I am at work with a lot of time on my hands today…...

I was looking at the latest lines and all teams except FSU are still underdogs in their bowl games.  Just about every team can be beaten given the right circumstances and was wondering how does the ACC teams beat their opponents?  A little strategy talk to kill a few minutes…

Duke Vs Cincy (+7):

Weather could be a factor.  Duke’s offense can put up points and they need to really play a solid offense game.  I hope Duke will have good fan support since it is close for the fans base.  I think turnovers and special teams could be big for the Dookies to win…

VT vs Rutgers: (+2.5) 

Both teams are known for defense and both have a questionable offense.  All the VT really needs to do to win is have Logan Thomas show up an not self destruct. Weather should be good and this is a very winnable game for VT

NC State Vs Vandy (+7)

They lost a HC and struggled at the end of the season.  Vandy is a good well coached team and NC State has a new HC.  The players on the Wolfpack roster will be playing to impress the fans, Tom Obrien and their New HC and hopefully to beat an SEC team.  I think if Glennon plays a good solid game and avoid Int’s, NC State can win this.  Vandy I don’t think has the can of offense that can torch State and will try to make this an SEC type game.  The weather is cold in Nashville this time of the year.

Gt vs USC (+9.5)

I really want CPJ to go away but for GT to win they have to keep USC’s offense off the field.  Matt Barkley is done but USC has a lot of weapons.  Which ever’s offense executes the best win’s.

Clemson vs LSU: (+4.5)

I am a little surprise the spread is this close, but that doesn’t really matter. LSU will try to pound the ball and wear out our defense and play keep away in the second half like SCAR did….....For Clemson to win we have to force a shootout.  What that means is bring at least 8 men every time.  I had rather give up a quick TD on a chunk play than a slow and painful 10-15 play drive.  Get our Defense of the field one way or another.  The more offense snaps we can get I think LSU’s defense get’s gassed in the second hald and we explode in the late 3rd and 4th quarter.

In the SCAR game, Clemson had something like 49 offense plays in the 1st half while in the second half only 16 (6 in the 3rd and 10 in the 4th)......I think this is the only way to win.  We cannot win a smash mouth game.  We are a finesse team and need to force that strategy.  If we go into the half is 31-28 we will win the game….but if it like 10-7 we are cooked.

Agreed with Clemson vs LSU.  I don’t see us forcing many three and outs with our defense, unless LSU beats themselves.  If we can somehow stop the run to an extent I like our chances, we’ve been better against the run this year then the pass.  LSU throwing the ball has not been impressive at all this year.  Theres no way we will win an SEC style 10-7 game like you said.  We must create a gap and keep that.

Duke is not a very good team and Cincy is a Top 25ish team; Duke WILL not put fans in those seats. Duke could play for the ACC Title in Durham, they would not bring 15,000 fans. Cincy wins BIG.

NCSU will get handled; too many distractions with coaching change. Glennon is very good but he can’t carry the entire team.

VT has a legit shot IF they decide to play an entire game, not just a quarter or two.

GT has a chance with the defensive coaching crap going on at USC but CPJ’s record with ANY team with more than a week to prepare is not exactly stellar.

Clemson has little to no chance IF LSU comes with any effort at all. I’ll be there pulling for the good guys as hard as i can but they are WAY too physical for this soft football team/program. I just hope AE has a great game; he is one of the best all-time Tigers and deserves better than he’s gotten this year, due mainly to The Chad just giving up on the run too quickly. I think we have a slim chance to keep it close as LSU’s offense is horrid at times. Otherwise, I think this is a 10+ point loss, which is a huge improvement from last year.

Orange&Purple; - 22 December 2012 05:25 PM

Duke is not a very good team and Cincy is a Top 25ish team; Duke WILL not put fans in those seats. Duke could play for the ACC Title in Durham, they would not bring 15,000 fans. Cincy wins BIG.

NCSU will get handled; too many distractions with coaching change. Glennon is very good but he can’t carry the entire team.

VT has a legit shot IF they decide to play an entire game, not just a quarter or two.

GT has a chance with the defensive coaching crap going on at USC but CPJ’s record with ANY team with more than a week to prepare is not exactly stellar.

Clemson has little to no chance IF LSU comes with any effort at all. I’ll be there pulling for the good guys as hard as i can but they are WAY too physical for this soft football team/program. I just hope AE has a great game; he is one of the best all-time Tigers and deserves better than he’s gotten this year, due mainly to The Chad just giving up on the run too quickly. I think we have a slim chance to keep it close as LSU’s offense is horrid at times. Otherwise, I think this is a 10+ point loss, which is a huge improvement from last year.

I think you missed the point of the topic…..We all know why the teams should lose to their favored opponents….we have that down pat….I was asking how they could win the games.  What strategy could be used to get an upset?

you are correct…. i apologize.

i’m not sure there is a strategy to beat teams that are better than you. here’s a shot at it:
duke will have to score a LOT of points, NCSU needs to pressure Rodgers all game as he has marginal arm strength. maybe this will create some t/overs.
GT needs to find a way to stop somebody a few plays a game, don’t turn the ball over and make fourth downs. CPJ will likely need to throw a bit more. VT - geez, I don’t know. they don’t do much good but the defense HAS to be better than they’ve played.

Clemson needs to come out swinging for the fences and try to get a quick lead; make LSU play catch up and maybe their horrible QB will throw some INT’s.

I think being the underdog could be a slight advantage.

Clemson needs to stack the box and stop the run. I don’t think Clemson should fear playing the field position game, LSU will play with a back up punter, Clemson needs to get Sammy Watkins as many touches as possible.

NCSU can win this game. At times during the season they looked flat, uninspired, I’d like to think that they come in fired up and ready. They did win their last 2 bowl games, so whatever they have been doing to get ready seemed to have worked. They can straight up beat Vandy without getting an unusual amount of breaks, they just can’t give Vandy those breaks.

Injuries seemed to have been a problem through out the season for Duke, so maybe they get a bunch of guys rested. Duke was torched by FSU and Clemson in the passing game, I don’t think Cinci has receivers as good as FSU and Clemson, otherwise they got some senior leadership back there. In the case of Duke, I think they will need to force some turnovers to win this game. Cinci could come in over confident, Duke has coaching continuity and hopefully a pro Duke / ACC crowd behind them.

I like Virginia Tech’s chances of beating Rutgers. I still can’t accept that they dropped off that much from last season. Logan Thomas needs to have a good game.

The only game that I think in not winnable for the underdog is the Orange bowl which is not mentioned.  FSU is so very much better that this should be over by half time.

I guess the only FSU loses is to take NIU so lightly that they get caught

_ClemScott_ - 23 December 2012 08:37 AM

The only game that I think in not winnable for the underdog is the Orange bowl which is not mentioned.  FSU is so very much better that this should be over by half time.

I guess the only FSU loses is to take NIU so lightly that they get caught

I agree with this…I too think Duke has a good shot. Cincy does not want to be here and has no coach. State is motivated to prove they are better than their record indicated. I think they win outright also.

Oh BTW Duke has sold the most tickets of their allotment of ANY ACC team. Not saying they will have the most fans due to secondary market but I thought that interesting.

SoPinesHeel - 23 December 2012 02:35 PM

I agree with this…I too think Duke has a good shot. Cincy does not want to be here and has no coach. State is motivated to prove they are better than their record indicated. I think they win outright also.

 

Why is Cincinnati’s situation any different than State’s?

The argument was made that State was not motivated. Well they expected more this season and have a chance to prove themselves and validate their old coaching staff somewhat.

Cincy’s coach dumped them and we saw how that worked when Kelly left them. They are not motivated to play Duke whereas Duke will be motivated and have 20-25k fans backing them.

NCSU will be infront of a hometown Vandy crowd and will be motivated as the underdog, us against the world who dont believe in us kind of thing. Vandy will be overconfident and try to pull the SEC SEC crap and I think will get popped in the mouth by the best QB they will have faced all season in his last game.

Very different situations to me.

NCST has little chance against Vandy, in Nashville with Vandy on a 6-0 run…..sorry won’t happen IMO.  Especially when Vandy has a solid coaching staff.  I wouldn’t take NCST in that game at all.

If you want to talk team motivation, talk Duke.  They will have it, I can see Duke winning theirs.

For the record, I did not pick any ACC team to win their games other than FSU. I’m sure somebody else will win, I just did not feel comfortable picking them in my CFB pick em.

Orange&Purple; - 22 December 2012 05:25 PM

Duke WILL not put fans in those seats. Duke could play for the ACC Title in Durham, they would not bring 15,000 fans.

False.

You will be surprised how many fans Duke will have at this game. Having to wait so many years between bowl trips, fans are excited for this opportunity.

As far as the game is concerned, I think the key to the game is going to be our secondary. Our front seven has been terrible all year and that is not going to suddenly change. Cincy’s new QB has been very efficient, but we need to force him into some mistakes. If we can do that, we give ourselves a good chance to win.

Duke on now, stadium not even close to full as we expected but they are making some noise it seems.  Cincy’s helmets are pretty sick looking.