Some thoughts as we look back at a team that two games ago was ranked Number 4 and now stand to be out of the top 25 when the latest polls come out later today.

The defense may not be up to snuff from year’s past but it is not the reason we lost to UNC. Though UNC was able to fire off too many passes over the middle in key third down situations, Foster can have a pass as they did hold the Tarheels to only a touchdown per half.

Tyrod Taylor looked like last year’s Tyrod Taylor, not the new and (most) improved quarterback in college football. His indecisiveness once again allowed a speedy defensive line to swallow up the pocket and collapse the play.

Adding to the TT problem was good ol’ Stinespring. Its not even that Stiney calls the wrong plays its that his plays are so predictable. After talking to friends who watched the game on TV, apparently co-announcer Jesse Palmer went through a few series in a row calling every offensive play prior to the snap to perfection. If that dopey Canadian can do it I am sure every defensive coordinator in the ACC can do it.

He can do it … so can Duke

Lastly, and perhaps symbolized by the nosediving paper airplanes from the student section during the second half, we build ourselves up too high and so we fall too hard when we fail. Though I am guilty of encouraging the over-optimistic preseason hype, we need to let our annual hopes of a National Championship pass. We are not a constant contender for the title game and we need to play as such. There is nothing wrong with being a team that focuses on winning first the division, then the conference championship, and then a resulting bowl game. We can wait for the perfect storm to make a potential national championship season no need to force ourselves and set up emotional failure every time our perfect season is spoiled. It seems like we start each season with that sign that reads “this space reserved for a National Championship trophy” hanging around our necks and its really hard to rebound when we realize that’s not a reality.

Don’t get me wrong, any GOOD team has a shot at the National Championship but we aren’t built the same as the USC, Texas, and Floridas of the league and we need to remember that. Georgia Tech is running a gimmick offense and they have a National Championship trophy and at this point it looks like they took the right approach to winning the ACC this year.