Since the ACC and Big East had their mix and match party, the ACC has underachieved and disappointed as a whole.  Save for a few good Virginia Tech teams and a good Wake Forest team, there hasn’t been much to crow about in the ACC.  Is it because expectations were too high?  It is about time this super-conference steps it up a notch.

In case you missed my other grades here are the links: Big XII, Big 10(+1), SEC, Pac-10, and Big East.  The criteria I am taking into consideration are as follows:  The expected level of play of the ACC team, the expected level of play of the opponent, FBS (Div-1A) opponents, FCS (Div-1AA) opponents.  I do not take into account how good a scheduled team was when the game was contracted.  Conversely, I will give credit for recently improved teams like Rutgers and South Florida.  Let’s take a look at the last BCS conference’s out-of-conference (OOC) schedules for me to grade.

Virginia – USC, Richmond, Connecticut, Eastern Carolina.  USC is a total monster to have on a OOC schedule.  Period.  End of story.  I will gladly overlook the lousy Richmond game because of the cajones it took to put USC on the schedule.  The other two game are not bad either.  UCONN, nine game winners last year, should put up a good fight for Virginia.  The Cavaliers dropped an easy game last year against Wyoming.  Could ECU be this years Wyoming?  Maybe.  I love this schedule, and I have to give credit for having USC up there.  Grade: A

Miami – Charleston Southern, Florida, Texas A&M, Central Florida.  This could have been one of the best, if not the best, OOC schedule, if it were not for that Charleston Southern game.  That game really takes away from what they are trying to do in Miami.  All that I am saying is schedule an FBS team like Arizona, Northwestern, Vanderbilt, or Baylor.  Why do you have to go out of the FBS?  Anyway, the Florida game will be a monster for Miami.  It should show us where Miami will be this year.  The A&M game is important because Miami should win, but the Aggies are always formidable.  The UCF game will be really good.  I assure you that the players from Miami do not want to lose that game.  I will also assure you that the UCF players are gunning for the Canes.  Grade: A-

Duke – James Madison, Northwestern, Navy, Wake Forest. As far as I know, Duke has never been confused with being good at football.  I may be wrong, but Duke is usually really bad.  I’m confused because last year didn’t Notre Dame celebrate wildly after a last minute win over Duke?  Maybe that was a dream.  Dream or no dream, this is a pretty good schedule overall for Duke.  James Madison is an FCS team, but I can overlook that due to the fact that it is Duke.  Wake Forest is certainly a formidable foe.  The Navy and Northwestern games should be challenging for the Blue Devils.  Overall, not bad.  Grade: A-

North Carolina State – South Carolina, William and Mary, Eastern Carolina, South Florida.  This one could have been an “A” if it weren’t for that danged W&M on the schedule.  Wow, this is still pretty good.  South Florida should still be good this year with Leavitt there to incite that violent defense.  Darth Visor and the Gamecocks are formidable for NC State and most other teams.  ECU is a quality team that will make you earn a win over them.  Then, there is that W&M staring you in the face like a wounded puppy-dog.  Why?  Why did they have to ruin a perfectly good OOC schedule?  Grade: B+

North Carolina – McNeese State, Rutgers, Connecticut, Notre Dame. Three years ago you would have looked at this schedule and scoffed at the lack of competition outside of Notre Dame.  What a difference three years makes, huh?  Rutgers is here to stay with Schiano at the helm.  UCONN had a very good season last year and shouldn’t lose too much.  Notre Dame is a big question mark.  Will they be bad or really bad?  It would have been nice to see a Baylor or New Mexico State on the schedule instead of McNeese State, but that seems to be a trend here in the ACC.  Grade: C+

Maryland – Delaware, Middle Tennessee State, California, Eastern Michigan. This is not too, too bad.  Cal is certainly a great game to have as the most challenging game on the OOC-schedule.  Middle Tennessee State and Eastern Michigan are ok games.  They are moderately good teams that lack the depth to really beat you in the fourth quarter.  They will challenge you throughout the game, but you are in no real danger of losing if you are reasonably deep.  Actually, Delaware isn’t too bad.  Sure they lost their hot-shot QB, but if you are going to go out of the FBS you could do much worse than Delaware.  Grade: C

Wake Forest – Baylor, Mississippi, Navy, Vanderbilt. I like this schedule because all the teams are from the FBS.   I don’t like this schedule because none of the teams are really good.  When Navy may be the hardest team on your schedule, then you have a weak schedule.  Vandy and Baylor are perennial cellar-dwellers.  That leaves Ole Miss.  They were probably the worst team in the SEC last year.  Granted, the SEC is a tough conference, but when your only wins are against Memphis, LA Tech, and Northwestern State, you may have problems.  The only thing good about this schedule is what I have already mentioned.  Grade: C-

Boston College – Kent State, Central Florida, Rhode Island, Notre Dame. This really stinks up the place here.  UCF is a pretty good team and will challenge BC, but in no way should it be the most challenging game on the schedule.  Notre Dame may put up a fight at the end of the year against BC, but it is unlikely.  Kent State should have been the weakest game on the schedule, but BC needed to schedule Rhode Island.  Really?  Rhode Island?  This is very disappointing coming from a team that won ten games last year.  Grade: D

Florida State – Western Carolina, Chattanooga, Colorado, Florida.  This is another disappointing OOC schedule that had promise.  Having Colorado and Florida on the schedule is phenomenal.  That is gutsy and I give a lot of credit for that.  The problem is that FSU went outside the FBS for their patsies.  Again, what is wrong with an Ohio, Baylor, Western Michigan, Vandy, or Iowa State on the schedule?  Why do they have to go so far down the food chain?  It doesn’t do any good for FSU except to all but guarantee a win.  Isn’t that win all but guaranteed with a Buffalo or a New Mexico State?  Deplorable.  Grade: D

Clemson – Alabama, Citadel, South Carolina State, South Carolina. Here is an example of a OOC schedule that had potential, but ultimately failed.  Alabama to start the season is a very bold and tough game.  The rivalry game with Darth Visor and South Carolina at the end of the year is very, very respectable.  What is up with the ####-stain in the middle?  Citadel and South Carolina State?  I’m sorry, but one of those two would have been bad enough.  Clemson is a good team, and should try to do a better job challenging themselves.  It is really tough for me to give a bad grade to Clemson because of the Alabama game, but fair is fair.  Grade: D-

Georgia Tech – Jacksonville State, Mississippi State, Gardner-Webb, Georgia. The game with Georgia is a monster and I give credit for being a rivalry game.  The Mississippi State game is respectable, and MSU should be pretty good this year.  The rest of the schedule is trash.  This is very disappointing.  I think they could have done a much better job.  I think they should have done a much better job.  There is no excuse for two non-FBS teams to be on the OOC schedule.  Grade: D-

Virginia Tech – Eastern Carolina, Furman, Nebraska, Western Kentucky.  Ok, I get it.  To be in the ACC you must beat up on Div-1AA teams.  It must be a requirement because just about every ACC team has one on the schedule and four teams have two.  Not cool.  If this year’s Nebraska was the Nebraska of old, then I may have been inclined to overlook one of the two patsies on the list.  Such is not the case.  Nebraska may be the most challenging team on the schedule, but that is not saying very much at all.  ECU is fine if they are not the “big game” on the OOC schedule.  This may be the case.  Western Kentucky recently came up from Div-1AA. Ok.  This is VT here not Duke.  Grade: F

Last week I had posted a list of questions I wanted answered.  Some were answered for sure, and others just led to more questions.  Here’s the list:

Question: Mississippi State/Auburn – How freekin’ bad is Auburn?  I know lisa4usc thinks the South Florida Bulls are that good, but I have my doubts.  How good is K-State?  Auburn should have lost that one.  Are the Bulldogs as bad as many thought after LSU beat them like a Mississippi omelet?   (Mississippi Omelet ingredients:  3 eggs, cheese, bacon, grits, white peppered sausage gravy, and topped with onions.  In order to get the most out of the flavor of the gravy, the omelet should be served on top of 2 biscuits.)

Answer:  Auburn is really bad.  I think this has been evident since the bowl game last year.  This week has just confirmed what we had all suspected.  Auburn = SEC bottom feeder. (this year)  K-State may be able to make a little noise in the weak Big 12 North.  KSU is on the road for Texas, Oklahoma State, and Nebraska, but they have Mizzou in Manhattan.  Mizzou had better not look past KSU this year.  Maybe Mississippi State has some promise if they can stay away from teams with a defense.

Question:  Iowa/Iowa St – I know, I know, why bother, right?  Well I will tell you why.  This may be the only game the Cyclones win this year.  Is Iowa the better team?  Yes.  Does Iowa St. stand a chance?  No.  But, I have lived in the plains long enough to know that Ames gets up for this one every year.  No matter how bad the ‘Clones are, they are ready to play the Hawkeyes.  Wait, there is supposed to be a question here.  Can the Cyclones pull off the upset at home against the in-state rival?

Answer:  Why ask why?  I don’t think you can really gauge how bad Iowa is going to be based on this game.  I have seen the Hawkeyes lose this game and go on to good seasons.  No matter how many times I see it, it always amazes me.  How the lowly Cyclones can put a hurtin’ on a superior team.  This may be the only one the Cyclones win this year.  Well, actually they do play Baylor this year.

Question:  Ohio/Virginia Tech – Ok.  I am really reaching on this one, but please hear me out.  VT coming off what could be described only as a butt-whoopin’ on a national stage gets to respond in one of two ways.  1.  They completely decimate Frank Solich’s team.  They run out of ambulances and body bags.  The telephone lines are all busy due to all of the calls that need to be made to alert the next of kin.  Riots begin to flow onto the streets.  The citizens of Blacksburg become possessed with an anger that could only be described in the holiest of holy books.  People are getting torn limb from limb, buildings are crashing to the ground, dogs are training people to fight, bedlam just doesn’t describe the carnage that ensues.  Or 2. Ohio gives the Hokies all they can handle.  I know what you are thinking…There is no way #2 could ever happen.  Well, I am here to tell you that this VT game is circled on the Ohio schedule.  It may be circled to remind everyone to have an updated living will, or it may be circled to indicate the biggest game of the year for the Bobcats. 

Answer:  Much to the chagrin to news outlets everywhere, neither of my scenarios came to fruition.  The Hokies came out and played like a top 40 team (35-40).  They did not fold it in, nor did they respond they way we had all hoped (except Ohio fans.)  Ohio is again, not a good team that may play well in the MAC, but who cares anyway.  VT is a team that will not live up to the expectations.  I am wondering when they will surrender their ranking to a more deserving team. 

Question: Florida/Tennessee – How overrated is Florida?  Can Tennessee play defense?  Can Tennessee be successful in the swamp?  This could either be one for the ages, or over by the end of the first quarter.  Probably Florida in a rout, but it may be fun to watch anyway.

Answer:  Not at all overrated.  Tennessee is in dire need of some help.  I like Fulmer, but I can understand the rumbling going on.  I don’t think you can put him in the same category as Lloyd, but I do understand.  Don’t worry Phil, I’m rooting for ya.  Florida is 2 legit….2 legit 2 quit!  It is great to be a Florida Gator these days for sure.

Question: Louisville/Kentucky – Can the Cardinal defense stop a real Div. 1 offense?  How much is the side bet for Kentucky hanging another half-a-hundred up on someone?  Can Louisville get to 70 again?  If you like mass amounts of touchdowns, and a complete total disregard for playing defense, this may be your game. (next to the New Mexico State/Hawaii showdown)

Answer:  Without a doubt, one of the best games of the weekend.  You kinda had to see it coming.  Louisville and the porous defensive outing against Middle Tennessee was not a fluke.  The feel good Cats got a real good win!

Question: Arkansas/Alabama – Can Saban come up with a big win in his first big game at Alabama?  Can the overachieving Razorbacks keep that momentum going from last year?  What will bend?  What will break? 

Answer:  Saban certainly came up big at the right time during this one.  Say what you will about him, he definitely has good timing.  What a year to take over the Crimson Tide.  Here is some advice to the AD at Alabama, wait a while before you come to him with a contract extension.

Question: Boston College/Georgia Tech - Can BC knock off the Yellow Jackets? Who will be the team to beat in the ACC.  Is GT as good as they seemed to be playing Notre Dame?  This will be a great test for the ACC elite.  Who would have thought that we would be saying BC and GT are the elite of the ACC over the likes of Miami and Florida State?

Answer:  Don’t look now, but BC has put together a good team up there.  As good as GT looked in earlier games, BC looked even better against GT.  I believe the best team in the ACC has been recognized.  Miami and Florida State may have something to say about it, but on the field will be a completely different conversation.

Question:  USC/Nebraska – This game will put to rest many questions people have been asking.  Is USC deserving of the #1 spot on the polls?  Is Nebraska back to national prominence?  How good is USC’s offense?   Can Sam Keller shake off the rust from sitting out a year enough to lead the Cornhuskers to victory?  Is Pete Carroll, in fact, a man-god?  Has Callahan sold his soul to the devil?  This, like the FL/TN match-up, could be one for the ages, or it  could be a real stinker.  Whatever the case, it would seem that there is going to be a huge audience for this one.

Answer:  Oh me oh my oh!  Or how my good friend Borat would say “Oh wow whoa wee whoa!”  If there was any hub-bub about jumping LSU over USC, we can just forget that for now.  LSU and USC are close enough in talent and coaching that they can be the 1 and 2 without controversy, for now.  I believe that if these two teams met on a neutral field, the handicappers would make it a pick-em.  If they didn’t, it would just be pandering to the different regions in the country.  Oklahoma and Florida may have something to say about that, but it is the nature of the beast that they are on the outside looking in.

Here is a list of questions I hope are answered this week in NCAA Football.

Mississippi State/Auburn – How freekin’ bad is Auburn?  I know lisa4usc thinks the South Florida Bulls are that good, but I have my doubts.  How good is K-State?  Auburn should have lost that one.  Are the Bulldogs as bad as many thought after LSU beat them like a Mississippi omelet?   (Mississippi Omelet ingredients:  3 eggs, cheese, bacon, grits, white peppered sausage gravy, and topped with onions.  In order to get the most out of the flavor of the gravy, the omelet should be served on top of 2 biscuits.)   

Iowa/Iowa St – I know, I know, why bother, right?  Well I will tell you why.  This may be the only game the Cyclones win this year.  Is Iowa the better team?  Yes.  Does Iowa St. stand a chance?  No.  But, I have lived in the plains long enough to know that Ames gets up for this one every year.  No matter how bad the ‘Clones are, they are ready to play the Hawkeyes.  Wait, there is supposed to be a question here.  Can the Cyclones pull off the upset at home against the in-state rival?

Ohio/Virginia Tech – Ok.  I am really reaching on this one, but please hear me out.  VT coming off what could be described only as a butt-whoopin’ on a national stage gets to respond in one of two ways.  1.  They completely decimate Frank Solich’s team.  They run out of ambulances and body bags.  The telephone lines are all busy due to all of the calls that need to be made to alert the next of kin.  Riots begin to flow onto the streets.  The citizens of Blacksburg become possessed with an anger that could only be described in the holiest of holy books.  People are getting torn limb from limb, buildings are crashing to the ground, dogs are training people to fight, bedlam just doesn’t describe the carnage that ensues.  Or 2. Ohio gives the Hokies all they can handle.  I know what you are thinking…There is no way #2 could ever happen.  Well, I am here to tell you that this VT game is circled on the Ohio schedule.  It may be circled to remind everyone to have an updated living will, or it may be circled to indicate the biggest game of the year for the Bobcats. 

Florida/Tennessee – How overrated is Florida?  Can Tennessee play defense?  Can Tennessee be successful in the swamp?  This could either be one for the ages, or over by the end of the first quarter.  Probably Florida in a rout, but it may be fun to watch anyway.

Louisville/Kentucky – Can the Cardinal defense stop a real Div. 1 offense?  How much is the side bet for Kentucky hanging another half-a-hundred up on someone?  Can Louisville get to 70 again?  If you like mass amounts of touchdowns, and a complete total disregard for playing defense, this may be your game. (next to the New Mexico State/Hawaii showdown) 

Arkansas/Alabama – Can Saban come up with a big win in his first big game at Alabama?  Can the overachieving Razorbacks keep that momentum going from last year?  What will bend?  What will break? 

Boston College/Georgia Tech - Can BC knock off the Yellow Jackets? Who will be the team to beat in the ACC.  Is GT as good as they seemed to be playing Notre Dame?  This will be a great test for the ACC elite.  Who would have thought that we would be saying BC and GT are the elite of the ACC over the likes of Miami and Florida State? 

And finally

USC/Nebraska – This game will put to rest many questions people have been asking.  Is USC deserving of the #1 spot on the polls?  Is Nebraska back to national prominence?  How good is USC’s offense?   Can Sam Keller shake off the rust from sitting out a year enough to lead the Cornhuskers to victory?  Is Pete Carroll, in fact, a man-god?  Has Callahan sold his soul to the devil?  This, like the FL/TN match-up, could be one for the ages, or it  could be a real stinker.  Whatever the case, it would seem that there is going to be a huge audience for this one.