Spring Break
Week five: Ranking the Carolinas
Ronnie Woodward, Asst. Sports Editor
Issue date: 9/25/08 Section: Sports
1. Wake Forest
Record: 3-0
Last Week: Won at Florida State, 12-3
Wake Forest coach Jim Grobe said that he didn't know if his team has ever played as good of a defensive game as it did against the Seminoles last Saturday. Wake forced seven FSU turnovers and All-American kicker Sam Swank kicked four field goals, as the Deacons knocked off the Noles for the third-straight year. Ten years ago, if somebody would've told me that Wake Forest could beat Florida State three years in a row-in football-I would laugh hysterically. Believe it or not, Wake Forest currently has a better football program than Florida State, and easily the best program in the Carolinas.
2. Clemson
Record: 3-1
Last Week: Won vs. South Carolina State, 54-0
Clemson has beat up on inferior competition the past three weeks, but the Tigers will now have to prove that they can beat good teams-something they have yet to do this season. It starts this week when Maryland comes to town. After hosting the Terps, Clemson will play at Wake Forest, host Georgia Tech and then play Boston College and Florida State on the road. Check back in a couple of weeks to see how good this Tommy Bowden-led team is, because you never really know with the group down in Death Valley.
3. ECU
Record: 3-1
Last Week: Lost at N.C. State, 30-24
The Pirates suffer the biggest dip in this poll after losing to bitter-rival N.C. State last Saturday in Raleigh. For the second-straight year, ECU was outplayed by N.C. State despite being the better team. The burning question now is, how will the Pirates respond after such a disheartening loss? They haven't played well since the two emotional wins to start the season. The next couple of weeks should indicate which direction this team will go from here.
4. North Carolina
Record: 2-1
Last Week: Lost vs. Virginia Tech, 20-17
Record: 3-0
Last Week: Won at Florida State, 12-3
Wake Forest coach Jim Grobe said that he didn't know if his team has ever played as good of a defensive game as it did against the Seminoles last Saturday. Wake forced seven FSU turnovers and All-American kicker Sam Swank kicked four field goals, as the Deacons knocked off the Noles for the third-straight year. Ten years ago, if somebody would've told me that Wake Forest could beat Florida State three years in a row-in football-I would laugh hysterically. Believe it or not, Wake Forest currently has a better football program than Florida State, and easily the best program in the Carolinas.
2. Clemson
Record: 3-1
Last Week: Won vs. South Carolina State, 54-0
Clemson has beat up on inferior competition the past three weeks, but the Tigers will now have to prove that they can beat good teams-something they have yet to do this season. It starts this week when Maryland comes to town. After hosting the Terps, Clemson will play at Wake Forest, host Georgia Tech and then play Boston College and Florida State on the road. Check back in a couple of weeks to see how good this Tommy Bowden-led team is, because you never really know with the group down in Death Valley.
3. ECU
Record: 3-1
Last Week: Lost at N.C. State, 30-24
The Pirates suffer the biggest dip in this poll after losing to bitter-rival N.C. State last Saturday in Raleigh. For the second-straight year, ECU was outplayed by N.C. State despite being the better team. The burning question now is, how will the Pirates respond after such a disheartening loss? They haven't played well since the two emotional wins to start the season. The next couple of weeks should indicate which direction this team will go from here.
4. North Carolina
Record: 2-1
Last Week: Lost vs. Virginia Tech, 20-17
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