(Ten observations from around the ACC)
1. In the macro, North Carolina is a trainwreck. In the micro, the Tar Heels are fascinating. This week's Yahoo Sports report is probably the tipping point for North Carolina's football program; it would be extremely difficult for the Tar Heels to get off the hook with the NCAA sniffing around at this stage, and Carolina fans should just hope no one connected with the school lies during the investigation. That would worsen things considerably.
But while the 2008 and 2009 seasons could be imperiled thanks to potentially ineligible players (at least to those who believe vacating victories is a legitimate penalty and not a hollow gesture), the Tar Heels aren't going quietly this year. Carolina is back to 2-2, and there's enough still on its defense to make life miserable for an assortment of conference contender. The Tar Heels are the league's biggest wild card, and no one can know for sure just what they'll do going forward with the circus surrounding the program. The best part is, with all the suspensions, there's pretty much no way this year gets wiped off the books.
2. Boston College is just a trainwreck. Well, at least the Eagles' offense is --- and that might be enough to turn this into a surprisingly down year in Chestnut Hill. It is increasingly difficult to envision Boston College getting to eight victories for the 10th straight season. Not with the roulette wheel at quarterback that's rigged against coach Frank Spaziani's bunch.
It's worth pointing out that programs that go through multiple coaching changes are likely to go through some recruiting hiccups as a result, especially if (a) There's no built-in base of prospects and (b) The new men in charge were never head coaches before. Sounds familiar to Eagles fans, huh? It isn't so much an overall talent drain as it is issues at a particular position. That would be quarterback, where limited options and coaching secrecy are combining for a nasty cocktail at the moment.
3. Florida State isn't screwing up --- particularly against inferior teams. Florida State's thrashing of Virginia was one of the more impressive outings in the ACC this week, and not just because of the margin of victory. The Seminoles have dissected four less talented teams, which is something they're supposed to do but haven't always accomplished in recent seasons.
Florida State isn't a top-10 team, and no one should expect that. Next week at Miami could go poorly. But the Seminoles don't have the look of a team that will take a dumb loss, and that's some serious progress.
4. Tyrod Taylor can engineer a comeback just nicely. One of my biggest concerns about Virginia Tech coming into the season was whether quarterback Tyrod Taylor could rally the Hokies. For nearly his entire career his team played from ahead, so it was a legitimate question.
Well, not anymore. He helped Virginia Tech erase a 17-point deficit against Boise State, a 10-point deficit against East Carolina and a 17-point hole against N.C. State. No one will ever confuse him for a traditional pocket passer, but Taylor is doing quite well in his final season.
5. All is not lost for N.C. State. The Wolfpack got Beamered, plain and simple --- which is to say they let Virginia Tech hang around long enough to pull out one of its customary victories. There's no shame in that, but it certainly was a squandered opportunity for N.C. State to collect something that resembled a signature victory.
Still, the Wolfpack is 4-1, has a quarterback in Russell Wilson who will usually play better than he did yesterday, an increasingly effective running game (thanks to Mustafa Greene) and scads of receivers. But the defense is and will continue to be a headache. State needs to win shootouts, but everyone already knew that. This can still be a fun team to watch going forward.
6. Miami's defense will bail out Jacory Harris with frequency. That's the message that comes out of the Hurricanes' victory at Clemson. Harris is probably past the point he can be expected to go a game without an interception or two; it's the games when he doesn't commit a turnover that have to be considered pleasant surprises. He certainly wasn't at his sharpest in Death Valley.
But while he's a wild variable, the Miami defense doesn't warrant many questions at all. It couldn't do much to stop Ohio State in a turnover-fest last month, but in a fair fight it is a unit certain to keep the Hurricanes in any game. If Harris is under control, it's hard to imagine a 24-point day not getting the job for The U.
7. The more things change for Clemson ... It's always safe to count on Clemson to give away some game in an unfathomable manner. The Tigers have done that at Auburn. Now, they've gone ahead and gotten their traditional giveaway game into the books.
Clemson has a difficult enough schedule as it is. It can't commit six turnovers against anyone going forward and expect to have a chance to repeat as the Atlantic Division champ.
8. Georgia Tech simply isn't very good right now. The list of overrated ACC teams is a fairly long one --- Virginia Tech, North Carolina and Boston College all belong there. But Georgia Tech was ranked in the preseason, didn't suffer massive losses to suspensions and didn't play a national title contender already.
Instead, the Yellow Jackets are 3-2 with losses to Kansas and N.C. State and a late escape against Wake Forest. At this stage, the sample size is large enough to conclude Paul Johnson's team just isn't all that great at the moment --- and it's enough to wonder if things will turn around anytime this fall.
9. Wake Forest could use a bye week. Or free agency. Anything to get a healthy quarterback. The Demon Deacons went to QB No. 4 against Georgia Tech --- and somehow nearly won.
Wake is 2-3, having lost to Stanford, Florida State and Georgia Tech in succession and facing Navy and Virginia Tech the next couple weeks before finally getting its bye. Jim Grobe's team needs a chance to regroup --- it just won't come until things likely spiral further out of control.
10. Maryland is finishing out games, regardless of how unsightly they are. The Terrapins were 2-7 last year when they entered the fourth quarter in tied or one-possession games. They are 3-0 already this season.
That's the difference between a 2-10 debacle and a 4-1 start. Victories remain out there for Maryland, which is one of four teams without an ACC loss, joining Florida State, Miami and Virginia Tech increasingly small company.
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