State(s) of Emergency
Posted September 10, 2006, 8:25 PM ET

The states of North and South Carolina are calling out for help. They need it immediately...it has nothing to do with any natural disaster; it has everything to do with the football that is being demonstrated by the big boys in both states.

I'm hard-pressed to believe there has been a more disappointing weekend of football by Carolinas' teams, and it was on display for everyone to see. If you couldn't bear to watch, I would certainly understand.

It all started on Tobacco Road, on a beautiful Saturday afternoon. I decided to debut the 2006 Sun Drop Southern Fried Football™ Tour in Chapel Hill for the Virginia Tech-North Carolina game.

The fans were great, the tailgating was outstanding, the stadium was sold out with Hokies and Heels; everything was in place for a perfect college football afternoon. There was only one problem...the football.

The Tar Heels stunk up the joint, and even the Hokies seemed a little below par. By the time the score reached 35-3, Kenan Stadium was a ghost town - and to say we had no trouble with the traffic leaving Chapel Hill would be an understatement. UNC fans are up in arms over John Bunting, and they were not in a partying mood after the game. The loudest noise out of Kenan resulted from the N.C. State score versus Akron.

While the Heels were being punked, their arch-rivals in Raleigh were putting on a classic display of football at Carter-Finley. The Wolfpack was in the process of losing at home in dramatic fashion - on the final play of the game - to Akron...that's right, the Zips! You've got to be kidding me...and to make matters worse, State fans have inundated me with emails complaining about the refs and instant replay challenges and reviews. Guys, you lost to Akron...I don't care if the Zips bring their own refs; you don't lose to them at home. Wolfpack fans have seen enough of Chuck Amato, too...this was an ugly loss.

While we're stuck in the "North" Carolina, how about Wake and Duke? We all know the Blue Devils are one of the worst football programs in America. Well, Duke blew a 13-0 lead against the Deacs in Winston-Salem, fell behind 14-13, and watched in horror as Wake blocked a chip shot field goal at the buzzer to secure the win. To prove they had a sense of humor, Lincoln Financial decided to make this the "ACC TV Game of the Week". Now, you gotta admit: that's funny.

Oh, did I mention that East Carolina lost in a bizarre manner too? Oh, yeah; the Pirates fumbled away a win in the closing seconds on the road against UAB and lost 17-12. But let me get out of the Tar Heel state, and go where football is King: the great state of South Carolina.

There were two huge games involving Clemson and South Carolina. The Tigers had their first big road test of the season at Boston College. We were finally going to see how the Tigers would react to the loss of two of their best linebackers and the debut of Will Proctor on the road in a big game.

Clemson jumped out to a quick 10-0 lead, yet found a way to lose in overtime to the Eagles, thanks to a missed extra point in double-overtime. Tommy Bowden's guys found numerous ways to choke. There's been a lot of talk about the Tigers getting back to the top of the ACC...the final results on Saturday looked eerily similar to last season's close defeats.

Surely, Steve Spurrier and the Gamecocks could save face for the Carolinas' football efforts. South Carolina was hosting their hated rivals from Georgia at wild Williams-Brice. Face it: Georgia had quarterback concerns, the Cocks' defense looked good in their opener, and Spurrier always loves beating up on the Dawgs.

The final score was 18-0, Georgia. Steve Spurrier was shut out for only the second time in his brilliant college career. The last time that happened to the Ol' Ball Coach, he was wearing the Duke colors. Figures; not even Steve Spurrier can save the Carolinas from an embarrassing football weekend.

Maybe the "Football Gods" were punishing the college teams from the Carolinas, because we all know the Carolina Panthers have been picked by every major media outlet to win Super Bowl XLI. John Fox and his guys could restore some Carolina pride after a rough Saturday.

The Panthers had their way with the Falcons last year, sweeping and beating them like a drum...and with the Panthers fresh off a perfect preseason, Vick and Company were in for a long season opener in Charlotte.

The Panthers' fans were even pumped up and making noise, and there was a genuine sense of anticipation from Panther Nation. As I watched the game, I couldn't help but notice that the same stench that filled Kenan Stadium the day before had all of a sudden become equally apparent in Jerry's house.

The Panthers were ambushed and pushed around all day long....it was a pathetic effort, which saw the Falcons run for 252 yards against the Panthers' vaunted defensive front. It was so bad, Dan Morgan left the game due to an injury in the first half as opposed to the second half. Steve Smith was missing in action, and so was the entire Panthers' offensive line.

The final score: 20-6, Falcons. The Panthers lost their third consecutive season opener...all at home. By the way, you may want to go back and read in the Ripe Gripe archives about my breakdown of the Panthers' lack of success at home ("An Order of Home Cooking")....I hate to say it, but the Panthers just can't close the deal at home.

In all my years of living in the Carolinas, I can't recall a football weekend that produced more disappointment for the home teams than the one we've just witnessed. Surely, it can't get worse...but I guess we'll find out this weekend.