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North Carolina in a ‘state’ of mediocrity |
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Thursday, 21 September 2006 |
Off the Bench with Matt Schneider
There is only one word that sums up how football teams in North Carolina perform: average.
The University of North Carolina and North Carolina State University only have wins against Furman University and Appalachian State University, two division I-AA schools.
Richmond University, another division I-AA school, shutout Duke University.
These teams are playing on another level – a lower level.
The teams from Tobacco Road, the foundation of the Atlantic Coast
Conference, have played poor football not just this season, but over
the past few seasons.
With the way things are set up now, it doesn’t seem likely that any ACC
team from North Carolina will even make it to the ACC Championship Game.
UNC has played in only two bowl games in six years since John Bunting took over as head coach.
N.C. State was only good because of quarterback Phillip Rivers.
The only game Duke will win all season already happened, when the Blue
Devils topped the Blue Devils in the preseason blue and white game.
The numbers don’t lie.
Since the new ACC opened in 2004, the best record for any ACC team in North Carolina is N.C. State’s 7-5 last season.
Since 2002, UNC has lost 11 games by 30 or more points.
Duke’s last appearance in a bowl game was in 1994.
Wake Forest was the definition of mediocrity, but they seem to have turned it around this season, as they are currently 3-0.
The Wolfpack and the Tar Heels both seem to give fans and alumni a
reason to be optimistic before the season, but then let them down
harshly a few weeks in.
Last season UNC won some impressive home games against Virginia and
Boston College University, only to follow up those games with losses to
Miami University and the University of Maryland.
N.C. State did the same thing, defeating Georgia Tech University and
Florida State University, only to follow up by losing to Clemson
University and Boston College.
The inconsistency of these schools leaves them with losing records and a consistent view from the bottom of the ACC standings.
If these teams can string together those wins, then there would be more respect for those teams and the conference as a whole.
Since these ACC schools from the “power” conferences seem to only be
able to defeat Division I-AA schools, why not just put them all in a
I-AA conference?
Or perhaps, this is a chance for I-AA schools to move up into I-A football.
ASU and Furman both competed with State and UNC. If those games are
home games for the Mountaineers and Paladins, the victories might have
changed hands.
It is also nice for Mountaineer fans to look forward to the season
thinking, “Hey we could win the national championship.” Compared to,
“Aww man, we got the University of Miami, FSU and Virginia Tech
University on the road!”
If I could re-arrange the conferences I would make the “Carolina Conference.”
The teams would consist of UNC, N.C. State, Duke, ASU, Western Carolina
University, East Carolina University and North Carolina Central
University. Just for fun we’ll add the Carolina Panthers and
Independence High School.
Hey, the Panthers are 0-2 and throw the ball across the field on punts,
and the Patriots from Charlotte haven’t lost in 95 games. The
Mountaineers are the defending national champions, and ECU is coming
along as well.
I’m tired of watching the Heels get stomped by solid teams, and then edge lesser competition.
Besides, who would not want the Heels to come up to the Rock?
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