Just not flying under the radar anymore

'09 Football29

Q: If a team is picked by a ‘sleeper’ and ‘one to surprise’ by a large number of experts, is the team really a ‘surprise’?

The N&O’s Joe Giglio kicked off the media’s quiet love affair with NC State when he picked the Pack to win the Atlantic Division back in early May and the hits really haven’t slowed down much as major media arms like The Sporting News have followed up on the positive direction of the program and ESPN keep talking about you being ‘a darkhorse’.

Over the weekend I came across two multimedia items of interest.

First, check out Joe Ovies’ interview at The Wizard of Odds by clicking here. Ovies does a very good job of appropriately defending ACC Football to the doubting Wiz before he chooses NC State to win the Atlantic Division.

Next, check out the following video from ESPN college football expert Mark Schlabach. At about the three minute mark Schlabach re-emphasizes the comments that we already shared with you from earlier in the summer.

Since we’re talking about this topic, we have opened a new poll asking for your Atlantic Division predictions. For the record, I voted for Clemson.

Please feel free to use the comments sections for other links and news that you run across to discuss today.

EDIT
Cross Divisional Schedules:
BC – VT, UVa, UNC
Clemson – GT, Miami, UVA
FSU – Miami, GT, UNC
UMD – UVA, Duke, VT
WF – Miami, GT, Duke

About StateFans

'StateFansNation' is the shared profile used by any/all of the dozen or so authors that contribute to the blog. You may not always agree with us, but you will have little doubt about where we stand on most issues. Please follow us on Twitter and FaceBook

'09 Football

29 Responses to Just not flying under the radar anymore

  1. tobaccordshow 08/03/2009 at 9:04 AM #

    Clemson StateFans? Clemson? Clemson? (To the tune of Jim Mora’s “playoffs?” routine).

    I chose FSU. They’ve been too quiet for too long. The nasty defense they have this year will be formidable.

    Clemson?

  2. JasonP 08/03/2009 at 9:24 AM #

    Even though that list of Atlantic Div teams does not look scary at all, out of hope and respect for NC State, I’m picking the ‘noles.

  3. BJD95 08/03/2009 at 9:49 AM #

    Thanks for spoiling the finale of my “Case Against” series! I will still do Maryland and Boston College, but for the record, I had been going in order of the weakest to strongest cases against each team. That means that I, like Jeff, voted for Clemson.

    I really don’t like us getting all of this press. I thought it was a year too soon even before Irving crashed his car. Now, I’m 100% sure of that.

    Here’s how I would peg the percentage odds of each team winning the Atlantic:

    Clemson – 25%
    FSU – 20%
    Wake – 15%
    State – 15%
    Maryland – 15%
    Boston College – 10%

    Based on the tiebreakers in my head, Wake is the 3rd likeliest winner, and Maryland is 5th.

  4. primacyone 08/03/2009 at 10:30 AM #

    It’s wierd – the teams from South Carolina could make or break our season. We win both of those we are good. We loose both of those, we are not so good.

    It could be a roller coaster of a season. Wake could surprsie a few teams, including us. I’m just happy we don’t have to play Georgia Tech. I’ll be even happier if we don’t end the season 0-3!

    I’d say it’s an equal shot for the division crown between STATE, Clemson, FSU, and Wake.

  5. tobaccordshow 08/03/2009 at 10:37 AM #

    I just see Clemson as a perennial favorite and always the first team to fizz out. Last year they had 2 NFL ready running backs. I just don’t see them as able to put it all together. Especially with a new coach.

  6. primacyone 08/03/2009 at 11:05 AM #

    I do know this, if we stomp SC 41-10 or some similar arse whupping on Sept. 3, Pack Nation may have some sort of eruption.

  7. Wulfpack 08/03/2009 at 11:42 AM #

    I honestly don’t have a strong feeling about who will win it. But I do think we have just as good of a chance as any with RW.

  8. Broccoman 08/03/2009 at 12:14 PM #

    No way SC only scores 10. I expect we’re going to have shootouts this year, at least by ACC standards.

    I’d pick FSU, by a multi-way tiebreaker. I suspect one team in this division , maybe two are going to do much worse then expected.

  9. Dogbreath 08/03/2009 at 12:32 PM #

    Can we please, please retire those “mid-majorish” red pants. We will never be a legitimate power until we go with the all white pants approach for road and home games. Red pants conjures images of Mike O’Cain and 3-8 seasons.

  10. choppack1 08/03/2009 at 12:48 PM #

    Wow – Looking at the OOC, you have to think UMd has a serious advantage… w/ games against Duke AND UVa – you’ve probably got games against the two worst teams in the conference.

    I think the slate that Wake and Clemson have of Duke, GaTech and Miami is fairly advantageous as well.

    I’d say our OOC works out well enough for us to contend if we’re any good.

    I guess I’m leaning towards FSU only because Clemson is one of those teams that always seems to be part of the conversation, but always blows it.

    It’s interesting, I guess the covential wisdom is that the proven players in our division – BC, Wake and UMd (to a much lesser extent) – have lost too much to contend w/ the more talented squads of Clemson, FSU and (once again to a much lesser extent) NC State. At both Wake and UMd – you’ve got virtually the same staffs in place that have won championships before. At FSU you’ve got the same staff in place that has seen them NOT win championships the last 3 years. Clemson and BC promoted assistants internally.

    Anyone’s game – likely decided by injuries, bad breaks and bad calls.

  11. bradleyb123 08/03/2009 at 1:49 PM #

    Even with all the injuries we had last year, we still finished one win away from being tied for first in our division. I don’t see any clear-cut favorites. For that reason, the tie-breaker goes to the team with Russell Wilson. NC State.

    If anybody (besides Giglio) had picked State to win the division, I would expect us to fail. But since we’re picked 3rd or 4th by just about everybody, I think we have a good chance to win it.

  12. Oldwolf 08/03/2009 at 2:35 PM #

    does ayone have any info om whether or not Michael lemon will be running with the Pack this fall? I have seen several questions raised about him and several mentions in the pay lists but not heard anything. Did he show up with the team this weekend or did things not work out for him to come?

  13. StateFans 08/03/2009 at 4:45 PM #

    ^ That is a good question.

    As a reminder for our readers:

    http://www.statefansnation.com/index.php/archives/2009/04/30/more-immediate-help-on-the-way/

  14. bradleyb123 08/03/2009 at 5:03 PM #

    StateFans, do you have any updates on this kid? Rivals.com has him listed as “Class of 2009 (Junior College)”, but with no offers. Any chance he’ll be in a Wolfpack uniform this fall?

  15. Lunatic Fringe 08/03/2009 at 6:17 PM #

    I would pick Clemson this year as my preseason favorite, but I would right that down in pencil and keep my eraser handy.

    They have an early schedule where they could EASILY have 2 ACC losses in the first 5 weeks of the season (@GT & @Mary) with Wake coming up in week 7.

  16. Wulfpack 08/03/2009 at 7:59 PM #

    Best guess is FSU, State, Clemson, Wake, BC, Maryland.

  17. GAWolf 08/03/2009 at 9:49 PM #

    Another blow to the secondary: apparently Jimmaul Simmons is off the team indefinitely for academic reasons.

    In 2008: Reserve safety who played in 11 contests, 94 of his 174 snaps came in the last five games … Intercepted a pass on his first career play at South Carolina, running for 20 yards on the return … Also had a pick versus Miami, returning it 32 yards … Tallied a season-high five tackles at Clemson, four were first hits or solo stops … His 26 plays from scrimmage in the win at Duke were also a aeason best.

    In 2007: Redshirted the season at safety, he enrolled at NC State in January of 2007, so 2008 marked his second spring practice … Returned an interception 100 yards for a score in the 2007 Red/White spring game.

  18. choppack1 08/03/2009 at 10:27 PM #

    Hopefully that means he can get back on the field this year – if memory serves correct, he was at least on the 2 deep.

  19. JasonP 08/04/2009 at 7:52 AM #

    Per the paper this morning, Simmons has left the school

  20. BassPacker 08/04/2009 at 8:33 AM #

    The last time I was this excited about a Wolfpack football season was Rivers senior year. We were mentioned as National Championship- Heismen contentor by media then and we all know how that season turned out. 8-5 regular season. Sometimes as a Wolfpack fan I think its best if we stay under the radar. Things do feel different now under TOB.

  21. GoldenChain 08/04/2009 at 9:55 AM #

    STOP IT! SERIOUSLY!
    Pulling 4 games out of our tails to become ‘bowl eligible’ does not a contender make the next fall…..especially when I read everyday about the latest injury or dismissal.

    I am too the point of saying “OK…show me!”

    We’re under the radar and will stay there until we can win 9 games or so.

  22. statemech2010 08/04/2009 at 4:05 PM #

    I figure this is the best place to mention this… I don’t know how many of you have checked out ESPN today but they are doing their Top 40 college football teams mock draft thing, and they have a SportsNation poll doing the same thing. Guess who tops the SportsNation list? (at least as of posting this) http://espn.go.com/sportsnation/ballot/_/id/3874/120-40

  23. primacyone 08/04/2009 at 4:12 PM #

    CFN came out with their pre-season poll today.

    http://cfn.scout.com/2/870555.html

    They have five of our opponents ranked above us.

    14. VT
    16. FSU
    23. Pitt
    24. Clemson
    31. UNC
    36. NC State

    This season could really go either way, but it could be ugly as easily at it could be pretty. Heck, it could be real ugly.

  24. bradleyb123 08/04/2009 at 4:41 PM #

    I know I’m biased and all, but I find it hard to believe that so many different outlets pick UNX ahead of NC State. They have so many questions on offense going into this year, it makes no sense that they would be ranked ahead of us. But whatever. They’re almost always overrated. Makes it that much more fun when they tumble from the ranks!

    I also find it strange that NC State is leading that list of 40 teams people would vote for to be the new division 1-A.

  25. Wufpacker 08/04/2009 at 5:02 PM #

    We are being set up for a very disappointing season. All this pre-season hype is not a good thing.

    As mentioned here, it has become very apparent that we are no longer flying under the radar, meaning that we will not be sneaking up on anyone this year. We have become the popular pick to win or at least be a “dark horse” in our division. That, combined with the fact that even before the last month or two of attrition (especially on defense) I believed that we were still a year or two away from being up to challenging the top teams, will make it extremely difficult to be successful.

    Looking at our schedule, I could even see us opening up 7-0 (though that is by no means guaranteed with SC, Pitt, @Wake and @BC in that stretch) and then dropping the last 5 (4 of which are ranked above us in the CFN poll referenced above).

    Botton line IMHO is that anything above .500 should be considered positive for this team, especially considering the ongoing losses on the two deep. At this point, unless a few redshirt or true freshmen can step up in a major way, any decent passing QB (with even a mild threat of a run game) should be able to pick our defensive backfield to pieces.

1 2

Leave a Reply