Spring Break
Week eight: Ranking the Carolinas
Ronnie Woodward, Asst. Sports Editor
Issue date: 10/23/08 Section: Sports
1. South Carolina
Record: 5-3
Last Week: Lost vs. LSU, 24-17
Ranking the Carolinas takes a page from the BCS book, and puts South Carolina at the top despite losing to Georgia last Saturday. USC has lost to LSU, Georgia and Vanderbilt-all ranked teams, and all by a touchdown. Realistically, a 5-3 USC team that has survived brutal schedule is more attractive than a 5-2 UNC team with its best win coming against Notre Dame. This ranking is more about the future than the past. The Gamecocks are headed in the right direction and finding players on offense; in contrast, the Heels have lost two of their best players on offense and are headed in the opposite direction.
2. North Carolina
Record: 5-2
Last Week: Lost at Virginia, 16-13
The ghost of Scott Stadium haunted UNC once again last Saturday, as Virginia extended its home winning streak over the Heels to 14 with a 16-13 victory. Brandon Tate was the best player in the ACC. UNC just isn't the same team without him. The good news is UNC returns home this week to face Boston College, who just beat Virginia Tech. Logic should tell you that UNC will play with revenge on its mind, and BC will be playing on a letdown.
3. Wake Forest
Record: 4-2
Last Week: Lost at Maryland, 26-0
Wake Forest losing to Maryland last Saturday wasn't a huge shocker, but getting stomped 26-0 was. The Deacons, who were ranked 21st in the nation, were shutout for the first time in 124 games. They only ran for 73 yards, while allowing 470 yards of offense to Maryland. Wake quarterback Riley Skinner told the Associated Press, "I don't really know what happened out there. … we just did not play good." Skinner is in the same boat as everyone else who follows college football, in reference to understanding what happened to Wake in this game.
4. Duke
Record: 3-3
Last Week: Lost vs. Miami, 49-31
Duke edges out ECU for the fourth spot-suddenly the Blue Devils' 31-3 thrashing of Virginia a couple weeks ago looks better and better. At the same time, ECU's wins over Virginia Tech and West Virginia are starting to lose their luster-which keeps Duke ahead of the Pirates. Against Miami, Duke led by 10 points early in the second half, but the Hurricanes' freshman quarterback Jacory Harris accounted for five touchdowns in the comeback victory. This game was probably more of a Miami moment than a Duke letdown, but you have to wonder about the Blue Devils-who have lost two-straight after starting the season 3-1.
5. ECU
Record: 4-3
Last Week: Won vs. Memphis, 30-10
You have to take the Pirates' win over Memphis with a grain of salt. Yes, ECU needed the win, but saying that Memphis was playing shorthanded would be quite an understatement. The Tigers lost their starting quarterback on their first offensive play of the game, and the backup quarterback shortly after that-and still led 7-0 and 10-7 at the half. In the second half, ECU took advantage of a Memphis offense --which was playing with a walk-on at quarterback--cruising to the 30-10 win. The Pirates needed this win, but they will also need another one to move up in these rankings.
This writer can be contacted at sports@theeastcarolinian.com.
Record: 5-3
Last Week: Lost vs. LSU, 24-17
Ranking the Carolinas takes a page from the BCS book, and puts South Carolina at the top despite losing to Georgia last Saturday. USC has lost to LSU, Georgia and Vanderbilt-all ranked teams, and all by a touchdown. Realistically, a 5-3 USC team that has survived brutal schedule is more attractive than a 5-2 UNC team with its best win coming against Notre Dame. This ranking is more about the future than the past. The Gamecocks are headed in the right direction and finding players on offense; in contrast, the Heels have lost two of their best players on offense and are headed in the opposite direction.
2. North Carolina
Record: 5-2
Last Week: Lost at Virginia, 16-13
The ghost of Scott Stadium haunted UNC once again last Saturday, as Virginia extended its home winning streak over the Heels to 14 with a 16-13 victory. Brandon Tate was the best player in the ACC. UNC just isn't the same team without him. The good news is UNC returns home this week to face Boston College, who just beat Virginia Tech. Logic should tell you that UNC will play with revenge on its mind, and BC will be playing on a letdown.
3. Wake Forest
Record: 4-2
Last Week: Lost at Maryland, 26-0
Wake Forest losing to Maryland last Saturday wasn't a huge shocker, but getting stomped 26-0 was. The Deacons, who were ranked 21st in the nation, were shutout for the first time in 124 games. They only ran for 73 yards, while allowing 470 yards of offense to Maryland. Wake quarterback Riley Skinner told the Associated Press, "I don't really know what happened out there. … we just did not play good." Skinner is in the same boat as everyone else who follows college football, in reference to understanding what happened to Wake in this game.
4. Duke
Record: 3-3
Last Week: Lost vs. Miami, 49-31
Duke edges out ECU for the fourth spot-suddenly the Blue Devils' 31-3 thrashing of Virginia a couple weeks ago looks better and better. At the same time, ECU's wins over Virginia Tech and West Virginia are starting to lose their luster-which keeps Duke ahead of the Pirates. Against Miami, Duke led by 10 points early in the second half, but the Hurricanes' freshman quarterback Jacory Harris accounted for five touchdowns in the comeback victory. This game was probably more of a Miami moment than a Duke letdown, but you have to wonder about the Blue Devils-who have lost two-straight after starting the season 3-1.
5. ECU
Record: 4-3
Last Week: Won vs. Memphis, 30-10
You have to take the Pirates' win over Memphis with a grain of salt. Yes, ECU needed the win, but saying that Memphis was playing shorthanded would be quite an understatement. The Tigers lost their starting quarterback on their first offensive play of the game, and the backup quarterback shortly after that-and still led 7-0 and 10-7 at the half. In the second half, ECU took advantage of a Memphis offense --which was playing with a walk-on at quarterback--cruising to the 30-10 win. The Pirates needed this win, but they will also need another one to move up in these rankings.
This writer can be contacted at sports@theeastcarolinian.com.
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