N&O’s college football picks for North Carolina schools, Florida State vs Louisville
Well, well, well, how the turntables … er .. at any rate, if North Carolina’s ACC schools can take a 2-0 (or 3-0) victory lap, your chronicler can take a lap of honor for the only perfect 7-0 record among The News & Observer’s experts last week, even if he’s still a game back in the overall standings.
“Take your wins where you can get them” is always good advice, duly applied so far by N.C. State and North Carolina after their narrow escapes. If Vegas is right, all four should move to 3-0, and is it really possible that five months after Duke and UNC finally met in the Final Four we’ve segued straight into the best collective football season in Big Four history? (Never mind Appalachian State or East Carolina or N.C. Central, all of which have reason for optimism from the early returns.) Something something these unprecedented times.
Rather than perpetrate some lame joke about how UNC’s defense will find a way to give up a big play on its day off, listen to our latest ACC Now podcast episode breaking down the Tar Heels’ first three games, for better and for worse.
Texas Tech at N.C. State: When these teams played in Lubbock in 2002, Philip Rivers and Kliff Kingsbury — whatever happened to those guys, anyway? — combined for 574 passing yards, which seemed like a lot back then but is now what you see in the second quarter of an unremarkable Thursday night second-tier Big 12 game. If Devin Leary has really shaken off his opening-game struggles, that kind of shootout could be in the cards Saturday.
It’s been 19 years since the Wolfpack won the return game in Raleigh, but N.C. State has won four straight over the Red Raiders under three different coaches: Dick Sheridan, Mike O’Cain and Chuck Amato. N&O consensus: Dave Doeren makes it five straight by four
North Carolina A&T at Duke: This game was the moment for Duke, last season, when it became clear that the magic David Cutcliffe had conjured in Durham was truly and utterly gone. Watching A&T drive down the field with impunity, Cutcliffe joined the (few) Duke fans in attendance in a surrender cobra, hands on his head, disbelieving look on his face. Duke came back to win, but that moment of helplessness would linger for months.
New coach, new era, new attitude, new excitement, same dangerous opponent. Whatever sins A&T committed in losing to N.C. Central, it can atone for those by derailing Duke’s resurgence under Mike Elko. N&O consensus: Duke aggrieves the Aggies
Liberty at Wake Forest: There may not be a football fan base in the state as quick to react to real or perceived slights than Wake Forest, where ESPN is out to get the Deacons, App State is stealing their thunder and a noon start against Clemson is an unspeakable travesty for some reason.
Hey, at least they care. There were decades when no one did. Living well is always the best revenge and the Deacons keep taking care of business where it matters, on the field. N&O consensus: Wake wins, but still gets super upset about something someone says on “GameDay”
N.C. Central at New Hampshire: Another in-state school off to a 2-0 start, the Eagles have passed every test so far. They took care of A&T in Charlotte, and handily. They never flinched against Winston-Salem State. Now they get another 2-0 team in their first true road game, leaving Durham, N.C., to travel to Durham, N.H. N&O consensus: Pick a Durham, any Durham
Campbell at East Carolina: The Camels are on the rise as they wrap up their time in the Big South and await their move up to the Colonial, but Campbell is 0-6 against FBS teams since becoming a scholarship program. The Pirates should have no trouble making it seven. N&O consensus: Holton Ahlers puts up video-game numbers on the Humps
Troy at Appalachian State: It’s fun being the underdog, right? No expectations, playing with house money. In some ways you can’t lose even when you lose. (Sure does feel like the zeitgeist has reversed the result of the UNC game for narrative purposes.) Now the Mountaineers must assume the mantle of favorite amid unprecedented hype. “GameDay” didn’t show up on campus after App beat Michigan. N&O consensus: A good day for the Mountaineers … and the Watauga County ABC
Florida State at Louisville: Speaking of App State, maybe Scott Satterfield should have stayed in Boone rather than entering a codependent relationship with the ACC’s most dysfunctional family. Losing to Syracuse is no way to go through life, nor is squeaking past Central Florida when you have Malik Cunningham at QB. A Thursday night home loss to the Seminoles might finally crack the thin ice Satterfield has been on since openly flirting with South Carolina. It would also offer more evidence that FLORIDA STATE IS BACK! N&O consensus: Florida State may indeed be back? For real? At least a little?
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