2018 VIEWERS GUIDE VOL. 1

As I mentioned, we're headed back to our roots. Rooted early on on this forum was a game preview, that highlighted the week's biggest games, which soon evolved into a Viewers Guide, which was made more fun and interesting with picks where pride and money was on the line. 2018 will continue that tradition. Here is your Week 1 Viewers Guide....

THURSDAY NITE

It all starts Thursday Night. This year we may be lost on opening night because Sakerlina isn't the center of the College Football Universe on a Thursday in late August. Instead we get a smorgasbord of openers that features Peak B1G and The conFLiCT.

Main Screen -  Northwestern (+1) at Purdue - 8pm on the Mothership - Brohm is definitely the guy Purdue needs to grow the brand and program at Purdue. Gotta remember he's in year two. NW but close.
Secondary - UCF at UCONN (+23.5) - 7pm on the U - A game that features a trophy tthe winner doesn't want to acknowledge or bring home. Expect UCF, BIG.
Last Option - Wake Forest at Tulane (+6.5) -  CBSSN at 8pm - Y'all don't sleep on Willie Fritz. He's gonna land a big job in the next couple of years as long as he keeps up his momentum.

FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS

Friday doesn't really have any ballgames that jump off the screen at ya, but there are some sneaky ballgames that'll keep you plugged in.

Main Screen (Early) - Army (+14) at Duke - 7pm on the U -  I love the Army value this Friday. Duke should be solid, as the normally are under Cutcliffe. Army's Triple Option Threat was downright dirty last year and bested Duke nearly 9 months ago.
Main Screen (Later) - San Diego State (+14.5) at Stanford - 9pm on FS1 - San Diego State could give Stanford everything they can handle with so many questions looming at Quarterback for the Cardinal.
Secondary - Directional Kentucky Hilltoppers (+37) at Wisky - 9pm on the Mothership - Big Red is headed to a buzzsaw in Madison, but they'll force a late cover.
Last Option - Colorado at Colorado State (-7.5) at 9:30 on CBSSN - Bobo's hoping to bounce back. He will against in-state rival, Colorado.



FOOTBALL SATURDAY

High Nooners
The High Nooner slate features three ball games that I think you'll want to put action on a stay tuned in to. It also features a game we're putting on UPSET ALERT.
Texas at Maryland (+13.5) - Noon on FS1 - With all of negatives press swirling around Maryland, it just seems obvious that Texas is primed for a near letdown moment.
FAU (+21) at Oklahoma - Noon on FOX - Future University of North Carolina Head Coach Lane Kiffin looks to play spoiler in Norman in a year that the Sooners believe is "the year." It'll be a treat watching former stars from Last Chance U give the Sooners everything they can handle.
Ole Miss (+2.5) vs Tejas Tech in Houston - High Noon on the Mothership - The Landsharks are now official. Ole Miss is gonna surprise some folks this year as the program is still loaded with talent.
UPSET ALERT: James Madison over State in Raleigh...... BELIEVE

Mid-Afternooners
The Mid Afternoon slate has a bit more variety and excitement than the Nooners. We have a top 10 match up that could be repeated in the playoff and the door is oppen for more FCS Upsets.

Main Event - Washington (+2) vs Auburn in ATL... on the Mothership at 330 - Big game Chris Peterson makes an appearance early on in a city he's had success. Barners lose their mind shortly after.

Next Up - Tennessee (+10) vs WVU - 330 on CBS - Vol Nation starts a new era and I think they're gonna like what they see. 

Last Option - App State(+24) at Penn State on B1G Net at 330 - II sorta love the Neers for a value pick in this one.

UPSET ALERT - U of R over UVA. 

Night Games 

The night game slate should be so much better than it acutally is, but on paper there's a bunch of snoozers.

Main Event - Michigan at Notre Dame (-1) at 730 on NBC - Sorry Harbaugh.... I'm picking ND big at home at night. 

Next Up - Boise State at Troy (+10) - ESPN News at 6 - Never sleep on a Troy team at home. Never. 

Last Option - Louisville vs Bama (+24.5) - 8pm on ABC - Bama by 100 on this one. Bobby P will be interviewing for a new job this time next week.

UPSET ALERT - SDSU over Iowa. This would be PEAK Kirk Ferentz. Lose to SDSU, Beat Wisky and Penn State.

Late Night

Main Event - BYU (+12) at Zona - 1045 on the Mothership -BYU's gonna surprise some folks this year. Sumlinhas a lot to fix.

/TSA at Zona State (-17.5) -FSI at 1030 - HERMSSSSSSS BIG DEBUT

Navy (-11.5) at Hawai'i - 11 on CBSSN -  Hawaii Football afterdark means one thing and one thing only.... the GAWD 

WE BACK: INTRO TO 2018

Following that sappy post, it's time to get back to what we do best here: college football opinions, sometimes intelligent and insightful, with a sharp Carolina Tar Heel bias. After a disappointing 2016 8-5 campaign where Carolina couldn't find rhythm and a dreadful 3-9 season in 2017 littered with attrition, there seems to be some passive optimism that 2018 should provide an uptick in excitement. Let's explore to see the last times Carolina had a "dreadful season" and whether or not the program bounced back.

1988 and 1989 under Mack Brown - Both Seasons 1-10
Mack Brown posted the two worst football seasons in modern history his first two seasons at the helm as Carolina's Head Ball Coach. In a time when cross-town rival Duke was at it's late 20th Century Peak under Spurrier, it was a tough time to root for the Heels. Fortunately the off season prior 1990 brought Carolina the talent that helped Mack turn the program around and string together what would become the most prominent football years Carolina's ever had. 6-4-1 and 7-4 preceded Carolina's first bowl game under the Mack, when Carolina won the Peach Bowl and finished 9-3.

1999 under Carl Torbush - 3-8
Carolina hit a valley like they had a decade prior in Carl Torbush's second complete season, following up a somewhat disappointing 7-5 1998 campaign. This team, like 2017's Carolina squad was riddled with injuries. Rumors are school officials wanted to fire him following this season but player and fan support kept him around for another season. After another rough season in 2000, Torbush's time in Chapel Hill was up. 6-5 was not enough to keep around the man who led Carolina's wrecking ball, NFL talent filled defenses of the mid and late 1990s.

2003 Under John Bunting - 2-10
Bunting, a Carolina alum, led one of the most inconsistent eras in the history of Carolina Football. His first season at the helm produced an exciting 8-5 stint that included a huge upset of then 6th ranked Florida State. His 2001 was followed up with 3-9 in 2002 and 2-10 in 2003. Bunting assured folks around the program that they were on the right path and for at least one year, he walked the walk. Under Darian Durant, Bunting's squad posted a 6-6 record and earned a spot in the Continental Tire Bowl.

2006 Under John Bunting - 3-9
The 2006 Campaign was the final under Bunting's tutelage. His departure opened the door for Carolina to make the biggest name hire since the Mack, when the Heels brought on board Butch Davis. Davis, who built Miami back into a national power in the late 1990s, had just become available after a several year stint in the NFL. Butch had a new challenge ahead of him: to make Carolina a name.

2007 under Butch Davis - 4 -8*
I have to put an asterisk on that record for, while on paper, the record appears dismal, there was so much excitement and upward trajectory surrounding the Carolina program. Carolina lost 6 of 8 games by a touchdown or less and had just landed a top 10 recruiting class the previous February. Excitement was high for the program and Butch was building a foundation.

2017 under Larry Fedora - 3-9
Just two season removed from an ACC Coastal title and near upset of National Runner Up Clemson Tigers, Carolina sputtered to a 3-9 finish, which included 6 game skid in the heart of the schedule. The reasons for the set back of year mounted throughout the season and off season. Carolina saw wicked attrition on the offensive side of the ball from 2016, faced a plague of season ending injuries from 75% of the original 24 starters, and struggled with coaching cohesiveness as coaches shared play calling and formation duties. Carolina was forced to combat the attrition and youth with ramping back the offense and defense and focus on fundamentals. The team could barely tread water.

So where does this program go from here?

Of of the best ways to gauge a program trajectory in the college football realm is a combination of the following: previous results, returning experience and talent level, incoming/future talent level and player development through recruiting and coaching. Since Fedora set foot in Chapel Hill, he and his staff have preached recruiting the right type and best talent available and developing them through their system. His recruiting rankings at Carolina to date are as follows (Thanks 24/7 Sports for your composite rankings)
2012 (inherited class) - 41st nationally/6th in the ACC
2013 (first true class) - 28th/5th
2014 - 30th/4th
2015 - 28th/4th
2016 - 32nd/5th
2017 - 29th/5th
2018 - 20th/4th
2019 (current) - 64th/13th...

Despite Carolina's worst season since 1999, Carolina posted their best recruiting ranking since Larry set foot in Chapel Hill. Most of this was built off of the peak years during Larry's stint in 2015 and 2016, where Carolina was at the top of the ACC Coastal. However, sort of like how Carolina trailed off in the 2016 season and plummeted in 2017, next years recruiting rankings have taken a hit. Carolina only has two commits from the Top 50 recruits in the State of North Carolina, while state has several. If Carolina wants to get back to the level of play we saw in 2015 and parts of 2016, they have to get their recruiting back in order. At least for 2018 and 2019, Carolina should benefit the talent that's been brought in and developed the past few season. A positive, all of last year's suspensions yielded opportunities for Carolina to gain experience across the returning the two deep. The negative, 13 players were suspended for trying to make money off of their namesake (GOD FORBID) which was mostly comprised of returning starters (. Early on, Carolina will have to overcome the suspensions handed down and once again develop young, inexperienced talent. Carolina is able to stagger the suspensions to minimize the damage early on. With a September that includes roadies at Cal, ECU and The U and a home date against a hot UCF program, Carolina will need players to play above their heads as they ease into another season. 

Richmond is My Home and Future

30 plus months.....

Hard to believe it's been over 30 months ( or 984 days for those keep track at home) since officially signing off from my last post as the sole proprietor of Frats Pigskin Review. Not until recently did I decide to revamp and retry at this college football "bloggin" thing again. With failed experiments of trying to take this thing big time (RIP 104 Stadium Drive dot com), and the random twitter blast of picks from the 2017 season, we've decided to get back to our roots. We're back to providing y'all the Viewers Guides, the Picks, and the most biased and hottest takes related to all things Carolina and College Football. Much like in the last 30 months of today's world, yours truly has gone through some serious life and work changes.

Here's the necessary life update: First, I no longer call Pittsburgh my home and my future. I accepted an excellent work opportunity back in May of 2016, one that helped broaden my career and set up my current path for personal and career growth. In my first year at this job, my new path came at a significant cost, one that took me the better part of a year to come to grips with and accept. Yours truly was shipped out of the Burgh kicking and screaming back in November 2016. The life I had grown into and built in Pittsburgh became no longer part of my future and expected journey. With transition came what felt like a never ending spiral of heartbreak, physical and emotional distress. Having lived through several months of a personal hell, another move (with the same firm) gave me a window and a chance to build myself back up. This second move gave me the chance to truly start over, to truly give me the chance to finally let go and start living my life again. In the first several months, the work load didn't subside. I was stretched thin with 70-80 hour work weeks. All weeks filled with the mental and physical stress of a different daily construction crisis. These days turned to weeks and began to take a toll. It felt oddly too similar to the personal heartbreak that ripped my world apart just a few months earlier. I struggled to keep myself under control and to remain hopeful. Luckily, I listened to free advice. I was advised to "keep my head down, take care of myself physically, mentally, emotionally," and to just "keep scratchin', clawin' and pushin' that ball forward a little bit everyday." I was told to Just Keep Livin'. I give an incredible amount of thanks to those friends and family who gutted it out with me when I was at the brink. In due time work got a little better and easier. I kept living, I put my head down and sank into my support system. I lived for the folks who meant the most to me, embraced my new surroundings and kept taking care of myself. "Just Keep Livin' " remains my personal mantra. One year later, from the crater in my personal valley, I'm the happiest I've ever been.

Richmond became my new stomping grounds. I found a sense of place at work and in life. At work, I collaborated with 3 of the best professionals I've ever been around. Our team oriented mindset helped us achieve every personal and professional goal we set out to tackle. When the time on the road started to dwindle and our tour came to a screeching halt, each member of the team was fortunate enough to land where they wanted to. When I suspected our mission was set to end, I had one goal, solidify myself with an opportunity for career growth.

Richmond offered me another shot growing friendships and finding a gal that made me feel like the luckiest man in the world. After a few months of meeting new people and building on existing friendships, that amazing person walked into my life. Suddenly, I had THE REASON to make this new place home. This young lady, who challenges me on a daily basis to be the best version of myself, swept me flawlessly off my feet. I was fully dipped. She and I started a life together, one that grows every day. Whether it's renovating our house, exploring Richmond and the best the Commonwealth has to offer, or spending evenings on the couch with our Two Corgis, I live for her and I live for us.

As she and I grew closer and work topic became a reality, I knew what I had to do. It was finally time to choose life over work. It was time to prove to myself why I believe we're on put on this earth: to share a life with the one you love the most; to carry your morals, values, and opportunity through your children; and, to advance society through your work and stewardship. Thankfully, by the Grace of the Good Guy upstairs/Good Karma/The Stars and Planets were aligned, whatever you believe in, I secured that spot. I had finally made a move that was not only good for my career, but also I made the move that that is one for both my career and my life. Richmond and the blessings that have come with it, are my home and future.

I'm eternally blessed and grateful.

PRE XMAS BOWL SEASON VIEWERS GUIDE

HEY Y'ALL. COLLEGE FOOTBALL'S BACK SATURDAY. MAKE SURE TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THESE GAMES. YOU'LL WANT TO DURING THE ENDLESS PIT OF DOOM, ALSO KNOWN AS THE OFFSEASON.

FOOTBALL SATURDAY

Air Force Reserve Celebration Bowl
Alcorn State vs NC A&T (pick) - High Noon on ABC
The first season of this bowl should be a very LIT scene in Atlanta featuring two of the top fan bases and bands the MEAC and SWAC have to offer. This is set to become an annual game.

Gildan New Mexico Bowl 
Arizona (pick) vs New Mexico - 2pm on the Mothership
Main thing to watch in this game is the focus level of Arizona and their coaching staff. This was largely a disappointing year for the Wildcats even though many considered it already a rebuilding year. How does a team maintain focus when they're faced with guarding the triple option attack of FootbawBawb

Las Vegas Bowl
BYU vs Utah (The Holy War) - 330pm on ABC
Not very often you get rivals matched up in bowl games. With this being Bronco Mendenhall's final game at the helm of BYU therehas to be some sort of intrigue to which team shows up. He's going after win 100 at BYU.
Utah have a stellar run defense that's stopped virtually everyone. Expect them to keep the ball in front of them, actually on both sides as this should be a grind it out kind of battle that comes down to the last possession.

Camellia Bowl
App State vs Ohio - 530pm on the Mothership
App State's first bowl comes against a team that's having about about as stellar of a year as the Mountaineers. Ohio overcame numerous injuries on the defensive side of a ball, sputtering to a 8-4 finish. The Bobcats expect much of the group, that when it was healthy, a very good defense back against a high scoring App State offensive attack. I expect my home state's Happy Appy State team to roll.

Cure Bowl 
Georgia State vs San Jose State - 7pm - CBSSN
As Bill Connelly noted this bowl is pointless but it should be fun! Both teams are sub 500. Moar footbaw!

New Orleans Bowl
Arkansas State vs Louisiana Tech - 9pm - The Mothership
Both teams are within driving distance of this one so expect a solid showing in the Super Dome. Also expect many points featuring two teams that like to pile it on offensively. Arkansas State is one of the more aggressive teams in the Group of 5 with home run threats on offense and a defense that likes to get after it. Going with Carolina's former OC in this one.

Monday Night Afternoon Football

Miami Beach Bowl 
Western Kentucky vs South Florida - 230pm - The Mothership
Try not to get caught watching this one while at work. That'll be the challenge many of us face next Monday.  Gimme the Hilltoppers

Tuesday Football (MACtion Alert)

Idaho Potato Bowl
Akron vs Utah State - 330pm - The Mothership
Like the Miami Beach Bowl this game will be a test to see how much you actually care about getting work done. What you will see are two talented defenses doing battle on the blue turf. Akron finds themselves in their first bowl in a decade, look for the zips to care of biz in this one.

Boca Raton Bowl
Toledo vs Temple - 7pm on the Mothership
MACtion extraordinares vs the new kids on the black in the American. This should be one of the more enjoyable bowl games of the season. I'm taking the defense in this one: Temple.

Wednesday Football (SunBEAST and MACtion Alerts)

Poinsettia Bowl
The Smurfs vs Northern Illinois - 430pm on the Mothership
Two former BCS Crashers do battle in a matchup feeting some very hot and cold teams in 2015. Both teams showed off their skills at various points of the year and also produced their own stinkers. Going with the smurfs in this one simply because Dave Doeren's replacement still hasnt won a bowl game.

GoDaddy Bowl
Bowling Green vs Georgia Southern - 8pm on ESPN
Oh the commercials.... gimme GaSo over the MACtion Kings.

Christmas Eve

Bahamas Bowl
Middle Tennessee State vs Western Michigan - High Noon on the Mothership
There's a bowl in the Bahamas y'all. I'm leaning MTSU.

Do wish the #Vols ended up in the Bahamas Bowl: Can you imagine the headlines out of Nassau involving this fan base: pic.twitter.com/Zoa5hwKOtZ

— Santa Frat (@FootbawFrat) December 18, 2015

Hawaii Bowl 
Cinci vs San Diego State -  8pm on the Mothership
Like A Christmas Story on for 24 hours straight there's no greater tradition over the holidays than the a poorly attended Hawaii Bowl. For the players coaches, and families involved, spending the holidays in paradise does not suck.

Happy Holidays y'all.

Slept On It: Loss to Clemson and Going Forward

From last night....

The clock's officially struck 12:45am  and I've run out of the Bourbon that's fueled me over the last few hours. Staring at the empty bottle I guess it's time to try to piece together all of the emotions I and many fans felt over the course of the 45-37 loss at the hands of a number one ranked Clemson squad.

First, let me give credit where it's due: Clemson is a very good football team. Tonight we watched one of the best teams in the country operate both effectively and poorly in the same game, sometimes within the same drive. Deshaun Watson is Carolina's Daddy having racked up a stat line in two games that's about as talented as you can find:

It his two games against Carolina (2014 and 2015) Watson is:
A combined 53-78 (68%) throwing for 724 yards 9 touchdowns and two INTs
He's rushed for 162 yards and a pair of scores as well.
He's 2-0.
If Watson put together another game of this nature against Carolina he'll be nearing Russell Wilson status. If I had a vote for the Heisman, Watson would get it. He's simply the best player I've watched this year in college football with Dalvin Cook coming in second and the freight train known as Derrick Henry in third.

I also want to give credit to Clemson's ability to control the offensive line. Clemson had the tedious task of replacing virtually everyone from last year's dominant defensive line and very good offensive line and both units improved steadily over the year. The offensive line, as David Hale of ESPN pointed out, did not give up a sack in their last 4 games. On both sides of the ball Clemson dictated how the game would be played. Their front seven attacked and abused Carolina's offensive line. From one side of the line with Spain all the way to the other side with Jon Heck, Carolina's offensive line got beat from the point of attack. Clemson's Defensive Coordinator (one of the best in the country) Brent Venables slanted and stunted his way through the Carolina offensive line. Outside of a handful or so runs, Carolina's couldn't establish anything on the ground. The attack when Carolina decided to pass, flustered the OL and gave Quise fits. The quarterback who can usually pick a defense apart, struggled to find a rhythm as he dipped and dodged Clemson pass rushers all evening. Carolina's offense didn't ever completely comfortable until they were down by three scores. Clemson had the better athletes, better gameplan and played the better game tonight.

From this mornin'

On the botched call:
Did the refs miss the offsides call on the recovered kick? Yes. Was it at a very inconvenient time? Hell yes. Did it determine the outcome of the game? Maybe. Is it the reason Carolina lost? Hell no. Go watch the ballgame again. Clemson dominated this game from the point of attack. I hate it most for the players who made the play to not get rewarded.

On the offense:
For those who watched it shouldn't come as a surprise when I say that Carolina did not play it's best game. Quise looked rattled for much of the game and the offense failed to establish any kind of consistency until the game was out of reach. As I wrote earlier, much of the credit needs to be given to Clemson. The talent across their roster was evident in all phases of the game yesterday. What;s encouraging even for as poor as Carolina played for a majority of the game, they still managed to have a shot at the end of the game to make things interesting. That's a testament to this team and coaching staff's resilience. They keep fighting and fighting until the bitter end.

On the defense:
The defense gave the offense virtually every opportunity they could yesterday. Yes the 2 minute drill was a let down and the defense couldn't do much after spending a majority of the first 45 minutes of game play on the field; but the defense gave the offense a shot to make the game interesting. We've seen all year the bend but don't break nature of this defense. This defense, while it still has a ways to go, showed some positives against a very good Clemson offensive attack.

Going Forward:
Last night's result should ABSOLUTELY NOT take away what this team's accomplished over the course of this season. This fan base was extremely fortunate to have had this bunch of Seniors leading this squad. The quad of Jeff Schoettmer, Marquise Williams, Shakeel Rashad and Landon Turner helped lead a group which overcame three coaches, a whirlwind of scandal. national disrespect and complete program turmoil. This quad completely flipped the direction of the program with the #IGotYourBack campaign, with their resilience, with their desire and with their constant fight. Kudos are also in store for this coaching staff.

Not enough can be said about the defensive overhaul we've watched over the last 11 months. We went from a group that had given up on the men coaching the defensive side of the ball to a whole team and recruiting class that's bought into the messages of #IGotYourBack and Smart.Fast.Physical. I love where this program's come in the last few months. We went from the lows of losing to Sakerlina in disappointing fashion, to the highs of winning in Atlanta for the first time in 18 years, beating the shit out of Duke and clinching the Coastal in Blacksburg. November, and the first week of December were ballgames to cherish and remember as a fan. I'm so proud of this ball team and these players. They earned every moment on the field this year. I look forward to this bowl game as Carolina attempts to win their 12th game for the first time ever. This program's in the best spot they've been since Marvin's Tweet seen around the world. Morale's high, a large chunk of the two deep returns and recruiting's hummin for what feels like the first time since 09. Cheering for a program emerging in big time college football is such a wonderful drug.

It's always a Great Day to Be A Tar Heel.

WFP

Setting Goals, It ain't over yet: Clemson Preview

This was peak post bar late night rambling. Prediction was written this morning.

Before I dive into previewing Carolina's biggest game to date, I wanna look back at how far this fan base and this team have come over the past 3 months. I remember vividly ripping into a team and coaching staff early on into the season following a horrible and disappointing loss at the hands of Sakerlina. I, like many Tar Heels, couldn't sleep that Thursday night after watching Marquise Williams play his worst game in a Tar Heel uniform. I couldn't sleep because of the incompetence by the offensive coaching shown that game. I couldn't sleep because even Spurrier knew how lucky his squad had gotten in that game. Following that loss, where many teams would crumble, Carolina got back to the keys I had coming into this season:

1. Carolina re-established dominance on the offensive line
This offense has hummed in about every game this season for one point or another. We've watched veteran leadership lead a group that's development a nasty streak and cohesiveness. Even at their toughest struggles against a very well coached Virginia Tech defense, Carolina's O Line paved the way for go up two scores and protect Quise in the game's biggest moment (Game Winner to Quinshad). The game's against Miami and NC State (especially first and third quarters) have been some of the most impressive displays of run blocking I've watched outside of what many consider "elite" programs (Bama, Southern Cal during their run, LSU at times, Notre Dame).

2. Carolina's coaching improved
Unless you've been under a rock, youve probably heard about how much better the coaching been on the sidelines and in the coaches box this year. We're watching coaches make adjustments and players responding to those adjustments. We're watching coaches and players buy-in. We're watching teammates because brothers under the guidance of their mentors.

3. Carolina's Defense grew up and came into their own
While there's still room for improvement, you cannot look over the work Coach Gene Chizik and his supporting staff on the defense did for a bunch that had been in free fall for a couple of years. Even as the offenses this team faced grew more complex, the coaching staff kept things simple and the players responded by fighting their nuts off and making play after play. If this unit remains intact, Carolina's defense couple be SCARY in the coming years.

4. Carolina rallied and used a massive chip on their shoulders and exceeded everyone's (outside of their own) expectations
To keep it simple: This Carolina team's lived out their motto of #IGotYourBack. They've rallied in the face of adversity during games and over the course of the season. They've competed. They've experienced success and failure. Most importantly; they've been a damned fun team to watch and cover.

Heading into Clemson, I find myself not trying to get too lost into the Xs and Os of the game. I find myself in a situation only familiar to my Virginia Tech fandom I had growing up. From the mid nineties until just a few years ago, 10 win seasons were the norm for the orange and maroon and year in and year out I'd watch the Hokies climb to the upper tier of the college football polls only to lose in heartbreaking fashion or get disrespected by the polling and wind up in a bowl matchup below one they deserved. Carolina find themselves in a similar situation this weekend. Win: The Program hits a height we haven't seen in a modern era and we're left to wait to see how a panel of "experts" sees where we fit in the postseason.

How Carolina Wins

1. Win the Turnover Battle
The Tar Heels have gone through a rough stretch in the second halves of the last two games by coughing up the ball and letting Virginia Tech and NC State keep the game closer than it should have been. Clemson's let go of controlling the ball over the last month too. Win the turnover battle and a win in Charlotte just became easier.

2. Control the Line of Scrimmage
On defense, Clemson's offense is gonna look very familiar to Tar Heel fans as Clemson loves to stretch the field and create mismatches in the same way as the Heels. Clemson feeds off the quick striking attack whether it be a wide receiver screen on the perimeter or a zone read that carves the front seven. Carolina's front seven(most six cause I expect to see a bunch of nickel) will have to play sound gap control in the run game and hen Clemson drops back to pass. As good as Deshaun Watson's arm is, he's equally as deadly with his wheels. Maintain contain, wrap up and keep the play in front of you.
On offense, Carolina's O has the task of going up against the best defense they've faced all year. The man on Clemson's defense to watch is Shaq Lawson at Defensive End. While he's not a s fast a Vic Beasley, Lawson's been a force all season. Containing him is key to this Offensive Line. Clemson's defensive front faces the best offensive line they've faced since the monsoon game against Notre Dame. Win the leverage battle and create some alleys for Quise, Eli and TJ to do work.

3. Finish Drives
Field goals ain't gonna get it done against the best offense Carolina's faced all year. Unlike the last game at the BofA, Carolina punches it in when they get in the red zone. Expect a higher scoring affair than what we saw back in the first of September.

While on paper, the Clemson defense should give this team the edge, I cannot go against my heart today. I expect Carolina to jump out to a two score lead. Clemson to rally and the Carolina squad to earn redemption with a late score, a late stop, and a couple late first downs to ice a ballgame between two of the country's best teams.

Carolina 41 Clemson 34 

Carolina Fans can start talking playoff around midnight tonight.

Go Heels.

CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIP WEEK VIEWERS GUIDE

Biggest Game in Carolina's Football History is on Saturday. Needless to say it's been difficult to focus at work this week....

On another note: FEAR NOT! If you're one of the fan bases left out of this weekend's championship game fun, there's plenty of ball games for you to watch as your team makes preparations for 2016

Friday Night Lights

The biggest game in your neck of the woods are likely on the high school gridiron, but if you dont have a dog left in the high school fight, there's a ballgame that may strike your interest

MACtion Championship

Bowling Green vs Northern Illinois at Ford Field (+12.5)
Matt Johnson (QB for BG) vs Drew Hare (QB for Northern Illinois is the matchup to watch here. Both are crazy efficient while Johnson's attack is a bit more vertical. Northern Illinois is my sneaky pick here... simply because they're undefeated as underdogs this season.

Football Saturday

High Nooners

AAC Championship - Temple at Houston (-6) - ABC at Noon
I think Herman's commitment to Houston is the difference in this game. His team shows up inspired for him this week. I think Houston wins by at least a couple of scores.

Conference USA Championship - Southern Miss at Western Kentucky (-8) - The Deuce at Noon
Brandon Doughty against a so-so pass defense? Take my money.

Texas at Baylor (-20) - Noon on The Mothership
This line should honestly be bigger.

Mid Afternooners

SEC Championship - Bama (-16.5) vs Florida - 4 on CBS with tha GAWD
This one's gonna look like Sakerlina vs Auburn did 5 years ago

West Virginia at Kansas State (+6) - 430 on FS1
Gotta go with the squad playing for bowl eligibility.

Night Games

PAC 12 Championship Game - Southern Cal (+5) vs Stanford - 745 on The Mothership
For as good as Stanford's looked over the last few weeks, I can't discount Southern Cal rallying behind now new head Coach Helton. Picking the Trojans in the upset.

B1G Championship - Michigan State  vs Iowa (+4) - 8pm on FOX
Why pick against a corn fed zombie Iowa team? Have we not learned anything yet this year? I don't trust Michigan State's defense enough.... just don't.

ACC Championship - Carolina vs Clemson - 8pm on ABC - Current Line is 4.5 in favor of Clemson
More on this one later.

Check my twitter page... I've been chatting about this ballgame all week

BIG WEEKEND. LET'S GO.