It’s a real mixed bag of events going on for the ACC. Some teams are playing their one ‘out of conference’ game, and others are starting off with an ACC opponent for Game One. There has also been one game that has wrapped.
Already Played
Miami defeated Alabama - Birmingham with a convincing but expected 31 to 14 score, and most people barely noticed.
Saturday 9/12
12:00 Syracuse Orange at University of North Carolina Tar Heels
The noon game looks like an interesting matchup of UNC (#18 for no good reason) and Syracuse will start off the Game Day festivities. Carolina is giving ‘Cuse 20 points plus home field -23.5. The Over/Under is a whopping 65.5 and something tells me that most of that is expected to go to the Tar Heels. I don’t know. The Heels seem to have inherited the Miami and FSU preseason hype magic, this season. There is a waft of “Mack Brown” boosterism here, along with their current quarterback (Sam Howell) situation. We’ll see if Dino Babers has anything to say about the overhyping of Carolina’s chances this season. ‘Cuse is usually better at home, and has been struggling of late. It could be a good game (meaning the Orange cut the fog) or a disaster.
2:30 Duke University Blue Devils at Notre Dame Fighting Irish
The preseason poll has the Irish ranked at 10, but it also has teams that won’t be playing this season ranked, so take that with a major hunk of salt. Under normal circumstances no one in the sports world would give Duke a chance, and the odds listed for the game have the Irish giving Dookie 20.5 points, and the Over/Under is an interesting 53.5 points. We shall see if David Cutcliffe will take that one sitting down. It’s sort of the ultimate diss. After their running up the score last season with starters in garbage time, I don’t feel too prone to defending Cutcliffe for the slight by the Wise Guys.
3:30 Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets at Florida State Seminoles
This might be the biggest ACC ‘Basement Bowl’ game of the season. FSU is giving away 12, but the over/under is running at 52.5. That’s an interesting take, but the strength of this prediction seems to be more along the lines that FSU is getting history points. Something tells me that the Jackets are looking to crawl out of the cellar, and FSU is looking for something of an actual turn to better play. This isn’t going to be a push over game and the spread should be a bit closer. I still think FSU has the better chance, but I’m not thinking 12 points.
4:00 Austin Peay Governors at Pittsburgh Panthers
The spread is tipped to the Governors (yeesh what a nickname... what’s the mascot?) with a hefty 27.5, and the over/under is 49 (why not just 50?) which means that Nardo will net a winning opening sort of like the seniors playing the freshmen in a high school challenge scrimmage.
Prime Time Games
7:30 Clemson Tigers at the Wake Forest Demon Deacons
The spread is -33 for the Tigers, but the over/under at 59.5 looks like it’s giving the Deacs a chance to cross the goal line at least a few times. I dunno, this could be shutout territory. Clemson returns almost everyone including their star QB. Wake just returns.
8:00 Western Kentucky Hilltoppers at Louisville Cardinals
The Hilltoppers’ mascot is a hill. Well it’s a guy in a foam suit that looks like a giant muppet, with a big red dome head. It’s funny. This matchup isn’t. The Cardinals, in a bad season, would be favored by miles. Saturday they are favored by 11.5 and the o/u is a rather immodest 58.5. Is anyone expecting much in the way of defense for this one? If the Cardinals struggle with WKU, things might change in our expected win total. When showing up and keeping it close is the best expectation that people are giving you, Western Kentucky might be advised to open everything including the tool box, throw caution to the wind, and do something crazy and fun; like play college football.
Flip or Stick?
That’s the ACC lineup so the question is are you going to Flip or Stick? I think that my remote might get a work out, but only for games not on the ACC Network, though it might be a good time to exercise that streaming deal my wife cut.
The countdown to Hokie kickoff starts tomorrow at primetime. Lane won’t be jumping. It’ll be quiet with just staff and family in the stadium. But tomorrow we just get to gawk and wait.
Poll
So, what game are you most interested in?
This poll is closed
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45%
‘Cuse vs Heels
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6%
Dookie vs Arsh
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13%
Jackets vs ‘Noles
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2%
Pitt vs themselves
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4%
Clemson vs Deacs
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4%
Hilltoppers vs Cards
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23%
Hamburgers, Hot Dogs, and a good Beer