I hope the women have their A game going this afternoon.

Interesting article on ESPN+ where coaches and other insiders around the sport were interviewed during the recent American Football Coaches Association convention in Charlotte, to gather predictions for the 2023 season.

Here's the portion that pertains to the ACC:

Clemson won the ACC in 2022, its seventh conference title in eight years under coach Dabo Swinney. But the program seems to be at a crossroads after failing to make the CFP for the second straight year and not resembling the elite offenses that propelled the Tigers to national titles in 2016 and 2018.

Florida State hasn't won the ACC since 2014, which was also the last season it beat Clemson. But coaches think the Seminoles are poised for a true breakthrough in coach Mike Norvell's fourth season.

FSU comes off of its first 10-win season since 2016 and returns several key players, including quarterback Jordan Travis, running back Trey Benson and defensive end Jared Verse, a projected first-round NFL draft pick who surprised some by announcing he would return to the Seminoles. FSU added Verse, Benson, wide receiver Johnny Wilson and others in the portal last winter, and has been very aggressive there again.

"They're getting a s---load of recruits," a Power 5 coach said. "They've got dudes; they're getting better."

On Oct. 15, FSU rallied in the fourth quarter against Clemson before losing 34-28. The Seminoles then won their final six games. Although Clemson still could enter the fall as the ACC favorite, coaches see the Seminoles gaining ground. Some even expect a flip to occur this fall.

"The front-runners are Florida State," an ACC defensive assistant said, noting Travis' return and other playmakers. "They've got all the pieces."

Added an ACC coordinator: "There's one team with significantly more talent, Clemson, and then Florida State did a tremendous job being the next most talented team. FSU did theirs through the transfer portal. Those two are really the toughest teams [in the ACC]. They're killing it."

Any one know why he is not playing for Butler to night

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Big Ten commissioner disrupts college football by swiping away USC and UCLA, and then bounces to the Chicago Bears. Some strange times. ACC commish Jim Phillips could be an option to replace Warren.

Pack up 4-3 after losing a decision at 125 and getting a major decision at 133.

NC State sixth-year senior point guard Jarkel Joiner is now Jarkel Joiner Sr.

Jarkel Joiner Jr. was just born in Mississppi, so he didn't get back to Raleigh until late Friday night. The Wolfpack weren't completely sure he'd play this game this week.

Junior 5-star Sarah Strong taking recruiting attention in stride​

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Hillsborough (N.C.) Orange freshman guard Cole Cloer was on the radar after the CP3 Camp last August, but he's got the makings of a must-get recruit for NC State one day.

His brother was the quarterback (and also baseball teammate) of Bryse Wilson, Payton's older brother at Orange High. Once upon a time I saw a spirited game in 2014 with Garrett Cloer at quarterback for Orange and Kendall Hinton at quarterback for Southern Durham. Garrett went on to play quarterback and then wide receiver at Cornell.

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Down 65-38 in the 3rd

Okay lets try something non political that we can have some good helpful discussion and perhaps build some unity. I ran across this thread on twitter. The replys intrigued me as my thoughts align with many of them.

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I believe lack of purpose. I believe men are wired to build and accomplish.

For example, As I contemplate retirement, my fear is no longer having purpose. I already volunteer 400 - 500 hours annually, but not having a business to run, and a purpose daily will be difficult for me. Golf and fishing will only fill a small portion of this need for me. I need to feel I am contributing.

NC State redshirt wide receiver Devin Carter has bypassed the bowl game and will enter the NFL Draft.

Devin Carter story

Quarterback Brennan Armstrong and tackle Logan Taylor both have returned home.

All signs point to Armstrong picking NC State but he is talking it over with his family. His dad joined him Wednesday/Thursday, but not his mom.

Taylor has a visit scheduled to Boston College, so we’ll see if he goes. He could cancel and commit.

I am on my way to see junior wide receiver Alex Taylor of Greensboro Geimsley.

Junior Day will be Jan. 21, a week before Clemson’s.

1. Coffeyville (Kan.) Community College safety Bishop Fitzgerald could be on commitment watch this weekend.

Fitzgerald will be one of two official visitors this weekend, with senior wide receiver Elijah Caldwell of Rock Hill (S.C.) Northwestern the other (more on him in a bit).

Fitzgerald came out with a top five of NC State, Arizona State, Cincinnati, SMU and Maryland about a week before National Signing Day in December.

At the time, he was on commitment watch for Maryland. He’s from Woodbridge, Va., and attended Dale City (Va.) Gar-Field High. The Terrapins went in another direction, and that opened the door for NC State and the others. He had 50 tackles and six interceptions this season, helping Coffeyville C.C. go 8-3 this past season.

Obviously, one of the reasons he’s on commitment watch is because players will be signing in a few weeks. Besides that though, Fitzgerald would fill a critical need at safety. The 6-foot, 190-pounder would immediately compete for playing time at NC State. After Jakeen Harris, the next wave of safeties included Sean Brown, who was the fourth safety this season, and former junior college transfer Rakeim Ashford, who played on special teams, but then played in the bowl game against Maryland. He had an interception and Pro Football Focus loved his game. He and Tanner Ingle seemed to have a little confusion on one long pass play, but otherwise Ashford held up well in his first extended action.

NC State has class of 2023 safeties Daemon Fagan and Zack Myers coming in. Old Dominion transfer Robert Kennedy can play both nickel and free safety.

2. NC State was looking particularly good for Caldwell following his mutual parting of the ways with West Virginia, and then new schools started to come in, particularly South Carolina on Jan. 6.

The 6-1, 191-pounder had committed to West Virginia on July 1, and then decommitted Dec. 19. NC State made a late rush right before National Signing Day, but due to the Carolinas Shrine Bowl, he couldn’t officially visit. However, the pull of the Wolfpack led to him electing to not want to sign during the first period.

The presence of South Carolina’s new offer has led many to believe he’ll end up with the Gamecocks. That could be the case, but the fact that he’s still visiting NC State does mean something, other than recruits love to take fun official visits.

Will Caldwell make an immediate impact like Fitzgerald hopefully would? Maybe not, but he does fill a crucial need. It’s no secret that NC State’s wide receiving room needs a makeover.

Caldwell has caught 187 passes for 2,939 yards and 37 touchdowns the last three years at Northwestern. He snagged 77 passes the last two years, and he had 1,365 receiving yards and 19 scores this past fall. He could bring some of the abilities that made Emeka Emezie such a quality college receiver at NC State. Caldwell’s eye-hand coordinator and body control was high level, and he made a handful of nice plays at the Shrine Bowl. Of course, his quarterback was LaNorris Sellers, who South Carolina flipped from Syracuse.

3. Having new offensive coordinators at NC State, North Carolina, South Carolina, Clemson and Tennessee is something that might never happen again.

Here’s a look at how Robert Anae compares to the other new offensive coordinator hires.

NC State OC Robert Anae

Age: 64

Previous job: OC at Syracuse

2022 statistics: 27.7 points per game, 143.2 rushing yards per game and 231.9 passing yards per game.

Previous OC stops: BYU (2005-10, 2013-15), Virginia (2016-21), Syracuse.

•••

North Carolina OC Chip Lindsey

Age: 48

Previous job: OC at Central Florida

2022 statistics: 32.9 points per game, 228.4 rushing yards per game, 241.2 passing yards per game.

Previous head coaching experience: Troy (2019-21), 15-19 overall.

Previous OC stops: Southern Mississippi (2014-15), Arizona State (2016), Auburn (2017-18), UCF.

•••

South Carolina OC Dowell Loggains

Age: 42

Previous job: Tight ends coach at Arkansas.

Previous OC stops: Tennessee Titans (2012-13), Chicago Bears (2016-17), Miami Dolphins (2018), New York Jets (2019-20).

•••

Clemson OC Garrett Riley

Age: 33

Previous job: Offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at Texas Christian.

2022 statistics: 41.1 points per game, 204.5 rushing yards per game, 269.6 passing yards per game.

Previous OC stops: SMU (2020-21).

•••

Tennessee OC Joey Halzle

Age: 36 (soon 37)

Previous job: Quarterbacks coach at Tennessee

Previous OC stops: None.

NC State cornerbacks coach Brian Mitchell offered Cornelius (N.C.) Hough freshman cornerback Samari Matthews today, the first in-state offer in the class of 2026. I suspect Reidsville defensive end/tight end Kendre' Harrison to also get offered soon.

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Sophomore RB Tyrek Samuel aiming to create buzz​

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Power forward Jack Clark will definitely miss tonight's home game against Duke.

NC State could go the traditional route and just plug in Greg Gantt and Ernest Ross and try to battle Duke's imposing size.

Or the Wolfpack could go totally untraditional and play more four-guard alignments, which would mean more of freshman guard L.J. Thomas, and see if that makes the much bigger Blue Devils have to adjust some.