Four ACC teams finished the regular season 6-6 (Boston College, Florida State, Miami, and UNC). These 6-6 seasons are the same on paper, but they aren’t the same for each fanbase.
North Carolina’s 6-6 season started with a stirring win over South Carolina, Clemson’s closest game in two years, wins over rival Duke and NC State and all 6 losses by single digits. Following a 2-10 season, Mack Brown turned the Tar Heels into a competitive competent looking football team. Freshman QB Sam Howell is the kind of player Brown can build his program around and recruiting is going well. The future is bright in Chapel Hill and Tar Heel fans have reason to be optimistic.
Boston College 6-6 season was uneven at best, and prior to a surprising season ending victory against Pitt many were ready to close the book on the Steve Addazio era. Addazio has been at Boston College 7 years and won 7 games 6 times, but they have managed to reach a bowl game every year, but one. A loss against Pitt would have made the decision to move on very easy, but now BC can finish the year with a bowl win. If you are Boston College fan, I’m not sure you know how to feel after going 6-6. The bowl should give more clarity.
*editor note * Steve Addazio was let go on Sunday, and I think BC fans were ready for it.
Florida State’s 6-6 season included losses to their biggest rivals, Miami, Florida, and Clemson. Willie Taggart was fired, and the Noles are stuck in a 3 year rut of really mediocre football, and are currently a rudderless program. The Seminoles next hire will define their program for the next several years. This 6-6 season left Nole fans very unsatisfied, and eager to for a restart. Frankly their fans are probably more interested in who is hired than the bowl game.
Miami at 6-4 looked prepared to finish the season 8-4, and really build momentum for next season. Then it all fell apart, leaving major questions about 1st year head coach Manny Diaz. Listless losses to FIU and against a bad Duke team left Miami 6-6. There was also loss to an awful Georgia Tech team at home. You certainly aren’t going to write off a head coach after one season, but this has a very Willie Taggart start at Florida State where the fans are already bristling. A solid finish was right there for the taking by Miami, now there are only questions left. A bowl win might call off the early dogs at least through the spring.
