ACC & CAA preview, week three

Well, you couldn’t expect me to go on picking every single team in the Commonwealth to win, could you?

September 16, 2011; 12:40 PM • by Ross Catrow

Guys, I am the Kwisatz Haderach! 6-0 in my picks last week and 10-1 on the season! The best news (other than me being a genius) is that I picked all of the Commonwealth’s teams to win, and they did. Sic semper tyrannis!

Virginia Tech vs. Arkansas State

As Virginia’s leading Kwisatz Haderach, I can see all possible futures–including the one which unfolded last weekend. On Friday, re: ECU, I said:

If Logan Thomas can play efficient, mistake free football the Hokies win. If he starts turning the ball over, hunker down for it will be a long day.

Thomas only turned it over once, but he had a couple of errant passes, he had a couple of delay of games, and his receivers were plagued with the dropsies. Since I was trapped at a wedding in Rocky Mount, following this unnecessarily close game on my iPhone was STRESSFUL. Despite the lack of offense (Sigh, really guys? This again?) the defense held the Pirates to 112 total yards.

This week the Hokies face the “Red Wolves” of Arkansas State. The red wolf was declared extinct in the wild in 1980–just like the Arkansas State football program!!! HIGHOH! Also, check this out: Arkansas State’s head coach was the high school coach of that kid from The Blindside! Pretty neat.

Expect the Hokies dominance on defense (currently #8 in the nation, they’re giving up just over 200 yards a game) to continue. And, I’m going to go out on a limb here, expect the offense to be much improved over last week’s barfapalooza. Hokies roll!

Virginia vs. UNC

The South’s Oldest Rivalry! UVA vs. UNC for the 116th time! That is Many Times!

So, UVA found a way to keep it close at Indiana last week, blowing a 20 point lead, and had to rely on a last-second field goal for the win. Rocco had an average day going 15/29 for 191 yards, plus two interceptions. To beat the Tar Heels, the Wahoos will need to, like, not have a total defensive collapse in the second half.

While they showed some grit against Indiana (coming form behind, running a successful two-point conversion, making a last-second field goal) I just don’t see them winning at Chapel Hill. Sorry Wahoos!

Richmond vs. VMI

The South’s Second Oldest Rivalry! Actually, I have no idea if that is true or not, but the Spiders and Keydets have matched up 86 times so far. Richmond is coming off of a crazy turnover-dance-party of a game last week against Wagner. Even if the Spider offense continues to repeatedly turn the ball over, it shouldn’t matter. NO ONE BEATS RICHMOND UNDER THE LIGHTS.

JMU vs. Liberty

UPSET ALERT. Actually, I couldn’t find (slash didn’t look for) a Vegas line for this game, so who knows who is favored. Not this guy. Anyway, Liberty kept it uncomfortably close last week against NC State, and that’s pretty much all I need to pick them at home against JMU.

William & Mary vs. New Haven

New Haven is a Division II team. William & Mary is ranked #4.

Old Dominion vs. Hampton

Clash of the 757! Two teams enter, but only one will leave alive! Well, both will still be alive I guess, but one will have a loss, so that’ll be kind of a bummer. This is another CAA vs. MEAC matchup in which I will pick the CAA team to be victorious.

September 16, 2011 12:40 PM 1