The Atlantic Coast Conference has certainly had a topsy-turvy first month of the season. After starting slowly, the conference earned enough respect in recent weeks to move as high as fourth in comparative conference rankings.
The events of this past weekend certainly didn’t help our image. (Why can’t we ever play a Wake Forest team that turns the ball over 4 or 5 times in ONE HALF?!)
A couple of weeks ago ESPN’s ACC Blog ran a really good entry on the ACC being ‘down but not out’ that can be seen by clicking here.
1. Youth. Check this out:
* Georgia Tech is the youngest team in the ACC with 75 players that are either freshmen or sophomores.
* 22 true freshmen played in Florida State’s season opener.
* 21 true freshmen played in Miami’s season opener.
* Nine true freshmen have played for Virginia Tech.
* Virginia has had a dozen players make their first career starts in two games and has 72 freshmen and sophomores on its roster.
* UNC has the fewest scholarship seniors in the ACC with 11. Only four other teams in the country have fewer seniors than the Tar Heels (Alabama, Middle Tennessee, Central Michigan and Toledo).
* Boston College started the year with 30 new players who had never played a down with the Eagles before.
* Clemson has played eight true freshmen and 11 redshirt freshmen.
Since NC State wasn’t mentioned in that list allow us to turn your attention here and you will realize that NC State is currently playing football with only TEN SENIORS:
1. QB D. Evans (RS)
2. RB A. Brown
3. OL J. Bedics (RS)
4. OL M. Green (RS)
5. DT A. Holmes
6. DT K. Willis (RS)
7. DE J. Clemmons
8. LB R. Leonard (RS)
9. CB J. Gray (RS)
10. S JC Neal
Heather Dinich has updated power rankings for the ACC. Can’t complain too much with her list. Even though GobblerCountry’s power rankings aren’t as close to reality, one can’t argue this comment:
Clemson has stopped caring.
Lastly, Joe Giglio ranks the worst teams in the BCS in his comments linked here. Virginia deservedly ranked one of the three worst teams in the country. Of course, NC State couldn’t be so lucky to actually have Virginia on our schedule this year. Of course.
