2007 Football Schedule Update

'07 Football General92

Each year we run one entry that serves as our “schedule entry” entry and we update it as time passes and related news (like television schedules) evolve. Most fans usually use the entry as an opportunity to chime in with some preseason predictions. (Just yesterday we updated our evolving ‘basketball schedule’ entry when ESPN announced the match-ups for the Old Spice Basketball Classic over Thanksgiving.)

We also try to ‘byte’ some observations regarding the schedule. How about some of these fortuitous gems from last season’s entry?

* A seven-win or six-win season in 2006 will indicate the program has AT BEST stalled. Less than six wins and the program is in very deep trouble.

* The last time that NC State ended a football season with back-to-back games against North Carolina and East Carolina, NC State fired coach, Mike O’Cain.

* For real shits-and-giggles, ‘what if’ Skip Holtz was having a fantastic year at East Carolina and Chuck Amato was having a horrible year at NC State. Could we be watching Skip’s last game on the sideline in Greenville prior to taking the head job in Raleigh? It is not beyond the realm of possibility…but, it is nothing more than fun fan talk right now.

* To ^that same point – is it 1999 again? Remember in year seven of Mike O’Cain’s tenure at NC State the Wolfpack ended the season with back-to-back games against Carolina and East Carolina. State lost them both. O’Cain was fired. After three years of under-achievement compared to talent and expectations, is Chuck Amato on strong enough footing to weather a similar fate if he were to lose both of these games?

We do something very similar with the Wolfpack’s future out of conference schedule that can be seen by clicking here.

This year’s “official foootball schedule entry” was a little disjointed because we were working hard to piece together as much of the schedule as possible BEFORE it was released. Since NC State has announced the kickoff times and television situation for the Wolfpack’s first three games of the 2007 season, we thought this would be a good place to consolidate our “2007 Schedule Entry”.

2007 NC State Football Schedule

Sep 1 vs Central Florida, 6:00pm (ESPN 360 on internet)
Sep 8 at Boston College, 2:30pm (ESPN2)
Sep 15 vs Wofford, 6:00pm (ESPN 360 on internet)
Sep 22 vs Clemson
Sep 29 vs Louisville
Oct 6 at Florida State
Oct 20 at East Carolina, 4:30pm (CSTV)
Oct 27 vs Virginia
Nov 3 at Miami (FL)
Nov 10 vs UNC-CH
Nov 17 at Wake Forest
Nov 24 vs Maryland

* This is a tough schedule by any measure. Not the world’s toughest, but not a walk in the park.

* The Sporting News has ranked the ACC schedules. It’s not their best work, but it will do.

* There is ALWAYS significant variance between the actual performance of teams and the pre-season projections of teams. You have to think that the likelihood of variance that a team could end up being a lot better than projected (see Wake Forest and ECU last season) or a lot worse than projected is usualy about equal. For some reason, I feel like we have a better chance that the teams on our schedule could end up being worse than projected than if they ended up being better than projected.

* The schedule could quickly get better if Wake fails to repeat its performance from this past season and ECU struggles to break in a new quarterback

* If I had to pick 2 or 3 ‘wild cards’ of teams whose performance could vary the most from pre-season expectations then I would choose Carolina, Wake and Maryland. Interestingly, these three teams line-up in consecutive weekends at the end of our schedule.

* Back-to-back home games against Clemson and Louisville create a very attractive week in late September. If State finds a way to pull an upset at BC on September 8th then TOB will REALLY see that fan support that he was so impressed by during his visit to Raleigh last season.

“Just to walk into (Carter-Finley Stadium), and the enthusiasm in the stadium here, is incredible,” O’Brien said. “I’ve taken teams to State College and beaten Penn State there in front of 100,000 people. I’ve taken a team to Notre Dame when they were No. 4 in the country and came out in the green jerseys. The excitement that fateful night I was here in September (for the BC-NCSU game) was as good as any place I’ve ever been.”

* Speaking of the September 8th match-up in Chestnut Hill — that is going to be one of my designated, “ULTRA hang out all day, eat wings, drink beer, indulge myself in football days” of the season. In addition to the Pack’s game, just the ACC offers the following television line-up of action: Miami at Oklahoma, 12 pm, ABC; Nebraska at Wake Forest, 12pm, ESPN; Duke at Virginia, 12pm, LFS/R; Samford at Georgia Tech, 1:30, ESPNU; UAB at Florida State, 5 pm, ESPNU; North Carolina at East Carolina, 6pm, CSTV; Virginia Tech at LSU, 9:15pm, ESPN. WOW!

* The stretch between September 30th and November 9th sees NC State play only one home game in Carter-Finley (October 27th vs Virginia). After the coaching turnover within the conference last season, Al Groh may be the closest thing we have to being on the ‘hot seat.’

* Will NC State EVER play Duke again? Hell, if Chuck Amato could have just replaced annual Coastal-division losses to Georgia Tech with games against Duke then he probably would still be employed.

* Maybe Lee Fowler should stop worrying about pleasing Terry Holland and working so hard to elevate ECU’s Athletics Program and start helping our ACC brethren out. NC State and Duke could play football every year even if it didn’t count in the ACC standings. We’ve been touting this idea for years and for some reason it gets no traction. It must be way too innovative for the stuffed suits in Raleigh.

* The Wolfpack and Blue Devils could schedule out of conference match-ups and do battle in a historical rivalry that would help both programs. When State travels to Durham the Blue Devils see as much attendance as any game that they schedule. Why doesn’t Fowler support Wolfpack faithful by giving us a game that we can attend in Durham (in an easier journey than Greenville that brings much less physical risk to the average fan) that would also serve to support the coffers of one of our league brothers?

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'07 Football General

92 Responses to 2007 Football Schedule Update

  1. CedarGroveWolf 06/05/2007 at 10:01 AM #

    eze has us on their schedule at 4:30pm

  2. RickJ 06/05/2007 at 10:13 AM #

    I wonder if the ACC has a policy regarding league members scheduling each other as non-league games. I’ve never read anything about this but I can’t think of any example of any ACC teams doing this in any sport.

    It makes sense for Duke & State to play in every sport since they are so close together. In baseball, every ACC team plays 10 of the 11 possible opponents. Naturally, Duke & State didn’t meet this year but there would be no reason why they couldn’t meet for 1 game in Durham and 1 game in Raleigh during midweek as non-conference games just as they could for football.

    I don’t know but my hunch is that the ACC at least discourages teams from scheduling these games. Wake did not play UNC in football in 2005 much to their fans dismay and will miss them in years to come. Does anybody know of an example of any ACC teams scheduling each other in any sport and it not counting as a league game?

  3. Astral Rain2 06/05/2007 at 10:44 AM #

    Does anyone in any conference do this?

    It’s actually not a bad idea.

  4. joe 06/05/2007 at 11:02 AM #

    I recall that the ACC does discourage ACC teams from playing each other outside of the normal FB schedule rotation.

    The old Big 4 BB tourney did not count as ACC games in the standings.

  5. whitefang 06/05/2007 at 11:21 AM #

    It really does seem strange that we no longer play Duke. That was always a fun game home or away. Duke seemed to play us really tough back in the past when we were a decent team too. When is the last time we played them? I think we should play them at least every other year in LEAGUE play based on the proximity and the natural rivalry factor.
    I for one really wish we never played ECU again. That game does not help State even when we win. I seem to remember years ago the NC legislature trying to mandate that NC State and UNC play ECU. Did that happen, is that still in force or is this just poor scheduling by the AD?

  6. McPete 06/05/2007 at 11:44 AM #

    Tommy Bowden and Ted Roof have to be considered the two ‘hottest seats’ in the ACC. I think 5 or 6 wins for Clemson this year ends Bowden’s tenure. Another winless season and Roof is gone.

  7. Astral Rain2 06/05/2007 at 11:47 AM #

    Maybe it would be better if ECU replaced Duke in the ACC. Then we could play Duke every year, and never play ECU…

  8. gopack968 06/05/2007 at 11:52 AM #

    WTF is “ESPN 360 on the internet”? Just when we finally get ESPNU the target shifts?

    Looking at the ESPN 360 site it seems you need to have a specific broadband provider.

    Luckily I will be at those two games, but still…

  9. StewMan07 06/05/2007 at 12:26 PM #

    Yeah anyone else know what the deal with 360 is?

  10. noah 06/05/2007 at 12:51 PM #

    1) If anyone is headed to the BC game, 9/8 is usually a damn fine time to be hanging out in Boston.

    2) The amount of quality content provided by ESPN remains the same. They just keep spreading it out further over harder- and harder-to-reach stations. Thus the filler of things like poker, car shows, live bass fishing, etc.

    I’ve pretty much given up on being able to watch any of the quality stuff. A school ought to try to set up an MLB.com-type service for their fans. You pay $10 a month and basically, you get to watch every game. It doesn’t matter whether it’s on TV or not. You get the coaches camera in the endzones and a sideline cam from up on the press box and you get the audio from the radio feed.

    I don’t know if that would violate the TV contracts or not since it would not be competing with television delivery streams. If XM radio and Sirius can’t merge because no one will admit that terrestial radio and satellite radio are natural competitors, then you shouldn’t be able to argue that an internet stream that you get on your computer and a cable-tv stream on your television are the same.

  11. RAWFS 06/05/2007 at 12:53 PM #

    Unless I am mistaken, there was pressure from the legislature to either schedule ECU or “we’ll do it for you.”

    That’s ridiculous when you think about it. Does Western Carolina whine to to their reps to schedule NC State and/or UNC? No. Does App? No. But ECU does.

  12. E-RO 06/05/2007 at 1:07 PM #

    I don’t think that 7ish wins and a bowl game is out of the question. The schedule is tough, but we’re not that bad.

  13. noah 06/05/2007 at 1:36 PM #

    “Unless I am mistaken, there was pressure from the legislature to either schedule ECU or “we’ll do it for you.”

    Never ever ever happen. Never ever ever. Total bluff.

    A legislator who tried to cut off funding to a state school’s general funds would quickly find themselves under a black hood in the backseat of a van being driven to a swamp for a quick and silent execution. And it would be their own party chairs driving the van.

    While you’re at it, why not openly complain that bald eagle doesn’t show up on the menu more often?

  14. WolfPup35 06/05/2007 at 2:05 PM #

    Will NC State EVER play Duke again? Hell, if Chuck Amato could have just replaced annual Coastal-division losses to Georgia Tech with games against Duke then he probably would still be employed.

    Don’t bet on that. Anybody who has ever attended NCSU v Dook games over the years knows that regarless of the record the Bleu Devils ALWAYS seemed to step up when they played the ‘Pack (remember the game in CF when the 2 teams combined for over 1,000 yards of offense and 100 points in a 4 hour game??) State / Duke has always been a scary game…who wants to lose to the ACC’s answer to Prairie View A&M???

  15. WolfPup35 06/05/2007 at 2:08 PM #

    continuance….sorry, hit the damned wrong button.

    I’m sure we all know that CTC would have found a way to lose 2 or 3 straight vs. the Devils regardless of the talent gap.

  16. noah 06/05/2007 at 2:13 PM #

    “(remember the game in CF when the 2 teams combined for over 1,000 yards of offense and 100 points in a 4 hour game??)”

    Which one?

    I remember a great game in 1988 at C-F where Charles Davenport had a great day. We won on what Steve Spurrier called a phantom holding call (someone on here said that they thought it was a good call). Seems like the score was 47-45.

    The next year, Dook won the ACC title and we lost in Durham despite AB having a pretty good game (on two bad hamstrings) and Shane Montgomery throwing for about 525 yards. Seems like he set a record for passing attempts that day as well with more than 70. You knew AB was hurt when he got walked down from behind on a long run.

    There was the great game in 1991 with Eddie Goins making a brilliant one-handed catch. That was Terry Harvey’s first start after Terry Jordan broke his arm and Geoff Bender hurt his shoulder. Dave Brown had a great day for Dook. We scored the go-ahead touchdown with a few seconds left and on the ensuing kickoff, Brad Breedlove damn near ran it back for the win. Mark Fowble, in the play of his LIFE, ran Breedlove down, jumped on his back and tackled him with no time left on the clock. Had Breedlove just stepped out of bounds, they could have kicked a game-winning FG.

  17. WolfPup35 06/05/2007 at 2:19 PM #

    In more recent history..how about the game when Dook COULD have won witha long FG as time expired..about 60yd attempt IIRC that came up just about 1 or 2 yds short. You could have cut the tension in CF with a knife, and I thought I actually heard a collective sigh of relief when the FG was no good.

  18. RAWFS 06/05/2007 at 2:43 PM #

    Noah: Please see

    http://scholar.lib.vt.edu/VA-news/VA-Pilot/issues/1995/vp951004/10040475.htm

    The ACC is on the schedule. After the state legislature threatened to force UNC and N.C. State to play ECU, both schools agreed to home-and-home series with the Pirates by the end of the century. Duke and Wake Forest also have committed to play ECU home-and-home.

  19. tmb81 06/05/2007 at 2:50 PM #

    The 47-45 game was played in Durham in 1987. The 1988 game was a 43-43 tie in CF. No matter where it played, it always seemed like a home game.

    Funny story about that ’87 game we were down 31-14 at the half. My buddy left to go out and have a couple drinks. He missed one of the most incredible quarters in NC State history. 27 unanswered points were scored. He came in at the start of the 4th quarter, shrugged as he looked at the scoreboard. “Didn’t miss much” he said. I said “You must be drunk, dyslexic or both. Take another look at the scoreboard”: It was Duke 31 State 41.

  20. joe 06/05/2007 at 3:38 PM #

    Spurrier threw a big fit over that holding call in the 1988 game and I think the ACC suspended him for a game or at least warned him about it.

  21. noah 06/05/2007 at 4:48 PM #

    THREATENED…that’s different than DOING.

    No way in hell a legislator would do more than bluster and spew. The WPC takes no money from the legislature. Cut money for a college over a football game that didn’t happen and you’d basically be pouring napalm on yourself and playing with matches.

    You’ve just energized everyone that goes to or went to the college that you opposed. You’ve just energized every anti-government AND every pro-education vote in your district. You’ve handed so much fodder to your opposition….and it’s the easiest to understand.

    And…most importantly…you just screwed ECU. because there’s going to be someone who refuses to give money to ECU’s dental school because of your little temper-tantrum.

    IT_WILL_NEVER_HAPPEN.

    They’ll wave their arms…but they’ll never do it.

  22. joe 06/05/2007 at 6:29 PM #

    The rumor was that the state was going to cut the Dean Dome’s subsidy plus the RBC Center construction funding if both schools did not play ECU in FB. They never talked about cutting academic funding from NCSU or UNC.

    It certainly seemed that the schools took the threat seriously since right after that they both put ECU on their FB schedules.

  23. noah 06/05/2007 at 8:15 PM #

    Then both schools are run by idiots who just got their lunch money stolen to them by the intellectual equivalent of Timmy from South Park.

  24. choppack1 06/05/2007 at 8:18 PM #

    I can’t say that I’m too juiced up about a non-conference vs. Duke – that may actually set us up for more potential embarassment than an ECU game. You think it’s rough losing to ECU – heck, I’m not sure we would have beaten Duke the each year the last 3 – odds are we would have lost at least one of ’em.

    Looking at this schedule – it’s brutal. Right now, I see only 2 games that if the season started tomorrow, would likely have us favored. If TOB can get us to 7-5 in the regular season, he’s done a very good job.

    I’m really worried looking at this schedule, I can see us improving as a team and going 4-8 or 3-9.

    Looking at the season – it’s key for us to get to a decent start out of the gate…If we can get to 4-2 in the first half of the season – we’re off to a great start and should have a solid season.

    Regarding hotseats – Roof, Groh and Tammy Bowden are all on it. Bowden seems to have that Sendek magic – whenever he starts w/ a great season, it falls apart towards the end, whenever it looks like things are going to finally fall apart, his team gets together enough to go to a bowl game.

    Groh’s path seems somewhat similar to Amato. He’s generated excitement, brought in highly regarded talent, but hasn’t accomplished anything special yet. Of course, UVA actually finished the season somewhat decently. We’ll see if it’s once again fools gold.

  25. BoKnowsNCS71 06/05/2007 at 9:22 PM #

    I’ve said this in the past — and never sinks in.

    Having worked in state government for 32 years, having been involved with politics in conservation and at time even being in the same fundraiser parties with these folks I know how they work.

    It’s budget pressure at the highest level, its cronyism, and good ole boy politics/Jim Black/Jim Hunt/Marc Basnight politics.. There is NO bluster and spew — it all back room negotiation and the civil servants in state government comply. And when the Chancellors or Head of the university system has a pet project — it gets support – everyone is happy.

    I’m not saying it’s right or wrong — it’s just the nature of the beast. Blaming the ADs is barking down the wrong rathole.

    But believe what you want. Ya’ll have sports down pat but not how politics works in NC.

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