National Signing Day 2013 Predictions: How Will the ACC Fare Tomorrow?

We Try to Guess Where Top Recruits Like Matthew Thomas Are Headed Tomorrow

We Try to Guess Where Top Recruits Like Matthew Thomas Are Headed Tomorrow

National Signing Day is upon us (almost)! And before letters of intent start getting faxed to various institutions of higher education around the country, we wanted to take one final look at which of the country’s top undecided recruits could land at ACC schools. No, we won’t mention Robert Nkemdiche here… Robert Nkemdiche.

Matthew Thomas, OLB (5 Stars)

Our PickFlorida State; Also In ContentionMiami (FL), Alabama, Georgia

Montravious Adams, DT (5 Stars)

Our PickClemson; Also In ContentionAuburn, Georgia

MacKensie Alexander, CB (5 Stars)

Our PickMississippi State; Also In Contention – Clemson, Auburn

Stacy Coley, WR (4 Stars)

Our Pick – Florida State; Also in Contention – Miami (FL), Syracuse, Louisville

James Clark, WR (4 Stars)

Our PickFlorida; Also In Contention – Clemson, Ohio State

Tyrone Crowder, OG (4 Stars)

Our Pick – Clemson; Also in ContentionNorth Carolina, Georgia

Denver Kirkland, OG (4 Stars)

Our PickArkansas; Also in Contention – Florida State, Miami (FL)

E.J. Levenberry, ILB (4 Stars)

Our PickTennessee; Also in Contention – Florida State

Update (2/5, 5:38 p.m. PT): Florida State holds onto Levenberry (via Tomahawk Nation)

Keith Bryant, DT (4 Stars)

Our PickSouth Carolina; Also in Contention – Florida State, Miami (FL)

Cornelius Elder, ATH (4 Stars)

Our PickUCLA; Also In ContentionGeorgia Tech, Ohio State, Purdue

Myles Jack, OLB/RB (4 Stars)

Our Pick – UCLA; Also In Contention – Florida State, Washington, Georgia

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A Case for the ACC (or Anyone Other Than the SEC)

Alec Lemon and the Orange Were Not Intimidated by the SEC

First, let’s be clear, the SEC is the most talented football conference in the nation. However, just how much better the SEC is than everyone else is less clear. Many people have bought into the notion of SEC superiority so wholeheartedly that they are now unable to seriously consider a team from another conference as a legitimate national title contender.

Playing in the national championship is not a birthright, it is something that teams earn. Right now though, it seems like the SEC is all but guaranteed a spot in the title game. Assuming Notre Dame beats USC, they are in, and will play the winner of the Georgia vs. Alabama game — so long as neither of those teams lose their regular season finale (go Jackets!). Georgia and Alabama are both talented one-loss teams; but it is wrong how one loss SEC teams are favored so strongly by humans, and thus computers too,  just because of their conference.

Why not a one-loss ACC team? Consider Florida State. FSU is currently ranked 10th in the BCS standings, behind five SEC teams. Two of these SEC teams, LSU and Texas A&M, both have two loses. FSU’s one loss this season came relatively early in the season on the road vs. NC State. Usually it is better to lose early in the season, yet Alabama lost just two weeks ago and is second in the BCS. FSU’s best win of the season came against Clemson, another one-loss ACC team wrongly buried behind SEC teams. FSU has two remaining regular season games: against rival Florida, and ACC Coastal Division Champion Georgia Tech. Should FSU win these two games, that would mean two more quality victories. Compare this to Georgia, who has a clear route to the national title available to them. UGA’s only signature win was a sloppy victory over Florida, whom FSU will have a chance to beat too, and their only loss was a beat down by South Carolina. Georgia is 1-1 in premiere games this season and has the 46th-ranked strength of schedule according to the Sagarin ratings. Other SEC teams mirror this pattern of one quality in-conference win, and one or two in-conference losses.

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BCS Rankings: A Closer Look at Strength of Schedule, Part II

The Florida Gators are One of Several Teams Whose Strength of Schedule Provides a Big BCS Advantage

In part one, we looked at the undefeated and one-loss BCS conference football teams and compared the win percentages of their opponents so far to estimate strength of schedule. However, we came up with some results that just didn’t look right. I mean, Texas Tech at no. 1, Oklahoma at no. 5 — ahead of both Alabama and Oregon. What’s wrong here?

If you looked carefully, you may have detected the problem already — we are giving Texas Tech and Oklahoma credit for opponents they lost to! Why should the Red Raiders be able to count Oklahoma’s five wins if they weren’t able to beat the Sooners head-to-head? Why should the Sooners take credit for Kansas State‘s 7-0 record?

So we need another table, this time only showing winning percentage of the opponents each teams actually beat.

That’s better; at least an unbeaten team (Florida) is back on top, though the pesky Red Raiders are still hanging out in second place. Alabama and Oregon move in front of Oklahoma in this list as well, which is intuitive. Louisville remains at the bottom — the Cardinals haven’t lost, but they haven’t really beaten anybody either. Ohio State and Kansas State both move in front of Cincinnati, since the Bearcats are not allowed to count Toledo‘s seven wins.

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Atlantic Coast Convos 2012 Top 25: Week Two

After an Impressive Opening Win Over Michigan, Alabama is Quickly Repositioning Themselves for the Number-One Spot

Now that we’re in-season, we’ll be updating these rankings on a weekly basis. As always, we think these are correct. Simultaneously, you’re probably of the opinion you know better. Feel free to share that with us below (respectfully, of course).

Atlantic Coast Convos 2012 Top 25 (Week Two)

1. USC Trojans (1-0) (LW: 1) (First-place votes: 3)

2. Alabama Crimson Tide (1-0) (LW: 4) (1)

3. Oregon Ducks (1-0) (LW: 3)

4. LSU Tigers (1-0) (LW: 2)

5. Florida State Seminoles (1-0) (LW: 6)

6. Oklahoma Sooners (1-0) (LW: 5)

7. West Virginia Mountaineers (1-0) (LW: 10)

8. Georgia Bulldogs (1-0) (LW: 7)

9. South Carolina Gamecocks (1-0) (LW: 9)

10. Arkansas Razorbacks (1-0) (LW: 12)

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Atlantic Coast Convos 2012 Preseason Top 25

USC Barely Beat Out LSU For Our Number-One Spot. Are They the Favorites for This Year’s National Championship?

All those days and weeks and months of counting, and we’re now right on the doorstep of the 2012 college football season! With just 23 days remaining until the first kickoffs on August 30, it also seemed time for the blog’s preseason top 25 picks. Of course, we know no more than you or any one else does, so feel free to interject your own opinion in the comments. Yet another exciting season is nearly upon us, and I, for one, can’t wait.

Atlantic Coast Convos 2012 Preseason Top 25 (August 7)

1. USC Trojans (LW: 2) (First-place votes: 3)

2. LSU Tigers (LW: 1) (1)

3. Oregon Ducks (LW: 5)

4. Alabama Crimson Tide (LW: 3)

5. Oklahoma Sooners (LW: 4)

6. Florida State Seminoles (LW: 6)

7. Georgia Bulldogs (LW: 8)

8. Michigan Wolverines (LW: 10)

9. South Carolina Gamecocks (LW: 9)

10. West Virginia Mountaineers (LW: 7)

 

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Atlantic Coast Convos Early 2012 Top 25 (July 10)

Les Miles and LSU are Eying Another Championship After Falling in Last Year’s Title Game

Once every month until college football returns, this blog will be posting a top 25 ranking list that (similar to the polls that decide who plays in the National Championship Game) matters very little overall. Obviously, these can change based on new recruits, depth chart changes and other, unpredictable off-the-field factors (transfers, TCU weed bonanza, haphazard arrests, etc.). Disagree with these? (likely) Share your thoughts below.

Atlantic Coast Convos Top 25 (Early for 2012: July 10 Edition)

1. LSU Tigers (LW: 3) (First-place votes: 1)

2. USC Trojans (LW: 1) (2)

3. Alabama Crimson Tide (LW: 2)

4. Oklahoma Sooners (LW: 4)

5. Oregon Ducks (LW: 7)

6. Florida State Seminoles (LW: 5)

7. West Virginia Mountaineers (LW: 9)

8. Georgia Bulldogs (LW: 6)

9. South Carolina Gamecocks (LW: 12)

10. Michigan Wolverines (LW: 8) Continue reading

Phil Steele’s 2012 ACC Football Strength of Schedule Rankings

Miami Has One of the ACC’s Strongest Schedules in 2012, Which Includes a Matchup with Notre Dame in Chicago

As part of his annual college football preview, Phil Steele‘s put together an overall ranking of every FBS team’s strength of schedule this year. Since we’re doing a little preview of our own over here for the 2012 ACC football season, it only seemed right that we took a look at the overall rankings for all 14 conference schools. First, your top 10:

1. Notre Dame

2. Mississippi

3. Iowa State

4. Michigan

5. Florida

6. Washington

7. Baylor

8. Texas A&M

9. Miami (FL)

10. Kentucky

So for every team that ends up on this list due to being mediocre team in a great conference (Ole Miss, Iowa State, Texas A&M, Baylor, Kentucky), there’s an equal amount that simply scheduled tougher, namely independent Notre Dame. It’s something to keep in mind as conference realignment talk continues to swirl, too. If they’re invited to the playoff party (they will be), it’s a tough sell to give up four games against top-15 opponents, and all 12 matchups on national television, too. Also in favor of the Irish remaining independent: just one ACC team in the top 10 (and one Miami’s opponents is Notre Dame). Continue reading