Looks Like Another Struggling Week for Home Teams

OK, last week I go 3 up and 3 down. And I was so close to a good week!

Houston lost to East Carolina by two because they couldn’t kick field goals, and Oregon fumbles in the last 22 seconds and loses to California by a touchdown. I’m glad I just pick ‘em for fun, because if money was on the line, I’d be losing my mind along with my shirt.

Anyway, except for a couple of games, this is probably another toss-a-coin week.

Here we go:

When he was at State, Chuck Amato had trouble beating Carolina, but he could beat Florida State. Now he’s at Florida State with the exalted title of “executive head coach” to the legend that is Bobby Bowden. He will have that chest sticking out on Saturday, because you know he wants to see the Seminoles just pound his old team.

Word is that Chuck the Chest is still bitter (and I guess who can blame him?) about his dismissal from State. Actually with the mess that he left Tom O’Brien, it doesn’t take a genius see why he’s got that new position as executive head coach.

All that stuff aside, I don’t see any way that the Wolfpack goes to Tallahassee and wins this one. I have seen State a bunch, and they just aren’t a good team. FSU is improving, and they just have more athletes.

Come Saturday, Amato can stick that big chest out even more – and he will.

FSU should win in a rout.

I was there on that October night in 2004 when the Tar Heels stunned a much better Miami team than they’ll face Saturday. That was, of course, a good news-bad news situation for the Tar Heels.

The good news was that they upset nationally ranked Miami. The bad news, it kept John Bunting around for a few more years of mediocre, or worse, football.

Saturday, UNC coach Butch Davis will go up against his old program and against Canes head coach Randy Shannon, a man who once played and coached under Davis. That makes for an interesting story line, of course, but really not an important one. As Davis says, none of those players there now know him. Shannon does, though, and he would love to beat his old coach.

Carolina is 1-4, but it’s an improving 1-4. Miami comes in at 4-1.

Miami is no world-beater, but right now it’s hard to see them losing to Carolina.

I think the Heels will continue to improve, but not enough this week.

My pick is Miami.

I actually think Duke has a chance. The 1-4 Devils are also getting better, and they also remember how they were a blocked field goal away from beating the Deacons last season. Who would have known how important that game would turn out to be for Wake Forest in their march to the ACC championship?

Wake Forest is an erratic 2-2, but they’ve got Riley Skinner back at quarterback, and they’re coming off the tremendous comeback win over Maryland a couple of weeks ago. And they’ve had a week off to rest and get ready.

Duke played hard at Miami and came up short, but the Blue Devils are no longer a gimme even though the losses continue to mount.

Still, Wake Forest has more experience, and Duke still hasn’t proven they can beat a good team. I mean, Northwestern hardly qualifies as that, so it’s been a while. A Long while.

I will go with Wake Forest. Be crazy not to.

I have trouble gauging the Pirates. I thought they would beat Carolina and they did. I thought they would beat Southern Mississippi at home and they didn’t. And last week I thought they would lose at Houston and they didn’t.

Central Florida is pretty good. They ruined many a State fan’s night back on Sept. 1. They also scared the heck out of Texas. They have wonderful running back in Kevin Smith. I can still see him starting the Tom O’Brien era at State with that 80-yard touchdown run to open the game.

This is a crucial game in Conference USA for the Pirates, already saddled with one league loss. ECU pretty much dominated Central Florida last year, holding the Knights to just 58 yards rushing. But that was last year.

ECU at home on a Saturday night can be handful. Central Florida has Smith. ECU has do-it-all Chris Johnson, who’s as fun to watch as anybody.

Everything says “go with the Pirates,” but I’ve got a hunch about George O’Leary’s boys.

My pick is Central Florida.

Two weeks ago, I thought the Tigers could be the best in the ACC, so they went out last week in Atlanta and looked like a high school team against Georgia Tech. So many mistakes – and do you think they’ll ever fix their kicking game?

Virginia Tech certainly hasn’t played like the team that just about everybody thought would be ACC champions. I mean, Carolina went to Blacksburg and had the chance to win the game.

The Hokies defense is their key. Can they stop Clemson’s running attack? I’m sure they’ve seen plenty of tape on how Georgia Tech did it.

Tech’s defense has to come up with plays because Tech’s offense is, at best, serviceable. I mean, Carolina out-gained them last week!

Despite that game at Georgia Tech, though, I still like Clemson. The Tigers at night in Death Valley running down that hill with tiger rag thundering on all sides. Tech freshman quarterback Tyrod Taylor as talented as he may be and as good as he one day will be, won’t have his break-out game Saturday night.

I’m looking for the Tigers to come out roaring.

My pick is Clemson

Toss a coin on this one for sure.

The Jackets, in the impressive win over Clemson, shut down the Tigers potent running game completely. But Maryland, after blowing the game at Wake Forest, comes back last week and shocks then 10th-ranked Rutgers – a huge and must-needed win for the ACC.

This is a big conference game for both. The Terps are 0-1 in the league. Tech is 1-2.

Both need it and both will fight hard. This will be a good one.

I like Maryland at home.

My pick is Maryland.