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Wake Forest (6-3) at NC State
(3-6),
3:30 EST, ESPNU
Why to watch: While it
hasn’t always been a work of art
in 2008, Wake Forest has toughed
out the six wins needed to bowl
for a third straight year and
compete for an Atlantic Division
title. Although Maryland is
capable of nudging out the
Deacons in a tiebreaker, wins in
Raleigh this week and against
Boston College next Saturday
could put them in the divisional
driver’s seat. Wake is coming
off its best game since
September, handling Virginia,
28-17. Is North Carolina State
about to start a second-half
rally for the second straight
year? It sure looked like last
weekend in Durham, with the Pack
beating Duke to snap a four-game
skid. The bye week was
instrumental for State, which
welcomed back LB Nate Irving,
the team’s best defender, and
found the right mix of personnel
on both sides of the ball for a
change. A longshot to climb back
into the bowl picture, it’s
going to be a dangerous opponent
down the stretch.
Why Wake Forest might win:
NC State’s year-long struggles
on offense are going to continue
this weekend. The Pack ranks No.
11 in the ACC in scoring and
total offense, rarely having
much success on third down. It’s
going to run into a veteran
Deacon defense that’s collected
more turnovers than any team in
the country. While NG Boo
Robinson and LB Aaron Curry will
keep State’s running game in
neutral, corners Alphonso Smith
and Kevin Patterson will make
Russell Wilson think twice about
throwing into coverage.
Why NC State might win:
Wilson has a tough challenge
ahead, but based on his recent
play, he just might be up to it.
Over his last five games, the
freshman has thrown 10 touchdown
passes without an interception.
His low-risk passing coupled
with a running game that’s gone
for 150 yards in three straight
games is enough for the Pack to
keep pace with a suspect Wake
Forest offense. The Demon
Deacons have had problems at the
point of attack all year, which
could create openings for Irving
and DE Willie Young to get in
the face of QB Riley Skinner.
Who to watch: With more
reps in recent weeks, DE Kyle
Wilber has started producing for
the Wake Forest defense. A long
and lean redshirt freshman, he’s
used an explosive first step to
pick up sacks in each of the
last two games. The Demon
Deacons need more from the pass
rush in the final month,
something Wilber looks capable
of providing.
What will happen: Throw
out the records and any
preconceived notions about these
two programs. Wake Forest will
be in for a four-quarter battle
against an NC State team that
hasn’t quit on Tom O’Brien. The
Deacons will survive on the
running of Brandon Pendergrass
and the strength of the defense,
but they’ll need all 60 minutes
to get out of Carter-Finley with
the victory.
CFN Prediction: Wake
Forest 26 … NC State 21 ...
Line: Wake Forest -4
Must See Rating: (5
Quantum Of Solace – 1
Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa) …
3.5
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Boston College (6-3) at Florida
State (7-2),
3:30 EST, ABC
Why to watch: There’ll be
plenty at stake when Boston
College travels to Florida State
this weekend. The Seminoles will
be trying to remain tied atop
the Atlantic Division with Wake
Forest, a team they lost to in
September. A week ago, Bobby
Bowden bagged his first win over
Clemson in four years, handing a
loss to the school that sacked
son Tommy last month. A game out
of first place, the Eagles are
clinging to faint hopes that
they can sweep the rest of their
games against the three schools
in front of them. Doing so would
land Boston College in next
month’s ACC Championship game in
Tampa. The Eagles took a break
from league play last Saturday,
shutting out Notre Dame to
become bowl eligible.
Why Boston College might win:
After an unsettling stretch of
games, the defense woke up last
Saturday night, holding an
opponent scoreless for the third
time this season. The Eagles are
now No. 1 or No. 2 in the ACC in
total defense, run defense, and
pass efficiency defense. That’ll
be a problem for a Florida State
offense that’s one-dimensional,
putting a lot of its weight on
the running game. If the young
‘Nole line has problems
controlling a solid front led by
B.J. Raji, Ron Brace, and Mark
Herzlich, it’ll be a long
afternoon for the home team.
Why Florida State might win:
Boston College will have a devil
of a time moving the chains on a
Seminole defense ranked No. 5 in
the country at 265 yards a game.
Eagle QB Chris Crane has been a
mess in all but one game, and
his supporting cast won’t scare
the athletes on the other side
of the ball. DE Everette Brown
and LB Derek Nicholson will
generate backfield pressure,
forcing Crane into the kinds of
mistakes that have plagued his
senior year. Although running
room will be scarcer than
normal, Antone Smith and
Jermaine Thomas have energized
the ground game in Tallahassee,
fueling the league’s No. 2
attack.
Who to watch: The
consummate student athlete,
Florida State S Myron Rolle has
NFL skills if the medical
profession doesn’t get him
first. The Seminoles’
second-leading tackler, he’s
also a finalist to become a
Rhodes Scholar and continue his
education at Oxford. Rolle will
play this weekend against Boston
College, but will sit out next
week’s game at Maryland in order
to take part in the interview
phase of the scholarship
process.
What will happen: The
defenses will take center stage
at Doak Campbell, and turnovers
will be the deciding factor.
Florida State will make life
miserable for Crane, knocking
him around all afternoon and
pressuring him into multiple
picks. Jones and Thomas will
clean up the mess with short
touchdown runs.
CFN Prediction: Florida
State 27 ... Boston College 17
... Line: Florida State -7
Must See Rating: (5
Quantum Of Solace – 1
Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa) …
3
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ACC Week
12 Predictions, Nov. 15 |