Our theory is despair is sort of the hidden stat. It's not a stat, of course,
but the level of despair an ACC team feels really influences how well (or more
accurately how hard) it performs.
Wake has a healthy dose of it now; UNC did before Christmas, and after
losing to State on Thursday, if Maryland then loses to Duke, at home, on
Sunday, they are in a bit of a hole. It's early, but starting 2-2 is really a
problem, not least of all because every other ACC team will jump on with both
feet. The Duke-Maryland game should be one of huge intensity, so make sure
to watch it.
UNC has damped down the despair level with a solid performance against Howard
and
then Clemson, also Thursday, and to make things ever more interesting, they
have uncovered a potential
star in Julius Peppers, who is rapidly becoming a demi-legend.