Category Archives: College Football

ACC, College Football, Uncategorized

ACC Bowl Projections – 2019

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It’s National Signing Day! The day when your favorite football program signs the key players who will carry your team to success … probably two or three years from now if they haven’t transferred or been buried in the depth chart by then. But jokes aside, there’s plenty of statistical evidence to show that recruiting translates into results on the field, so there are plenty of reasons for fans to be excited about the players committing to their programs today. So what can you expect from your new guys?

2019 Bowl Projections

College Football Playoff: Florida State AND Clemson

Yep, we’re calling it right now. Two top 10 recruiting classes (again) will put two ACC teams in the playoff. The Noles and Tigers combined for two 5-stars and 25 4-stars, including a handful of some of the top players in the country. Florida State probably had a better day than Clemson, but both classes are extremely impressive.

Orange Bowl: Miami

Miami had a fairly small class, but still managed to pull in 9 four-star recruits in Mark Richt’s first signing day in Coral Gables. 247 ranks Miami’s class 23rd in the nation, so we’re expecting Miami fans to make their first trip to Sun Life Stadium to see the Canes in the 2019 Orange Bowl.

Russell Athletic Bowl: Duke

For the first time in the history of the world, Duke’s football recruiting class is ranked higher than their basketball team. With the 5th best class in the conference according to 247, the Blue Devils’ ranking smashes their previous best finish of 11th in the ACC as Duke brings in a nice mix of talent. Wide receiver Scott Bracey is a steal, and 12th year Senior Kelby Brown will provide veteran leadership to the defense.

Belk Bowl: North Carolina

Larry Fedora signed a huge 24 player class this year, including a key win by flipping in-state 4-star quarterback Chazz Surratt from Duke to North Carolina. Surratt was the 2015 NC player of the year, and will also play basketball for the Tar Heels. Overall, it’s a strong haul for Fedora, although it is a drop from what the previous coaching staff was able to accomplish during the women’s basketball scandal years.

Pinstripe Bowl: Pitt

Pat Narduzzi did significant work on signing day, leapfrogging both Duke and UNC in the 247 rankings with late additions. It will be interesting to see what Pitt’s new coach will be able to do with this group after Narduzzi suddenly leaves following the 2016 season.

Tinder Bowl: Louisville

With two 4-stars and 18 3-stars, Louisville is a long-term lock for Pool 1 bowls like this one, formerly the TaxSlayer Bowl. Plus, if there really is a Tinder Bowl in 2019, Louisville is probably a lock no matter how well they did on signing day.

Sun Bowl: Virginia Tech

The Hokies slipped a bit on signing day by losing some key battles, but no one can take fringe recruits and coach them up for success like Justin Fuente.

Military Bowl: NC State

Dave Doeren wasn’t able to follow up his monster haul from 2015, but a 23-player class with some solid depth is good enough as the “Three stars in three stripes” army will head to Annapolis for the patriotic Military Bowl. Randy Moss’ kid will win the Heisman though.

Independence Bowl: Wake Forest

BREAK UP THE DEACS!  19 3-stars, including a couple of big wins down the signing day stretch have Wake Forest looking towards the post-season. Taleni Suhren is one of the most underrated offensive linemen in the country, and Dave Clawson used the word “versatile” to describe every player at a skill position, so the 22-man class is really like a 50-man class.

Not bowl eligible:

Georgia Tech

UVA

Syracuse

Boston College*

Notre Dame*

* Boston College was relegated from the ACC in 2017

** Upon joining the league as a full member in 2018, Notre Dame’s athletic program completely fell apart in the span of a few months.

 

College Football

ACC Bowl TV Ratings 2015

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There’s no better reflection of a football program’s health and popularity than TV ratings, and the numbers are in for the 2015/16 bowl season. Remember, networks and time slots have nothing to do  with these figures. It’s 100% based on the perception of your favorite football team. Impacts recruiting too. And bowl selection for next season.

  1. National championship – Clemson (26.18M), 1st overall
  2. Orange Bowl – Clemson (15.64M), 3rd overall
  3. Peach Bowl – FSU (5.6M), 11th overall
  4. Music City – Louisville (5.2M), 12th overall
  5. Sun Bowl – Miami (4.7M), 14th overall
  6. Russell Athletic – UNC (4.2M), 16th overall
  7. Pinstripe Bowl – Duke (3.8M), 18th overall
  8. Belk Bowl – NC State (3.5M), 21st overall
  9. Independence – Virginia Tech (3.4M), 22nd overall
  10. Military Bowl – Pitt (2.2M), 28th overall
ACC, College Football, Duke Blue Devils, Florida State, NC State, UNC, Uncategorized, Virginia, Wake Forest

ACC Football Schedule: 2016 ACC Network Game of the Week Predictions

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With the release of the ACC football schedule, we are parsing through every minute detail of the schedule.

Today we bring you the best guess prediction as to which teams will be featured throughout the year in the most prestigious timeslot/channel available…the noonish Raycom spot!

September 3- Villanova @ Pitt
September 10- Troy @ Clemson
September 17- Boston College @ Virginia Tech
September 24- Pitt @ UNC
October 1- Wake Forest @ NC State
October 8- Syracuse @ Wake Forest
October 15- Wake Forest @ Florida State
October 22- NC State @ Louisville
October 29- Boston College @ NC State
November 5- Virginia Tech @ Duke
November 12- NC State @ Syracuse
November 19- Virginia @ Georgia Tech
November 26- Duke @ Miami

Stay tuned to SportsChannel8 for more breakdown of the ACC football schedule and read our initial thoughts on the ACC schedule here.

ACC, College Football

ACC Football Schedule Released: Odds and Ends

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  • The ACC released the full schedule for the 2016 football season. The official release can be found here.
  • Miami will play four games against North Carolina schools this year with away games versus Appalachian State and NC State, and home games against Coastal rivals UNC and Duke. The Hurricanes would like to add Charlotte to their NC itinerary, but the 49ers simply don’t have room on their schedule.

 

 

 

  • SC8 sources obtained the list of the six denied requests:
    • NC State requested UNC’s non-conference schedule.
    • UNC requested to move all of their games before the anticipated May release of NCAA sanctions.
    • Duke requested to move the November 5th home game versus Virginia Tech to Blacksburg.
    • Wake Forest requested historical reenactments of the 2006 season in place of live football games.
    • NC State requested a bye week following the Notre Dame/Clemson/Louisville stretch to break in their interim head coach.
    • All of Duke’s opponents requested to play them in basketball instead.
  • UNC will host NC State on Friday, November 25th, and the game will likely kick off at noon. That’s not even a joke. Like, seriously. It’s probably a noon game.
  • NC State plays nine consecutive games, with the 9th and final game coming on a short week versus UNC. Y’all have a legitimate beef with that one, but you certainly don’t need our permission to complain about the schedule.
  • Duke’s last five games come against Coastal opponents, so we’re guaranteed of “Duke controls its own destiny” talk until at least October 28th.
  • UNC plays Georgia and Florida State in the first five games, so we’ll be robbed of “UNC should be ranked higher” debate when the first CFP polls are released. The Heels will be ranked appropriately, one way or the other.
  • Wake Forest will have two extra days to prepare for Duke as they open the season on a Thursday night versus Tulane, and don’t have “top” back-to-back opponents until Louisville and Clemson towards the end of the year. Six wins are certainly in play with Virginia as their Coastal crossover game.
  • Three Coastal teams, Duke, UNC and Miami, have bye weeks before the Georgia Tech game.
  • Two teams, Louisville and Georgia Tech, have bye weeks before the Duke game.
  • No teams have a bye week before playing NC State.
  • Virginia Tech has a bye week before playing North Carolina.
  • There are 5 games featuring North Carolina schools in non-conference action
    • Duke vs. NCCU
    • Virginia Tech vs. ECU
    • NC State vs. ECU
    • Miami vs. Appalachian State
    • Louisville vs. Charlotte
College Football

College Football 2016 – A Way Too Early Look at NC Hot Takes

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You want early pre-season top 25 polls? Go somewhere else. We have your “way too early” pre-season hot takes you can expect to have crammed down your throughout 2016.

UNC Still Doesn’t Play Anybody

Sure, there’s the opener against overrated Georgia from the weak SEC East with a brand new coach, but after that, Illinois and two FCS schools? Again? Freaking play somebody. And wait until State fans realize that The Citadel game is right before the finale against the Wolfpack. Is UNC really trending upwards, or is the schedule just so laughably weak that it seems like they are?

ECU Done Messed Up

You fire Ruff and hire a guy who’s never been a head coach and had marginal results as an offensive coordinator at Duke? Oh by the way, you only interviewed him because his former boss floated a glowing recommendation out there to find a place for him that wasn’t on his staff? Congrats, Pirates. You’re heading into AAC play with a 1-3 record after losing to State, South Carolina, and Virginia Tech.

Duke Done Messed Up

You send Scottie Montgomery packing to Greenville and now he’s getting coach of the year buzz after starting 4-0 with wins against NC State, South Carolina, and Virginia Tech? Meanwhile your offense is still throwing 4 yard outs on 3rd and 8. Way to go, Cutcliffe.

#FireDoeren

Good call firing your offensive coordinator while your defense is still getting shredded every weekend. Wonder if it’s time for Debbie to make a mid-season move after Doeren starts the season 2-4. Wonder if it’s time for Debbie to go, actually.

How’s Life in the Atlantic Treating You?

Oh it’s not so easy playing Louisville and Florida State, is it, Duke and UNC? Try doing that every year and see if you ever win a division.

What Were You Saying About the Atlantic?

UNC and Duke go on the road to upset highly ranked FSU and Louisville, respectively, while NC State gets drilled by Miami? Maybe the problem isn’t your division, NC State. Maybe it’s your sorry football team.

Way to Sign That Huge Extension, Tar Heels

Pretty different with a target on your back and without your senior quarterback, Fedora. Not even that weak non-conference schedule can get you back to a good bowl. Enjoy seven more years of Shreveport.

Way to Sign That Huge Extension, Tar Heels

Back-to-back double-digit wins and the most exciting offense in college football? Yeah, the sleeping giant is wide awake. Fedora could have any job he wants, but he’s locked up in Chapel Hill and he’s going after that crystal football.

Way to Sign That Huge Extension, Fedora

More scholarship losses and a multi-year post-season ban thanks to your cheating-ass administration and you could be head coach at Texas A&M right now. Solid career move.

Move Over Duke, Wake is Back

4-0 in non-conference and a few ACC wins to get the Deacs back into the post-season while Duke has to fight to get to 6 wins? Yeah, it was fun while it lasted, but the Deacs are back as THE private school football program in NC.

Stanford of the East, Y’all

A top 25 class on signing day in February ’16, five straight Pool I bowls, four straight winning seasons, back-to-back bowl wins … hi haters, it’s Duke Football.

College Football

UNC Coach Larry Fedora to Join ESPN Film Room

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UNC head football coach Larry Fedora will join ESPN’s panel of coaches for the popular “Film Room” alternate feed during the National Championship game between Clemson and Alabama. For your viewing pleasure, we’re providing you with a “Larry Fedora Bingo Card”.

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College Football, UNC

Russell Athletic Bowl: By The Numbers

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The Dab is dead: Long live the RAB.

Covering this bowl game was simple from jumpstreet – it’s all about the numbers. And since SC8 is your home for catchy and innovative reporting, here’s the “By the Numbers” rundown of UNC v Baylor in this year’s Russell Athletic Bowl.

427: Hours spent driving from SC8 Headquarters to Orlando.

419: hours spent driving in South Carolina traffic on I95 South. Related: Walterboro may be the single most decrepit town in America.

3: consecutive Mariah Carey songs played after last call by the Pour House, in an attempt to get UNC fans to leave.

2: Free tickets left at Will Call for SC8 Correspondent. The perks of working for a world-renowned media outlet are quite numerous. (Serious shoutout to Matt at @RussellAthBowl for the generosity)

0: Dollars allocated for ticket expenses by previously aforementioned media outlet

7: Minutes on a 6-person Golf Cart shuttle from The Harry Buffalo downtown to the stadium. The ride in looked much like some of the montage shots from The First 48.

82: number of beer vendors standing right inside the gate offering to help you with a beverage the moment you get inside. Touche, Russell Athletic Bowl staffing.

4: Line at kickoff (UNC favored)

80: temperature at kickoff. SC8 Weather Correspondent, Moose, was unavailable to report due to a cowbell-related illness.

82: official colors of Baylor apparel. They’re like Oregon Lite.

62: number of guys on Baylor roster with seemingly sub-4.4 speed. They’re like Oregon Lite.

1: Branch Davidian/David Koresh taunts from a very intelligent UNC fan.

1: number of folks in attendance who got the above reference.

0: Baylor first half punts. The only appearance of their punter was to draw a 5-yard penalty for running into the kicker by Carolina.

23: number of different expletives shouted by UNC fans nearby as it became clear that Baylor had no intention of passing.

0 (again): answers UNC defense had for Baylor’s refusal to throw the football

9,492: Unofficial total rush yards by the Bears in the game. We’re still waiting for confirmation of this number from UNC Sports Information. We reached out to Baylor to confirm, but their answering machine message was just a Merle Haggard song on loop.

1: Number of injuries to UNC receiver Chip Kelly, as reported and mocked by a member of the Wolfpack Radio network.

17-10: final score, according to t-shirts being sold outside stadium.

37: hours after deadline that this game story was filed to SC8 editors

Congratulations to the Baylor Bears for a solid gameplan. We’re just assuming everyone in Waco has either blinding speed or is 6’5″ and 320 lbs.  Additional props to the Tar Heels for a solid season.

Promotional consideration paid for by: Uber, the Crowne Plaza Orlando, Panino’s Pizza, that Rickshaw guy who pedaled us back downtown, and the Russell Athletic Bowl.