Presto's Picks-- Looking out for #1.

Do you root for your league or your school? Clemson plays Georgia Tech tonight... and for those not with a rooting interest who follow the ACC-- you'd think they'd be pulling for Orange and Purple. Late October means in addition to anticipating the quickly arriving college basketball season one focuses on the slowly shrinking list of unbeaten teams... and for the first time in recent memory, there's an ACC team in the mix. To have an unbeaten in November gets additional attention towards your conference beyond the divisional races...and recently the likes of Virginia Tech have dominated the league after stumbling in September while former title picture fixtures Florida State and Miami have been spectators instead of participants in the November sprint. When the Big East gets pub for having an unbeaten Rutgers or Cincinnati or Louisville after Halloween (sorry, Syracuse-- the Orange haven't been unbeaten past Columbus Day since I think 1987)... you see how key it is for your favorites to stay unblemished late. That's why the best thing that could happen for the ACC is for the Tigers to triumph... and stay on the fringe of the conversation as other teams (Wisconsin, Oklahoma) in front of them stumble.


Alma Mater Update-- will there be a letdown? It's tough managing the emotional roller coaster of just one college student-- let alone 100. The Orange are fresh off blasting a ranked rival in West Virginia and now play the Cardinals-- who no matter how good they've been in recent years will never be in the pantheon of SU rivals on the gridiron. Word is the wing sauce at Sign of the Whale will have a tiny extra bit of Tabasco to get things going.

Yes, Virginia! There is a Thursday night-- Kippy and Buffy were so busy getting their Halloween costumes in gear, they didn't notice that the Cavaliers were playing in Miami Thursday night. (They're going as Captain John Smith and Pocahontas-- again) Still, they plan on enjoying the usual snacks while watching the Tivoed game. If you see them around and about, don't spoil the score-- although it's okay to joke about their popped collars.

Maryland battles Boston College-- and the Eagles are the only team in the ACC without a league victory. BC ranks 11th in the ACC offensively... and last in the league in total defense. Obviously they're placing too much emphasis on moving the football. This will be a fulcrum game for the Terps-- win and there are still hopes (albeit slim) of reaching the postseason. Lose and they're on the precipice of elimination with four remaining opponents all possessing winning records. Terrapins triumph, 20-16.

#15 Virginia Tech visits Duke-- oh, to be in the ACC's Coastal Division. In the 7+ years of divisional play Duke has posted a 7-52 league mark-- by far the worst in the conference. For decent programs having the Blue Devils automatically on the schedule is an extra boost towards getting a better bowl (much like the SEC Least that gets Vanderbilt and Kentucky on its docket every fall). The question for the Hokies: can they avoid the first quarter blahs... and against Duke will it matter? Sean Renfree is off to a so-so season... but when he's on he can create a bunch of points quickly-- and VT isn't exactly Air Coryell. Hokies after allowing 2 first quarter scores grind out another victory... 34-21.



Navy slips to Notre Dame, Georgetown beats Holy Cross, Howard falls to South Carolina State, James Madison edges Old Dominion, William & Mary loses to Rhode Island, Richmond comes up short against Massachussetts.


Last Week: 5-3.
Overall: 41-21.