(09-15-2014 12:55 PM)Shannon Panther Wrote: I think it was a net loss because the VT loss allows the narrative that we are FSU, Clemson, and 12 guys named Moe to continue. We need some consistency before we are going to get respect.
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I think you are being overly pessimistic here. To me if the ACC simply sustains the success it has had in the first three weeks this year is a big net plus for them. Why?
1. The Big 10 has fallen way behind in perception and this year is going to leave a scar that prevents the return of a favorable opinion for a few years.
2. B.C.'s victory over U.S.C. was huge. It buys the ACC a major advantage for 1 of those 4 slots and that amplifies in impact if U.S.C. wins the PAC. I'm not saying they will but they have already beaten Stanford one of the PAC's darlings. If they take care of the Arizona's and U.C.L.A. and that is not unlikely, then that victory solidly places the ACC in a position no worse than third in the power standings.
3. The round robin in the Big 12 is going to hurt them too. Texas (only in being a big name) has already lost twice and that has already damaged the Big 12 as it did last year. The Big 12 is 4-5 versus P5 schools with a couple of those wins over the Big 10. Should Auburn knock off Kansas State on Thursday the Big 12 really only has 1 true hope, Oklahoma. Yet history shows that even in years when Texas is down they can rise up for that game. Okie State is a rival. West Virginia could be catching them at the right time. OU had two nobody games and a victory over what is likely to be an improved but still bottom 1/4 of the SEC school. West Virginia has had two much tougher games with Maryland and Alabama. The pass was there for Tennessee all night, but their QB didn't make his reads. Trickett will be better than that. I say all of that to point out that if OU goes down and Texas loses a few as long as Baylor has a loss I think the situation actually vaults the ACC to 2nd place in the power standings.
Now for the downside which isn't really that bad.
1. Yes the Virginia Tech loss to ECU hurts. But if it opens the door for a resurgent Pitt or Syracuse to establish themselves or for North Carolina to emerge with a victory this weekend then the perception will switch from Virginia Tech being to weak to beat ECU, to one of balance and strength in what has been perceived as your dead division which last year was so bad that Duke won it. Understand Duke was a danged good football team, but if Vanderbilt had won the Eastern division of the SEC the same would have been said. The doormat tag lends to the perception that anytime such a school wins that the division they played in wreaked. But if Pitt or Syracuse, or U.N.C. win their division with only 1 loss to go up against an undefeated F.S.U. the perception will be that the ACC is getting stronger. And it is.
2. The worst thing that could happen to the ACC would be for Clemson to beat F.S.U. this weekend. Following the Georgia loss and Georgia's subsequent loss to South Carolina that would create in the minds of the nation an image of weakness in the ACC. Whereas a one loss Pitt, Syracuse, or North Carolina playing F.S.U. close in a championship game yields a perception of strength the same schools playing Clemson close after a Tiger's upset of the Noles would kill the perception of the conferences strength. Now that is unfair because anyone can have a lousy first game. There is a reason everyone wants a tuneup game. But the Georgia loss hurts Clemson and because of that could potentially hurt the ACC if Clemson wins Saturday.
Anyway, if F.S.U. wins and someone puts together a good run in the other division you guys will have had a helluva year for enhancing the public perception of the ACC.