The Road to Charlotte: Week 8 Edition

We're now through the first half of the season and, despite some potentially wildly inaccurate preseason predictions, there are still quite a few teams vying to represent their respective divisions in Charlotte.

Atlantic Division

Wake Forest: Currently 4-0. The Deacs go out of conference this weekend, so their top spot remains safe.
NC State: Currently 2-0. The Wolfpack heads down to South Beach for a cross-division matchup. I have to give this as an edge to State, so they should retain their #2 spot.
Clemson: Currently 3-1. In an unfamiliar spot, the Tigers look up at 2 teams in division and will be travelling to the land of three rivers to face the current best chance playoff contender in the ACC. I have no idea how this matchup will go, but either way, they will remain #3.
FSU: Currently 2-2. The Noles go out of conference this weekend, ,At best, they will remain in this spot, at worst, the will fall to the #5 spot, because...
Louisville: Currently 1-2. The Cardinals welcome Boston College, a win and they move up to #4 because of an early season win over FSU. However, a loss and they will fall to #6, because...
Boston College: Currently 0-2. A win will move them to #5. A loss might drop them to #7, if...
Syracuse: Currently 0-3. The Orange are going out of division to face the Hokies. At best they will move up to #6 with a win. A loss and they will be eliminated from the race to Charlotte.

Coastal Division

Pitt: Currently 2-0. The Panthers welcome Clemson. I don't know how this will turn out, but I'm kinda pulling for Clemson.
UVA: Currently 3-2. The Cavaliers host Georgia Tech. They can't move up with a win, but a loss will drop them to at worst #5.
UNC: Currently 3-3. The Tar Heels do not play this week. They can possibly move up to #2, or they could fall to #5.
Georgia Tech: Currently 2-2. With a win, the Yellow Jackets could potentially move up to #2. A loss would drop them to no worse than #5.
Virginia Tech: Currently 1-1. A win over Syracuse would see the Hokies move up to, at best, #2. A loss would drop them to a potential tie for #5
Miami: Currently 0-2. A win could move the Canes up to a tie for #5, a loss would drop them to a tie for #6.
Duke: Currently 0-3. The Blue Devils are off this week, but they could conceivably move up to a tie for #6.

Can The Hokies Make Charlotte?

TLDR: Yes.

The Hokies don't control their own destiny, but they aren't exactly playing the toughest schedule remaining. Of their remaining opponents (Syracuse, GT, BC, Duke, Mia, and UVA) only UVA currently has a winning conference record. These are winnable games. It is possible, however, unlikely, that the Hokies win their next five games, leading to a quality showdown in Charlottesville.

Now, some stuff would have to happen for the Hokies to make it, at that something is Pitt losing n+1 games. That is entirely possible with their remaining schedule. They have Clemson, UNC, and UVA still on the schedule who are at least .500 in conference. Their saving grace (maybe) is that all of those games are at home.

Bottom Line: If the Hokies can take care of business against poorer performing teams, they have the ability to still win the Coastal.

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