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I'm not sure how I feel about this, I kind of liked being the underdog, and was hoping to keep that status throughout this four game stretch keeping up the, "Well they beat so and so, can they really beat so and so now," deal up the whole way. Alas, the associated press deemed our performance against Georgia Tech a worthy enough thrashing to vault us 11 spots from 20th straight up to 9th. That sits us right ahead of Oklahoma (10th), and Virginia Tech (11th), Miami's next two opponents. This means two things, one, Miami will definitely be facing four ranked opponents in a row, but, in at least one poll, we won't be the underdogs in those games.
The USA Today poll has given us a much more level headed bump, sticking us behind Oklahoma (11th), and Virginia Tech (12th), at 13th in their poll. This really doesn't change much of anything for Miami. We still have to face two more top 15 teams since we play Virginia Tech this week, and Oklahoma has its bye week this week, and we still have an opportunity to climb in to the top 5 if we win both of those games, but the AP poll, at least, seems to want to take away that us against the world edge Miami has rediscovered these first few weeks of the season.
The rest of the ACC is still somewhat well represented in the polls as FSU jumped into the polls with their win over BYU, with Georgia Tech being the only exit. In fact there have been some strides made. The two highest ranked ACC teams in both polls are now higher than they were the previous week, 13th and 14th in both polls last week is now 9th and 11th, and 12th and 13th. The two lower ranked ACC teams have also made some strides, though more so in the AP poll than in the Coaches poll going from 20th and 24th, and 19th and 22nd to 18th and 22nd, and 18th and 25th.This of course can't even come close to comparing to the SEC, which has three teams in the top 5 in both polls, and a fourth, LSU, sitting at 7th in both polls. They have five ranked in the AP, and six ranked in the Coaches poll. The Big 12 has five ranked in each poll, the Big 10 three, the Pac 10 two (three in the AP, but I'm ignoring the Washington ranking), and the Big East one. That leaves the ACC, with four ranked teams, sitting in the middle of the pack again.
This is a Canes site though, so I'll shift the focus back to what this means for us. Like I said, it's kind of disappointing to not be able to hold on to the us against the world thing being the underdog in all of these first four games, but if the offense keeps doing the things it's been doing, we won't be needing the extra help that provides to string together some more wins. Keeping things level headed, the Canes have a really good chance of beating Virginia Tech if the offensive line keeps protecting Harris like it has so far. The blitzing stunts of Bud Foster's defense will prove to be the first, and biggest, challenge the Canes offense has faced thus far, and throughout the rest of this season. Taking this game will give the Canes the biggest leg up on an ACC title berth they've ever had, leaving just two more ACC challenges ahead in Clemson and UNC. Beat Virginia Tech and we have a chance at the ACC title, baby steps folks, baby steps.
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