Who Am I?
You’re not going to believe this, but I’m going to tell you which teams will win EVERY SINGLE GAME in the 2010 College Football season. Every one. Okay, maybe you believe it. But if you’re tired of waiting until your fourth Thanksgiving-leftover turkey sandwich to find out how your club missed that one damn kick or your coach made that amazing headphone dismount seconds before the Gatorade bath, you’re welcome.
And that’s not all. I’m providing a detailed look at each stanza of the season. The first four, the middle four, and if you’re a scheduling savant like USC, the last five (they play 13 games this season. Thanks a lot, Hawaii). So sit back, stop cursing at your copy of NCAA Football ’10, turn down the shades and dive right into the 2010 College Football season. Game by game. In June.
Duke Blue Devils
9/4 — Elon — W
9/11 — @Wake Forest — W
9/18 — Alabama — L
9/25 — Army — W
With David Cutcliffe entering his third year at Duke, the program should take another step forward. The Blue Devils haven’t been bowling yet, but they’ve shown more teeth in the last two seasons than the previous 15 combined. Early games against Elon (should be pretty one-sided) and at Wake should get Duke off to a nice start before hosting Alabama. Improved or not, that won’t be pretty. Getting Army at home the next week will be tough after the Bama beating (physically and mentally), but Duke should get just enough spark from WR Donovan Varner (1047 yards, 8 TDs) and they seem to believe that sophomore QB Sean Renfree has everything it’ll take to get over losing Thaddeus Lewis.
10/2 — @Maryland — W
10/16 — Miami — L
10/23 — @Virginia Tech — L
10/30 — @Navy — W
October steps it up a bit. Even on the road, the Blue Devils should take care of one of the best Navy teams in recent memory. It’ll be close, and could go either way, but the talent level at Duke is better than it has been in years, and stealing one road game is known necessity for making a postseason appearance. Maryland really looks like the 2010 ACC cellar-dweller, and Duke should be the better team, plain and simple. Of course, the Canes game looks insurmountable, and even at home, I see Duke dropping that one after the bye. Miami is just a better team right now. Going to Blacksburg the following week is just cruel, and after an expected emotional loss that could be closer than predicted, Duke should fall to the Hokies.
11/6 — Virginia — W
11/13 — Boston College — L
11/20 — @Georgia Tech — L
11/27 — UNC — L
At this point in the hypothetical season, Duke knows bowl eligibility is one win away. With four chances, they should be motivated enough to knock off Virginia or Boston College, both home games. Virginia will be coming off of a big-time game against Miami and should be drained enough to drop a game on the road. Boston College might get the same benefit the following week with Duke suffering a possible “bowl-eligibilty hangover.” Going to Atlanta is a tough spot and the motivation might not be as high. UNC will be looking to cap a double-digit win season, and has a nice head-start on Duke in talent and experience. If six wins gets the Dukies to the postseason, the celebration will still be small. It’s Duke football…
FINAL RECORD: 6-6 (3-5) 5th Place in the ACC Coastal
Florida State Seminoles
9/4 — Samford — W
9/11 — @Oklahoma — L
9/18 — BYU — W
9/25 — Wake Forest — W
For the second straight year, the Seminoles play a primetime game on the road against a likely top 15 team. That’s going to ruin an otherwise perfect September. Oklahoma just has too much firepower on offense to lose to an FSU defense that will need some time to adjust. The games against Wake and Samford are at home, and should be laughers considering the stark difference in talent with Samford and the expected drop-off from Wake. BYU was a much better team last season and couldn’t handle the ‘Noles away from Doak. I don’t see any chance of the Cougars putting up a better fight in Tallahassee.
10/2 — @Virginia — L
10/9 — @Miami — L
10/16 — Boston College — W
10/28 — @North Carolina State — W
It’s the middle portion of the schedule that could really go either way for first-year headman Jimbo Fisher. I think he’ll be a great coach, but this program is farther behind than some believe. That’s why I see the UVA game as a trap. The Noles will be coming off of a two-game homestand and might be overconfident. Could go either way. The visit to Miami shouldn’t end well. If it were in Doak, I’d give it to FSU, but it’s not. Boston College will be no match for a team looking to reassert themselves at home. That one looks like a blowout to me. The trip to Raleigh is interesting, but I think with all 11 starters back on offense, the Noles can win at least one decent road game.
11/6 — UNC — W
11/13 — Clemson — W
11/20 — @Maryland — W
11/27 — Florida — L
This will be the year that FSU really believes they can be Florida. Tebow’s gone. Spikes is gone. Haden’s gone. Dunlap, too. But I still think the Florida State program is lacking enough to fall to a Gators team that should be well-gelled by late November. The road test at Maryland could be a major trap after tough home games against Clemson and UNC. It might be closer than expected, but the Seminoles are too good to lose it. The win over the Tigers should feel good after dropping five of the last seven former Bowden Bowls. First time since it started that no Bowden will be heading either team. This defense be tight enough by November to hold up against a suspect UNC offense, and I see the Tar Heels dropping at least one unexpected game. Getting both of those games in Tallahassee is huge for the final push.
FINAL RECORD: 8-4 (6-2) 1st Place in the ACC Atlantic
