Regular Season Wrap-Up

Team by team season summarry starting with the ACC and Big East.

ACC

Boston College
Record: 9-3
Conference record: 5-3
Pythagorean Record: 9.45-2.55
Grade: B+
The season ended on a down note with the loss in the Orange Bowl to Miami. If it’s any consolation, the Eagles wouldn’t have won the ACC anyway. Nice non-conference wins at Central Michigan and against BYU that may have flown under the radar.

Clemson
Record: 8-4
Conference Record: 5-3
Pythagorean Record: 10.43-1.57
Grade: C-
After a 7-1 start Clemson wheezed to the finish line losing 3 of 4. Offense totally overmatched in their last 4 games (16.8 points per game versus 42.3 in first 8). Some of that is schedule, but a lot is adjustments made by defensive coordinators. Maybe Tommy Bowden should hire a special teams coach. Pythagorean record bolstered by blowout wins over Florida Atlantic, Temple, Louisiana Tech, and North Carolina.

Duke
Record: 0-12
Conference Record: 0-8
Pythagorean Record: 1.51-10.49
Grade: D+
Blue Devils couldn’t catch a break. Without two blocked kicks (one field goal and one extra point) could have beaten Wake Forest and North Carolina. Also had a chance to beat Miami.

Florida State
Record: 6-6
Conference Record: 3-5
Pythagorean Record: 7.82-4.18
Grade: D-
Beat three teams with winning records. Guess who? Rice, Troy, and Western Michigan. Shut out at home by Wake Forest. Jeff Bowden’s resignation about 3 years over due.

Georgia Tech
Record: 9-4
Conference Record: 7-1
Pythagorean Record: 9.12-3.88
Grade: B
Season was quite good until two weeks ago. How bad is Taylor Bennett if Reggie Ball is the best you have at the quarterback position? Just amazingly inaccurate.

Maryland
Record: 8-4
Conference Record: 5-3
Pythagorean Record: 5.55-6.45
Grade: B
Terrapins not as good as their record—augmented by an amazing 6-1 record in close games. Expect some regression next season in that department, but in the here and now the Terps are bowling for the first time since 2003. If you would have told a Maryland fan in late November of 2000 that Ralph Friedgen would have taken the Terps to 4 bowl games in 6 years, including an outright ACC title, and a low-water mark of 5-6, I think they’d have taken it.

Miami
Record: 6-6
Conference Record: 3-5
Pythagorean Record: 7.77-4.23
Grade: D
The Miami offense was terrible in conference play (15.9 points per game), but the defense is still strong. Miami was also hurt by a poor record in close games (3-4). Give credit to Larry Coker for having the ‘Canes up for their Thanksgiving affair against Boston College. Whoever comes in to coach will inherit a very talented defense and won’t be far from returning the ‘Canes to the top of the division.

North Carolina
Record: 3-9
Conference Record: 2-6
Pythagorean Record: 2.67-9.33
Grade: D+
Give credit to John Bunting for keeping the team together after a poor start. Had a real chance to beat Wake Forest (lost 24-17) and Georgia Tech (7-0), and won their final two against NC State and Duke. Will Butch Davis turn the program around? Stay tuned.

North Carolina State
Record: 3-9
Conference Record: 2-6
Pythagorean Record: 4.46-7.54
Grade: D
So much for Daniel Evans. After winning his first two starts (one on a fluky play), he lost his last 7. Pack hurt by a 3-6 record in close games so expect some improvement in the luck department next year. Amato leaves Raleigh with a 25-31 record in conference play.

Virginia
Record: 5-7
Conference Record: 4-4
Pythagorean Record: 4.82-7.18
Grade: C+
Al Groh’s best coaching job? After a 1-3 start, with the lone win over Wyoming thanks to a blocked extra point, Cavs rallied to finish 5-4, and even in conference play. On the bright side, Groh finally proved the pundits right by finishing ahead of Florida State and Miami.

Virginia Tech
Record: 10-2
Conference Record: 6-2
Pythagorean Record: 11.03-0.97
Grade: A-
Rumors of their demise were greatly exaggerated in mid-October. Since the thumping at Boston College, they have given up 29 points in 6 games (never more than 10) and posted 2 shutouts. In that span they whipped both Clemson and Wake Forest.

Wake Forest
Record: 11-2
Conference Record: 6-2
Pythagorean Record: 9.46-3.54
Grade: A+
Best season in Wake Forest history and the first ACC championship since 1970 (second all time). The team didn’t do much wrong except bungle a snap that led to a loss to Clemson.

Big East

Cincinnati
Record: 7-5
Conference Record: 4-3
Pythagorean Record: 6.48-5.52
Grade: B+
4 of the Bearcats' losses were to teams in the top 15 (Ohio State, Virginia Tech, Louisville, and West Virginia). Probably had too good a season as Mark Dantonio is off to Michigan State. Two bowl games in 3 years for Dantonio. Not too shabby.

Connecticut
Record: 4-8
Conference Record: 1-6
Pythagorean Record: 4.39-7.61
Grade: C-
Victories over Rhode Island, Army, Indiana, and Pittsburgh. Lost to navy by 24. Not much has gone right since the Motor City bowl win over Toledo in 2004.

Louisville
Record: 11-1
Conference Record: 6-1
Pythagorean Record: 10.60-1.40
Grade: A-
If not for the offsides against Rutgers on the field goal attempt, could be headed to BCS Championship Game. They’ll have to settle for Big East Championship and a trip to the Orange Bowl. And Bobby Petrino hasn’t even been mentioned in any job vacancies.

Pittsburgh
Record: 6-6
Conference Record: 2-5
Pythagorean Record: 8.23-3.77
Grade: C-
Closed with 5 straight losses, only one of which was really close (Connecticut). Finished 6-6 despite a stellar season from Tyler Palko. Pythagorean record boosted by crushing The Citadel, Toledo, and Central Florida in non-conference action (combined score of 148-16).

Rutgers
Record: 10-2
Conference Record: 5-2
Pythagorean Record: 10.03-1.97
Grade: A-
Would have been an A++++++ if not for the loss at Cincinnati. Proved they can hang with the big boys by beating Louisville and nearly upsetting West Virginia. Now comes the hard part, can they maintain? Bowl game will tell a lot about this team. Will Schiano have them motivated to play a mid-level Big 12 school (Kansas State) when they were oh so close to heading to a BCS bowl?

South Florida
Record: 8-4
Conference Record: 4-3
Pythagorean Record: 7.760-3.24
Grade: B+
Built on last season’s first ever bowl appearance with a follow up. Now looking for first bowl win. Some day, the nation may realize South Florida is one of the best-coached teams in the country. True freshman quarterback, Matt Grothe, is very athletic (9 rushing touchdowns) and looks to have a bright future.

Syracuse
Record: 4-8
Conference Record: 1-6
Pythagorean Record: 3.68-8.32
Grade: C
There was improvement; you have to give the Orange that, as they quadrupled their win total from last season. Next season will be very telling. Will there be further improvement, regression, or are the Orange treading water?

West Virginia
Record: 10-2
Conference Record: 5-2
Pythagorean Record: 9.83-2.17
Grade: B+
Another 10-win season for West Virgina. They seem to be in good hands under Rich Rodriguez. Need to fix the defense for White and Slaton’s junior season if they want to compete for the national title. In conference play they scored the most points, but allowed the fifth most points (tied with Syracuse and ahead of only Pittsburgh and Connecticut).