Path to ACC Championship

[mlbball99]

Just playing with some numbers.

SMU at Stanford is an absolute massive game this weekend for Syracuse’s outlook. We are huge Stanford fans.

I’m assuming Clemson wins out. I can’t see any team giving them trouble. Give them a spot in the ACC.

The fight then becomes for the second spot. If we win out, that means we are in over Pitt and Miami (head to head).

The fight then becomes between us and SMU. We don’t play them head to head. Would have the same loss against Stanford. Then it becomes tricky. But just shows how big that game is on Saturday for SMU.

Here’s the tiebreaker rules:

 

[orangenauburn]

It's clear the SEC and to a lesser degree the Big Ten are going to cannibalize each other during conference play.

All we need to focus on is winning.

Things will shake out as they will.

Clemson, Miami, SMU, and SU keep winning that will help the ACC perception nationally.

 

[orangenauburn]

The next four - five weeks are huge in the ACC

Cuse - Pitt, VaTech, BC
VaTech - BC, GaTech, Cuse
BC - VaTech, Louisville, Cuse
Pitt - Cuse, SMU, Virginia
SMU - Stanford, Duke, Pitt, BC, Virginia
Ville - Miami, BC, Clemson

Louisville has the best opportunities to knock off both Miami and Clemson and put themselves in prime position.

 

[JRHEETER]

The next four - five weeks are huge in the ACC

Cuse - Pitt, VaTech, BC
VaTech - BC, GaTech, Cuse
BC - VaTech, Louisville, Cuse
Pitt - Cuse, SMU, Virginia
SMU - Stanford, Duke, Pitt, BC, Virginia
Ville - Miami, BC, Clemson

Louisville has the best opportunities to knock off both Miami and Clemson and put themselves in prime position.

Would be great if Ville lost to Miami and BC and beat Clemson.

Would be great if we beat Pitt and Pitt beats SMU

 

[Tony DeFranco]

If Clemson went undefeated and SMU went undefeated - and we ran out - I’m thinking we would have good chance of being one of the 8 teams not conference winners

 

[DomeHolmes]

If Clemson went undefeated and SMU went undefeated - and we ran out - I’m thinking we would have good chance of being one of the 8 teams not conference winners

It might almost be a better outcome than winning out, getting in the ACCCG and losing to Clemson.

We would end the season with a win over a top five Miami team if they keep winning out. We would be 11 - 1 and should have an advantage over Miami as far as being picked by the committee.

SMU would have two losses and only one win against a top 25 team in Louisville (since us beating Pitt would knock them out of top 25). We would be 4-0 vs top 25 teams. With a better win against Miami than theirs against Louisville. If Stanford does not beat them, we have to hope they still win some games And Pitt, BC or Cal beats SMU But finishes with a record equal or worse than Stanford.

but again, if we did not get in, I think we would be ranked around 10 (AP) at the end of the year and that might be enough despite our schedule. And I think the second loss even if it is to Clemson in ACCCG hurts us.

I think our formula , with the schedule imbalance, should have tiebreaker based on overall record and out of conference performance, if two teams are 7-1 and one played cupcakes and the other a good nonconference schedule.

so although none of the ways to get in I think are likely for us, I think that is the most realistic, and it’s nice just to have the opportunity to still be speculating halfway through the season!

 

[OttoinGrotto]

I say we just win all our games.

 

[elimunelson]

We win out we are in the tournament. To me that’s the calculus

 

[syracuse95]

If Clemson went undefeated and SMU went undefeated - and we ran out - I’m thinking we would have good chance of being one of the 8 teams not conference winners

That would require the ACC getting 3 teams in, and I just don't see that happening.

 

[FRANKIEFAN]

That would require the ACC getting 3 teams in, and I just don't see that happening.

Wed get in with 1 loss over 2 loss smu.

 

[blust2i3d4]

The key is to let Pitt do all the dirty work for us. If we win out and Pitt win out except losing to us, then ACC will have five one-loss teams and we win the tie breaker.

Syracuse 2-0 (beat Pitt and Miami)
Pitt 2-1 (beat Clemson and SMU, lose to Syracuse)
Miami 0-1 (lose to SU)
Clemson 0-1 (lose to Pitt)
SMU 0-1 (lose to Pitt)

Also this will be the best path for ACC to send the most teams to playoff.
Syracuse 11-1
Pitt 11-1
Miami 11-1
Clemson 10-2
SMU 10-2

ACC will send at least 3 teams to playoff with Clemson possibly the 4th.

 

[richmondcuse03]

9-3 would still be a great season. 10-2 and we'll be having serious regret over Stanford but I think it's hard to hope for much more than 9 wins with a new coaching staff.

I expect one more What loss at some point. We still have to play at Pitt, travel across the country again, face Miami, and deal with Va Tech. Throw in a November game at BC and who knows what happens.

 

[HoustonCuse]

This is great and all. But there is just no way our ineptitude on ST isn’t going to cost us at least one game. It’s a bummer but it would take a massive turnaround to get that unit up to simply neutral (as opposed to negative).

 

[Chip]

SMU is going to steamroll Stanford, and looks likely that they will go undefeated with that schedule.

Clemson's back to back at VT and Pitt will be interesting (hopefully a 5-3 VT is looking ahead to that one).

Miami is flying way too close to the sun, but if it doesn't burn them at Louisville this weekend then we might be the only hope to ruin their undefeated season.

 

[David321]

9-3 would still be a great season. 10-2 and we'll be having serious regret over Stanford but I think it's hard to hope for much more than 9 wins with a new coaching staff.

I expect one more What loss at some point. We still have to play at Pitt, travel across the country again, face Miami, and deal with Va Tech. Throw in a November game at BC and who knows what happens.

UNLV win makes me feel a lot better about Stanford. We could have lost the UNLV game several times, and that's a better win.

 

[upperdeck]

Honestly winning out and not being in the ACC title game is probably the best way to get to the playoffs.
Beating Miami and then losing to Clemson and 11-2 probably doesn't get it done over the 5-6 SEC teams that will have 2 losses.

 

[baggerbob]

That would require the ACC getting 3 teams in, and I just don't see that happening.

If we win out the Media would force the committee to put us in. Fran Brown a first year Head Coach taking Syracuse to an 11-1 record and beating a top 5 team.
That would be the biggest story in College Football, that is ratings and the Networks would very likely in a back door way inform the committee that they better put Syracuse in.

 

[23Zone]

One game at a time folks. Looking too far forward is fools gold.

 

[Doc5120]

One game at a time folks. Looking too far forward is fools gold.

Could not agree more. Pitt is going to be very tough. We need to scale it back, take it 1 game at a time and enjoy the ride.

 

[upperdeck]

if we get to NOV then its time to dream.

 

[HyattsCuse]

One game at a time folks. Looking too far forward is fools gold.

That's the mindset the team needs to take. As fans, it's fun to project and be excited thinking of the possibilities ahead. We don't get that opportunity often as fans of 'Cuse football.

 

[upperdeck]

Reality is vs SMU
if we win out and they lose one we want it to be Pitt since the tiebreak is highest seeded common opp and Pitt will be ahead of Stan in the ACC

 

[HRE Otto IV]

I don't think Clemson will lose another game in conference. IMO VA Tech has the best shot but it is unlikely.

Miami I think will lose one of their 3 road games if not multiple.

Pitt will be lucky to go .500 the rest of the way.

SMU has a weak schedule but they will definitely slip up 1-2 times.

Louisville has a rough schedule no way they survive.

I think VA Tech could get on a roll. I wouldn't count them out.


I think Clemson will be one team. The other is open for debate, but I would go with Miami. If we are 9-2 going into the Miami game we will still be alive. But I think there is almost no chance of being 9-2.

 

[UpstateSM]

We have to win every game we have left

 

[upperdeck]

Wax may turn out to be a key or just another piece of the puzzle.