Week five: Ranking the Carolinas

1. Wake Forest

Record: 3-0

Last Week: Won at Florida State, 12-3

Wake Forest coach Jim Grobe said that he didn't know if his team has ever played as good of a defensive game as it did against the Seminoles last Saturday. Wake forced seven FSU turnovers and All-American kicker Sam Swank kicked four field goals, as the Deacons knocked off the Noles for the third-straight year. Ten years ago, if somebody would've told me that Wake Forest could beat Florida State three years in a row-in football-I would laugh hysterically. Believe it or not, Wake Forest currently has a better football program than Florida State, and easily the best program in the Carolinas.

2. Clemson

Record: 3-1

Last Week: Won vs. South Carolina State, 54-0

Clemson has beat up on inferior competition the past three weeks, but the Tigers will now have to prove that they can beat good teams-something they have yet to do this season. It starts this week when Maryland comes to town. After hosting the Terps, Clemson will play at Wake Forest, host Georgia Tech and then play Boston College and Florida State on the road. Check back in a couple of weeks to see how good this Tommy Bowden-led team is, because you never really know with the group down in Death Valley.

3. ECU

Record: 3-1

Last Week: Lost at N.C. State, 30-24

The Pirates suffer the biggest dip in this poll after losing to bitter-rival N.C. State last Saturday in Raleigh. For the second-straight year, ECU was outplayed by N.C. State despite being the better team. The burning question now is, how will the Pirates respond after such a disheartening loss? They haven't played well since the two emotional wins to start the season. The next couple of weeks should indicate which direction this team will go from here.

4. North Carolina

Record: 2-1

Last Week: Lost vs. Virginia Tech, 20-17

The Heels were one T.J. Yates injury and one second half collapse away from beating Virginia Tech, which would have vaulted them-a la ECU-into the national spotlight. Yates, UNC's ring-leading quarterback, is now out for at least six weeks with an ankle injury, but head coach Butch Davis said this week that he will not change his high-powered offense. Freshman Mike Paulus, little brother of Duke point guard Greg, will quarterback the Heels this weekend at Miami. We'll see how the Heels' offense performs against Miami, which is trying to get back to its "The U" status after a couple of down years.

5. N.C. State

Record: 2-2

Last Week: Won vs. ECU, 30-24

The Wolfpack jump into the rankings for the first time in 2008, after knocking off No. 15 ECU last week. I talked with an N.C. State fan last Saturday night and he said it was the best game he has seen his team play in a long time. With quarterback Russell Wilson, N.C. State can do some damage. The problem is Wilson is about as injury-prone as Willis McGahee, and the Wolfpack will be without his services once again this week. That's good news for No. 13 South Florida, which will play the Pack Saturday night. It's also good news for the Duke Blue Devils-who will enter next week's rankings if they beat Virginia this weekend.

This writer can be contacted at sports@theeastcarolinian.com.