Well, so much for Florida State being back. Or, at least, all the way back.
In one of the more stunning upsets of the 2012 season, the Seminoles’ — and thus the ACC’s — hopes at a shot at a BcS championship went down in complete and utter flames as North Carolina State shockingly upended the No. 3 team in the country.
The Wolfpack, playing without three starting offensive linemen, trailed 16-0 deep into the fourth quarter, but mounted a comeback that shattered FSU’s dreams of a return to the big-boy stage of college football. The final dagger for the ‘Noles came late in the quarter, with a Mike Glennon touchdown pass of two yards to Bryan Underwood proving to be the game-winning score.
For FSU, the loss was the latest — and arguably the greatest — hiccup for a football program that hasn’t been relevant nationally for a decade or more. For the ACC, it saw its lone unbeaten team crash and burn, scorching any hopes it had entertained to be in the postseason title mix as well.
While it’s of little comfort to Seminole Nation, FSU was far from the only highly-ranked program to suffer its first blemish. In fact, three of the top five teams in the country — No. 4 LSU and No. 5 Georgia as well as the ‘Noles — had its first mark ion the right side of the won/loss ledger. Additionally, two other previously unbeaten and ranked teams — No. 15 TCU and No. 24 Northwestern — suffered their first loss of the season.
As it stands now, there are 16 undefeated teams at the FBS level, 13 from so-called BcS-level schools. The SEC has the most remaining with four, while (surprise!) the Big East is next with three.
Given how wild the 2012 season has been just six weeks in, it’s anyone’s guess how many will be left even a week from now let alone at season’s end.
