Week One: What We're Watching

Every Saturday ACC Football Now will give you the run down on the games we'll be tuned into during the day. Feel free to email us before, during and after the game and coming soon AFN will be hosting live in-game chats to discuss the ACC happenings of the day in real time. Here's the run down.

Michael Felder's playlist:

12:00pm Virginia Tech vs ECU

The Hokie birds will definitely be tested in this early season game that is slowly growing into a rivalry. Played in Charlotte both teams will get the stadium rocking more than the Panthers ever have and the atmosphere should be fantastic. Kirk Herbstreit has predicted a Pirate win and for the ACC's sake let's hope that he's wrong.

3:30pm Virginia vs USC AND Oklahoma State vs Washington State

Yes, only the second game of the day and it is a flip job for Michael. SoCal in Charlottesville is intriguing but in the end I'm fairly certain that the Trojans will get put this game out of reach by midway through the third. Okie State is an underrated team in the Big XII and Wazzou, with new head coach Paul Wulff, look to return to the golden era of Ryan Leaf (never thought you'd hear that huh?). Zac Robinson's dynamic play making ability should be the highlight while Wulff's strong FCS showing on both offense and defense should translate to the big time fairly well.

6:00pm North Carolina vs McNeese State

No, this game isn't on television. No, the Heels aren't webcasting the game. Yes, I will be live in full effect at Kenan Stadium to take in the opener for the Heels. Sky divers, fire works and post game festivities have been planned for the Tar Heel debut and the Cajuns should be the first victims of the Butch Davis' second year campaign. I'll be there all game; watching Deunta Williams and Trimane Goddard will be great but seeing Matt Merletti and Ryan Taylor play after the Heels have a sizable lead will make the night a little bit sweeter.

8:00pm Clemson vs Alabama

The Illinois vs Mizzou game will be DVR'd as will the Clemson game. After I get back from watching the Heels I'll watch the full 'Bama game and respond to some emails before I hit the town for the evening. Expect to see some scoring out of Clemson and frustration out of Julio Jones. The Tigers have a lot to prove this season and Michael definitely needs them to run roughshod over the Tide.

10:00pm Washington @ Oregon

For anyone who didn't know I'm a huge Pac-10 football guy. Not because I love California (the state) or I'm a Pete Carroll disciple; mostly because no one on the east coast stays up to watch it and so they are completely oblivious to that conference and I refuse to be one of them. Ty Willingham is fighting for a job and the Ducks look to rebound from last season's collapse and the loss of probably starter Nate Costa. Should be a Pac-10 dandy, I'll be watching Oregon safety Patrick Chung, he's a hard hitter with a nose for the ball and is only one of about a million signs that they do play defense on the West Coast.

Next week Jay's picks will be added as we work to build a line up to be envied by all. Email your questions and musings to ACCFootballNow@gmail.com.

The Erin Andrews Breakdown: When Our Queen Talks, We…Listen?

The Thursday night North Carolina State v. South Carolina football game provided plenty of highlights. We saw helmets rolling, we heard the hits, and we saw lots…and I mean half a seasons-worth lots…of interceptions.

Yet none of these plays out shined side-line reporter Erin Andrews. Simply put, Andrews is Queen of the sporting world. Thursday night, she proved her supremacy yet again.

She’s good. She’s very good. She demands our attention as viewers. This observation is more than a compliment to her appearance. Is she beautiful? Hell yes. But she’s also knowledgeable. And as crazy as it may sound to some, I listen to her. Allow me to break down her performance…

Appearance:

Points: Clad in an all-black wardrobe resembling Olivia Newton John’s “Sandra D,” Andrews looked astonishing.

Bonus points: To the camera man filming USC quarterback Tommy Beecher holding his head in hands following a hit that relieved him from finishing his already 4-INT game. Reason for the bonus points you ask? Andrews’ lower body was in the frame for a good 10 seconds just over Beecher’s shoulder…you catch my drift.

Grade: A

Grease is a great movie. I’ve always loved Sandy. (Andrews would have received an A+ had she fully accessorized with the giant hoop earrings and red 8-inch heels).

Reporting:

Points: At halftime, she asked NC State coach Tom O’Brien what he said to his team to keep them motivated after quarterback Russell Wilson’s frightening injury, (whether or not O’Brien’s pep-talk worked is an entirely different conversation).

At the start of the third she questioned South Carolina coach Steve Spurrier’s tolerance for quarterback Tommy Beecher’s rough first half.

Grade: B

She receives a B not for what she said, but for what she didn’t say.

The questions to O’Brien regarding Wilson were handled extremely well. She inquired in a respectful tone. To see a young man be carted off on a back-board is scary, regardless of your allegiance. I was appreciative as a viewer for her timely updates of his condition.

The questions to Spurrier, however, needed a few follow-ups. Here are some of my suggestions.

1. “Coach, how much longer can you keep Chris Smelley on the bench?”
2. “Coach, I know we’re watching the same game. Why haven’t you thrown your visor?”
3. “Coach, have you considered putting that kid on the 3^rd row of section 20 wearing a button down polo and a bow-tie in at QB?”

Not to harp on the poor quarterback play, but Spurrier is notorious for yanking his signal callers at the drop of a hat (or visor for that matter).

Overall Grade: A-…we can’t be giving out solid A’s this early in the season now can we? Not to mention, we have to save the A+ for when Andrews’ attire resembles one of the Baywatch lifeguards. Well…we can always dream.

Enjoy this weekend’s ball games. Good luck to all of your teams, and remember to listen to our queen.

Ruminations from the Night...

AFN sat down to watch the first night of football and can't lie, it was a doozy. Here were some of the thoughts that circled as the balls started to fly, helmets started to fly off and scores got very out of hand.

-NC State looks like they're going to be in for a long season. Their defense seems stout but if they're going to be playing 40+ minutes a game every weekend expect them to come unglued late in the third quarter.

-Georgia Tech is going to give people fits. The Yellow Jackets rolled up 400+ yards of total offense in their season debut and looked as if they were pulling punches through the third quarter. Yes it was against an FCS school but that doesn't mean the Wramblin Reck isn't going to surprise people this season.

-Miami may have a quarterback controversy. Jacory Harris played in place of Robert Marve and all he did was play well. Leading the Canes to a 52-7 victory, including 20 points in the opening quarter. The true freshman looked every bit as good as advertised and with the momentum he's built it will be hard for Shannon to keep him off the field in the coming weeks.

-Wake Forest will be in the top 25 all season. The Deacs are as sound as ever and the redshirt for everybody philosophy will help them stay on the same playing field as teams with better talent overall. They play solid football and though Baylor had some speed the Deacs execution made the Bears pay. Damn experience is a nice.

-TJ Graham, the NC State wide receiver and track phenom is just that; a track phenom. He dropped to game changing passes that could have put the Pack in prime field position. Until he catches a football he'll remain a track guy.

-Thoughts and prayers to Russell Wilson and his family. The redshirt freshman took some nasty hits last night and was concussed after being sandwiched by Jordin Lindsey and the knee of Cliff Matthews. He was carted off the field and given a decent bill of health in a Columbia hospital a short time after.

Coming soon to ACC Football NOW Jay Spence and his weekly Erin Andrews break down...

Check Out The "In The Bleachers" Prediction Podcast

Hey guys!
Last night we appeared on the In The Bleachers predictions podcast hosted by Brian Sakowski of In The Bleachers. We made our BCS Conference Champion predictions as well as our predictions for the BCS Title match-up and eventual BCS Champion.

Along with myself the podcast features:

Justin Hokanson from the Bleacher Report and Gridiron Guru
Sean Keeley from Troy Nunes Is An Absolute Magician
Jon Johnston from Corn Nation
Joel Hollingsworth from Rocky Top Talk
Peter Bean from Burnt Orange Nation & EDSBS Live
John Radcliff from Mountainlair
Spencer Hall from EDSBS, EDSBS Live, and the Sporting News
Big Head from MIZZOURAH
Adam Nettina from College Football News and ITB

Check out their sites and listen to the podcast here. Check back before the weekend to see the predictions that I made on the show and I'll give you a quick break down of who I picked and why. You'll be surprised when you hear some of the predictions.

Week One: Coastal Division Previews

Check Out The Atlantic Division Previews

Every team in the ACC's Coastal Division is in action this weekend witn five of the six teams featuring home games. Only Virginia is taking on a BCS opponent to start the season and they picked a dandy in Pac-10 power Southern Cal. With the season opening up Thursday let's take a look at what the Coastal needs to do to come out on top for Week One of the 2008 season.

Miami vs Charleston Southern (7:30 pm Thursday)

The Canes open the season with seven players suspended for disciplinary reasons, including projected starting quarterback redshirt freshman Robert Marve. Jacory Harris, a true freshman will start in his place against the Buccaneers of CSU. A large contingent of the Canes have admitted to knowing nothing of the Bucs and for the sake of the ACC's respect let's hope they're grossly overstating how informed they are on Charleston Southern.

Offensively the Bucs feature Clemson transfer Tribble Reese, who was lost in the Will Proctor, Cullen Harper and then Willie Korn situation. He returns the best receiver for CSU in Dee Brown the 5'11", 180 pound senior should be the target of most of Reese's attention. Especially with All-Big South Tight End Ryan Ard being moved to defense over the offseason. Coach Jay Mills' pass happy offense is going to force the issue and get the ball out quick against Miami's young defense.

On defense the Bucs have a mismash of a d-line including the aforementioned Ryan Ard moving over after a stand out year at tight end. This unit is undersized and will give Miami's inexperienced offensive line a chance to get its feet wet without being completely dismantled by the lines of UNC, BC or Florida. Jacory Harris will have to play within himself and rely on the running game of Graig Cooper and Javarris James to get the Canes rolling.

Keys to a Miami Win

-Graig Cooper and Javarris James. Let the boys run early and Jacory Harris will settle into a comfort zone as he makes his college debut. The offensive line won't be forced to react to blitzing or stunts as they simply line up and play smash mouth football. All in all this will be the most important aspect of the game for the Canes.

-Keep Tribble Reese guessing. The Miami corners have got a considerable amount combined starting experience and their safeties have been in the system for several seasons as well, this will allow the U to mix up their looks and disguise coverages against Reese. Showing zone and playing man or vice versa should confuse the senior transfer and give their defensive line time to get to the quarterback.

-Just play football. Simply put, the talent levels of the two squads are on different planets. Miami is wondering where their next 1st round pick will come from while CSU is just hoping they can have a guy make an NFL roster. If the Canes go out and play smart, physical football they'll win this game easily to start their season in the win column.


Georgia Tech vs Jacksonville St (7:30 pm Thursday)

Another Coastal division team and another FCS tune up game to ease the pains brought on by transition. Exit Chan Gailey and Patrick Nix's pro style offense, enter Paul Johnson and his option attack. Josh Nesbitt, by all accounts will be the starter, and Johnson has worked overtime to get the Greensboro, Georgia native prepared for this home opener.

Jacksonville State is picked to win their Ohio Valley Conference after returning a solid team and adding the elite talent of former LSU quarterback Ryan Perrilloux. The skilled sophomore is larger than his teams linebackers and one of the strongest players on the squad since transferring from the SEC. This game will feature strength on strength with Georgia Tech's stout defensive line of Vance Walker, Darryl Richard and Michael Johnson working to corral the speedy Perrilloux.

A relatively inexperienced team the Gamecocks of JSU are definitely going to be tested on the defensive side of the ball facing Johnson's option attack. Nesbitt with "feature" back Johnathan Dwyer is going to have to make crisp pitches and solid reads to take advantage of the FBS school's lack of size and depth. Expect Johnson to get his guys plenty of reps in order to polish their attack before conference play.

Keys to a Georgia Tech Win

-Control the line of scrimmage. For the Tech offense this shouldn't be an issue, they have a size and strength advantage over the Gamecocks and running the option should make it easier for the Yellow Jackets to manhandle the J-Ville linemen.

-Contain Ryan Perrilloux. The former Bayou Bengal is cut from the Vince Young cloth and is fully capable of winning games by himself. Vance Walker, Darryl Richards and Michael Johnson will have their hands full containing and chasing this talented quarterback. Letting Perrilloux run rough-shod through their linebackers and secondary will make for a long day in Atlanta.

-Protect the football. Nesbitt is going to start his first game running the option. This means fake handoffs, fake pitches, pitches and carrying the ball into the teeth of the defense. Nesbitt is going to have to demonstrate early that he understands how precious possessions are and he'll have to take care to ensure that the ball doesn't end up on the carpet.


#17 Virginia Tech vs ECU (12:00 pm Saturday in Charlotte, NC)

The Hokie birds decided to redshirt sophomore quarterback Tyrod Taylor this Tuesday and that means ECU will be facing senior quarterback Sean Glennon exclusively in this neutral site battle. On the other side it looks like Patrick Pinkney from ECU is going to be getting the full time nod from Skip Holtz, instead of splitting time with Rob Kass as he did a year ago.

ECU will miss Chris Johnson, their blazing Mr. Everything from a season ago, but they do return plenty of offensive fire power on the perimeter. Match this up with Virginia Tech's influx of new defenders and the Hokies have become a vogue pick to get upset by the non-BCS Pirates.

On the defensive side of the ball the Pirates return nine starters and a host of other athletes who saw field time in 2007. The good news is Va Tech returns four massive, experienced, talented offensive linemen. The bad news is that outside of tight end Greg Boone they don't return much in the way of skill position experience. None of the Hokie running backs or wide receivers have contributed anything to the cause and Tyrod Taylor sitting on the bench only takes away more of the possible production.

Keys to a Virginia Tech Win

-Finding some offense. Ike Whitaker, Danny Coale, Dyrell Roberts and possibly Xavier Boyce will have to break through as inexperienced young wideouts; while Kenny Lewis, Darren Evans, Josh Oglesby and Jahre Cheeseman will have to tag team to handle the running duties.

-Playing to their strengths. The Hokies offensive line and defensive back seven are their strongest units and they should tailor their gameplan to these strengths. This means running the football as often as possible and forcing the Pirates into second and third in long, obvious passing downs. The question is how will Bud Foster get ECU into compromising down and distance situations.

-Play some Beamer Ball. There is one thing that has been synonymous with Virginia Tech during the bulk of Frank Beamer's tenure; Special Teams. While there are plenty of unknowns concerning where Tech's points will come from and who will fill out the defensive line rotation, special teams should remain a constant. Bodies flying to the football and making big things happen should get the Hokies at least some great field position if not put six up on the board.

Virginia vs #3 USC (3:30 pm Saturday)

The Wahoos offseason was quite tumultuous as they were pillaged by academics and left decimated by the NFL draft. Al Groh lost his starting quarterback and looks to trot out an inexperienced body regardless of who he chooses. Pete Lalich will be the likely starter shoved out on to the field against the men of Troy.

Pete Carroll has had his own problems this training camp as Joe McKnight, their star running back suffered an elbow injury and had the fingernails ripped from his right hand during a preseason scrimmage. Projected starting quarterback Mark Sanchez dislocated his knee cap during pre-practice drills a little over a week ago. It appears that both players will be in the starting line up come Saturday and that doesn't help the Cavaliers chances to pull the upset.

On the positive side the Cavs feature Clint Sintim, Jon Cooper and Antonio Appleby returning to fill out the linebacker spot. The best core in the ACC will have its hands full chasing USC's dynamic threesome of running backs. Running the rock Cedric Peerman and Mikell Simpson return for Groh and the Hoos look to get in behind tackles Eugene Monroe and Will Barker.

Keys to a Virginia Win

-Control the ball. The Wahoos definitely need to hold on to the football for upwards of 35-40 minutes during this battle. Their best defense will be their offensive combination of Peerman and Simpson running the ball and eating up the clock and yardage. Finding a way to block Brandon Cushing, Rey Maualuga and Taylor Mays will be difficult but if the Hoos can stop USC's offense by staying on the field they've got a big victory.

-Play sound special teams. Its quite clear that the Wahoos don't match up physically with the Trojans. They will probably lose the battle to control the line of scrimmage and take a pounding from the USC front seven. Special teams is where the Hoos can make up some of their slack. Sound punting and kicking efforts, eliminating block opportunities and making field goals will help Virginia make headway. Expect UVA to gamble on the their teams, stealing a blocked kick or punt for a touchdown may give the Cavaliers the momentum boost they need late in the game.

North Carolina vs McNeese St (6:00 pm Saturday)

TJ Yates is back from surgery to repair a tear in the labram of his throwing shoulder and the Heels return a plethora of offensive and defensive starters. Their opponent is FCS' McNeese State, a team that finished undefeated in the regular season and that features speed burners Quentin Lawrence and Steven Whitehead.

The Tar Heel secondary features uncertainty at one corner position due to the injury to Charles Brown. With Richie Rich, Tavorris Jolly, Jordan Hemby and Johnny White battling for the starting spot the Heels will have to give a strong showing to subdue the pass happy McNeese State attack. Sophomore safety Deunta Williams is not worried, he's exhibited the confidence that has begun to flow through the Tar Heels veins thanks to Butch Davis.


The emergence of Greg Little as the feature running back in the last two games of 2007 should set the Heels on track to establishing the power rushing game they've lacked for several seasons. UNC's experienced offensive line should lean heavily on MSU's smaller defensive line in order to pound the run and set up the play action pass to Hakeem Nicks, Brandon Tate and Brooks Foster.

Keys to a North Carolina Win

-Running the football early and often. Greg Little, Anthony Elzy and Shaun Draughn will have to get started quickly in order to bang on the 'Pokes small defense and force their hand. Garrett Reynolds and Calvin Darity should assert themselves quickly.

-Make sure tackles. The Cowboys are going to complete passes against the man to man and zone defenses of the Tar Heels. For the Heels to avoid giving up that momentum shifting play Burney, Deunta Williams, Trimane Goddard and the rest of the perimeter defenders are going to have to make confident tackles in space. Letting a five yard hitch go for a sixty yard gain would spell disaster in Chapel Hill.

-Get their hands up. UNC's defensive line is probably its second strongest unit, behind their gifted receiving core. This line is great rushing the passer; however, expect Fourroux to get the ball out quickly and not give Austin, Wilson, Massenberg and company the chance to get deep in the backfield and bang on him. The d-line getting their hands up should produce batted and tipped balls out of the shorter Fourroux and create turn over opportunities for the Heels defense.


Duke vs James Madison (7:00 pm Saturday)

The Blue Devils got rid of nice guy coach Ted Roof and looked to revamp their football image by hiring David Cutcliffe away from his offensive coordinator spot at Tennessee. Cutcliffe's stint at Ole Miss was relatively successful and Duke is hoping he can replicate that marginal success in Durham.

Things are looking up though as Duke returns a solid nucleus of players including quarterback Thaddeus Lewis, wide receiver Eron Riley as well as defensive linemen Vince Oghobaase and Ayanga Okpokowuruk. Cutcliffe has got some quality players to work with and a stretch of winable games to open up his debut season with the Devils.

James Madison enters the season ranked #4 in the FCS subdivision and seething from a fluke loss to the Appalachian State Mountaineers in the FCS playoffs. The Dukes return plenty of talent to their squad and they look to go 1-1 in Triangle openers after losing to UNC last season.

Keys to a Duke Win

-Exploit the athleticism advantage. Though this advantage is slight the Devils do have better top end speed at the skill positions and along the defensive line. They should get some good play from those areas and overwhelm the Dukes in the second half.

-Run the no huddle. Cutcliffe has been working feverishly to install his no huddle offense as the Blue Devils' system in order to create mismatches and speed the tempo of the game. With experienced and talented quarterback Thaddeus Lewis the coach should be able to move the ball up and down the field without giving the Duke's a shot at adjusting to his fast paced style.

Check out the ACC Game of the Week Clemson and Alabama preview coming soon...

Catch A Podcast Featuring Yours Truly Tonight

Click to hear the podcast

Hey fellow ACC folks tune in to Brian Sakowski's In The Bleachers podcast tonight to hear me give my predictions for the 2008 college football season. I'll go on at ten and along with the other guests I'll be giving my predictions for the following regular season action:

-ACC (Atlantic and Coastal Divisions)
-Big East
-Big Ten
-Big Twelve (North and South Divisions)
-Pac-10
-SEC (East and West Divisions)

Plus the 2008 post season action:

-BCS National Title Game Match-Up
-BCS National Champion

Be sure to tune in to the live podcast so you can ask questions before and after I go on the air.

Can't be there for the live the podcast?

Don't worry I'll post the direct podcast link so no one has to miss out on all the picks for the 2008 college football season.

Look for the ACC Football Now preseason BCS predictions to be posted shortly after my chat with In the Bleachers' host Brian Sakowski.

Week One: Atlantic Division Previews

This week the Atlantic Division features five games with Florida State as the lone team missing from action. Lets take a quick look at these five contests as the ACC Atlantic Division looks to kickoff week one on the right note.



NC State @ South Carolina (8:00 pm Thursday)


Neither team has an established quarterback and, up until a week ago both projected starters were blanks on the depth chart that could be filled by up to three possible names. State has settled on redshirt freshman Russell Wilson as the starter, while the Ole Ball Coach has decided to go with senior Tommy Beecher under center for the home opener.


South Carolina's offensive struggles have been heavily documented as has their missing a bowl game while losing six straight games after rising to #6 in the nation in 2007. They struggled mightily offensively and with the Gamecocks losing consistent running back Corey Boyd the offensive struggles seem destined to continue.


The plus for the Gamecocks will be their stout defense, regarded by many to be one of the nations elite units. Returning the likes of Jasper Brinkley, Captain Munnerlyn, Eric Norwood and Emanuel Cook give the 'Cocks a unit that will allow for Beecher's development by stopping the opposition, turning opponents over and winning the field position battle.


Keys to an NC State Win:


-1st year starter Russell Wilson must play mistake limited football. He can't be afraid to throw the ball away or tuck and run in order to avoid sacks and questionable throws. Wilson must approach this game ten yards at a time. Getting first downs will be his major contribution to putting the Pack in position to win.


-Andre Brown and Curtis Underwood. They must work with the Packs offensive line to establish the run early against South Carolina's defense. This will take the pressure off of the inexperienced Wilson and allow for the freshman to settle in to his quarterback role without being forced into many long passing situations. (Toney Baker and Jamelle Eugene are injured)

-Tom O'Brien must pick his spots wisely. Widely regarded as a conservative coach, O'Brien is going to have to be smart in picking when to strike against this talented, experienced and confident S. Carolina defense. Winning the field position battle, establishing the run and making use of misdirection and play action passing will be crucial if the Pack plans on pulling off this upset.


-Pressuring Beecher should be job one for the Wolfpack. Their defensive line is their strongest defensive asset and features guys who struggle against the run but are quite capable of getting after the quarterback. With inexperience at safety and linebacker the Pack d-linemen are going to be tasked with the responsibility of making Beecher uncomfortable in the pocket. Without constant pressure Beecher will sit back in the pocket tossing to Kenny McKinley or Jared Cook and picking apart the Wolfpack's back seven.



Wake Forest @ Baylor (8:00pm Thursday)


The Deamon Deacons of Wake Forest head out to Waco, Texas to be the first team to take on Baylor with their new head coach, the energetic, offensive minded Art Briles. Briles, by way of Houston University, looks to rebuild a program that hasn't seen a bowl game since 1994 and a winning season in twelve years.


Briles is going to have his hands full against the Deacs and their misdirection ball controlling offense. Jim Grobe and his offensive coordinator Steed Lobotzke are committed to putting the ball in the air this season, allowing experienced quarterback Riley Skinner to air the ball out to his young receiving core.


On offense Briles returns quarterback Blake Szymanski, four offensive linemen and eight receivers with 30+ receptions. This should be the Bears' strength and they'll look to use their offense as their best defense by keeping the Deacons off the field at Floyd Casey Stadium.


Keys to a Wake Forest Win:


-Handle the pressure. For the first time in a long time the Deacons walk into a season opener as a heavy favorite and instead of surprising folks as they have the past two seasons the Deacons will be the hunted in 2008. They must respond to getting every team's best shot to claim their second ACC title since 2006.


-Tackling in space. The Deacs' secondary, with All-America candidates Chip Vaughn and Alphonso Smith, is the strongest unit on the team and they will be tested by this Baylor Bears receiving core. Briles will spread them out and throw the ball all over the field, Wake must make sound tackles in space to avoid the big plays that would keep Baylor in contention.


-Find a reliable perimeter option to compliment Josh Adams. Gone is Kenny Moore the Deacs' Mr. Do-Everything. With this first game the Deamon Deacons must find a new horse to hitch their saddle to and the leading candidates are DJ Boldin and Devon Brown.



Maryland vs Delaware (3:45pm Saturday)


Fresh off the FCS national title game the Delaware Blue Hens enter 2008 ranked #8 in their division and ready to step up to the challenge of playing their neighboring state of Maryland. Though unsettled at quarterback the Blue Hens do return 14 starters from last years squad, four of which are preseason All-Americans.


The Terps, like most FBS teams playing FCS opposition this week, are well aware of the 2007 Michigan debacle and that they too could be the next big FCS victim if they come out flat against a charged up FCS opponent. Expect Ralph Friedgen to have his boys set to perform and after settling on Chris Turner at the starting spot the Terps look ready to fulfill that projection as the ACC Atlantic dark horse.


Keys to a Maryland Win:


-Establish the run. With the departure of Keon Lattimore and Lance Ball Maryland features unproven backfield talent and this is experience that Morgan Green and Da'Rei Scott desperately need. A plus is the offensive line returns four starters and should be capable of opening up holes for which ever back emerges as the leader.


-Find Darrius Heyward-Bey. The 6'2", 206 pound receiver is one of the nation's best and Turner would be wise to find him in mismatches against the Delaware defensive backs. If Heyward-Bey has a big day the Blue Hens should be put away early.


-Find a defensive identity. Losing Dre Moore, Christian Varner and Erin Henderson have left the Terps without a true defensive calling card for 2008. Stopping the run early and hitting the Delaware quarterbacks will serve as a strong confidence boost for this young but talented defense.



Boston College @ Kent State (7:30 pm Saturday)



Matt Ryan is out, Chris Crane is in as year two of the Jeff Jagodzinski era begins in Chestnut Hill, MA. Facing off against Kent State will be no small task as the Golden Flashes return dual threat quarterback Julian Edelman and the nations reigning rushing champion Eugene Jarvis.


Jarvis posted nine-100 yard games and amassed over 1900 yards a season ago. At 5'5" and 175 pounds the short Jarvis is a powerful guy who gets lost behind his line and explodes through tackles as he gets up field. The BC defense is going to have their hands full finding and stopping the Flashes' running back.


The Flashes defense features Butkus watch list member Derrick Burrell and stand out defensive back Rico Murray. Burrell is an 6'2", 240 pound run stopper who can run sideline to sideline and who tackles with some force.


Keys to a Boston College Win:


-Find a running back. The departure of Andre Callendear and LV Whitworth have left Chris Crane without and established threat at running back. Enter Josh Haden, the true freshman has looked good in workouts and scrimmages and Crane will need him to avoid becoming one dimensional.


-Spread the ball around. The Eagles feature three reliable pass catchers in tight end Ryan Purvis and receivers Rich Gunnell and Brandon Robinson. Crane will hit Gunnell for big plays and expect to see Purvis used often as the senior qb's safety net.


-Control the line of scrimmage. Ron Brace is a monster and probably BC's best pro prospect this season. Brian Toal, the Mike Vrabel Jr linebacker returns this year as does defensive tackle BJ Raji. With their strength up front the Eagles need to control the line and put pressure on quarterbacks, especially since replacing Dejuan Tribble and Jamie Silva is no small task.



Clemson and Alabama is the game of the week in the ACC so check back Thursday for an in depth preview of this ACC vs SEC match up.