Collegiate Times

I?ve hated on Big East football lately, but it hasn?t neared the embarrassment of the Atlantic Coast Conference during the first few weeks of this season.

The stellar Duke University Blue Devils set the bar at a new low, losing at home to the 1-AA University of Richmond Spiders on September 2nd. I know Duke isn?t known for being a football powerhouse, and it has, for the most part, been the whipping boy of the ACC ever since Steve Spurrier?s departure, but there is no excuse for losing to any 1-AA squad ? especially when you?re at home.

The Blue Devils can give more scholarships than the Spiders and shouldn?t have any problem drawing talented individuals to one of America?s finest overall academic institutions. They should at least be able to recruit the caliber of player necessary to beat an Atlantic 10 team.

Another fairly embarrassing affair for the conference was North Carolina State?s recent 20-17 loss to the Akron Zips, also at home.

Head Coach Chuck Amato must be in love with the hot seat, because a week after beating 1-AA Appalachian State by only 13 points, his team floundered against a MAC opponent.

Is Amato searching for reasons to let the administration fire him?

After getting trounced by the Pittsburgh Panthers, the University of Virginia?s home opener against the Wyoming Cowboys wasn?t much better for the ACC?s football reputation. The Cavaliers? offense was only able to muster enough for the kicker to hit two field goals in 60 minutes; I?d be embarrassed if I couldn?t get into the endzone at least a little bit against the boys from Laramie during regulation.

Want to know how ridiculous that is? Ask Joe six-pack what conference the Cowboys are in (Mountain West); shoot, I challenge the average high school freshman to find the state on the map.

Who even knows if the Wahoos would have come out ahead if not for Wyoming missing an extra point in overtime. If you?re going to win on a missed extra point in overtime you should at least take a page from the Boston College Eagles and block the thing so you can take some credit for it.

I bet Colin Cowherd feels like even more of a genius after hearing about this contest. UVa football being soft is just about the only explanation I can think of, given that result.

Finally, although I can be a bit of a sunshine state homer, I?m going to have to rip on the Florida State Seminoles for their performance this past Saturday evening. The Seminoles, at home, were barely able to defeat Troy University, eventually doing so 24?17.

They were able to pull even with Troy with just over six minutes remaining in the fourth quarter and took the lead for good with less than two to play.

Quick, somebody tell me what state the Troy Trojans are from. Correct answer: Alabama.

You can?t rip the Trojans though, they held a 17?10 lead into the fourth quarter ? that?s better than the Hokies have done against the ?Noles in recent history.

But at least Florida State had the built-in excuse that it was an emotional let-down after its big victory in Miami. It should also be noted that the game was less than five days after the Monday night win over the Hurricanes. Let?s just hope the Hokies don?t become the next ACC squad to fall victim to a lowly opponent. Tech still has home contests against Duke, Cincinnati and Kent State. A home game against a lowly opponent ? fits the mold doesn?t it? However the Hokies will likely break the mold.

Frank Beamer?s club isn?t about to fall into the same trap it did against Miami of Ohio and Temple during the Al Clark years.

Although none of the ACC?s elite teams have lost to mid-majors or sub-par programs yet, it may very well happen if the abysmal play continues.