ACC Roundtable Roundup

Unfortunately, the ACC Roundtable has lost some its luster the past couple weeks. Sort of like the ACC Coastal Division since the preseason. So far, here are the bloggers who have responded:

Ben Broman - Testudo Times | Winfield - FTRS | Brian - BCInterruption | Brandon Rink - ACCBlogger | Brendan - From Ol' Virginia | CGB - The Key Play | James - Riddick & Reynolds

Question #1: Half the regular season is now kaput. Has your team exceeded, met, or fell short of your preseason predictions?

Generally speaking, everyone was fairly disappointed outside of Maryland and NC State thus far this season. Brian @ BCI is questioning BC's bowl-hood already. Brandon Rink, ACC Blogger extraordinaire, said the following about the ACC:

Preseason, I said six final top 25 teams. Yeah, that’s not happening, but, FSU has emerged as a possible top 10 to 5 team that I didn’t see back in the dog days of summer without football. What’s funny is how after a month – I didn’t think my preseason picks of FSU vs. Virginia Tech were going to happen – and here in mid-October, they sit atop each division...But I say all that to say, yeah, fell short.

Question #2: The ACC finished the first half of the season 23-14 in out of conference play. If we took out the I-AA games, that'd be a lowly 12-13 record. If we took out the non-BCS squads, that'd be a 3-10 record against BCS opponents. If we further removed the Big East, we'd have ZERO wins in out of conference play and 9 losses against the SEC, Big 10, Pac 10, and Big 12... There are nine more out of conference games for the ACC including 6 games against BCS opponents. Is there any hope for rehabilitating the ACC's tarnished image?

Everyone is pointing towards the final weekend of the year as the ACC's Alamo. The Key Play says it best:

If the ACC can sweep the three remaining marquee games against the SEC: Clemson-South Carolina, Florida State-Florida and Georgia Tech-Georgia that'll go a long way in transforming our image from Nixon to Kennedy. And don't forget about bowl season.

However, Brian @ BCI has a very good counterpoint that perhaps the media is hatin' the player and should be hatin' the game (the scheduling game that is):

In all seriousness though, if you want to know why the ACC went 0-9 against the SEC, Big 10, Pac 10 and Big 12, look no further than the schedule. Of those nine non-conference games, six were on the road, one was a neutral site game, and just two were at home. Not to mention for one of those two home games -- Alabama at Duke -- the ACC didn't have a realistic shot of winning.

The ACC was the victim of some cruel scheduling fate where seven of their nine games against "BCS-Big East" competition in the first few weeks were played away from home. Other than Kansas, those other eight opponents will likely challenge for their conference's title (or may be a borderline BCS team in the case of Notre Dame). Five of those nine losses have come against teams currently ranked in the AP Top 10 -- Ohio State, Oklahoma, Auburn, Alabama, LSU.

Question #3: The Atlantic and Coastal divisions are knotted up at 5 wins a piece in interdivision play. Which division is better top to bottom?

Votes for the Coastal: 0...Atlantic: 3...Tie: 4...If we're talking democracy, the Atlantic wins. If we're talking a vote on the Senate floor, 4 abstentions would be a no decision. I'll give the Atlantic the edge like a points winner in boxing.

Question #4: Who is the ACC's first half of the season offensive MVP? Defensive MVP? Any comeback player of the year nominees or predictions for ACC Rookie of the Year?

Russell Wilson snatched up five of the seven Offensive MVP votes. Tyrod Taylor pulled two votes. The Defensive MVP was broken down as such: Luke Kuechly (2.5 votes), Da'Quan Bowers (2 votes), Jayron Hosley (1 vote), Nate Irving (1 vote), and Bruce Taylor (0.5 votes).

Comeback Player of the Year nominees were Mark Herzlich followed by Nate Irving, Darren Evans, and Keith Payne (UVA). Rookie of the Year nominees were Isaiah Johnson (GT), Tanner Price (Wake), Mustafa Greene (NCSU), and Joe Vellano (MD).

Question #5: What games are still circled on the schedule as must win games for your fan base and program?

Brendan of FOV hates VT almost as much as Winfield hates red velvet cake. He expresses his displeasure here:

I'm choking on the very words, but VT isn't an attainable goal just yet. During a rebuilding project you've got to see forward progress, and you've got to get the easy ones under your belt. That means EMU and Duke at a minimum. Maryland will be seen as winnable and nobody wants to lose that one at home. And it's hard to say whether or not UNC is out of reach at the moment, but there's a streak to protect.

The Key Play counters Brendan with a much more pointed and direct response:

Every single one of them, but Georgia Tech, @Miami and UVa are circled twice.

Question #6: Let's say your university invented a device capable of transporting one individual from your program's past. And then the machine would collapse into itself due to the sheer greatness of said individual. What one player from your long and storied history would you cherry pick to instantly upgrade your team?

This is list of NFL talent that could defeat any conference's "All Stars" in a flag football game of conference superiority. FOV chose D'Brickashaw Ferguson (2006 4th overall pick). Testudo Times chose Boomer Esiason (4X Pro Bowler). Winfield chose Calvin Johnson (2007 2nd overall pick). The Key Play chose Michael Vick (2001 1st overall pick). Riddick & Reynolds took Adrian Wilson (3X Pro Bowler). And BCI chose Atlanta Falcon lord and savior Matt Ryan (2008 3rd overall pick). That's 416 NFL career touchdowns, 12 Pro Bowl selections, and copious amounts of cash stock piled amongst 6 dudes.

Question #7: Now that you've seen ~29% of the scheduled ACC games, who will be in the 2010 ACC Championship Game?

FSU leads the pack with 6.5 votes. VT had 5.5 votes. Miami had 1 vote. GT and NC State had 0.5 votes. As Ben Broman states simply:

Florida State and Virginia Tech. FSU is the best team in the conference, and VT has regrouped. I'm taking FSU.

Thanks to all the bloggers who participated. Check out the links at the head of the article to read their full responses.