All-Carolina College Football Poll: Coastal Carolina upset of BYU should set a new trend
Usually when the greater Myrtle Beach area provides as much fun as it did over the weekend, you’re hungover for days, or perhaps wind up with a regrettable tattoo. But Coastal Carolina’s victory against BYU offered a simpler, more pure kind of entertainment.
Since then, an interesting idea has made the rounds on Twitter — ESPN’s David Hale was the first to put it out there, that I saw — and I will now steal it: College football should do that sort of thing more often.
And by that sort of thing, I mean leaving open the possibility of scheduling intriguing non-conference games — especially between non-Power Five conference teams — at the end of the year. Think of it as almost like a playoff, wherein the teams would have an opportunity to prove themselves and build an argument for greater national recognition.
Coastal isn’t going to make the College Football Playoff this season. But in a normal year, with full schedules, with higher-profile teams losing more games than they have this year, maybe the Chanticleers would have more of an argument. And in that scenario, a late-season victory against a BYU — or any other previously unbeaten non-Power Five team — would bolster that argument.
Something to think about. Onto Week 13 of the All-Carolina poll:
1. Clemson (9-1, 8-1 ACC)
Previous ranking: 1
Last week: W at Virginia Tech, 45-10
Up next: vs. Notre Dame, ACC Championship Game, Dec. 19
Make that six consecutive appearances in the ACC Championship Game for Clemson, which (as expected) clinched another trip to Charlotte with the victory against Virginia Tech. The Tigers have won the conference five years running but this championship game, against Notre Dame, looks to be the most intriguing matchup of all. Let the hype and build-up begin.
2. Coastal Carolina (10-0, 7-0 Sun Belt)
Previous ranking: 2
Last week: W vs. BYU, 22-17
Up next: at Troy, Saturday
Coastal’s dramatic victory against BYU — which came in a pick-up style, who’s-got-next sort of way after Liberty couldn’t make the trip due to virus-related reasons — made for one of the most memorable moments in this weird season. It also made for some quality Twitter jokes about Cougars traveling to Myrtle Beach and leaving disappointed. A win for us all.
3. North Carolina (7-3, 6-3 ACC)
Previous ranking: 3
Last week: W vs. Western Carolina, 49-9
Up next: at Miami, Saturday
It hasn’t exactly been a disappointing season for the Tar Heels, though a victory in South Florida this weekend would go a long way toward making up for a couple of games (Florida State, Virginia) that UNC just shouldn’t have lost, given its advantages. A win here, and the Tar Heels continue to look like a program on the rise.
4. N.C. State (8-3, 7-3 ACC)
Previous ranking: 4
Last week: W vs. Georgia Tech, 23-13
Up next: Regular season complete
You know the Wolfpack have had a pretty good season when UNC fans spend time complaining about State’s schedule (yes, it was relatively easy) and making jokes about extending Dave Doeren (who’s 4-4 against UNC, by the way — not exactly hapless). Credit Doeren and the Pack for bouncing back after a dismal 2019, and the nucleus here remains youthful, too.
5. Wake Forest (4-3, 3-3 ACC)
Previous ranking: 6
Last week: off
Up next: at Louisville, Saturday
The Demon Deacons haven’t played since the defeat against UNC on Nov. 14 and, since, it feels like Wake’s schedule has changed about a half dozen times. At least the Deacs should be well-rested?
6. Appalachian State (7-3, 5-2 Sun Belt)
Previous ranking: 5
Last week: L vs. Louisiana-Lafayette, 24-21
Up next: at Georgia Southern, Saturday
First time the Mountaineers have lost two Sun Belt games since 2014, which was also App’s first year competing as a full-fledged FBS member. Hasn’t been a bad season for the Mountaineers as much as the Sun Belt has become more legit this season — what with the rise of Coastal Carolina and Louisiana’s success.
7. East Carolina (3-6, 3-5 AAC)
Previous ranking: 8
Last week: off
Up next: Season complete
How rough is it getting for the teams at the bottom of this poll? So rough that the Pirates are a movin’ on up by virtue of doing nothing at all, their season already over in late November.
8. South Carolina (2-8, 2-8 SEC)
Previous ranking: 7
Last week: L at Kentucky, 41-18
Up next: Season complete
A merciful finish to the season for South Carolina, which ended 2020 on a six-game losing streak. Fret not, Gamecocks: it’s been a tough year for a lot of people. Now let us put this season aside and never speak of it again.
9. Duke (2-8, 1-8 ACC)
Previous ranking: 9
Last week: L vs. Miami, 48-0
Up next: at Florida State, Saturday
It feels like cruel and unusual punishment to make Duke and Florida State play this weekend. Not just for them, but for us. Duke has lost three consecutive games, none of them decided by fewer than three touchdowns. Florida State has also lost three consecutive games, and hasn’t played in almost a month. Is the ACC that hard up for television revenue?
10. Charlotte (2-4, 2-2, Conference USA)
Previous ranking: 10
Last week: L vs. Western Kentucky, 37-19
Up next: at Marshall, Friday
Credit the 49ers for fighting the good fight and attempting to play some games but, as with Duke, fair to wonder what the benefits are of stretching out a lost year in a pandemic-dominated season.
