Chicago vs. LA: The ACC Championship
Posted by John Durbin | December 5, 2008
In this installment of Chicago vs LA, Chris and John will argue the outcome of the ACC Championship that is to take place on Dec 6. Before you start penning your hate letters decrying this as not a “Chicago vs LA thing!” please note that Chris went to Virginia Tech and John went to Boston College, the two teams meeting for the title. This will be the second year in a row that the teams will meet to decide who goes to Orange Bowl with Virginia Tech winning last year’s game 30-16. BC has won the regular season match-ups the last two years and Vegas has the line as Even. So who will win this clash of Big East turned ACC rivals? You decide…
Alright as the defending ACC Champ, I’ve earned the right to kick this thing off. Not that the Hokies need much of a defense, seeing as this book has already been written. BC wins a close, meaningless regular season game and Virginia Tech gets sweet revenge in the title bout. Where have we heard this diddy before? Oh yeah, last year. But now that you’ve mentioned defense, do the numbers 4, 1, 1, 4 mean anything to you? That’s Virginia Tech’s Defensive rating over the past 4 years. And as everyone knows, its defense that wins championships. Just ask Macho Harris. Harris is No. 4 in the ACC in passes defended, leads the league in interceptions and has run two back for touchdowns. But more importantly, Macho has 2 ACC championship rings on his finger. And with a backup quarterback lobbing passes his way Saturday, I think it’s safe to say he’ll have that third ring in no-time.
A great man once said “those who forget the lessons of history are doomed to repeat them.” Unfortunately for you my over-eager friend from Boston, history is on my side. Yes it is.
Aaaaaw, you’re talking about defense. That’s so adorable.
First of all, Macho Harris, meet Mark Herzlich. You guys have identical stats (6 int, 2 TD’s) and are ranked nationally within one spot of each other for defense (5 for Macho, 6 for Mark) except Herzlich is basically Lattimer from The Program. So you lose, Macho. Now take your rings to the pawn shop before you go undrafted. They will be more valuable now than when you become a bust. (ed note: after writing this Herzlich was named ACC defensive player of the year. Boo yah!)
Also, is it really a good idea to start off your comparison with defensive scoring considering BC has 7(!) straight games with a non-offensive touchdown? And I don’t mean they refrained from slurs while scoring, I mean their special teams or D got the score. 7! That’s ludicrous. Not to mention BC leads the nation in interceptions. They have 25 compared to VT’s 14. Bringing up INT’s in an argument against a team that averages more than 2 a game is like bringing a knife to a gunfight.
I put some numbers below for your review. From looking at this I would say VT’s best plan of attack is through the air. And you know what? I will take a Sophomore QB trying to force balls to win a game when BC’s run defense shuts them down.
Speaking of young QB’s, isn’t that where you should have started your argument? Granted our coaches won’t have to go completely pass oriented since our RB’s should be able to establish a ground game. Or at least mention the kicker who got a FG blocked that was returned for a TD last year and completely changed the game that BC was dominating? Of course our coaches start treating field position that would normally be a long field goal as four down territory to avoid putting him in a position to make a tough one. And you did already mention last year how BC won the regular season game then lost in the Championship. Although, last year it took a late game miracle for BC to win that game so there was no real surprise VT came through while this year BC spotted Tech to 10 pts off turnovers (17 total in the game) and didn’t score in the second half yet still won the game despite committing 5 turnovers. Essentially they did everything they could to hand that game over and Tech still lost.
Interesting arguments there my Bostonian friend (ed note: John grew up in Columbus OH). Now here’s why you’re wrong:
Let’s start with coaching. BC may have found a good one in Jagz, but the guy is only in his second year. These Championship games come down to more than just the talent on the field. It’s a chess match out there and your boy hasn’t played in enough matches to know a pawn from a rook. Meanwhile we have old faithful roaming our sideline. Frank Beamer ranks 12th all-time in terms of total wins and third among active coaches. He’s the Bobby Fisher of football baby. And how about the coach on the field? On Saturday, BC will trot out a freshman QB with one career start. The hopes and dreams of the Eagles are on the shoulders of a 19 year old kid with no experience going against one of the strongest D’s in the country. Meanwhile the Hokies have a sophomore QB with a career record of 14-2. Now I’m no college football expert, but even the dim-witted Lee Corso could see VT holds an advantage there.
What about experience. The VT graduating class of 2008 will have played in 3 ACC Championships, the 2007 Orange Bowl, and the 2005 Sugar Bowl – not to mention road games at LSU and Nebraska. What’s the biggest game this class of Eagles will have played in? The Champs Sports Bowl? The Eagles aren’t battle tested and in the spot-light, they’ll wilt under pressure – just like they did last year.
Last but not least, everyone knows a Hokie would dominant an eagle in a fight…
Experience. OK.
Well first, let’s count the ACC title game from last year. Seems kinda one sided for you to count it for Vtech and not BC. Then we might as well move on to BC’s last 4 games, all must-win. Everyone who argues for the BCS claims that it makes the regular season like a huge playoff. That’s how it was for BC. Win the last 4 games of the season and you go to the title game. So how did BC do in the first four rounds (yes I am including the game against ND even though it doesn’t affect ACC standings). 4-0. Let’s take a look at their games…
BC 17 ND 0: Tied them for the lead in the nation for shutouts by blanking Notre Dame. Had a terrible offensive showing but absolutely dominated the Irish on the other side of the ball getting 4 INT’s.
BC 27 Florida St 17: Go into FSU. Play a very good team. Must win game. Never trail at any point. More INT’s. Freshman back has a day. Have Bobby Bowden sum up the game by saying “They whooped us.” Yes, that is a success.
BC 24 Wake Forest 21: Full disclosure, I had 7 heart attacks during this game and didn’t think they would win. But in a must win road game where your starting QB goes down, your backup QB fumbles the ball twice for opposing TD’s, you get a punt blocked that sets up the other team at the 1 yard line for a score (the only one our D gave up) and yet you still somehow win the game with a score in the final two minutes. That, my friend, is what we call a character building win.
BC 28 Maryland 21: BC won this game by more than the score would indicate. Maryland got a garbage TD with 14 seconds left. Nice little trick plays from BC in this one. Davis, in his first start went 12-24 for 134 and 2 TDs. Also, BC beat a team that had been undefeated in day games and against ranked opponents. Works for me.
Also, you might notice a trend that last year it was FSU and Maryland that beat BC in the regular season. Both wins this year, could it be that they learn from their mistakes? Possible. Note that BC had a pretty good showing against Tech this year despite the 5 turnovers and 14 defensive points Tech scored.
I didn’t watch Tech’s last 4 in which they went 3-1, but here they are with a little comment.
VT 23 Maryland 13: Hey neat, we beat them too!
VT 14 Miami (FL) 16: Yep, the same Miami that followed up this win by getting crushed by Georgia Tech and manhandled by NC St.
VT 14 Duke 3: Really? You only beat Duke by 11?
VT 17 Virginia 14: Almost losing at home in a must win game against an opponent who is 5-6 (at the time) probably isn’t the strongest way to end a season.
Basically both teams had to win out with 4 games left to clinch their division. Both had a nailbiter game (WF and Virg). BC played a far tougher schedule and won their games by a higher margin. That makes me feel pretty good that these kids will be able to get their nerves under control.
Also, while we’re on experience.
BC Freshmen
2 on offense (our QB who redshirted and our RB’s)
0 on defense (in fact, 9 of 11 starters are Upperclassmen)
VT Freshmen (according to a depth chart I found)
4 on offense (your QB is the same age as ours even though he is a Soph and all your WR’s are Frosh)
0 on defense (also 9 of 11 starters are upperclassmen)
So I don’t really see how the experience thing comes into play.
I do find it interesting you bring up bowl games though when you played that experience card. BC currently has the longest bowl win streak in the nation at 9 straight wins. VT over the same time period is 3-6. And one of those wins was over Air Force. Good job making these bowls fellas. Good to know you are just playing for runner-up. Maybe its time to step aside and let someone represent their conference as something other than a joke.
So the experience argument failed. What’s next? The thing is, I know this team has some glaring weaknesses you have not brought up. There is one place where these teams are not evenly matched. Because the most eye opening thing is I didn’t realize how identical these teams were before starting this. Both have stellar defense, dicey offense, and great coaching. I would take the under in this game. Even if it is 5.
But there’s one thing that you haven’t mentioned that I believe will make or break BC in this game…. can you guess what it is…. Oh, and Hokies are known to be pretty ferocious birds.
Oh I don’t know… stopping the run, the kicking game, not getting too liquored up and shooting yourself in a club 48 hours before kick-off?
You didn’t say it with much enthusiasm, but I’ll give it to you anyway. No, not the shooting yourself in the club one. After the gambling thing in the 90’s and one of our basketball players breaking a beer bottle on someone’s head a few years ago, they’ve been pretty good about disciplining our athletes. Special Teams is the difference in this one. I don’t know why I capitalized Teams, but I just did it again.
Our kicker has been awful and Beamer puts a focus on winning special teams battles to win the game. BC always seems to be done in by the killer play; That one fluke thing that just switches momentum and sucks the life out of the sideline. That play commonly happens on special teams and this game will be no different. This isn’t so much a belief I have as a guarantee that this soul-sucking play will occur for one side or the other.
Don’t believe me? In their first meeting last year BC recovered an onside kick to get the ball back with less than two minutes remaining and down 3. That lead to the drive that won the game for the Eagles. Last year’s ACC title game Tech blocked a BC extra point (somehow) and returned it for 2pts. BC played different after that play and instead of it being 17-14 at halftime, it was suddenly 16-16 and BC didn’t score again for the rest of the game. 2008 regular season Tech gets a 10 point headstart on BC turnovers. Down 10-7 in the second, Rich Gunnell returns a punt for BC to give them a 14-10 lead that they would never surrender. After that point, the closest Tech’s offense got to the end zone was BC’s 25 yard line (Crane threw an INT returned for a TD).
When I watch the game I will wince every time someone goes to punt or BC lines up for a field goal. This is the one area where Tech has the edge and I think it will be the difference in the game since it is BC’s turn for the botched special teams play.
Alright BC super-fan you’ve made your case, I’ve made mine. But the bottom line is Virginia Tech has more experience, better coaching, and has proven they can win the big one (ahem. last year.) That’s why I’m pickin VT to win their second straight ACC Championship and eating oranges for New Years. VT 21 – BC 10.
Go Hokies!
I love talking about who will win a sports game with a total homer (one who unconditionally believes their team is the greatest ever). 21-10? Really? Alright.
I know we have covered this but one last thing on what you list out here.
Experience/Last Year: Interestingly, this might work against you. I read somewhere that the BC players are fired up and want to avenge last year. The Tech players have a more non-chalant attitude and are just happy they made it to the game (http://myespn.go.com/blogs/acc/0-3-296/Championship-prediction.html).
Coaching: Beamer is a really good coach. Absolutely agree. But I think you are really underscoring a guy who came from the NFL and is 20-6 in two years as head coach. He took a team that was predicted to finish fourth in the ACC Atlantic (some saying they would only win 3 games all season) and has them in the title game. Just sayin’.
As for my closing setiments, I am not 100% confident about this game. On paper I feel great about our team, but I have been around long enough to to see things go horribly awry. A few years ago I nicknamed BC as Big Choke (Comedy gold!) and they have yet to prove me wrong.
For my game prediction, this is going one of two ways, equally likely. Tech in a close one or BC in a controlled game with a final score is closer than the actual game.
What I think will happen: BC winning 24-20 with Tech getting a late TD to make the final score seem closer than it was. Oh, and BC missing at least one field goal.
What will probably happen: Tech winning 17-14 by scoring a TD late in the second half in a gut wrenching (for BC) way. My prediction is blocked punt.
That’s all I got. Let’s hope no matter what happens no one suffers a serious injury and the game is a good one.
Let’s-go-Eagles! (clap-clap, clap-clap-clap)
I’ll update this post on Monday at the latest with the results from the game.
UPDATE: VT 30 BC 12. Well this was an absolute thrashing. Tech established a run game early which opened up the game for everyone else. BC looked sluggish and showed little signs of even knowing what they should be doing. Tech took advantage of all opportunities and BC just looked overmatched and deflated at every unfortunate bounce. Congrats to the Hokies who will face Cincinnati in the Orange Bowl and to the Eagles who will play Vanderbilt at the Music City Bowl.
