Despite recent projections from ESPN and CBS Sports sounding pessimistic about Duke’s odds to make the postseason, Myerberg thinks Manny Diaz barely reaches the six-win benchmark after a 3-5 record in conference play.
Despite the relative success, the Blue Devils still finished outside of the conference’s top 10 since double-digit teams finished with a .500 record or better in ACC play. In fact, only five teams in the conference failed to reach six wins for the season in Myerberg’s hypothetical.
After Clemson failed to win 10 games for the first time in more than a decade last season, Myerberg thinks the Tigers bounce back with a 10-2 season to win the conference. Florida State, NC State, and Virginia Tech all won nine games with the Seminoles and Wolfpack finishing tied for second with six ACC wins apiece.
Check out the rest of Myerberg’s 2024 projections here.
NC State basketball coach Kevin Keatts opened an upscale piano bar in Wilmington over the weekend.
Fresh off a shocking run to the NCAA Tournament Final Four, NC State basketball coach Kevin Keatts took on a totally different project this summer.
Keatts and his business partner, Clayton Gsell, opened an upscale piano bar in downtown Wilmington, NC on Friday evening.
Tempo 33 had a soft launch on Wednesday and officially opened the doors on Friday, giving Wilmington an expansive, upscale bar with live entertainment which will be open three nights a week on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday.
Keatts began his head coaching career at UNC Wilmington in 2014, winning three straight regular season titles in the CAA and leading the Seahawks to the NCAA Tournament in both 2016 and 2017 before he was hired on at NC State.
While in Wilmington, Keatts began looking for a space to open a business, and eventually he got connected to Gsell who shared the same vision.
“Kevin and I were looking independently for space to do a piano bar, and two business brokers put us together,” Gsell told WECT reporters. “We shared the same thoughts about the need for a bougie piano bar downtown.”
Despite coaching in Raleigh, Keatts kept his vision to add an upscale dining space to Wilmington’s downtown area, and that vision became a reality with a little less than three months until his Wolfpack squad looks to defend their ACC Tournament victory and build on last year’s late season momentum.
Because the game on the field is only half the fun
There’s been so much happening inside the world of college football since the end of last year that it can be hard to remember what we got so worked up about during the season (non Connor Stalions division)
Fortunately, we have plenty of evidence of schools, fans and commentators frolicking around and finding out. And, wow, was the 2023 campaign an absolute hater’s delight.
This is not a perfect list by any means — there are far too many grudges in college football to capture all of them — but they sure are some of our favorites.
Let’s remember some of last year’s pettiness to get you ready for kickoff next week.
Colorado stomping on the Oregon logo at midfield before their game
The Ducks won 42-6. The Buffaloes tallied 199 total yards. The most time Colorado spent at midfield during their trip to Oregon was during their walkthrough.
Ole Miss’ deep fried Brian Kelly meme after beating LSU
Deion Sanders takes off his hat and glasses for Jay Norvell
Andrew Wevers-USA TODAY Sports
It’s hard to remember now, but for a moment there in the beginning of the 2023 season, it was really easy to love everything about Deion Sanders’ showmanship. He just knew how to play the game. Ahead of Week 3’s matchup with rival Colorado State, CSU coach Jay Norvell mocked Coach Prime by quipping “when I talk to grownups, I take my hat and glasses off, that’s what my mother taught me”.
Sanders couldn’t wait to respond — in multiple ways. He even went on Fox’s Big Noon Kickoff show and mocked Norvell right back before an overtime victory in Boulder.
Just before Oregon-Oregon State faced off for the final time as Pac 12 opponents, news began to break that Michigan State was preparing to poach Beavers head coach Jonathan Smith. So what did the fine folks at Oregon’s Autzen Stadium do? They put the Michigan State game on the the videoboard and then watched as the Ducks went out and won 31-7. Smith was officially named MSU head coach two days later. He’ll bring his new Spartans team back to Autzen this season on October 4.
Clemson’s long walk after losing to Duke
After Dabo mocked the long walk from the visiting locker rooms to the field here at Wallace Wade, it appears that Duke put a bunch of children’s bounce houses in Clemson’s path pic.twitter.com/nEPUQqTacW
As if Duke needed any more reason to get amped up to face Clemson in the season opener, Dabo Swinney decided to complain about how far his team has to walk back to the visitor’s locker room. So what did Duke do? First they put a bunch of bounce houses in the way of Clemson’s path. Then the Blue Devils shutout the Tigers in the second half of a 28-7 victory. Dabo really should’ve just kept this one to himself.
Alabama returns the favor after Texas put the Crimson Tide band in the nosebleeds
The newest SEC rivalry is off to an amazing start.
After the Texas Longhorns put Alabama’s marching band in the highest, furtherest part of the stadium in 2022, the Crimson Tide did the exact same thing to the Longhorns when they came to Tuscaloosa to open the 2023 season.
A year ago, Alabama didn't send its band to Austin for the Texas game because it would be sat in the upper deck.
This year, Alabama will be returning the favor. Upper deck tickets only for Texas fans/band. Gotta love college football: https://t.co/sPL0VXx35b
Jordan Travis gets the final word on Alabama’s Rose Bowl loss
(Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)
Alabama’s season — and little did we know then, Nick Saban’s coaching career — had barely come to an end when Florida State quarterback Jordan Travis fired off a single emoji tweet that summed up how the school’s fans felt after being left out of the College Football Playoffs in favor of a Crimson Tide team that lost to eventual-champion Michigan in the Rose Bowl.
Jim Harbaugh’s bet pays off
Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
Sure, Harbaugh would go onto ruin the phrase by trying to turn it into an acronym — the most football coach thing he could do, honestly — but after Michigan won the Big Ten title game following his three-game suspension, there was only one thing left for him to shout that wouldn’t end with more discipline from the conference.
— CJ Fogler account may or may not be notable (@cjzero) October 28, 2023
Another reminder that college coaches hear every negative word said about them. Before North Carolina State toppled Clemson, 24-17, in late October, Smith went on ESPN’s College GameDay in Utah and proclaimed the Wolfpack were just waiting for basketball season to start.
NC State head coach Dave Doeren responded emphatically to that comment after the win, but, uh, NC State basketball truly got the last laugh when both men’s and women’s teams made the 2024 Final Four.
In a new episode of the Run Your Race podcast, former Tar Heels star Armando Bacot said he wished Duke had beaten NC State in the Elite Eight.
Who would have thought Duke basketball would find an ally with [autotag]Armando Bacot[/autotag]?
The five-year North Carolina starter played against the Blue Devils 11 times, including devastating victories in [autotag]Mike Krzyzewski[/autotag]’s final home and the 2022 Final Four.
Bacot appeared on the Run Your Race podcast with fellow UNC legend Theo Pinson, and it sounded like both of them disliked the Wolfpack even more than the Blue Devils.
“I wanted Duke to go to the Final Four,” Bacot told Pinson. “They were good enough and like, maybe they beat Purdue, fine, they weren’t beating UConn…It would be remembered at Duke for maybe two-to-three years and after that, like, they didn’t win it all, so be it.”
“But NC State? They never going to let this go.”
Bacot said he blamed the Wolfpack’s Cinderella run on the Blue Devils for losing to NC State in the ACC Tournament.
Bacot also told Pinson in the same episode that he rooted for the Blue Devils growing up, listing Jahlil Okafor and Jabari Parker as his favorite childhood players.
Former Kansas guard MJ Rice withdrew from classes at NC State and is no longer with the basketball program after nine games played last season.
NC State guard MJ Rice has withdrawn from classes and is no longer with the basketball program, according to multiple sources.
Rice went through summer workouts with the team and was enrolled in summer courses prior to withdrawing, and his decision comes well after the deadline to enter the transfer portal.
Therefore Rice will need a waiver from the NCAA to be able to play at any level next season, while also needing a redshirt for this past season. It’s unclear at this point if the former top prospect will pursue an opportunity to play Division I basketball during the 2024-25 season or not.
Rice is a 6’5 guard from Durham who played at three different high schools, earning an invite to the McDonald’s All-American Game before beginning his collegiate career at Kansas in the 2022-23 season.
Rice appeared in 23 games with the Jayhawks, averaging 2.2 points and 1.0 rebounds in 7.6 minutes of action before transferring closer to home to play for the Wolfpack last season.
However, he only appeared in nine games for Kevin Keatts’ team, averaging 4.1 points and 1.9 rebounds before it was announced in January he planned to redshirt the rest of the season.
Get a gander at the Gators’ winning efforts on Monday afternoon in the College World Series.
Florida baseball kept its 2024 College World Series hopes alive on Monday afternoon with a narrow 5-4 victory over the North Carolina State Wolfpack in the loser’s bracket. The win sent home the defeated team while elevating the Gators to the next round.
Jac Caglianone only lasted an inning before moving to the designated hitter spot but still found a way to help his team, his 34th home run of the season and 74th with the Orange and Blue — both program records. A tandem of [autotag]Cade Fisher[/autotag], [autotag]Jake Clemente[/autotag] and superstar reliever [autotag]Brandon Neely[/autotag] bridged the remaining eight innings en route to the triumph.
Below is a look at highlights from Florida’s big win over NC State to keep its miraculous postseason run alive.
Burns has lost a significant amount of weight and believes that has helped him immensely throughout the predraft process.
DJ Burns Jr. has lost a significant amount of weight since the end of his season, and the former NC State center said that has helped him immensely throughout the predraft process.
Burns was listed at 275 pounds this past season and is down at least 45 pounds since the Wolfpack lost to Purdue in the Final Four in April. He said at his pro day last month that he’d begin cardio exercises at 5 a.m. and then hit the gym every day.
The 6-foot-9 standout, speaking after working out with the Indiana Pacers this week, revealed some more details of his diet that led to his recent weight loss.
“Lots of running,” Burns said. “Lots of figuring out which foods I can no longer have, which were almost all of them that I liked. So, just finding new ones that I do like that go along with the plan.”
Burns burst onto the national radar after helping lead the Wolfpack to their first ACC Tournament championship since 1987. They became the first double-digit seed (10) to win the tournament after reeling off five wins in as many days.
The fifth-year senior was named to the 2024 NCAA Tournament all-region team after averaging 16.2 points, 4.2 rebounds and 3.6 assists on 62.5% shooting from the field in five games. He erupted for a season-high 29 points in a win over Duke in the Elite Eight.
Burns proved dominant during their run with his size and ability to bully opponents in the paint. He isn’t projected to be drafted on June 26-27 but believes that ability, along with his personality and team-first mentality, will help him at the next level.
“(My) postgame and my ability to be a good teammate and passer and be someone that people enjoy being around,” Burns said. “Nobody wants to be around a guy that is going to kill the energy of the team. I feel like that’s definitely an aspect that I bring.”
Top photos from Georgia baseball’s heartbreaking series loss to the NC State Wolfpack
Georgia baseball’s historic season came to a heartbreaking ending on Monday, June 11. The Bulldogs fell, 8-5, in Game 3 of the Athens Super Regional to the NC State Wolfpack.
Georgia got out to a 2-0 lead in the second inning thanks to a Tre Phelps home run, but was unable to hold down NC State’s explosive offense. Georgia stayed within striking distance until NC State added a pair of runs to go up 8-4 in the eighth inning. The Bulldogs scored one run in the ninth thanks to a Charlie Condon home run, but were unable to complete a miracle comeback.
Georgia finishes the season 43-17 in the first year under manager Wes Johnson. The Bulldogs have a lot of momentum going heading into the 2025 college baseball season, but are expected to lost Charlie Condon to the 2024 MLB draft.
Georgia is bringing in numerous elite transfers this offseason and should be competitive in the SEC next year. NC State advances to the Wolfpack’s first College World Series since 2021. Here are the best photos from the Athens Super Regional.
Oklahoma offers Makhi Williams-Lee out of Atlanta, Georgia.
Oklahoma and [autotag]Todd Bates[/autotag] have been a match made in heaven on the recruiting trail. Last year’s defensive line haul was lauded publicly by many media pundits for its depth, versatility, upside, and star power.
The class of 2025 may not be nearly as deep nationwide, but there is still help to be found in the nooks and crannies of the recruiting world.
Oklahoma offered a seemingly unknown commodity in Makhi Williams-Lee, and by all accounts, he may be a late bloomer and someone who could go under the radar and end up being a steal down the road.
He’s not ranked on any site, but it’s clear Bates sees something there to offer him.
He’s a 6-foot-2, 270-pound defensive lineman out of Atlanta, Georgia. He plays his high school ball at Lakeside High School. His junior season saw him amass 77 tackles, 22 of which were for losses. He had ten sacks, four quarterback hurries, and two fumble recoveries.
His offer list is sparse, and the Sooners are far and away the most prominent offer he has. NC State, Texas Tech, and James Madison are a few of the other schools that are in pursuit.
With the announcement of his offer, Williams-Lee announced he would be taking an official visit to Norman on the weekend of June 14. That weekend is becoming a pivotal moment for Sooners in the 2025 recruiting class as a number of other commits are planning to be in town.
— Makhi (CBS) Williams-Lee (@MakhiWilliamsLe) May 31, 2024
While the offer list isn’t overwhelming, Williams-Lee has some admirable explosive traits and a frame that could hold 300 pounds or more. He may not be depended on to start day one if he were to commit and become a Sooner. Still, he’s the type of player that Oklahoma could let work in the weight room and see how he develops after a few offseasons in Jerry Schmidt’s hands, alongside getting coached up by Bates.
Contact/Follow us @SoonersWire on X, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oklahoma news, notes, and opinions.You can also follow Bryant on X @thatmanbryant.
Despite four straight wins in Charlotte at the ACC Tournament, the college baseball postseason won’t run through Durham.
The NCAA selected its 16 regional hosts for the college baseball postseason bracket on Sunday evening, and they passed by the Blue Devils.
The Blue Devils spent most of the season within the top 15 on most national rankings, but they lost seven of their final 13 regular-season games to slip down to the sixth seed in the ACC and the No. 2 seed line in most national projections.
However, with their backs to the wall, Duke ripped off four straight wins in Charlotte to win the ACC Tournament. The Blue Devils scored 43 runs over the four tournament games, winning their last three contests by a combined score of 32-7 en route to a resounding statement.
Many thought the NCAA would take notice of the performance, especially considering the depth of the ACC. After all, five ACC teams (North Carolina, Clemson, Florida State, Virginia, and NC State) all earned the chance to host.
Duke defeated the Wolfpack during pool play in the ACC Tournament before beating the Seminoles by 12 runs in Sunday’s title game.
The Blue Devils await their assignment as a No. 2 seed, and they’ve been heavily linked to East Carolina in the Greenville Region in most projections.
