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.
Posted by Sports Geek 
