Read Loyal Homer and Bleacher Fan’s argument for their most important game of the upcoming 2009 college football season.
If you’re a loyal reader of The Sports Debates (and why wouldn’t you be?) you may recall our recent questioning of the Big East as a football conference and whether or not they deserved an automatic BCS bowl game for their conference champion. That topic generated a great deal of additional debate after the verdict was rendered, and the primary argument from those defending the honor of the Big East was that the ACC sucks too, so, lay off the Big East. While I still do not believe that is a valid argument within the context of the Big East-BCS debate (e.g. “that other guy punched someone in the face so I can punch someone in the face, too”), it is fair to call into question how deserving the ACC is. The facts indicate that the ACC has struggled for respect as a football conference. They have performed below expectations in BCS games, selecting the conference winner is not important enough for fans to actually attend the championship game, and since Florida State’s precipitous fall from grace (both on and off the field) the conference has lacked true leadership from a dominant team.
This season, 2009, is the season that turns that around for the ACC. That’s why the most important game in college football’s 2009 season is on October 17th when Georgia Tech hosts Virginia Tech. These two teams are the best in the Coastal Division, with the best offense and defense in the entire league, respectively. In fact, Georgia Tech’s offense and Virginia Tech’s defense were the talk of the ACC’s media week… and with good reason.
The Rambin’ Wreck are destroying defenses with a “fresh” offensive look, as engineered by second year head coach Paul Johnson (you know, the coach that turned Navy into a respectable team). When executed properly, it is a very difficult offense to stop – especially with all-ACC running backs like the stocky and powerful Jonathan Dwyer and the lightning fast Roddy Jones. Bruising backups Anthony Allen and Lucas Cox, combined with the quick Marcus Wright and Embry Peoples, make for the deepest backfield in all of college football. Any combination of those runners may be in the game at the same time, and all have big play potential. Plus the triple option is a tough offense to prepare for (especially considering I did not even mention quarterback Josh Nesbitt). The media writes entire articles only on a team getting READY to play this offense. (Something to watch for: the triple option may be to the ACC what the spread offense is to the SEC. If teams have a hard time stopping it, look for more teams to run it in the near future.)
The decidedly unenviable task of stopping this multi-faceted attack falls to the Virginia Tech defense, led by the great defensive coordinator Bud Foster. Foster’s defenses are known for toughness and discipline (that whole lunch pail thing), and he’ll need to coach up every last element of each for the Hokies to outlast the Yellow Jackets. The inclination to make a play on defense is a sure-fire way for a player to overrun an option play. Foster must teach discipline and focus in addition to the usual toughness that all of his defenses have. Last year’s defense finished the season with a BCS bowl win over Cincinnati and ranked seventh overall in team defense (ninth in scoring, 14th in rushing and 16th in passing). If any defense can take on the increasingly seasoned triple option attack at Georgia Tech, it’s the Hokies’.
Power in the ACC will shift with the outcome of this game. If Georgia Tech wins, the triple option is the story of the season in the ACC and Georgia Tech is positioning itself as the conference superpower. If Virginia Tech wins, they will further cement their status as the ACC’s benchmark for success and the league’s domain team.
Last year Virginia Tech hosted the game in Blacksburg and won by a field goal. This year the Hokies must go on the road and play in Atlanta in the thick of their ACC conference schedule. This crucial game is sandwiched between Boston College and North Carolina. If the Hokies win, it is a big time, legitimate win on a national scale.
Not only will this be an excellent and compelling matchup within the first six weeks of the season, this game has extremely important ramifications. The winner could go on to dominate the conference and win a BCS bowl game. For the ACC to regain a modicum of respect amongst the college football elite teams and talking heads, they need to field at least one dominant program. No pundit or fan buys the idea that the ACC suffers from excessive balance. The oft-talked balance looks a whole like mediocrity. This game could change the critical tone.
Bottom line, if the ACC proves itself worthy, college football as a whole improves. Sure, Texas will be good, Florida will be good, Oklahoma and Oklahoma State will draw attention, BYU could spoil the BCS party, and Ohio State or Penn State could earn respect this season. But, we all know those teams are good, and will be good for years to come. This is a pivotal year for the ACC as a football conference. They need to earn respect now. Planting the seeds of respect this year will catapult the ACC to respectability. That’s why the “Battle of the Techs” is the most important game in college football this year. It may potentially sound the football death knell for a long established conference, or bring the fight back to the ACC, and respect back to the gridiron – instead of just being the South’s OTHER conference.
If the ACC wants to up their credentials, they can do it opening weekend. If N.C. State beats South Carolina, and Virginia Tech can beat Alabama, then people will look at the ACC differently. But if the ACC loses these two games, then the ACC will have already lost the national interest of a game in mid-October.
I totally agree that the other two are big games. I hink a game at the start of season could have a moderate impact on the season. It’s the 2nd week of the season: UCLA vs. Tennessee. For UCLA, a win could catapult them to a strong season and possibly a bowl berth. If UCLA wins this game, I expect them to start 4-0. This would also help Rick Neiheusal’s case for recruiting in southern California. I think this is a must win game for Tennessee. It’s time for Lane Kiffin to speak with his coaching and not with his mouth. Last year, a loss to UCLA sent UT in a tailspin and led to the firing of Phil Fulmer. At least, Phil could use cross-country travel as an excuse. This game will be played in Knoxville, in front of a bunch of overzealous fans. Lane Kiffin can not afford to lose this game, because waiting in the shadows of the next week is Urban Meyer’s Gators. If Tennessee starts 1-2, they’ll already be some rumblings in east Tennessee.
Another game to keep a watch one in week two, is Michigan and Notre Dame. Both coaches were expected to be turn-around their programs. A win for Notre Dame leaves Michigan fans scratching their heads. A win for Michigan just totally intensifies Charlie Weis’ hot seat.
Thanks for the comment, Seezy, but I think you totally overestimate South Carolina. Why does everyone seem to consider them elite? Spurrier has done NOTHING there, and they are not an elite SEC team. NC State beating them is nothing more than a mid-tier game by two mid-tier programs – nothing significant. Alabama-VT could be interesting. But, if VT goes 11-1 and wins their BCS bowl game, with the “1″ being a loss opening weekend to Alabama, the ACC is not devalued. People will pay attention.
Neither UCLA or Tennessee have any expectations for this season, so it’ll be interesting to judge that game on the long view.
So, would you argue that the most important games are taking place between coaches/programs that are trying to salvage themselves, rather than make a statement?
First, I am not overestimating South Carolina. I rank them as mid-teir as North Carolina State. But regardless of teams, it is an SEC-ACC game on a primetime Thursday night AND is the opening game of the year. So it will have more people watching than it should. Combine that with a huge SEC-ACC matchup later in the weekend. If ACC wins two games from the SEC, it will open some eyes. In contrast, a great game between two top ACC teams does nothing to bolster the overall credentials of the ACC, which was debated it could help. The ACC has to win games outside of their conference on a consistent basis to gain respect. Opening weekend is a good place to start.
I would not argue that. I think the Oklahoma-Texas matchup is the most important game going in. And it was supposed to be the biggest game last year, except the winner of it wasn’t the team that made the BCS championship. USC and Ohio State will be a big game, though I think Ohio State has made enough statements or lack thereof. But based on preseason talk, I look at a pool of teams that will decide the MNC: florida, oklahoma, texas and USC. I think 2 of those 4 will be in it, so every game featuring one of those teams are more important than all others.
Fair point about the visibility of the NCSU-South Carolina game.
My point about the ACC is that they need a hated team. They need a juggernaut to be respected. Both Tech’s are on the cusp of earning those honors. If the winner of that game can win out and defeat a good BCS bowl team in the process, the ACC is back on the upswing. Virginia Tech-Georgia Tech is the only game that provides that fulcrum for the conference going into the season – a non-conference game cannot do that. I agree that non-conference games do help gauge how good a team is, but it is something that is best judged in retrospect. Non-conference games are not the sole barometer for the quality of a given team, either. Here’s why: the ACC was 41-17 against non-conference opponents last year, including 4-1 against the Big 12 and 6-6 against the SEC. That doesn’t really tell me anything.
Regardless of who wins the Techs game, fans will know right away who the team to beat is.
They need a great team that is polarizing to the fanbases of other teams. When the teams that people love to hate aren’t very good, it hurts the entire league overall. Just like it’s good for the sports for the Yankees, Cowboys, Lakers, etc. to be good.
FSU and Miami are the teams that the ACC likes and needs to do well, and for the other teams to hate. The ACC even set up the divisions in hopes to get conference championship games between the two. I don’t think any team in the ACC has a downright hatred for VA tech or GA tech.
There are plenty of teams that hate those great defenses in Blacksburg. And, if Georgia Tech’s triple option starts to dominate the league (and it very well might), you’ll see a bunch of folks hating them. It’s hard to hate Clemson because they always perform below expectations, Miami’s tough to hate cause they have struggled in recent seasons,. While Florida State is plenty hateable, they aren’t good enough anymore. One of the Techs is the league’s next most hated team. The winner of that game gets the honors.
As I commented on twitter, Texas vs. Oklahoma State is the most important game. I say that because Oklahoma isn’t even as good as their in-state rival. The Cowboys return their QB, top RB, and top WR. They’ll be the biggest threat to Texas in the Big 12.
Not sure how VT/GT can be nearly as important as VT/Alabama. As a previous comment stated, VT winning that first game is a big step towards respectability for the ACC. ALl the momentum Ga. Tech gained with their upset over rival Georgia last year was crushed by their pounding at the hands of LSU in the Peach Bowl. VT beating Bama is a BIG game for the entire ACC conference. Should that happen, from there on every ACC game for VT is big for the rest of the league.
Also, Cal vs. USC will have big implications. Cal may end up being the best in the Pac-10 this year.
I think your game is an excellent choice, too. For me, that game is important, but important between the usual suspects. I am seeking out a game that is important for two teams, for a league, for college football in general. I believe I found it in the game I chose. There’s no denying that Virginia Tech beating Alabama is important for the ACC. But the question of ACC supremacy and respect rests within the conference first, establishing a power program, then it can prove itself outside the conference. In the long run, that Alabama game won’t matter if VT goes 11-1 then beats a legit non-conference team in the BCS.
All that said, I agree that Oklahoma is not as good as Oklahoma State, though both are allergic to defense.
No Oregon? I think Oregon, even with the new coach, has a great shot at the BCS. They host all of their rivals and play tough teams Utah and Boise State.
Seezy, by your theory of the sport needs its “hated” teams to do well, does that mean college football needs Notre Dame to do well? This led me to almost write about Notre Dame-USC.
Sort of.
However, USC has taken the place of Notre Dame. As long as there is a team that the rest of the country can rally around and dislike, it all works out.
Don’t you have to be good to be hated?