App State-Coastal was supposed to be the Game of the Year. Now we wait for NC State-Wake
The Carolinas just can’t have nice things in college football.
Not for long, at least. Yes, Clemson has been in the midst of a pretty good run (this season notwithstanding) but just when we here at All-Carolina Poll Headquarters were beginning to get excited about the All-Carolina Game of the Year, it all just fell apart.
Thanks a lot, Appalachian State. Thanks a lot, Football Gods. (Why must you smite us, so?)
If you’re a fan of The Poll, and we know you are, you know that we’ve been counting down for weeks to App’s game against Coastal Carolina on Wednesday night in Boone. It was to be an extravaganza: Beach vs. Mountains. Surfers vs. ... Hikers? Campers?
Sure.
Coastal hadn’t lost a game. App had just but just once, narrowly at Miami.
Then, boom. The Mountaineers last week suffered a 41-13 defeat at Louisiana.
Nothing like a four-touchdown beatdown to knock the luster off of things. Alas.
Would’ve been fun, though. Onto the next All-Carolina Game of the Year to hype up before the inevitable letdown. We’re looking at you, Wake Forest at N.C. State on Nov. 13.
And onto the poll:
1. Wake Forest (6-0, 4-0 ACC)
Previous ranking: 1
Last week: off
Up next: at Army, Saturday
A sneaky tough game this weekend for the Demon Deacons? Could just be. Army has lost but twice, including by six at Wisconsin last week, and as usual Army has a stout rushing offense, which averages 295 yards per game (second nationally).
2. N.C. State (5-1, 2-0 ACC)
Previous ranking: 2
Last week: W 33-7 at Boston College
Up next: at Miami, Saturday
The Wolfpack’s trip to Boston College came with all the trappings of that oft-talked about N.C. State ... Stuff. It was on the road, against a pesky opponent, in the midst of some State success. Perfect script for the inevitable letdown, right? Well, maybe not. Could it be this Wolfpack team is different?
3. Coastal Carolina (6-0, 2-0 Sun Belt)
Previous ranking: 3
Last week: off
Up next: at Appalachian State, Wednesday
Coastal is 1-6 vs. App all-time, but the 1 came last year — a 34-23 victory at home. Which means the Chanitcleers have never gone on the road and knocked off the program they’re modeled after in Boone. Chances are it happens Wednesday night in front of a national television audience.
4. Clemson (4-2, 3-1 ACC)
Previous ranking: 4
Last week: W 17-14 at Syracuse
Up next: at Pittsburgh, Saturday
Longtime ACC rivals Clemson and Pitt will meet on Saturday for the ... fifth time. OK, so maybe not all that long time of rivals, after all. There was Pitt’s dramatic 43-42 victory at Clemson in 2016, though. Now Clemson is an underdog in an ACC game for the first time since “Clemsoning” was a thing.
5. North Carolina (4-3, 3-3 ACC)
Previous ranking: 6
Last week: W 45-42 vs. Miami
Up next: at Notre Dame, Oct. 30
A sports theory, for your knowledge: If there’s such thing as moral victories, and there are, then there are such things as moral losses. The Tar Heels won on Saturday, yes, but if not for a batted ball and the interception that followed there’s a good chance they’d be entering their off week with a losing record.
6. Appalachian State (4-2, 1-1 Sun Belt)
Previous ranking: 5
Last week: L 41-13 at Louisiana-Lafayette
Up next: vs. Coastal Carolina, Wednesday
The Poll is an amicable Poll, and holds no grudges. Though, yes, would’ve been mighty fun had the aforementioned All-Carolina Game of the Year come to fruition in Boone. Would’ve been mighty fun, indeed. But no — no grudges here. Not in the least. Everything is fine.
7. South Carolina (4-3, 1-3 SEC)
Previous ranking: 7
Last week: W 21-20 vs. Vanderbilt
Up next: at Texas A&M, Saturday
The one thing South Carolina has been able to count on for the past 10-plus years: Beating Vanderbilt. The streak was in serious jeopardy and survived only after a last-minute touchdown on Saturday. But it lives. Make it 13 in a row over the Commodores. The reward: A trip to Texas A&M.
8. Charlotte (4-2, 2-0 Conference USA)
Previous ranking: 8
Last week: off
Up next: vs. FAU, Thursday
Opportunity awaits for the 49ers: Beat FAU Thursday night, and they’ll take control of Conference USA’s East Division. Well, “take control” is a little strong, given what’s ahead, but Charlotte would 3-0 in a conference where the most formidable teams are in the opposite division.
9. Duke (3-4, 0-3 ACC)
Previous ranking: 9
Last week: L 48-0 at Virginia
Up next: at Wake Forest, Oct. 30
This week’s Yikes Emoji Award, presented in The Poll whenever the need arises, goes to the Blue Devils. Going on the road and losing by 48 at Virginia, while not scoring a single point? Yikes, indeed.
10. ECU (3-3, 1-1 American)
Previous ranking: 10
Last week: off
Up next: at Houston, Oct. 23
First meeting since 2018 between AAC foes ECU and Houston, which brings to mind the question of what’s the most mismatched pair of cities of any two schools that share a conference? Houston and Greenville probably isn’t the most glaring, but it’d have to be up there, no?
