ACC Fearless Predictions, Sept. 13

Previews and Predictions for the Week 3 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 Aug. 30 | Sept. 6

How are the picks so far? SU: 17-4 ... ATS: 3-8

- ACC Week Three Predictions, Part 2

ACC Game of the Week

Georgia Tech (2-0) at Virginia Tech (1-1), 3:30 EST, ABC
Why to watch: After two weeks, Georgia Tech was supposed to be 1-1 and Virginia Tech 2-0. Instead, the roles have been reversed, courtesy of the Jackets’ upset of Boston College and the Hokies’ opening day loss to East Carolina. The winner of this week’s game in Blacksburg gets an early jump on a Coastal Division that has no favorite. Georgia Tech’s win in Chestnut Hill wasn’t pretty, but it sure provided a confidence boost to a young team that’s still adjusting to a new coaching staff. With another ACC road win this week, everyone will have to rethink how close the program is to contending for a league championship. Virginia Tech got a win on Saturday and not much else, waking up in the third quarter to beat Furman, 24-7. In response to the team’s issues on offense, Tyrod Taylor had his redshirt year lifted, opening the door for a quarterback-by-committee for a second straight season.
Why Georgia Tech might win: While everyone talks about the new option offense, Dave Wommack’s defense has been the real hero in Tech’s fast start. The Yellow Jackets are yielding a mere 260 yards a game, and are getting outstanding play for the defensive line. Darryl Richard, Vance Walker, and Derrick Morgan will get a push up front against a shaky Hokie line, snuffing out Tech attempts to establish a ground game. If Virginia Tech needs to go up top to win the game, it’s in big trouble.
Why Virginia Tech might win: Although RB Jonathan Dwyer and QB Josh Nesbitt have done some nice things in the option, the Yellow Jacket offense is nowhere near being a well-oiled machine. It labored versus Boston College, and will do so again this week in Virginia. The Hokies took a step in the right direction last week, and their one big star, CB Victor Harris, is finally nearing 100%. Without the threat of a passing game, Georgia Tech will stall on the other side of the 50, keeping PK Scott Blair busy.
Who to watch: The maligned Virginia Tech offensive line. If the Hokies can’t keep the Yellow Jacket linemen out of the backfield, it’ll be a long afternoon for the home team. To have any chance of moving the sticks, they’ve got to create more room for Taylor and backs Kenny Lewis and Darren Evans, the only playmakers on this.
What will happen: There’ll be more turnovers than touchdowns in a sloppy game that’ll be dominated by the defenses and special teams units. The Hokies will grind out an important win behind the play of the defense and four field goals from game MVP Dustin Keys
CFN Prediction: Virginia Tech 19 … Georgia Tech 16 ... Line: Virginia Tech -7
Must See Rating: (5 Hole in the Wall - 1 First Blood) … 3.5
- Click here to receive ATS Consultants FREE selections  

Thursday, September 11

North Carolina (1-0) at Rutgers (0-1), 7:30 EST, ESPN
Why to watch: Neither North Carolina nor Rutgers played particularly well in the opener. The difference was a matter of scheduling, with the Heels escaping McNeese State and the Knights getting dumped by Fresno State. Now, both schools have something to prove in front of a national TV audience. Carolina is eyeing the ACC Coastal Division, especially after incumbent Virginia Tech lost its first game to East Carolina. To reach that goal, however, head coach Butch Davis knows his kids have to make a quantum leap from a week ago. While the Heels were bad, the Knights were worse, nearly getting blanked in front of a disgusted home crowd. Just 5-6 over the last 11 games, the program is in danger of squandering some of the goodwill it accumulated in 2005 and 2006. If the Fresno State game was any indication, life after RB Ray Rice is going to include plenty of stalled drives.
Why North Carolina might win: Davis’ wish to get Greg Little on track and establish the running game will come to fruition at Rutgers’ expense. The Knights remain weak in the middle of the defense, yielding 206 yards to Ryan Matthews and the rest of the Fresno State running game. On the flip side, the Heels are stout on the interior, led by budding superstar Marvin Austin. The new Rutgers backfield of Kordell Young and Mason Robinson won’t have much luck improving on the three yards a carry it produced two weeks ago.
Why Rutgers might win: The Scarlet Knights have the parts to abuse North Carolina’s sore spot, its pass defense. Yes, QB Mike Teel has plenty to prove, but as long as receivers Kenny Britt and Tiquan Underwood are running routes, Rutgers will have the ability to make plays downfield. If Teel can step up his game, an absolute must going forward, he’ll get multiple opportunities to burn that Tar Heel defensive backfield. It’ll take just one or two connections for things to loosen up for the Knight running game.
Who to watch: If not for do-everything Tar Heel Brandon Tate, Carolina would have joined Rutgers in the winless column. The senior bailed his teammates out against McNeese State, accounting for a school-record 397 yards and scoring twice. If Rutgers doesn’t know where No. 87 is at all times, he’ll single-handedly send it to 0-2.
What will happen: After just one game, Greg Schiano is staring at a must-win against Davis, his mentor when the two were at Miami. He’ll lean on the right arm of Teel, who’ll come through with 250 yards and a couple of touchdown passes in a nip-and-tuck thriller between two evenly-matched programs.     
CFN Prediction: Rutgers 28 … North Carolina 20 ... Line: Rutgers -4.5
Must See Rating: (5 Hole in the Wall - 1 First Blood) … 3
- Click here to receive ATS Consultants FREE selections            

 Saturday, September 13

California (2-0) at Maryland (1-1), 12:00 EST
Why to watch: Is Cal for real? With modest expectations heading into a rebuilding season, the Bears have surprisingly parlayed impressive wins over Michigan State and Washington State into a spot in both major polls. A road win clear against another BCS opponent will further enhance their profile and spot in the rankings. The catalysts for the uprising have been young backs Jahvid Best and Shane Vereen, who gashed Wazzu for 280 yards and four touchdowns on only 23 carries. Maryland is on an opposite trajectory, coming off a terrible loss to Middle Tennessee. The Terps have played poorly in both of their games, needing to start making things happen on offense before another season starts gradually slipping away. Changes could be on the way at quarterback, where three players have produced a single touchdown pass. 
Why Cal might win: Fresh off a 66-3 whipping of Washington State, the Cal offense is confident and firing on all cylinders. Best is a gamebreaker, who’s capable of going the distance with even a hint of daylight to bust through, and Vereen is proving to be an ideal complement. Despite facing Delaware and Middle Tennessee, Maryland has yet to register a sack, meaning Bear QB Kevin Riley will have all day to locate receivers on play-action passes. As futile as the Terp offense has been, it won’t be able to keep up with this improving Cal attack.
Why Maryland might win: The best way to slow down the Cal offense is to keep it off the field, which hasn’t happened much in the first two weeks. The onus of making that happen falls to Terp RB Da’Rel Scott, who has already rushed for 320 yards on just 37 carries. It’s not as if the Bears have a brick wall of a defensive line, so he should continue finding running room behind Scott Burley, Jaimie Thomas, and the physically imposing Terrapin line.
Who to watch: It’s only matter of time before teams start stacking the line to stop the Cal running game. With Maryland linebackers Dave Philistin and Alex Wujciak pressing up a step, it’ll be up to Riley to make them pay with the pass. While he hasn’t had to be great, that could change this week if the Terps throw everything at Best and Vereen.
What will happen: While it’s never easy traveling across country for a game, it won’t be so daunting that Cal stumbles to a Maryland team in chaos. After a slow start, one of the Bear playmakers will light the fuse that leads the way to a double-digit win. Once the Terps go down, it won’t have the passing game to mount a comeback.
CFN Prediction: California 27 … Maryland 17 ... Line: California -14
Must See Rating: (5 Hole in the Wall - 1 First Blood) … 2.5
- Click here to receive ATS Consultants FREE selections  

Navy (1-1) at Duke (1-1), 12:00 EST, ESPNU
Why to watch: Even after losing a heartbreaker to Northwestern, it’s become obvious that Duke is a different team under David Cutcliffe. The Blue Devils thoroughly outplayed the Wildcats, outgaining them 472 to 328 in total yardage. Now the program has to learn how to execute in the final quarter and win close games if it’s going to make tangible strides under the new regime. Navy has played both games without its catalyst, QB Kaipo-Noa Kaheaku-Enhada, who’s nursing a sore hamstring. While his absence wasn’t felt in the opener with Towson, the Middies could have used him in last week’s 35-23 loss to Ball State. The Academy is still feeling its way through the early stages of life without Paul Johnson on the sidelines, but the offense is without all its playmakers. The ground game still works.
Why Navy might win: Johnson may be gone, but the dangerous option attack remains in Annapolis. The Midshipmen lead the country in rushing behind the quickness of Shun White and the power of Eric Kettani. Even if Kaheaku-Enhada is a scratch again, his backup, Jarod Bryant, has proven capable of running this offense and controlling the clock.                        
Why Duke might win: Cutcliffe’s presence has been felt the most on an offense that’s averaging more than 400 yards a game and is showing more balance than in recent years. The Blue Devils ran the ball against Northwestern and got 294 yards through the air from Thaddeus Lewis and Zack Asack. The offense will go over 400 yards once again, vexing a flimsy Navy defense that’s short of stoppers.                                         
Who to watch: A star was born at Duke in the loss to Northwestern. Okay, that might be premature, but the program is buzzing about WR Johnny Williams, a true freshman who burned the ‘Cats for 11 catches for 135 yards. While not very big, he knows how to find openings in a defense, which won’t be that difficult versus the overmatched Navy defensive backfield.                
What will happen: Duke isn’t that far from being a dangerous ACC team that can go into Blacksburg or Miami and win a game it shouldn’t. The offense is improving and the culture of losing in Durham is slowing beginning to evaporate. The Blue Devils will keep moving forward with a win over Navy, rolling up 450 yards of offense and squelching a Middie rally late in the fourth quarter.
CFN Prediction: Duke 34 … Navy 24 ... Line: Duke -1.5
Must See Rating: (5 Hole in the Wall - 1 First Blood) … 2
- Click here to receive ATS Consultants FREE selections  

- ACC Week Three Predictions, Part 2