure
depth issues along the offensive
line thanks to a slew of
injuries. QB Jordan Steffy is
expected to regain his starting
job soon, but he hasn’t been
cleared to practice since
suffering a concussion on Sept.
29.
Why Clemson might win:
The Terps are struggling badly
in the trenches on both sides of
the ball. An already average
offensive line just lost
starting guards Andrew Crummey
and Jaimie Thomas for the
season, causing problems for the
running game and the pass
protection. The Tigers will
stuff the run, forcing
struggling QB Chris Turner,
who’s still trying to figure out
what he’s doing, to make plays
on the nation’s No. 3 pass
defense. The Terps’ season-long
struggles getting into the end
zone will continue on Saturday.
Defensively, Maryland is getting
no pressure up front, and has
begun spring leaks in run
defense. The balance of Cullen
Harper’s passing and the running
of James Davis and C.J. Spiller
will be too much for a defense
that’s slipped to tenth in the
ACC.
Why Maryland might win:
Which Clemson team will show up
in College Park? Will it be the
one that beat Florida State and
ran circles around Central
Michigan, or the one that
disappeared in losses to Georgia
Tech and Virginia Tech? With
this year’s squad, flip a coin.
The Tigers have been
inconsistent all year, and
especially vulnerable in run
defense, the Terps’ bread and
butter. Maryland will
establish a power presence
between the tackles with Keon
Lattimore and Lance Ball, a
backfield tandem that’s been far
more productive than the more
heralded Davis and Spiller this
season. Once the ground game is
clicking, Turner will play
action his way to big chunks of
yardage by locating top receiver
Darrius Heyward-Bey.
Who to watch: As poorly
as the banged-up Maryland
offensive line has been playing,
this is the type of game that
Clemson ends Phillip Merling and
Ricky Sapp should be able to
dominate and disrupt Ralph
Friedgen’s offensive gameplan.
While Merling has been a beast
in run defense, Sapp has the
speed off the edge to torment
the heavy-legged Turner.
What will happen: Clemson
has the talent, and now the
confidence boost, to rip off
four or five straight wins down
the stretch. Maryland’s
problems on the interior will be
costly, with Davis and Spiller
combining for 150 yards on the
ground and two scores.
CFN Prediction:
Clemson
27 … Maryland 21
...
Line: Clemson -3.5
Must See Rating: (5
America's Most Smartest Model -
1 Marie Osmond on DTWS) ...
3
Virginia (7-1) at North Carolina
State (2-5)
4:30 PM ESPNU
Why to Watch:
The crazy Cavaliers continue to
defy all predictions and
convention by prolonging their
winning ways, now on a seven
game winning streak. Virginia
doesn’t score many points, but
it plays excellent defense and
gets timely contributions from
players in even the deepest
recesses of its roster. Last
week’s improbable comeback win
over Maryland featured a 90-yard
drive that took more than seven
minutes and spanned 15 plays.
For a team that was expected to
be waving good-bye to its coach,
UVA has inserted itself into the
upper reaches of the ACC race
and aims to stay there, despite
a remaining schedule that
includes games with Wake Forest
and Virginia Tech. For now, it’s
the Wolfpack, which has
struggled mightily in league
play, going 0-3, but generated a
little momentum last week with a
win over East Carolina for its
first triumph over a I-A school
since early last season.
Why Virginia Might Win:
The Cavs have their flaws, but
their defense is the fourth best
in the ACC and allows its
deliberate, sometimes
unproductive offense to take its
time and not force things that
aren’t there. Virginia is
particularly difficult to run
against, thanks in large part to
senior Butkus semifinalist Chris
Long, Howie’s son. Considering
NC State is having a nightmare
of a time running the ball,
don’t expect big numbers. The
UVA ground game, which last week
featured fourth-stringer Mikell
Simpson and a breakout
performance, gets an opportunity
to go after the nation’s
103rd-best ground D. Virginia
may not be a passing juggernaut,
but it doesn’t hurt itself with
many interceptions. The line
keeps QBs Jameel Sewell and
Peter Lalich clean.
Why North Carolina State Might Win:
The Wolfpack may have awoken
offensively in the win over ECU.
Finally. QB Daniel Evans threw
for 335 yards and three scores,
while tailback Jamelle Eugene
rushed for 63 yards and caught
five passes, one week after
hitting Florida State for 101
yards. Should those two keep it
rolling, North Carolina State’s
statistical troubles on offense
will be somewhat forgotten. The
Wolfpack will try to help the
offense stay productive by
getting the ball into Darrell
Blackman’s hands in the return
game and as a receiver. And
though the Cavaliers have been
scoring just enough to win
(winning the last three by a
combined four points), their
offense staggers, particularly
in the passing department.
Virginia isn’t going to blow too
many people out, so NC State
should stay close and, at the
very least, be within range for
a late upset bid.
Who to Watch: Before last
Saturday, Simpson had run the
ball twice and caught a total of
four passes. In fact, Groh
didn’t even have him on the
depth chart at the beginning of
the season, because he couldn’t
classify Simpson as a running
back or a receiver. Against
Maryland, he was both, rushing
for 119 yards and two scores and
catching 13 passes for 152
yards.
On the Cavs’ final drive, he
carried or caught the ball 14
straight plays, including the
finale, a one-yard TD run. The
sophomore may not have another
game like this, because Cedric
Peerman could be back this week
from an injury, and Keith Payne
has been productive. But for one
night, Simpson showed what he
could do.
What Will Happen: The
Cavs may not be an offensive
powerhouse, but they’ll be able
to solve the shaky NC State
defense while slowing down the
erratic Pack attack to get by
once again.
CFN Prediction:
Virginia
24 … NC State 13
...
Line: Virginia -3
Must See Rating: (5
America's Most Smartest Model -
1 Marie Osmond on DTWS) ...
2.5
Duke (1-6) at Florida State
(4-3)
8:00 EST, ESPNU
Why to watch:
Back-to-back losses to Wake
Forest and Miami have Florida
State reliving last season, on
the outside of ACC contention
and coping with another
uncharacteristically mediocre
season. Good thing for the win
over NC State a few weeks ago,
or else the ‘Noles would be
pulling up the rear in the
Atlantic division. And good
thing for Duke this week because
Florida State isn’t playing well
enough on offense these days to
beat many other teams in the
league. Even the reliable
defense let the Seminoles down
last week, allowing a suspect
quarterback to drive the
Hurricanes 83 yards in 90
seconds for the winning
touchdown. To Duke, which
hasn’t won an ACC game in three
years, Florida State qualifies
as big-game hunting no matter
what the record shows. The Blue
Devils sport an exciting passing
game, and have some talent on
the front seven, but haven’t won
a game since beating
Northwestern more than a month
ago.
Why Duke might win: With
Thaddeus Lewis playing
pitch-and-catch with receivers
Eron Riley and Jomar Wright, the
Blue Devils boast a passing game
that can outgun the feeble
Florida State offense. The
Seminoles show no sign of a
consistent running game and
neither Drew Weatherford nor
Xavier Lee has played well
enough to padlock the starting
job. On the heels of seven
turnovers over two games, Lee
has been benched in favor of
Weatherford for this week’s
game, a revolving door that
won’t help the unit’s rhythm.
Why Florida State might win:
Without balance, it’s hard to
put a dent in a Seminoles
defense that’s loaded with
top-tier talent, and is allowing
under 20 points a game. Duke is
118th nationally
running the ball, allowing
Florida State to pin its ears
back and attack Lewis from all
angles with LB Geno Hayes and
ends Everette Brown and Neefy
Moffett. Lewis may have a nice
cast of receivers, but it won’t
matter if he lacks the time and
clear passing lanes to locate
them Saturday night.
Who to watch: Duke’s
cushy pass defense presents an
ideal opportunity for
Weatherford to make Bobby Bowden
look wise for naming him this
week’s starter. He’ll enjoy his
most productive day since the
Week 2 win over UAB, connecting
on scoring strikes to Greg Carr
and Preston Parker, while
earning another start for next
week’s trip to Boston
College.
What will happen: Florida
State will take out a couple of
week’s worth of frustration on
hapless Duke, dominating
defensively and displaying an
offensive pulse for just the
second time all year.
CFN Prediction:
Florida
State 34 … Duke 14
...
Line: Clemson -3.5
Must See Rating: (5
America's Most Smartest Model -
1 Marie Osmond on DTWS) ...
2.5 |
