Threaded Mode | Linear Mode

***georgia_tech_swagger*** · 04-22-2002 06:55 PM

THIS ARTICLE WILL APPEAR ON MOP SQUAD SOON EXACTLY AS IS.

ACC Pre-Season Football Poll

Last year saw unprecedented parity in the ACC. Florida State not only lost the conference, but lost at home to an ACC foe (NCSU) and totted the biggest loss of its ACC career, a 41-9 spanking at the hands of North Carolina. Is the fall of Florida State a fluke, or can the ACC muster enough to take on Saint Bobby yet again this year? Let

JD Heel · 04-22-2002 07:49 PM

Carolina at 7 is a joke. I guarantee you we will be better than that.

Defense is all we had? With 41 points against FSU and 38 against Clemson? Well, if that wasn't good enough for you, we'll have one of the best offenses in the league this year.

Don't count out the defense either. These guys aren't as green as they may seem -- a lot of them have had a good amount of playing time. And we'll have an experienced secondary, which will allow the rest of the guys some room for error.

I can't wait until we smack around some of these teams like Wake who are totally deluding themselves.

-JD

ClemTiger · 04-22-2002 08:48 PM

Even though most of the results were pretty much the same i would still like to throw in my two cents and say that with the exception of FSU and Duke everything is up in the air. Yes that means that i believe that Clemson could, and its a long shot but could, finish as low as 8th. I however think 5 is a little low and will make my prediction that Clemson does no worse than 3rd. I just hope that the first few teams prepare for us like you guys are predicting.

***georgia_tech_swagger*** · 04-22-2002 08:54 PM

<blockquote>quote:<hr />Originally posted by JD Heel:
Carolina at 7 is a joke. I guarantee you we will be better than that.

Defense is all we had? With 41 points against FSU and 38 against Clemson? Well, if that wasn't good enough for you, we'll have one of the best offenses in the league this year.

Don't count out the defense either. These guys aren't as green as they may seem -- a lot of them have had a good amount of playing time. And we'll have an experienced secondary, which will allow the rest of the guys some room for error.

I can't wait until we smack around some of these teams like Wake who are totally deluding themselves.

-JD<hr /></blockquote>1) 38 points vs. Clemson isn't bragging rights. Everybody raped the Clemson defense.

2) 41 points against FSU is commendable, but you and I both know that FSU game was a fluke. The only other team that put that up vs. FSU was Miami - which is on a whole different level than UNC was last year. The overwhelming majority of those 41 are from long bombs where FSU DB's were playing lazy or just plain not playing. Let's see Durant pull off even 30 vs. FSU in Doak.

3) Wake Forest isn't delusion. In case you forgot, they went from one-win season to bowl eligible, and defeated other bowl eligible teams in the process. Be afraid of Grobe. Be very afraid. I am.

JoltinJacket · 04-22-2002 09:00 PM

<blockquote>quote:<hr />Originally posted by georgia_tech_swagger:
Wake Forest isn't delusion. In case you forgot, they went from one-win season to bowl eligible, and defeated other bowl eligible teams in the process. Be afraid of Grobe. Be very afraid. I am.<hr /></blockquote>Agreed. Whodathunk that the Deacs could be a force to be reckoned with in the ACC a few years ago...Now it's not such a crazy thought.

They came back from the dead to beat UNC in Chapel Hill last year, they won at UVA for the first time in about 20 years, and they nearly upset Tech and Clemson.

It's a good thing we play them in Atlanta this year.

[ April 22, 2002, 10:05 PM: Message edited by: JoltinJacket ]

JD Heel · 04-22-2002 09:15 PM

Personally, I think it's delusion to think Wake will finish 4th. The highest I see them is 5th, and that's if they luck out in some games. I would put them at either 7th or 8th. I think they snuck up on a lot of teams last year, and I think they will have a much tougher time doing that this year.

And, I also think it's bragging rights to beat a team 38-3 on it's home field on Homecoming. We beat them so badly that we coasted through the second half. We could have scored more, but our starters got a lot of rest in that one.

"Fluke" or not, 41 points against FSU shows offensive prowess. They were still a good team last year, despite their unexpected flaws.

Finally, you're right that Durant won't be pulling off that many points in Doak. It will be Stephens getting most of the points.

I don't think UNC will finish first, but I don't see us falling any further than 5th (if that low). I think there are teams that can fall anywhere from 2nd to 5th: Clemson, NC State, UNC, and Tech. I personally think Wake and UVa are next, in either order. FSU and dook are the bookends.

The thing about football is that you don't know until they get on the field. I may be totally wrong, so who knows.

But, I think UNC will surprise some critics both on offense and defense.

-JD

***georgia_tech_swagger*** · 04-22-2002 09:20 PM

Wake was put 4th by the Wake fans. I don't argue that's slightly unrealistic. However, it isn't exactly too far off either.

As for the defense, domination begins with the lines. And UNC isn't at the level to replace those kind of people yet. It will be a struggle for them to replace Sims and Peppers. And since the game begins at the line, that will effect the rest of the defense in the form of changed up schemes, etc.

Beating Clemson in Death Valley last year still fails to impress me. I-AA Wofford nearly did it.

Regardless of who has the helm at Doak - the Tar Heels most likely won't put up 30. I'm not saying UNC will finish 8th or something like that, but unless a few key things are sewn up in a hurry, it could be like Alice plummeting down the rabbit hole, and in the ACC this year, time is a huge factor. Below FSU, it's a race for everybody to find the right personnel matches. From GT to UNC to Clemson to Virginia. Everybody will be on a different level by the end of the year.

Yawhooos · 04-22-2002 09:33 PM

Man you guys dont give Al Groh and his staff much credit or the team for that matter . Most predicted UVA to finish in the bottom of the league.....well we will just have to wait till AUG. 22nd for you to maybe think other wise !!!

BEWARE OF THE WAHOOO <img border="0" title="" alt="[Eek!]" src="eek.gif" />

***georgia_tech_swagger*** · 04-22-2002 09:40 PM

UVA will be punished early for the massive inexperience. But when they gel together and start becoming veterans they'll be a formidable foe.

ClemTiger · 04-23-2002 01:14 AM

Swagger i couldn't agree anymore, the ACC is wide open after FSU and even they could fall. Duke will finish last no matter how much they improve however.

Yawhoo, Virgnia is a better team than people realize, me and many other Tiger fans learned that lesson last season. That's why i picked them to finish 4th i believe in the ACC (thats the poll one of the GT posters put up).

ClemTiger · 04-23-2002 01:22 AM

oh yeah i wanted to add that Wake did not suprise us last year. They nearly beat us in 1999. It took an injured Brandon Streeter to score 2 TD's in the final few minutes to win that game and Clemson nearly lost a very close game in 2000. I hope we didn't come into the 2001 game thinking they were an easy game considering they nearly beat us the previous two seasons. Wake is on the rise and will beat a number of teams, hopefully not Clemson.

JD Heel · 04-23-2002 01:22 AM

<blockquote>quote:<hr />Beating Clemson in Death Valley last year still fails to impress me. I-AA Wofford nearly did it.<hr /></blockquote>So why did Tech lose to them in Atlanta, then?

Playing Clemson in Death Valley is always tough. UVa squeaked out of there with a hard-fought win last year, and even FSU struggled to pull one out there. We beat them 38-3. Cheapen it all you want, but it was the most impressive display -- on both sides of the ball -- laid down in Death Valley in quite awhile.

When other teams start to rout Clemson in Death Valley (this includes Tech), then it will be a less impressive feat.

-JD

JoltinJacket · 04-23-2002 01:34 AM

<blockquote>quote:<hr />Originally posted by JD Heel:
<blockquote>quote:<hr />Beating Clemson in Death Valley last year still fails to impress me. I-AA Wofford nearly did it.<hr /></blockquote>So why did Tech lose to them in Atlanta, then?<hr /></blockquote>I'm not a "holier than thou" fan, I can be honest...We choked! Losing LB Daryl Smith late in the 2nd quarter took the sting out of our defense, so to speak...It was huge. We were up 19-7 with about 4:00 left in the half when he got hurt. They scored 40 points in the last 34 minutes and overtime. 40! Our season was never the same after that.

Woody's 40 yard touchdown scramble with no time left to make it 19-14 at the half still gives me nightmares.....

[Image: Dantzler%20snap.jpg]

<img border="0" title="" alt="[Mad]" src="mad-flaming.gif" /> <img border="0" alt="[bang]" title="" src="graemlins/banghead.gif" /> <img border="0" alt="[crying]" title="" src="graemlins/crying.gif" />

[ April 23, 2002, 03:21 AM: Message edited by: JoltinJacket ]

***georgia_tech_swagger*** · 04-23-2002 06:31 AM

exactly. It's not like they were tough to defend.

Dantzler to the left.

Dantzler to the right.

Dantzler up the middle.

Dantzler on the option.

etc.

BTW - the article is up - <a href="http://www.mopsquad.com/ncaa/schools/georgiatech/jeremy/0422021730.htm" target="_blank">http://www.mopsquad.com/ncaa/schools/georgiatech/jeremy/0422021730.htm</a>

Big Pimpin Deac · 04-23-2002 07:55 AM

<blockquote>quote:<hr />Originally posted by JD Heel:

I can't wait until we smack around some of these teams like Wake who are totally deluding themselves.

-JD<hr /></blockquote>Kind of like you did last year, right JD? We waxed your pansy blue asses last year when you had 6 draft picks and we'll do it again this year. 32-31 *****! <img border="0" title="" alt="[Razz]" src="tongue.gif" />

JD Heel · 04-23-2002 08:53 AM

BPD: You won. I'll give you credit on a well-deserved, hard-fought win. <img border="0" alt="[bow]" title="" src="graemlins/bow.gif" />

But don't think that you slapped us around silly.

And don't delude yourselves even further into thinking you own us or anything. We've won 10 out of the last 12. That includes the last 6 in Groves Stadium.

And, about our draft picks, none of them would have been picked as high as they were before the 2001 season. David Thornton wasn't even supposed to play. I think opposing fans should at least be impressed that Bunting has shown the ability to make his players better.

-JD

Liquid Karma · 04-23-2002 09:31 AM

If we finish 8th I will eat my hat.

Liquid Karma · 04-23-2002 09:35 AM

JD - explain how we are deluding ourselves? We went 6-5 last year and 4 of our 5 losses were decided on the last posession.

I have much more faith in a team that is strong enough to overcome a 24 point defecit on the road than one which will lay down at the first sign of danger.

You have absolutely no basis in reality to think you are going to smack around Wake. And you have even less if you think we are deluding ourselves. Most Wake fans expect a 4th or 5th place finish. That is hardly delusional. Delusional is that cow college down the road thinking they will finish 2nd.

Big Pimpin Deac · 04-23-2002 10:12 AM

<blockquote>quote:<hr />Originally posted by JD Heel:

And, about our draft picks, none of them would have been picked as high as they were before the 2001 season. David Thornton wasn't even supposed to play. I think opposing fans should at least be impressed that Bunting has shown the ability to make his players better.

-JD<hr /></blockquote>The arrogance of you goats just amazes me. You lose your entire defense to the NFL, your basketball team just made our conference the laughingstock of the nation, and somehow we are the delusional ones. And, please tell me what in the hell the above quote means. Am I to believe that Julius Peppers and Ryan Sims would have been seventh round draft picks without Bunting? Who cares what they would have been picked before the 01 season? David Thornton wasn't supposed to play? Let me guess. He had an injury that only Bunting's magical powers could cure. <img border="0" title="" alt="[Roll Eyes]" src="rolleyes.gif" />

I was simply making the point that the Carolina defense was as stocked full of talent as any team in the nation last year. The problem is, Mack Brown is not there to recruit for you anymore. His players are now all gone. <img border="0" alt="[crying]" title="" src="graemlins/crying.gif" />

By the way, we've got a little streak of our own going in Kenan. <img border="0" title="" alt="[Razz]" src="tongue.gif" />

JD Heel · 04-23-2002 10:45 AM

<blockquote>quote:<hr />Am I to believe that Julius Peppers and Ryan Sims would have been seventh round draft picks without Bunting? Who cares what they would have been picked before the 01 season? David Thornton wasn't supposed to play? Let me guess. He had an injury that only Bunting's magical powers could cure.<hr /></blockquote>Peppers would have gone top 10 before last season, but not as high as second. Do you really think Sims would have gone 6th? I don't even think people were projecting him above the third round or so going into last season. Thornton was a senior walk-on! He did nothing his first three years and then became an NFL draft pick his senior season.

<blockquote>quote:<hr />your basketball team just made our conference the laughingstock of the nation<hr /></blockquote>Who was laughing at the ACC? Our leauge just won another national championship! And yes, we had one bad year. How many times have we carried the ACC on our back?

<blockquote>quote:<hr />You have absolutely no basis in reality to think you are going to smack around Wake.<hr /></blockquote>I never said we would smack around Wake. I just think we are going to win. But, we did score 30+ points against Wake in like every game in the 90's, excluding the 1999 Torbush disaster of a season. I think it was 1994 that we won 50-0....

<blockquote>quote:<hr />By the way, we've got a little streak of our own going in Kenan.<hr /></blockquote>What, your two-game "streak." Yeah, that really compares to the one we have going at Groves. <img border="0" title="" alt="[Roll Eyes]" src="rolleyes.gif" /> Keep in mind that it's also like 2 out of the past 6 Impressive....

<blockquote>quote:<hr />Delusional is that cow college down the road thinking they will finish 2nd.<hr /></blockquote>I might have to give you that one.... <img border="0" title="" alt="[Wink]" src="wink.gif" />

-JD

Threaded Mode \| Linear Mode ACCbbs Pre-season Football Poll Results
Author	Message