E-mail me here: Rob Flohr
If you are an ACC fan, you have been taking a backseat in the ever present conference supremacy debate. Next to "Who's number one?" or "Who belongs in the BCS?", the conference supremacy debate is on every game telecast, talk show, message board and water cooler discussion. But unlike most other debates, the conference supremacy question actually counts when there are more than two undefeated or one-loss teams. Perception of your conference has a very real influence on who stands tall at the end of the year. The ACC hasn't experienced this, but a one-loss or undefeated ACC team, with the conference in its current state, will have little shot at getting into the BCS title game if up against two other teams with similar records. So for the ACC, the time is now. If not for the immediate 2008 season, then for the seasons soon to follow.
The league hasn't lived up to its expectations, but what in college football ever does. The conference is a combined 1-8 in BCS bowl appearances, is just 4-9 and 10-11 vs. BCS opponents in 2005 and 2006, respectively, and had no wins last year over ranked teams. The "perception" of the league when Miami, Boston College and Virginia Tech joined the other schools was not without merit; however the force to be reckoned with has done little to prove itself. That is about to change.
The nation can look at the win/loss records vs. other BCS schools and the bowl results and draw the correct conclusion: The ACC lags behind the other conferences in number of quality teams. What ACC fans should be excited about is the courage throughout the league to continue to schedule these BCS opponents, because that is exactly how you reverse the trend. Most conference vs. conference debates occur without any real evidence. Most times bowl records (after the fact) or straight win-loss records (regardless of opponents played) are used. These arguments pale in comparison to the most tangible evidence offered, head-to-head results. Head-to-head is the number one tie breaker in any argument, any sport. College football is no exception
In 2008, the ACC will again play 21 non-conference games, 10 against the mighty SEC. NC State begins the season visiting South Carolina on Thursday night Aug. 28, Clemson, the ACC's preseason favorite, faces Alabama in Atlanta on national tv on Aug. 30, UNC visits Rutgers also on a Thursday night, Sep. 11, and Maryland hosts Cal on Sep. 13. Each of these games on paper appear to be evenly matched to start the season. The league can get the monkey off of its back early and serve notice for the rest of the season. The UM/Florida matchup in Gainesville on Sep. 6 is a tall order, but those of us following football have seen what Miami can do when they are underestimated. (It's not quite Appalachian State vs. Michigan, so don't be surprised if...)
The point here is that the ACC more than any other conference really holds its destiny in its hands. We all know that college football is cyclical, the perception of the downtrodden ACC is greatly fueled by the hiccup Miami and FSU have endured, the lackluster matchups of smaller schools in its championship games, the emergence of Wake Forest as a conference "power" without an overwhelming fan base and the fact that the conference has parity at the top. (In 2007, FSU over BC, VT over Clemson, Wake over FSU, BC over VT, Clemson over Wake, etc.)
In 2008, everyone else is going to take the ACC for granted. (Unless of course Miami pulls the upset in Gainesville.) Flying under the radar 10 of 12 teams (with the exceptions being Georgia Tech and Virginia) are expected to be improved. Everyone has question marks, but a conference that barely finished below .500 in many close BCS out-of-conference games will be decidedly better in 2008, and don't forget the imminent resurgence of the Sunshine State powers, FSU and Miami.
Look for the ACC to bounce back in 2008... bounce back with a vengeance.
Tales from the Warpath-ACC 2008, July 1, 2008
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