Last week (August 10) Heather Dinich of ESPN put out an updated version of the Power Rankings for the ACC. The Pack came in ranked #4 and here is what she had to say:"4. NC State -- The Pack is already better than it was a year ago because of its quarterback situation, but this year it needs to start strong instead of making a desperate push at the end. The absence of Irving and the transfer of safety Jimmaul Simmons leaves question marks for the defense."
Here is the breakdown of the rest of the Power Rankings:
1) Virginia Tech
2) Georgia Tech
3) Florida State
4) NC State
5) North Carolina
6) Miami
7) Clemson
8) Wake Forest
9) Maryland
10) Boston College
11) Duke
12) Virginia
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9 Responses to "NC State Ranks #4 In ESPN's Latest ACC Power Rankings"Thats what I like to see.
State ahead of UNC.
I think duke will be better than 11th this year. Just a gut feeling but w/ a more experience qb this year, they could suprise some people. WF will be better than Clemson and Miami. WF is loaded on offense this year. I know Josh Adams personally and hes been healthy all summer long for the first time since HS, look out for him to put a hurtn on ACC Def's this year...
Pack Leader,
No offense, but I hope most of us State fans can get out of that mindset. Maybe you didn't mean it this way, but it sounds like all you care about is beating Carolina. That is more important than many of the games on our schedule. But comments like that give fodder to Carolina fans that think we live to beat them, and don't care about much more than that.
If we go 11-2 and lose to Carolina, I will be ecstatic. If we go 7-5 and beat Carolina, I'll be very disappointed in the season overall.
I hope we beat Carolina en route to an unbeaten season, ACC championship and BCS Bowl win!
Wouldn't it be nice to be a TOP program for an extended period of time?
It's been so very long...
I see a chance for that with TOB. Go Pack!
I agree 100% TruthBknown I didnt mean for my comment to sound like that was the only important game. I simply ment UNC seems to be getting much more hype and preseason accalades (even though we all know that means nothing!) Its about time state get put in talks with teams of the top 25. Example: UNC is top 20 in the nation by ESPN, the same site that posted this ranking, has NC State out of the top 25, but proceeds to say States the 4th best team in the league, ahead of UNC. Something doesnt add up.
I remember when Mike OCain was fired after losing to UNC by 3 yards on the last play of the game of the season. Man Jammie Barnette gave his heart and soul into that game and after State fired OCain I felt that was so unfair. And he recruited and signed a young man coming in that next season who would change NC State football as we know it, Philip Rivers. Just think how things would have changed if OCain stayed and kept his recruits. maybe things would be different... better or worse..
Either way Im with you, if we go 11-2 and we lose to UNC but make it to Tampa for the championship I couldnt dare complain one bit. And in the same token 6-7 and beating UNC doesnt make me happy. But it does feel good to whoop a rival in a sport they so badly want to succell in. Why cant we have our cake and eat it too???
OK, Pack Leader. I read you wrong then!
I agree, it is nice to get some props. And I think we are ahead of Carolina in football right now, even if our record last year didn't prove it (thanks to that darned injury bug!)
It's surprising that Carolina is ranked so high considering all the questions on their offense (and Heather mentioned that in her assessment of the Heels). I think the other rankings should have them similarly ranked. It's ridiculous that, with what we have returning, plus all the new players and depth, and with all of Carolina's questions on offense, that we're not ranked ahead of them in more polls.
But as usual, we get to sit back and watch them tumble. Maybe one day we'll get a little more respect.
I really think they're only ranked higher because of their win total from last year, combined with expectations that Butch will have them improving every year. Personally, I think Carolina might just take a step BACKWARD this year. They lost a lot of offense when Nicks left. And their O-line is weak. And they only have one proven QB (and even he isn't GREAT). If Yates is running for his life all year, only bad things will happen to them on offense.
All I know is can September 3rd get here any quicker?!!!
I think we can all agree that our offense should be pretty great this year.
The only real questions for State are on defense (especially with Nate being out for the year). From what I understand, the defense has looked pretty stout in the scrimmages.
Now imagine if the defense shows up and is crazy good this year, as well as our offense.
If that happens, I don't see why we couldn't be a top-10 team.
TBKR and PL,
I don't know a lot of people that consider the season a success if we go 5-7 and beat Carolina. That means that both teams are bad, or that we could only 'get up' for Carolina. But, on the flip side, nobody wants to go 11-1 and lose to UNC. That just sucks. However, it is no coincidence that jobs are lost, and retained, over rivalry records. This is true all over college football, not just in our neck of the woods. I understand the 'mediocrity' argument, and too when people can't accept the 'Carolina is just another game' mentality. We should never settle for less than the best, and if we find that we are in a bad (coaching) situation, we should make strides to excel. And, Carolina IS NOT just another game! If we are 0-11 this November, I'll still be in my seat, praying that we beat the hell out of the Tarheels! Will it make the season a success in my eyes? No. But, it will make that day better. I can't stand UNC. I can't stand the vast majority of their fans and students. The sight of light blue makes me wince.
I hope I didn't step on any (of WPP poster's) toes with all of that because I think we are all in the same mind-set.
I agree TBKR, the only news out of the UNC camp this preseason, is BAD NEWS! How is anyone picking them to win 10? I don't get it. They have Draughn back. Wow. They lost ALL of their notable receivers, their O-line was terribly thin before they lost two of their linemen last week. Yates hasn't proven a whole lot, and certainly hasn't shown that he is going to be better when he's running for his life! And, Paulus. That's all...Paulus. He may actually be called upon. Scary. All of these problems lead to the situations we have seen forever in Raleigh. The Offense can't stay on the field and the Defense can't get off of it. It's a recipe for disaster. On top of that, almost everyone is inexperienced, and immature, hence the off-the-field issues. I don't see the Butch Davis era playing out like the media does. I just don't know who's right, me or them. Likely, the answer is somewhere in between, but I would be willing to bet that Butch gets tired of UNC, and visa versa, before they win anything of significance.
My prediction for the game this year, between us and our 'rival?' I think that we will be hitting a serious stride, as TOB teams are prone to do, and I think UNC will be bent at the knee, trying to catch their collective breath. I will take no pity on the boys in Baby Blue, if that is the case. It would be better for the conference if we are both playing for bowl implications, and we well may be. But, UNC won't be playing for a trip to Tampa. And you can take that to the bank.
TOB is doing things right in Raleigh. I don't think that things are as they seem in Chapel Hill. But the national media always gives UNC the benefit of the doubt because of their basketball success. Because, that carries over to the gridiron, right? Do I sound bitter? Only as bitter as my cup of Joe. So yes. I'm bitter.
Beat those COCKS! Go State!
Great read ppack3!
I don't disagree with a single word, but I will clarify my position. Carolina IS more than just another game. I just don't want Carolina fans getting the idea that that is ALL we care about. I care about winning the ACC championship, and BCS bowls. I'd LOVE an NCAA championship, too!
And I agree, if we're 0-11 going into the Carolina game, I'll be pulling as hard as I can to beat the boys in baby blue! That wouldn't salvage the season, but at least it would be a win over the Holes.
I just don't want their fans thinking that's all we care about.
A buddy of mine is a BIG tarheel fan and claims that the State game last year was more important to State than it was to unc. He claims that the coaches intend to make the game a priority this year. I like to remind him that unc was playing for a shot at the division crown when they got beat 41-10.
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