Terps QB Chris Turner has no idea what's in store for him as he addresses the media last Tuesday. Photo courtesy Adam Fried/ The Diamondback
If you were an ACC football fan and you didn’t already have a massive headache from that miserable Kenny Chesney song ESPN thought would get you pumped up, the way the conference played as a whole this weekend surely did the trick.
That being said, the fact that only two teams defeated BCS opponents and two teams lost to FCS opponents might be just what the doctor ordered for some clever yet thoughtful analysis from a fleet of sports writers.
The voting was a lot closer this week at the top, but it was nearly unanimous at the bottom.
Read on to find out where the Terps cracked the list of 12, and to see who made the biggest jump, who suffered the biggest plunge, and who is our newly-crowned cellar dweller.
1. Virginia Tech (Last week -1):
Yeah, they lost to Alabama despite having multiple chances to win one of the biggest games of the weekend. And yeah, the Hokies’ offense looked horribly ineffective at times. But this is still the most well-coached group in the conference and with the talent on defense, the best team. – Aaron Kraut
2. Georgia Tech (Last week – 3): RB Jonathan Dwyer looks like a legitimate shot to repeat as ACC POY, and QB Josh Nesbitt seems to have a better grasp of the flexbone offense. But I will still reserve my judgement for when they host Clemson this Thursday in what should be a marquee match-up. – Michael Lemaire
3. Miami (Last week – 6): A win at No. 18 Florida State shows the ‘Canes have an immense amount of potential this season. Look for them to earn a spot in the Top 25 this week. -Jakob Engelke
4. Florida State (Last week – 2): They might have lost to Miami, but at least they came prepared to play, which is more than any of the other ACC teams can say about their first games. – Kate Yanchulis
5. Clemson (Last week – 5): Beat Middle Tennessee State 37-14 in the opener. I shouldn’t have to remind you who from the ACC the Blue Raiders embarrassed last season. – Jakob Engelke
6. North Carolina (Last week- 4): The ACC’s Carolina-based teams must have held a lottery for the right to clobber The Citadel. UNC got the honor and the 34-point win. – Eric Detweiler
7. North Carolina State (Last week – 7): If RB Toney Baker doesn’t fumble early in the game, and WR Jay Smith catches the touchdown that hit him right between the numbers, people would be talking about the Wolfpack’s defense, not their lack of offense. – Michael Lemaire
8. Boston College (Last week – 10): The offensive production against Northeastern Saturday was impressive. But how long will the quarterback rotation hold up against some of their tougher opponents? – Kate Yanchulis
9. Wake Forest (Last week – 8): Has QB Riley Skinner improved at all in his four years in Winston-Salem? – Adi Joseph
10. Maryland (Last week – 9): For now I am going to take coach Ralph Friedgen at his word and believe the Terps have better days ahead. – Aaron Kraut
11. Duke (Last week – 12): A season-opening loss is what the Blue Devils deserve for scheduling defending FCS champion Richmond Spiders. – Eric Detweiler
12. Virginia (Last week – 11): Send coaching applications to the University of Virginia Athletic Department, Charlottesville, Va. – Kate Yanchulis