Duke wins the Coastal

GTrob21

Helluva Engineer
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1,480
I hate duke, but actually like Cutcliff, he is a stand up guy and deserves this. Happy for him. Duke will lose by 50 in the ACC championship game but still they are in it!

Also this should really shut up all the Tech can't do this because of restrictions people. DUKE is 10-2, Repeat DUKE is 10-2

No excuses
 

CuseJacket

Administrator
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19,629
I think what Duke has done is remarkable. And while I don't completely disagree with the essence of this post, it's not a fair post either. Take a look at Duke's schedule. We go 10-2 this year against that. Without a doubt.

http://espn.go.com/college-football/team/schedule/_/id/150/duke-blue-devils

For those who don't want to click the link, Duke's non-con schedule was North Carolina Central, Memphis, Troy, and Navy. Their crossover opponents were NC State and Wake. Imagine replacing BYU, UGA, and Clemson for teams all worse than the Syracuse team that many on this board didn't consider a good team (they're bowl eligible by the way unlike any of those Duke opponents listed).

Perhaps the most interesting conclusion I'm drawing here is that strength of schedule really isn't that important in creating an image/reputation. The same thing happened with Vandy last year i.e., they didn't beat an opponent with a winning record until NC State in the bowl game. I guarantee if GT stooped to scheduling like that we'd be up in arms about shying away from competition.
 

John

Peacekeeper
Staff member
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2,419
No doubt, I'm really impressed by Duke's record regardless of their strength of schedule. I 99% thought UNC would beat them comfortably today but then didn't realize that Renner was out for the season (when did that happen?).

With that said though... I think we'd beat them again if we played them again and I think we'll beat them again next year.
 

Js-showman

Jolly Good Fellow
Messages
340
The stars had to completely align for Duke to win it, and they did. Key Injuries to Carolina, Duke Johnson goes down in Miami, VT has a complete brain fart, completely insane. Now they get a chance to get utterly destroyed by Florida State. Oh well, at least the ACC will break the SEC streak and get a national championship.
 

gt13

Ramblin' Wreck
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544
If duke somehow, SOMEHOW, pulls off the upset... Is it the greatest upset in Acc history?
 

ToddM

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Location
Locust Grove Ga
I think what Duke has done is remarkable. And while I don't completely disagree with the essence of this post, it's not a fair post either. Take a look at Duke's schedule. We go 10-2 this year against that. Without a doubt.

http://espn.go.com/college-football/team/schedule/_/id/150/duke-blue-devils

For those who don't want to click the link, Duke's non-con schedule was North Carolina Central, Memphis, Troy, and Navy. Their crossover opponents were NC State and Wake. Imagine replacing BYU, UGA, and Clemson for teams all worse than the Syracuse team that many on this board didn't consider a good team (they're bowl eligible by the way unlike any of those Duke opponents listed).

Perhaps the most interesting conclusion I'm drawing here is that strength of schedule really isn't that important in creating an image/reputation. The same thing happened with Vandy last year i.e., they didn't beat an opponent with a winning record until NC State in the bowl game. I guarantee if GT stooped to scheduling like that we'd be up in arms about shying away from competition.

There in lies the problem, it's unavoidable. There is no way to balance a schedule and then compare the teams. The BCS playoff format will never decide the best team if the regular season conference schedules can't . It's that way in the SEC also. Ga went 2-3 years in a row without playing Bama, LSU or Texas AM. Yet they were ranked high, national champ material .

I look at Duke as a if they can do it why can't we team. Despite the schedule they beat Va Tech, Miami and their in state rival in NC.

This is why I get so mad when some look at good efforts as being good enough.
 

Boomergump

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Featured Member
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First of all. Congratulations to Duke. I am happy for them. While I hope we would have had a better record against their schedule than ours, it doesn't mean a lot to me. They earned it. We beat them, but they also beat two teams we couldn't. I think they are better than people give them credit for. Surely, they will be heavy underdogs to FSU, but, at the same time, they are a worthy opponent. Personally, I think a resurgent Duke is a positive thing for the conference. I would rather see every team in our league get better forcing us to get better along with them. There is nothing positive about having patsies on the conference schedule. Playing better teams week in and week out will help the ACC compete better on a national scale when inter-conference match ups take place.

It is funny. As a player, I couldn't stand DUKE. I thought they were the most conceited and uppity, yet crappy, team I had ever played against. I just could not tell where all that arrogance was coming from. That attitude seems to permeate all their programs regardless of strength. However, now, with Cutcliffe at the helm, I actually don't mind them so much. I guess I just have THAT much respect for their coach and want to see him do well, except against us.
 

ATL1

Helluva Engineer
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7,377
Just FYI Duke only has around 6 players that are 3*'s starting for their team. The rest 2's....
 

Mack

Helluva Engineer
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1,361
No doubt, I'm really impressed by Duke's record regardless of their strength of schedule. I 99% thought UNC would beat them comfortably today but then didn't realize that Renner was out for the season (when did that happen?).

With that said though... I think we'd beat them again if we played them again and I think we'll beat them again next year.
Dook is the kid that keeps trying to climb the mountain and falls down and starts over.Everybody likes them for their dedication in a school that is more concerned about bb than football.Now that was not all ways the case since Dook has had good football teams in the fifties and the Dodd vs Wade was some contest.Yes they played some weak teams but they did beat Miami and they are in the hunt for next year.Cutcliff has done a job exceeded by a few but its still a Coach K type school.Yes we would probably beat them but not so sure since they played well down the stretch and self belief is a wonderful tonic.
 
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