Alex and Molly are busy this week, so it's a little lighter than normal.
Q: We've seen some early basketball season predictions come out, including the ACC media poll, how accurate do you think they were in general?
Pete Volk - Pretty close, although I think all of us are always going to be higher on Maryland than anyone else, just by nature of seeing the team more.
Dave Tucker - I think Maryland is going to be a good team. Seeing them in the 6-7th position for the ACC is about what I expected, but I think they could definitely finish higher. But because of the additions of Syracuse, Pitt and Notre Dame, finishing in the top 4 or 5 is going to be a lot more challenging. The ACC is just crazy good this season.
Todd Carton - I think they're as accurate as they can be. I've never been a fan of preseason polls (or awards for that matter). By their nature they are based on the previous season and pure speculation. Too often, I think they set up a bias and predisposition that can make it difficult for players and teams to overcome.
Brendan Darr - I was a little surprised at some of the ACC preseason first team selections. I get Duke is going to be good this year and Jabari Parker is/will be amazing, but Harrison Barnes was supposed to be amazing, and he didn't make the first team. I just am not a fan of putting a freshman on a preseason team before they've ever played a game in the conference.
Q: Maryland was picked 7th in the media poll, is that about what you expected?
PV - I would say that is what I expected. In terms of how I actually expect them to finish, I would say fourth or fifth.
DT - From the ACC media? Yes.
TC - I'm a fan of Maryalnd men's basketball so my initial reaction is to be offended. But, given what I wrote above and the fact that I don't follow other teams closely, based on my vague general knowledge I'd say it doesn't seem grossly unfair.
BD - Ultimately, I think Maryland finishes higher than their predicted seventh-place finish. Of course, it was from the ACC media, so I'm surprised Maryland isn't lower.
Q: Could last week have gone any worse for the football team?
PV - No, it could not have. Maryland looked, once again, utterly unprepared on the road, and it showed. Wake Forest has some good pieces, but they are not a very good football team. To get blown out by that squad is frankly unacceptable, and the injuries just make it all so sad.
DT - Saturday was pretty much worst case scenario day. Having both Diggs and Long go down, to broken legs, ending their season, was just completely shell-shocking to me, personally. I just sat there, jaw open, not believing what I was seeing. And it wasn't just the fact that I knew how much this was going to impact Maryland's season, it was knowing how much Diggs, Long and all of the other players on this team love Maryland and just feeling so bad for them.
TC - How could it have gone worse? Maryland could have lost more than 2 players to season ending injuries? They could have lost by more than 24 points to a middle of the pack (at best) ACC team? Field hockey could have lost it's chance at a perfect season on Sunday? (Oh wait, that happened, too.) It was a disastrous day and weekend. Better forgotten and let's move on.
BD - Losing Diggs and Long, in addition to the ineffectiveness of Brown, it was the worst-case scenario. Not to mention the losses on defense. Just an all-around ugly, ugly day.
Q: Does Maryland make it to a bowl this year, and if so, what game do the clinch bowl eligibility?
PV - Yes. As bad as Wake has been this year, Syracuse has been much, much worse, and that's a home game.
DT - I think so, mainly because BC and Syracuse are home games and Syracuse isn't very good this year. I think they'll get win #6 verses Cuse on November 9th, which is a full four weeks after they picked up win #5 against UVA.
TC - Yes. Syracuse at home clinches bowl eligibility.
BD - It's going to happen (knocking on wood) against Syracuse or Boston College. If it comes down to the NC State game ... ugh I don't even want to think about it.
Q: No one is giving Maryland a chance to win... so do they at least cover the 16.5-point spread (for recreational purposes)?
PV - Nope. Only because of the extensive injuries.
DT - Before the injury report came out yesterday, Pete and I were talking about how Clemson is not nearly as good as their ranking indicated and that while Maryland, realistically, would probably lose, it won't be a blood bath. I definitely think Maryland would have had a shot to win outright if they were at full strength, because Clemson's defense is suspect and their o-line isn't that good. But then the injury report came out and I immediately though "oooooooh good." I think one of the biggest factors in this game, aside from Maryland's o-line play, is Caleb Rowe no longer having Diggs and Long to throw the ball to. I think the area where Maryland is going to miss Diggs and Long the most is in their ability to take a jump ball or poorly thrown ball and either come down with it or make sure the other team doesn't come down with it. That means you'll probably see a few more turnovers in the game from Rowe, which could obviously be killers for Maryland. So do they cover? Maybe. I don't think we'll see FSU, 2.0. But I think Clemson will win by 2 or more scores. I've had a 34-17 score in my head all week, but I think Clemson might win by more after that injury report came out.
TC - Let's see: No Brown. No Diggs. No Long. No Nixon. No McDougle. No J.J. No Goree. No Cover.
BD - No. Chance. I'm just hoping it's not as bad as the Florida State game. That's really all I can ask for. That, and the game takes less than three and a half hours. And Randy Edsall not taking 30+ minutes to come down and talk to the media.
How are you feeling about this week?